Roark’s list is as deep as it is broad. The bulk of the books are theological, but he also includes others like biographies and fictional reads. What fascinates me the most is the sheer number of books he can cover in a year. I have always wondered how he does it. How does he get time to read all those books? Challenged by Roark, at the beginning of this year, I set myself a challenge to dedicate every free time I get to reading to see how many books I can get through by the end of the year. Here is what I found out: in three months, I have read ten books – more than I read last year! These are the books I’ve read so far. (As you may have guessed, the title of this article was suggested by one of the books I read).

I must admit, I surprised myself. Doing this has been a real eye-opener for me. Besides the many rich insights I have gleaned from the books I have read (I have enjoyed reading every one of them), I have proven to myself that I have time – valuable time that I can utilise to educate myself and develop my mind mentally and spiritually.

When I shared my experience with a good friend, he remarked, “I need a reading anointing.” So, how did I do it? Have I acquired a special “reading anointing” that remained elusive to me before now? In the rest of the article, I will share a few practical ideas that have made an enormous difference in my life, along with a couple of reasons why I believe anyone else keen to improve their reading prowess can easily achieve and surpass my record.

Redeeming time

As a Scientist, my work already involves an awful lot of reading. However, I tend to carry on reading about Science at the slightest opportunity I get (there are too many good papers to read and so little time!). Knowing when to switch off ‘work mode’ has been a challenge. I also volunteer for a few roles at our local assembly, which means I’m engaged in service for up to three evenings a week. Add these to the long days at work, and by the time we’ve dispatched our kids off to bed, I am ready to crash.

My wife and I have, in times past, used our ‘quiet times’ when the kids are in bed to read a book together. Progress with reading together has been slow, as we need to maintain the same pace (one cannot read ahead of the other), but it has been very enriching. When we don’t feel like reading, we just chat each other to sleep, catching up on happenings during the day and planning or praying for the future. At other times, we settle down to a movie. Agreeing which movie to watch, however, usually takes about 10-15 minutes, if not longer. We will endlessly flick through Disney+ or Amazon Prime, looking for a decent, interesting film. But then the moment we start watching one, someone will begin swearing or ‘talking dirty’ or strip naked, and we’ll shut it off, disappointed. Then we will resume the search, and usually before we can pick a new movie, we both feel sleepy, abandon the idea altogether and call it a night.

This year, I have given up movies altogether – save for the odd family movie time (as part of our Sunday evening group activity – see below). What time might have been spent on movies has been repurposed for reading. Additionally, my reading times have been:

•  The 10-15 minutes between getting ready and leaving the house for the morning school run.
•  When I’m by myself during lunch break, in between munches.
•  During the commute. On the train, especially on the tube, where the internet is too patchy to do any meaningful work and seats are sometimes scarce.
•  After Lord’s Day service on Sundays. As a family tradition, we dedicate Sundays to family time – spent in worship, reading, and listening to God’s Word and being hospitable. Evenings are spent in a group activity agreed upon with the kids. Sunday afternoons have been gratifying reading times when we don’t have guests over.

As you can tell, my default mode now is to always have a book handy, and to not leave home without one!

Viewing Life in Numbers is Quite Revelatory

In an online blog article, Daily Infographic, drawing from various sources, offered a meticulous breakdown of how the average person—assuming a lifespan of 79 years—allocates their time on Earth. According to the available data, we spend 33 years of our lives in bed, segmented into 26 years of actual sleep and an astonishing seven years spent trying to fall asleep. We spend four years and six months eating, 235 days waiting in queues, six months at stop lights and a year and a half looking for lost items! When it comes to time spent at work, the average individual dedicates 13 years and two months to their profession, including one year and two months of overtime.

Astonishingly, we spend 11 years and four months looking at screens, divided between 8 years and four months of television viewing and three years navigating social media. This is only about two years less than the time we spend at work and more than 12 times the time spent in primary and secondary school. After a long day, most people ‘escape reality’ through social media or streaming movies online. This analysis suggests that the time spent on television and social media alone is substantial enough to educate ourselves several times over or even take up a second job! For most people, this might probably represent the single most significant opportunity to redeem time for reading.

A Deeper Issue

Proving that it is possible to carve out time for reading is helpful, but there is an even deeper motivation for developing a reading habit as a Christian. If you’re a Christian reading this, how do you deal with the nudity, profanity and foul language in most of the screen content out there?

It was R. Kent Hughes who pointed out in his book, ‘Disciplines of a Godly Man’, that “if we are to have Christian minds, there are things we must put out—and this extends beyond TV to what we read, listen to and laugh at.” As David avows in Psalm 101:2-3:

I will ponder the way that is blameless. … I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.

Sadly, the Christian community consumes the same content as the world does, and as research shows, at an even faster rate. In a survey by the Barna Group in 2014, practising Christians in America watched 30 minutes more TV per day than those who identified as atheists. If we are to have the mind of Christ, we must intentionally feed on Christ-exalting, God-glorifying, and gospel-centred resources. Reading Christian literature is a great help in this regard.

What If I Don’t Like Reading?

Thankfully, a lot of books now have audio formats available. Blogs like Desiring God offer audio formats for articles. Thus, one can still feast on rich Christian content by listening if reading proves challenging. The added advantage to audio formats is that one can listen and learn while completing house chores, walking the dog, going for a run, or driving to work. The opportunities to enrich the mind and soul are endless!

Concluding Thoughts

In conclusion, it’s clear that the potential for integrating reading into our daily routines exists for all of us. It requires a deliberate pause to recognise those ‘redeemable moments’ that, all too often, slip unnoticed in our busy lives. Embracing reading with intentionality—making it a point always to have a book within arm’s reach—and fostering a disciplined approach to our use of time can transform fleeting minutes into windows of opportunity for growth and learning.

In the end, the commitment to finding time for reading is not just about the act itself but about what it represents—an intentional choice to prioritise our development, and, importantly, our spiritual growth. The rewards of this choice, as I have discovered, are indeed inestimable.

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And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:60).

The above text captures the very last words of Stephen as he was martyred for his faith. He was one of the leaders appointed over the affairs of the church in Acts 6 when a dispute arose over the distribution of food. Apart from “serving tables” as the Scriptures puts it, we are also told Stephen was used mightly with signs and wonders in the witnessing of the resurrection of Christ:

“And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8).

You would have expected that this will go well with the people. Instead, Stephen got into trouble with the people and religious authorities. Not only did he get into trouble with the authorities; false accussations were made against him.

Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false d witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us. (Acts 6:8-14).

Now brought before the council, Stephen was given the opportunity to defend himself:

“And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” (Acts 7:1).

In his defence which spans from vv1-59, Stephen basically recounted the history of the Jewish people from the call of Abraham up to the revelation of Christ. Then he uses the word of God to judge the people for killing Christ. That agitated them and he was eventually killed.

But the words he spoke before he died are of great interest, as I believe it holds instructions for how Christians are to respond in times of suffering. Let’s examine the text and see what we can learn from it.

Forgiveness

To be gracious is to show mercy, kindness or forgiveness. It is also to treat people with respect and courtesy especially in the face of hostilities. In the text we see a remarkable example of forgiveness even in the face of suffering and death. Now most of us reading this will not come to the point of losing our lives just for what we believe. The Hebrew writer made that point when he called his readers to perseverance:

“In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”(Heb. 12:4).

That said, living in a fallen world amongst fallen people (ourselves included), we will face situations that will demand we treat people graciously and with forgiveness. As believers, we will be mocked, insulted, misunderstood, and treated badly by others. When this happens, how do you respond? Like Stephen, we must deal with people graciously and learn to forgive. Stephen, even in the face of death asked for forgiveness for his enemies. He was a man “full of grace“, the Scripture said (Acts 6:8).

The Example Of Christ

Stephen’s actions ultimately points us to the example of Christ. Beginning from Isaiah’s Messianic prophecy, we learnt that though he was oppressed, Christ didn’t open his mouth. Christ actually “lived” this prophesy so to to speak. On the cross, he forgave those who wrongfully murdered him:

“And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34).

Christ, in his death, which was for the forgiveness of sins, demonstrated that forgiveness for which he was killed.

As a believer, you have been forgiven so much. Once an enemy of God, Christ has reconciled you in his death and forgivenss. So from the example of Stephen and ultimately of Christ, let us learn to forgive one another.

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The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29:29)

“The book of Deuteronomy records Moses’ words to the Israelites as they waited on the plains of Moab to enter Canaan. Moses begins by reviewing the events of Israel’s last journey from Mount Sinai to the plains of Moab.” [1] In the previous Chapters, God set forth commandments for the Israelites with its commensurate promises when obeyed and threats of punishments for disobedience.

In this verse, there are at least three important things to consider. The secret things of God contrasted with the Revealed things of God and the end of God’s revealed will; that is, obedience

The Secret Things.

The Hebrew word translated as secret is hannistārōṯ ;[2] meaning to hide or conceal. This teaches there are some things God has hidden or concealed from humankind. Scripture teaches clearly that God has revealed Himself to humankind in two distinct ways: general revelation and special revelation (Ps. 19:1-3; Rom 1:19-20; Heb. 1:1-2).

However, though God has revealed Himself to humankind and can be known and related with, He has not revealed everything there is to know about himself, his ways and his will to us. There are things that have been held back from us. Some commentators have argued that, Moses, not knowing what lies ahead in their sojourning calls the people to trust in God for that uncertain future:

The reference to “secret things” may suggest that Moses anticipates the uncertain future of the nation, remembering their waywardness and how they turned to the golden calf at Horeb (Ex. 32). In his uncertainty, Moses trusts the hidden future to his trust worthy God. [3]

Throughout the Bible, we see many instances that speaks of God having a hidden or concealed “things” which humans do not have the capacity to comprehend. One of the first instances we see this is the call of Abraham. The Bible tells us when God called him, he went not knowing where he was going (Heb. 11:8). This indicates Abraham had no road map so to speak, yet he obeyed God. God also provided Abraham with no plan; his ways were kept secret from Abraham. Concerning salvation and the oft debated doctrine of election; Paul argues that God works all things according to His will (Eph. 1:5; 11; Rom 9:11). When speaking to his disciples about the end time or when God will restore the Kingdom to Israel, Jesus spoke of these things in terms of a secret or hidden plan of God (Matt. 24:36; Acts 1:6-7).

Apart from these, there are many other aspects of life God has told us nothing about. For example nobody knows with certainty what will happen the next hour or day or even week. All of these things have been held back from us. Unfortunately, some people have made it their aim to know beyond things God has revealed. This has caused many people unnecessary heartaches for in the long run; they are unable to figure out many of the things they seek out for.

The Revealed Things

As has already been said, there is a contrast between the secret things of God and the things that has been revealed. And that contrast is done with the word “but”: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever.” (Emphasis mine). This contrast brings us into what can be termed God’s revealed will. Though there are things hidden by God from us, there are those things that have been clearly revealed to us in God’s laws and commandments. In Deuteronomy, Moses continues to pronounce God’s laws and commandments to the people. And it is in these that God has revealed things to the Israelites. In God’s laws, we find what God wants and requires of us. The Christian’s marching order or rule of life is the Bible that tells us how to live for God and please him:

The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture. [4]

One clear example of God’s revealed will in Scripture is found in 1Thessalonian 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” God’s commandments are not hidden from us because in them we are able to know God and know what pleases Him. God in his laws sets forth promises and threats of punishments when his laws are broken (Deut. 28). Another truth taught about the revealed will of God is its timelessness; the word is relevant for all generations—“the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever.” (see vv. 14-15)

Obedience

There is a purpose for which God reveals His will, that he may be obeyed: “that we may do all the words of this law.” The law of God is not revealed to be only known. It is revealed to be, most importantly, obeyed. What God has revealed is to bring us to the saving knowledge of Christ and of his ways. Scripture is given so we may know, believe and observe what is written. Beyond this, there is no other reason for the word. The word is to be obeyed to keep us from sinning against God. Now to obey is to live in conformity to God’s revealed will (Rom. 12:1-2).

Repeatedly, while giving out the commandments of God, Moses reiterates the importance of obedience to that command: “Therefore keep the words of this covenant and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do” (v.9; cf 18). The prove of our love for God is obedience to his revealed will. Jesus said if we love him, we should keep his commandment, which is his word (1 Jn. 5:3). It is not enough to know God’s will; we must also obey and do it.

We may not know all of God’s ways but He has revealed enough in his word to bring us into a fruitful relationship with Him. Often, we ignore what God has revealed and pursue after things we have no business or right to pursue. This Scripture, Deuteronomy 29:29 therefore teaches us very vital lessons in our walk with God. There are things hidden we cannot know however we try. That should bring us peace. Also, there are things God has made plain and those things must necessarily guide us in our walk with God and in obedience to his word.

Notes
1. Paul Barker, “Introduction To Deuteronomy” in The Global ESV Study Bible, (ed. Parker J.I. et al.; Introduction to Deuteronomy, Crossway 2012
2. Strong’s Concordance 5641
3. Study notes on Deuteronomy 29:29, in The Reformation Study Bible ESV (ed. R.C. Sproul et al; Reformation Trust Publishing, 2015) ebook edition.
4 Westminster Confession of faith 1.6

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Deception is as old as the human race. Right from the Garden of Eden to the present time deception has been a part of the human experience. Sometimes we are deceived, other times we deceive others and sometimes we deceive ourselves. To deceive means to mislead by a false appearance or statement, and the goal is to mislead others to take an action they would otherwise not take if they had true knowledge. In order words, deception is the opposite of truth.

We are first introduced to the concept in Genesis 3:1, where we read “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

That was a false statement made with the intention to mislead, because the original command from God read, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16 & 17)

God had given man everything, yet the devil made it seem as though God was stingy and had withheld everything. That was the first deception, and it was orchestrated by the devil.  Hence, the reason why Jesus calls him the father of lies in John 8:44.

As you read the account in Genesis, there is the tendency to have sympathy for Eve, she was naïve and unsuspecting. She blamed the devil for her disobedience and that is clear in her response to God, “…”The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” However, as much as Eve would want us to believe that it wasn’t her fault, God did not let her off the hook. Throughout the Bible God lays the responsibility of making sure that we are not deceived on the deceived. This is emphasized by the many commands of “do not be deceived” (1 Cor. 6:9; 15:33, Eph. 5:6, Gal. 6:7, Jas. 1:16, 1 Jn. 3:7), which means we can only be deceived if we allow it. As Christians we need to guard ourselves against deception. We must examine ourselves constantly, to see whether we are living in deception. In this article I outline six areas where we must constantly evaluate ourselves.

Living in Sin

In Ephesians 5:6 &7, Paul warned his readers, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things [sexual immorality, impurity & covetousness] the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not become partners with them” (emphasis added). It is very possible to live in sin and still think that you are a Christian. The Bible says you are deluding yourself. God is holy and anyone who claims to be a part of God must be holy (Lev. 19:1)

There are many today in the Church who presume on the grace of God and go on living in sin, but the Bible teaches that “God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and the truth is not in us” (1 John1:5&6). Again we are taught that without holiness no one can see God. You will not enjoy heaven if you are not striving to live a holy life now because heaven will only be filled with holy people.

Discipline in Christian Living

Paul tell us in Galatians 6:7&8 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life”

Natural experience itself teaches us that you reap what you sow, it is therefore strange that we don’t apply the same principle in our walk with the Lord. Some Christians mock God with the way they live their lives. There are many who claim they want to know the will of God for their lives, yet never read their Bibles nor spend time in prayer. There are others who claim they desire to live holy lives, yet spend their days indulging in worldly pursuit which predisposes them to sin. You cannot indulge your flesh and expect to live a holy life.

For some people, it will mean putting a stop to that relationship with the guy who keeps pressurizing you to have sex before marriage. Or if you are married, it will mean putting a stop to that flirtatious behaviour which can lead you into adultery.

The Company We Keep  

One of the greatest weaknesses of the human species is our inability to judge ourselves rightly. We often overestimate our strength and underestimate our vulnerabilities. This has been the cause of many a Christian fall. One of the areas we can be complicit is in the area of the friendship we keep. We can be deceived into thinking that we can throw our lot with evil people and somehow remain unstained. Paul writes to the saints in Corinth “Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

We also read in Psalm 1, that “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” We need to be careful of the company we keep, because they have more influence on our lives than we are prepared to admit. Do not be deceived!

Doubting God’s Goodness

This form of deception seems so unlikely but when it comes to deception, nothing is off limits. Yes, it is possible for a Christian to charge God with evil. There are Christians who blame God for their “difficult lives”. They haven’t denied God, yet deep down in their hearts they harbour bitterness toward God. They blame him for the death of their loved ones, their singleness, joblessness, etc. That is the greatest deception of all. The devil would want us to believe that God is not good, that he is somehow responsible for the evil that happens in our lives. When he is able to sow doubt in our minds about God, it becomes easy for him to lead us into sin. He has been using this plot since the beginning.

But James tells us “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:16 & 17). God is good, and we must never be deceived into thinking otherwise.

Living in Pride

We are proud because we are deceived. No human being who knows his true condition can be proud. In 1 Corinthians 4:7, Paul asks, “…What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” In other words, our very lives give evidence against the attitude of pride. We therefore must be very deceived to be filled with pride.

The scary part is that there are Christians who think they are infallible and beyond fall. Ì have met Christians who are of the view that once they become saved, they are beyond sin and do not think it appropriate to even confess their sin to God. John says “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”  The Christian life is a repenting walk, “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he falls.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Living in Light of Jesus’ Return

There are those who mock and scoff at the idea that Jesus will return (2 Pet. 3:9-12), in most cases these are non-Christians and so it is easy to disregard them. What is frightening is when a Christian lives as though Jesus will never return. Living a life that prioritizes material and earthly wealth above spiritual priorities is a sign of bad spiritual health. The over-emphasis on material prosperity and physical healing in some Christian circles today is anti-Christian. Contrary to what many pastors would have us believe, health and wealth are not necessarily signs of faithfulness.

Before leaving this earth Jesus told his disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3).

Therefore the call to Christians to live their best life now, is anti-Christ. If I can live my best life now, why would I long for heaven? Don’t be deceived, for our citizenship is not in this world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

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The warning signs that many professing Christians have compromised their stance on sexual purity have been staring us in the face for a while. A youth pastor is arrested for child pornography. Elsewhere, another pastor is charged with secretly recording female congregants using the Church restroom. A worship leader is also caught with hundreds of thousands of pornographic images and videos on his laptop. These are few of the damaging headlines from 2017 alone. In 2014, an online article chronicled 25 shocking incidences of sexual crimes involving pastors of protestant churches in the month of May alone, details of which are too gory to re-tell. Paul’s words in Eph. 4:17-20 and 5:3-7 are a sharp rebuke to our fallen standards as a Church.

So, how did we fall so low? What is to blame for the deplorable state of morality in the Christian Church? On my part, I believe that a departure from faithful gospel preaching in most of our pulpits largely accounts for the type of Christianity that is evident today. The Gospel teaching is that God’s grace saves sinners from the doldrums of sin, and produces in them fruits of righteousness in keeping with their new nature which is fashioned after the image of Him who created it (Col. 3:9-10, Eph. 2:10). Simply, the gospel produces saints out of sinners. It produces a people who are zealous for good works (Tit. 2:14). When we look at ourselves in the mirror of the gospel daily, we see the sin that nailed our Saviour to the cross for what it really is, and the gospel spurs us on to hate that sin and the sinful life we previously lived. In response to a genuine conversion by the gospel, believers strive with Paul to put the body of sin to death daily through the energy of Christ which so powerfully works in them (Col. 1:29). As Bruce Ware puts it, when we imbibe the gospel effectively, it first penetrates our minds, travels from our minds to our hearts, and to our hands and finally to our habitat. The effects of preaching the gospel to ourselves daily is that our belief systems and thought processes; our emotions and affections; how we work and live and our environment is impacted by our good works produced by the grace of God in us. A departure from a due emphasis on the gospel from our pulpits conversely produces Christians who are malnourished in the diet that spurs their growth and maturity in the Lord. It is the faithful word of the gospel that sanctifies. Thus, our Lord prayed, sanctify them by Your word, (for) Your Word is truth (Jn. 17:17). The Word shapes our thoughts and hence our affections, as we meditate on things that are noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8).

Much as faithful gospel preaching as the corporate responsibility of the church is a priority, the individual is also called upon by the gospel to actively apply its teaching to their lives. How ridiculous we will be if we looked in a mirror in the morning in preparation to go out, and realised a smear of toothpaste on the cheek, but didn’t do anything about it? James says we should not be hearers only, thereby deceiving ourselves, but we should be doers also (Jas. 1:22-25). Jesus calls us blessed if we hear the Word of God and do it (Luk. 11:28)! David would admonish the young man who wishes to keep his way pure to guard his ways according to God’s Word (Psa. 119:9, 11). When David advises on purity, we will do well to heed, as he speaks from experience! So, we have an active part to play as well in our sanctification; namely obeying God’s word and doing it!

Now let’s bring this home to the issue of sexual purity. How can we keep ourselves free from sexual impurity? I’m sure we can list so many biblical ways to do this, beginning with taking our Word intake seriously as already mentioned above. But in practical terms, what are some steps we could take to achieve this? Here, I believe, Job models for us a practical way godly people discipline themselves for the purpose of sexual purity. We turn our Bibles to Job 31:1-12. This is how Job opens that chapter:

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin? What would be my portion from God above and my heritage from the Almighty on high?”

The words of Job in what the editors of the ESV Bible call his ‘final appeal’ are very instructive. Job’s friends in the previous chapters summarily dismissed his sufferings as punishment from God for his wrongdoing. “God doesn’t punish the guiltless”, seemed to be their final verdict. Job in response, refuted their accusations and recounted how he had walked with integrity before God. Job recounts how he had taken a radical approach to sin, and consciously disciplined himself to obey God with a united heart and mind. In this chapter, he reveals how he wrestled decisively with sexual sins. We can glean at least three things from Job as we seek to defy the allure of sexual impurity.

1. A Covenant with the Eye

Job alludes to the fact that he had forbidden his eyes to look with lust at a virgin. He says he had bound himself thus with a covenant. Virgin here connotes an unmarried lady in the historical-cultural context. In v9, he expounds on what he means by this covenant. “If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbour’s door,” he says. To Job, entertaining lustful thoughts was not a light thing to be toyed with. It called for drastic action. He vows that if he goes after any woman other than his wife, may another man do same to him! If he went against his word in this regard, let him sow and another reap, he says! (v8). In Ps. 119:106 we see David similarly swearing on oath to keep God’s righteous rules. Too many Christians today romanticise with sin. We take sin too lightly. We easily give in to the least temptation and turn around and blame the devil. Biblical examples like Job’s teach us that we have what it takes to say no to lust. Jesus similarly taught such brutal radicalism against sin when he said that if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out—for it is better to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to enter hell fire with both (Mk. 9:47)! Jesus is not literally calling for us to start mutilating the flesh like the worshippers of Baal, rather he is metaphorically calling for a decisive approach in dealing with sin. Like Paul, we need to prayerfully discipline our body and keep it under control (1Cor. 9:27). We are well able to, with the right motivation and the right mind set–God’s grace enabling.

2. A Conscious Awareness of God’s Abiding Presence
Job alludes to what theologians refer to as Coram Deo, to live each moment as in the presence of God, under His authority, to the praise of His glory! He says in v2 that the reason he will not give in to lustful desires is because God above looks, and rewards his actions. He is conscious of God’s presence at all times. If we lived with this consciousness, we will not do in the presence of God what we would not do in the presence of men. Because he walks daily as in God’s presence, Job has nothing to hide. He declares that God sees his ways and numbers all his steps (v4). He boldly exclaims God as his judge in faithfully esteeming the integrity with which he has kept his bond to not follow his eyes into sexual sin (vv. 6-7). This is a model of Christian integrity for contemporary Christians. A Christian who lives as in God’s presence has nothing to hide. He walks in the light so it will be seen that his deeds are godly and God-glorifying (Jn. 3:19-21).

3. Being Convicted About the Damaging Effects of Sexual Immorality
Job in his discourse makes some pretty heavy statements. They may sound extreme, but they convey a truth about sexual immorality which is echoed in several places in the Bible. He says, giving in to sexual sins (from lusting after a virgin to actually going in to them (v9)) is a fire that would consume as far as Abaddon, and burn down all his increase/profit. No doubt, many respectable men in society have lost their jobs, subjected themselves to public shame and ridicule, and brought untold griefs upon their families and loved ones by their sexual acts of indiscrimination. Some corporate men have suffered legal indictment for viewing or downloading pornographic materials on their official computers. The shame and reproach and the pain can be unbearable. Compare this with the wise man’s warnings in Prov. 6:24-33.

If you are struggling with pornography or lust or any other sexual sin, don’t despair, you can overcome it! If you set Christ before you as a motivation, you can discipline yourself to say no to lust. You are not a slave to lust, but to righteousness. Covenant like Job to discipline your eyes and your heart with God’s help to never give in to lust another day. God’s grace is available to you. Use it and fight!

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In many Christian circles today there is a strong emphasis on “faith”. We are often told if we have enough faith we could move mountains and do the impossible. It doesn’t matter the problem, all you need is a good dose of faith and God will come running because he is compelled to honour his own word if we activate it. After all, didn’t the Bible say “if you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you?” (Luke 17:6).

This part of the Bible’s message has always been a best-seller, however out of context it is applied (this article is not about defining what true biblical faith is, that will be the subject of another article). The popularity of the “Faith Movement” is evidenced in many overflowing mega churches, where people from all walks of life regardless of their true spiritual state line up to move their own mountains (unemployment, singleness, sickness, visa, infertility, etc.).

However, in the midst of the Faith buzz, another word that has vanished from many Christians’ vocabulary is the word “Faithful”. This is the word used by the apostle Paul to describe the Christians in Ephesus and Colossae. In the salutation of his letter to the Ephesians he writes, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus.” Again to the Colossians he writes, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae.”

What does it mean to be Faithful? It does seem that for Paul there is no difference between the two words, Christian and Faithful. He assumes that a Christian is also faithful, it is therefore not surprising that in both letters he put those words together. Real Christians are also Faithful.

Jesus, the Faithful One.

The Bible does not give a definition of the word Faithful, however it provides a picture of what it means to be Faithful both through the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews in 3:1-2 writes, “…consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was Faithful to him who appointed him…” Jesus’ life is the definition of what it means to be Faithful. He lived every day of his earthly life not pursuing his own will, but the will of him who sent him. He said of himself in John 5:30 “…I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” As Christians, Jesus Christ is our model of faithfulness, living a life that prioritises the will of God over our own comfort and self-preservation. He lived his life on earth not pursuing earthly gain or fame but seeking to accomplish the task for which his Father sent him. That’s what all faithful servants do.

The apostle Paul echoing the same truth said in Acts 20:24, “…I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus…” Paul lived every day after his conversion as a servant whose sole purpose and passion was to honor Christ.

How Does A Faithful Life Look Like?

Not only was the life and ministry of Jesus the full reflection of what it means to be Faithful, he also taught his disciples what a Faithful life should look like. Both Matthew and Luke record teachings of Jesus on what it means to be Faithful, three of which are discussed in this article.

Faithful Servants Stay Dressed for Action

In Luke 12:35-42 Jesus told his disciples “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes”…Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager…”

According to Jesus, a faithful life is one which is lived in readiness and expectation of the master’s coming. As Christians, God has called and entrusted us with the responsibilities of disciple making (Matt 28:18-20) and holy living (1 Pet.1:13-25). One day the master [Jesus] will come back and “each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12). The Faithful servant is the one who is living each day with that day in view. The day of the Lord should fuel our faithfulness. The reason why we have so much carelessness in Christendom today is because many Christians have lost sight of the master’s return.

It is striking that Jesus told this parable after he had warned his disciples against anxiety and preoccupation with the cares of this world. He said to them “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life… And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried”(Luke 12:22-29). The greatest enemy of a Faithful life is anxiety and cares of this life. As servants we can get distracted and lose focus when we take our eyes off the master’s agenda and get preoccupied with our own endeavours. To be Faithful means staying alert and focused on the Christian calling.

Faithful servants maximise the resources of their master

In Matthew 25:26, Jesus teaches that the opposite of Faithful is “wicked and slothful”. The story of the talents is one of the most famous stories in the Bible, where Jesus tells a parable of a man who entrusted his property to his servants in proportion of 5:2:1 to three servants and embarked on a long journey. After a long time, he came back requiring the servants to turn in their accounts. The servants who received five and two had doubled the talent entrusted to them, for which they were commended as faithful servants and given additional responsibilities. The servant who received one talent went and hid his accusing the master of injustice and heavy-handedness. The master called that servant “wicked and slothful”

As Christians we have each received resources from God, be it time, relationships, natural abilities etc. One thing we know from the story is that everybody received a talent, yes, they weren’t equal but they all had resources nonetheless. You may not be as talented in singing as the other person, or may not have the same relationships or natural abilities but the truth remains that we all have received some opportunities from God. The question is “are you maximizing those opportunities for the glory of God?”
Stop comparing yourself with others and get to work. It does not matter what you do, what matters is the person you’re doing it for (God). And it does not matter the size of your opportunity, because the reward for being Faithful is the same regardless of the size (Matt. 25:21, 23).

Faithful servants are good stewards

In Luke 16:10-12, Jesus told his disciples, “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” Unrighteous wealth here refers to money and possessions, and true riches refers to spiritual stewardship and responsibility in God’s kingdom and ultimately heavenly reward as well (ESV Study Note). In other words, your reward hinges on how well you steward whatever material resources God has entrusted to you.

Our approach to money says more about our spiritual condition than we realise. Here in Luke 16 Jesus is not only talking about rich people, rather he is talking about every Christian and how we used the material resources God has entrusted to us. Regardless of how much we have, we are all stewards and unless we are faithful with that which belongs to God, we might as well forget about any hope of receiving true riches in the kingdom.

How faithful are you with your resources? Are you using what God has entrusted to you to further the cause of his kingdom (giving for the advancement of the gospel and sharing with those who are in need)? And here I’m not talking about playing lottery with God – sowing seed so that He will multiply what you have given him (Matt. 6:19-21)

A Faithful Life Could be Risky but Eternally Rewarding

Living a Faithful life is risky, it may cost you your life, but the reward is worth the risk. My favourite church of all time is the Church of Smyrna. It was the only church among the seven churches in Revelation that Jesus didn’t have anything against, yet for their faithfulness they were likely to suffer dire consequences. In Revelations 2:8-10, we read,

And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: “The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Living a Faithful Christian life does not guarantee earthly blessing. You may have the greatest of faiths and still your mountain of unemployment, singleness, sickness, visa, infertility, etc. may not move. Jesus here in Revelation promises something of far superior value than wealth and health. He promises the crown of life. The words of Paul would be apt in concluding:

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).

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One of the difficult doctrines to wrap one’s head around is the doctrine of eternal security monikered as “Once Saved Always Saved”. The controversy around this doctrine is the misconception that maintaining good works doesn’t matter. One can live as they want; after all they are saved. This misconception showed up in a conversation with a friend, who on the basis of Titus 3:8 pointed to me that “Receiving salvation should also be coupled with maintaining good works”. The text reads:

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

You see, this friend holds a misconception that Once Saved Always Saved means a cavielier attitude towards grace. Now, it is important for all to understand that salvation is the complete work of God; It was initiated by God, and it will be sustained and brought to an end when we are glorified by God (Phil. 1:6; Jude 1:24). Many people seem to misunderstand the doctrine of works and perhaps Paul’s words “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12) has been erroneously interpreted by many to mean working to earn our salvation. It must be noted that works–good works– is always a consequence of the great work of salvation done by God in us. It is the fruit we show that we are saved and no believer worth their profession will think works can earn them their salvation.

Every regenerated child of God has or must have the longing and desire to live a holy life…if that is not the case that person we can argue is not genuinely born again. When you are truly saved by The Lord you are in a state of grace that will carry you through to the end of your life into glory. God is able to keep us to the end. This is an important element to understand the doctrine. Believers must work out their salvation not because of the fear of losing it but rather; because obedience is a hallmark of a regenerated life. Even what we call good works is initiated by the Holy Spirit who enables us to carry out those works and not us. There is no good in us but as scripture has said the Holy Spirit works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Now, picture the relationship between a parent and their child. Under what condition will that child cease to be a child of the parent? Will they ever disown a child because of disobedience?Will a parent who loves their child throw her out and take their family name off? Would you? If we as earthly parents will not disown our children because of disobedience, how much more our heavenly father? Ephesians 1:14 tells us our salvation is sealed by the Holy Spirit.

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:11-14).

Those who are genuinely saved are those who bear fruits. There is always an evidence of the new birth in the life of the disciple of Christ Jesus. Fruit bearing follows along with being born again. It does not lead to the new birth but it stands with the believer after the new birth. “The Christian is Justified by faith alone but not faith that is alone” Luther said. Throughout scripture, the assurance of the believer’s security is outlined:

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;‭‭(Hebrews‬ ‭7:25-26‬).

Come to think of it, when the Sovereign God takes someone in His mighty hands the devil cannot take that person away from His hands. If Jesus died for us to be born again and for us to lose it then there is a problem. However, Scripture tells us “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
‭‭(Romans‬ ‭8:1-2‬).

Once you are in Christ, there is no more condemnation. Your salvation is sealed.

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What is our purpose? As humans, what were we created for? What is our calling? These are questions we normally pose to ourselves. As image bearers of God, it is not only crucial that we ask these questions but that we seek to answer to it. Why did God make me and to what end? The Westminster divines, based on the truth stated in Holy Writ, answer this most crucial question, what is the chief end of man by saying, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” (WSC Q. 1). We were created to glorify the triune God and this is what we should seek to do. That is our mission statement as humans. It follows then that we ask ourselves, How? How do we glorify God?

We must seek to fulfill our purpose of being created each day of our lives and we must reflect on these truths even more so now that the times are dark. Our eternity depends on it. We are fifteen days into the New Year and it will be best for our souls, if we dwelt on how we can achieve our purpose. The question we must face is this, “How can we glorify God”. We can glorify God in so many ways. So how does one summarize it? How do you teach someone how they should glorify God? That is not something we teach! God does that! He does everything! He regenerates our heart so that we can! It would be easier to just give everyone a to-do list and tell them to just follow this, for with this you can glorify God. But is God really glorified by following a to-do list? We have people from different races and different backgrounds and all walks of life. How do you answer this for everyone? The question, “how can we glorify God” is broad. It could have been easier had it said, “how can we glorify God in our workplace, or our body, or even at school”. But we ask, that the most Gracious and Holy God, will show us grace as we seek to glorify Him.

What Does Glorifying God Mean?

Glorifying God means we recognize that He is far greater, valuable and beautiful than any other thing. It means that He is our treasure. So to glorify God, we are in essence treasure hunters seeking out our greatest treasure. We must first recognize who God is to glorify Him. Glorifying God means we must worship God as He is and must cherish Him above all things. With this, How then, can we glorify God?

Knowing God And Christ

The most important way we can glorify God is to know Him. I do not mean knowing about Him but knowing Him. We glorify God by having a Father-Son relationship with Him; that is by knowing Him. As image bearers of God, we were all made for a relationship with God; in fact we are all in a relationship with Him. We either relate with God as a Father, who sent His Son for sinners and who welcomes us to a loving relationship with Him, or we relate with God as the Judge and Creator of all things.

In the first type of relationship, we are Sons, in the second, we are enemies of God. In both categories, we know about God (creation speaks of God (Romans 1:19-20)). As a result of the Fall, we are all born dead in our sins and find ourselves in the latter category; our natural relationship with God is not as a Father-Son relationship, but as enemies of God. As enemies of God, we hate God and do not honor Him as God. Paul says in Romans 1:19, “ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” We actually spit in the face of Him who gives us breath. We look in the face of God and disobey Him. How dare we! We don’t glorify God; in fact we can’t. However, because of Christ’s death on the cross, we are reconciled to God. We enter into a Father-Son relationship with the triune God by placing our faith in Christ. We down our weapons, stop warring against God in sinful rebellion and we cry out to Him. No longer are we children of wrath, but we are sons. We can now live our purpose: Glorifying God! It is important to understand how we can know God. It is only through Christ.

Knowledge of the Father comes only through the Son. Apart from the Son, we cannot know God. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature (Hebrews 1:3) and He makes God known (John 1:17). He is the way, the truth and the life and no one goes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

You can glorify God this year by knowing Him. In fact, that is what eternal life is! In his high priestly prayer, Jesus said this, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent “This is how we can glorify God: By knowing Him and His Son. God is so vastly greater than us that we cannot know Him fully, even into eternity. Knowing God is far much precious than gold or silver! Like Paul, we must count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. He is All! Knowing God doesn’t end with believing in Christ at just one point. It is a way of life. We will find ourselves exactly where we started when it comes to Knowing God. He inexhaustible! Incomprehensible!

Do you know God and do you know Christ? John Piper is famous for saying this, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him”. We will only be satisfied in God when we know Him. Isaiah says in Isaiah 40:17, “All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.” Do you know this God? Do you cherish Him above all?

Obeying God’s Word

In His high priestly prayer, Christ says, “I glorified you on earth,…” How did Christ glorify His Father on earth? He tells us, by saying, “having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (John 17:4). As the perfect man, Christ is the embodiment of a life that glorifies God. He lived in perfect obedience to the Father. It comes as no surprise that the Father is well pleased in Him (Matt. 3:17). To glorify God, like Christ, we must obey His Word. Dr. Steven Lawson notes this when he says, “The primary purpose of the Word of God is to glorify the God of the Word”. Unlike our first parents who disobeyed God in the garden, Christ lived in perfect obedience to His Father. Now, because of the person of Christ, his death and resurrection, we have the person of the Holy Spirit, who helps us to live in accordance with God and His Word. It is incredible to think that we need God to help us glorify God! O What wretched men we are! We can glorify God by obeying His Word, and trusting in His promises. To obey God’s Word, we must believe that He is who He says He is and that we can trust His Word. Because God is good, we must obey Him. God is glorified and honored, when we like Christ, do what He tells us to do. What does God tell us? He tells us to believe in Christ. He tells us to be in the world but not of it. He tells us to be a light in a dark world. He tells us to be holy, as He is holy. God is glorified if we are obeying God’s word in these and other places. Are you obeying God’s Word? Are we holy as He is holy?

Praying to God

You might be asking yourself, “How is God glorified when I pray to Him?” I will show you. God is glorified when we believe in the gospel. By believing in the gospel, we honor Him as Lord and Savior, and humbly accept that He is infinitely greater than all. Prayer is essentially living out the gospel. In his book, A Praying Life, Paul E Miller, makes this point when he says,

Prayer mirrors the gospel. In the gospel, the Father takes us as we are because of Jesus and gives us his gift of salvation. In prayer, the Father receives us as we are because of Jesus and gives us his gift of help.

Like the gospel, when we pray, we realize that we are nothing apart from Christ. In the gospel, we realize that we are wretched and sinful, and that we need the righteousness of the perfect Lamb of God to be right with God. When we pray, we acknowledge also, that we are nothing apart from Christ, and that we need Him to perfect our words. Does it not strike us that Christ tells us to pray to the Father in His name? Apart from Christ, we can do nothing ! Prayer is a recognition of this: God is most glorified, when we acknowledge our helplessness and His all-sufficiency!

When we realize we can do nothing on our own, we are helpless and God is everything to us. He is glorified when we pray. We must be a people of prayer. We must cast ourselves at the foot of the throne via the cross of Calvary and cry out, “We are nothing! We need you”. In Prayer, we come as broken and helpless, and all we can do is cling unto the promises of God. In what other way can God be more glorified than when we His people trust Him? In Prayer, we are confronted with who God is and we can only bow to Him. Prayer glorifies God and so we must pray.

When we know God and His Son, obey His Word and also trust in His promises, and when we pray to God, He is glorified in us. This is the root. And this applies to all from different races or walks of life or work force. We must be a people who know their God, obey Him and cry out to Him. And in doing so, we glorify God. We must always remember, this is our chief end. Grace and Peace to all who seek to glorify their God, who died to save them from their sins.

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