Recently, Joe Mettle, a seasoned gospel musician in Ghana, released a single entitled ‘This Year’, in which he gave musical expression to these very promises. In the song, Mettle declares the unfolding year to be one that will overflow with testimonies and signs and wonders on every side. He sings of swimming in abundance, of waking up with spiritual fervour, and of personally living out every promise God has ever spoken. Doors, he declares, will swing open at his approach; favour will meet him at every turn; every valley in his path will be transformed into a highway; and every prophecy spoken over his life will come to pass—all of this decreed and declared over himself in Jesus’ name.

The wealth and health gospel

The theology that animates this song belongs to what is commonly known as the Word of Faith movement, or the wealth-and-health—or prosperity—gospel. In brief, this teaching frames faith as a currency with which one transacts with God. The logic runs as follows: if you have sufficient faith, you may legitimately demand from heaven’s resources—perfect health, financial abundance, and essentially anything else one desires.

In this framework, faith becomes a guarantee of success, whether in job interviews, business contracts, or even sporting outcomes. One does not ask God; one commands Him, on the basis of one’s faith. This is precisely the spirit behind Mettle’s song: I decree and declare it.

Does God actually promise these things?

What does “a year full of testimony” actually mean? What is “swimming in abundance”? In Word of Faith phraseology, terms like testimony, favour, and blessing are interpreted almost exclusively in terms of wealth and health—material prosperity. Signs and wonders, in this framework, translate to having everything you want and never being in want. The question is therefore straightforward: does the Bible actually promise believers a life of uninterrupted abundance?

The answer is no. There is not a single verse of Scripture that makes this promise. It is, plainly stated, deceptive teaching. The song invites listeners to expect to “live every prophecy and word God has spoken.” Very well. Let us take that seriously and examine what God has actually spoken.

What Jesus promised

Jesus was unambiguous about what His followers should expect in this world:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Note the words carefully: you will have tribulation. Not “you might”, not “you will if your faith is weak”, but you will. This is a promise as certain as any other Jesus made. The comfort He offers is not the removal of hardship, but His own victory over it.

More striking still is the cost of discipleship Jesus sets out in Luke 9:23-25. The language here is arresting. Daily self-denial. A cross. The willingness to lose one’s life. This is the path Jesus calls every believer to walk—not a highway of unbroken favour, but the narrow road of self-surrender. It is also a direct rebuke to the prosperity gospel’s core logic: Jesus Himself asks what profit there is in gaining the whole world, if the soul is forfeited in the process. The very thing the prosperity gospel promises—worldly abundance—is the thing Jesus warns us not to live for.

One looks in vain for these promises in the Word of Faith repertoire.

What the Apostle Paul experienced

“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:12–13)

Paul—who was caught up to the third heaven and authored much of the New Testament—knew seasons of genuine hunger and need, not merely as a passing phase on the way to abundance, but as a recurring reality of his apostolic life. The famous verse that follows (“I can do all things through him who strengthens me”) is not, as it is so often used, a promise of limitless achievement; it is a declaration of contentment in hardship, sustained by divine strength.

What the Apostle Peter taught

In his letter to Jewish Christians scattered across the Roman world, Peter offered no promise of comfort and ease. Instead, he called them to follow Christ’s own example of suffering:

“For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly… if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:19–21)

Peter goes on to say that it is blessed to suffer for righteousness’ sake (3:14), and that it may sometimes be God’s will for His people to suffer for doing good (3:17). Suffering, in Peter’s theology, is not a sign of weak faith or divine disfavour—it can be the precise pathway along which God leads His children.

The testimony of the early church

“…strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22)

This was the message the apostles brought to young churches: not a guarantee of ease, but a call to persevere through tribulation. It is worth noting the word must—tribulation is not presented as an unfortunate possibility for those without faith, but as a normal feature of the Christian journey.

It is precisely in the seasons of lack, the trials of faith, and the furnace of tribulation that genuine faith is proved. Anyone can profess trust in God when life is comfortable. The question that suffering asks—and that the prosperity gospel cannot answer—is whether our faith is in God Himself, or merely in the blessings we hope He will provide.

But how about Job 22:28?

A verse frequently cited in defence of the decree-and-declare approach is Job 22:28: “You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways” (NKJV). The ESV rendition reads: “You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.”

Already, the ESV translation is telling: decide on a matter carries none of the mystical, commanding force that Word of Faith teachers read into this verse. On the surface, however, the NKJV rendering appears to lend credibility to the notion that the believer has the authority to speak things into existence—to decree prosperity, health, and success, and expect them to materialise.

John Gill, one of the most thorough biblical expositors in the history of the church, addresses this passage directly. His commentary is instructive. Gill notes that strictly speaking, unfrustrable decrees belong to God alone—it is God whose counsel stands and whose purposes cannot be overthrown. When the verse speaks of a person decreeing a thing, Gill argues it is best understood in one of three ways: as a just leader whose wise decisions are ratified by heaven; as a person who, having committed their plans to God, finds them prospered and established; or—most fittingly—as a person of prayer, who lifts their requests to God in genuine faith and receives accordingly. The light that shines upon their ways is not the light of their own authority or declaration, but the light of God’s grace within them, God’s word guiding them, and God’s favour blessing their endeavours.

In other words, Job 22:28 is a promise to the person who humbly commits their ways to God—not a licence for the believer to stand in the place of God and decree outcomes into existence. The authority here belongs to God; the posture required of the believer is faith and dependence, not command and entitlement.

This reading is confirmed by the verses immediately preceding:

“Then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver. For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you…” (Job 22:25-27)

Notice the portrait of the person whose decisions are established by God. This is someone for whom God Himself is the treasure—their gold, their precious silver. Because they delight in the Almighty above all else, their desires and decisions naturally align with His will. It is no wonder, then, that God establishes them. The text offers no support whatsoever for the idea that any believer, by the force of their declaration, can command God to produce outcomes on their behalf.

A conspicuous omission

It has not escaped our attention that the song ‘This Year’ is entirely silent on the call to holy living. From beginning to end, it is preoccupied with claiming blessings, with no word of exhortation to holiness—which is, in fact, the explicit will of God for every believer (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5).  It is therefore far from uncommon to find professing Christians living in open disobedience and yet fully expecting—and enthusiastically claiming—God’s blessing.

Conclusion

The theology embedded in the song This Year is a fundamental distortion of Biblical Christianity. It replaces petition with presumption, substitutes entitlement for faith, and promises what God has never promised. When Scripture is examined accurately, a different picture emerges: one in which believers are called to endure tribulation, follow a suffering Saviour, learn contentment in seasons of plenty and want, and trust a sovereign God whose ways are higher than ours.

This does not mean God is indifferent to our circumstances, or that prayer is futile. On the contrary—the Bible is full of encouragements to bring every need before God, ask boldly, and expect His faithfulness. But God’s faithfulness does not mean the removal of all hardship. It means the presence of God within it, strength sufficient for each trial, and an eternal inheritance that no earthly suffering can diminish.

The prosperity gospel does a profound disservice to Christians—particularly those in contexts of genuine poverty, illness, and suffering—by implying that their hardship is evidence of insufficient faith. It is not. Some of the most faith-filled people in Scripture suffered the most deeply: Job, Paul, Peter, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Their trials did not contradict God’s promises; they were part of them.

We call on Christian leaders, musicians, and influencers—particularly across Ghana and the wider African church—to handle the word of God carefully and accurately. The gospel is genuinely good news: not the promise of a trouble-free life, but the promise of a Saviour who has overcome the world, and who walks with His people through every valley until He brings them safely home.

Notes

• https://tgnghana.org/dont-fall-for-it-this-31st-december/
• https://tgnghana.org/new-years-eve-vigil-services-auspicious-moments-or-gospel-merchandise/

The post A Biblical Review of ‘This Year’ by Joe Mettle appeared first on TGN.

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. (John 11:1-4)

Dear reader, I believe you may have, on many occasions, asked yourself the question “why me” because of an unexpected, unpleasant event in your life. As a matter of fact, we don’t always understand the negative circumstances life throws at us. Some life events may cause us to question God’s love and care for us.

In extreme cases, some have abandoned the Christian faith because a spouse leaves a marriage, or they lose a job, a contract, business opportunity or they receive a diagnosis of an incurable disease. “Why me?” and “Where is God?” In such moments, God may seem silent or distant.

In John 11, we see a familiar narrative where Lazarus was ill, his sisters sent for Jesus, but rather than attaching urgency to the SOS call from the sisters, Jesus delayed – purposefully. Eventually Lazarus died.

As the narrative progresses, a sense of frustration is registered by his sisters–Martha and Mary. They seemed to have blamed Jesus for the death of their brother, because he delayed in arriving on time. Twice in the narrative, we hear the sisters telling Jesus “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (vv. 21; 32). They subtly blamed Jesus.

What do you do when you don’t understand what is happening in your life and God seems silent and distant, or when you feel that God is indifferent to your situation? Know that you are not alone. Scripture does account for such sentiments. David, in three places in the Psalms felt God was distant:

Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (Psalm 10:1)

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? (Psalm 13:1)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning (Psalm 22:1)

More encouraging still, our Lord on the cross cried out Psalm 22:1:

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46)

For the rest of this article, I will glean some lessons to help us through moments of doubt and struggle when God seems silent.

Embrace Suffering As Part of The Believer’s Life

Often we are ill prepared for suffering as believers and are therefore caught off guard when adversity comes. This may be a result of the kind of Christianity dominating our Christian milieu. The prosperity, health and wealth gospel has popularised the lie that Christians are not to suffer, get sick or experience setbacks. On the contrary, John Piper, in an article Why I Abominate The Prosperity Gospel, noted that,

“Normal Christianity is pain. Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing is the pattern (see 2 Corinthians 6:10). Prosperity preachers do not prepare new converts in third world countries to endure the realities of what it will cost them to be a Christian.”

We will do well to prepare ourselves for moments of suffering as believers and not dispair. You are not immune to the problems of this life because you are a believer. Believers get sick, believers experience hardships and believers experience loss in life.

In this narrative, we are introduced to a devoted family. They worship Jesus, they are devoted to him. Notice how one of the sisters-Mary-is presented to us: “It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill” (v.2).

It is possible the event was commonly known amongst the readers of John or because it was recorded in the next chapter, John prepares his readers to not lose the plot of the events (John 12:3). But this is an important part of the narrative. It was this devoted woman whose brother was ill: “It was Mary…whose brother was ill” Humanly speaking, this should not happen. With the recorded intensity of devotion to Jesus, how can she lose her brother?

I suspect perhaps John is inviting us into the realities of the lives of devoted people: they encounter suffering. God is not silent because you are suffering. In fact he knows your situation.

Another important lesson for our attention is the emphasis John placed on Jesus’ love for this family (vv 3, 5, 36). These references to Jesus’ love for them give us a view for them gives us a view into the lives of the family. They were devoted to Jesus and most importantly they are loved by Jesus. Yet one of the people Jesus loved died out of illness.

Call On Jesus

Before Lazarus would die, they had called on Jesus: “…the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill” (v.3). We can look at this as a picture of prayer. They called out to Jesus in their moment of trouble. And that is what we should do when problems come. Our first action must be to call out in prayer. Now, though they called on Jesus, their brother died, and this will sometimes be the reality of all of us. We may experience unanswered prayers or delays. We will believe God. We will pray. But what we request may not come, or it may be delayed.

I noted earlier in this article that the sisters subtly blamed Jesus’ delay for their brother’s death (vv.21, 32). They had no idea behind the delay, but we know because we are now reading the narrative. The verse 4 tells us why: “But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

“But when Jesus heard it…”

This is important for our consideration. Jesus hears us when we call on him. Our call to Jesus for help in prayer does not go unheard. Every cry, every complaint, every scream for help is heard. And therefore whenever it seems to us that God is silent, we must trust him.

Rest In God’s Providence In Our Lives

When Jesus said “This illness does not lead to death…”, he meant that Lazarus’ illness will not ultimately lead to death. Yet, he waited for Lazarus to die so that God’s glory will be seen and revealed through Jesus. The glory of God, the glory of the Son then, is behind the supposed delay.  Lazarus will die, so that there will be an opportunity for people to experience the glory of God through Jesus. This is the providence of God working in every detail of our lives. God directs every detail of our lives to his glory. Nothing takes him by surprise. Because everything that happens to us has a purpose. The apostle Paul in the popular Scripture in Romans 8:28 says that

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Do you believe this? You should come to a point of conviction that whatever  happens in your life, God is at work behind the scenes for his glory.

There is a little detail in the narrative worth noting. The events are meant to bring his disciples to faith in him (v.15). Truly every work of Christ is to produce faith in his people, including this. Do you have faith? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe that he is able to work out every aspect of your life to his glory including your salvation? Please believe this.

The post When God Seems Silent appeared first on TGN.

This communal practice resonates deeply with the Protestant theological tradition. In the writings of the Puritans, we find our contemporary practice rooted in centuries of careful reflection on how God shapes His people through prayer.

The Puritan theologian Richard Rogers noted that “God’s children are especially refreshed through public prayers” and that “we learn to pray gospel-centred, God-glorifying prayers by listening to experienced saints.” Rogers wrote these words as part of his practical guide to the Christian life (the Seven Treatises), focusing on what he called “the means^§ whereby a godly life is helped and continued”—what we now know as the Spiritual Disciplines: the preaching of the Word, the sacraments, and prayer^¶.

Rogers emphasises the importance of hearing other believers pray, particularly in the gathered assembly. As we listen and consent together in the same requests, we grow in grace. In essence, we learn to pray gospel-centred, God-glorifying, Christ-exalting prayers by listening to experienced saints. What better teachers could we have than the Apostles whose doctrine and teaching laid the foundation of the Church (Ephesians 2:20).

As the author of nearly one-third of the New Testament, Paul shaped early Christian theology and practice through his letters, his proclamation, and his intercession. His prayers, woven throughout his epistles, reveal a man whose heart was consumed with gospel concerns and whose petitions were saturated with Scripture. In Paul’s prayers, we glimpse what Spirit-empowered, gospel-centred intercession truly looks like. This is why God has graciously preserved the prayers of the apostles: so that we may learn from them and pray along with them.

In the resource that follows, we have collated the prayers of Paul, organised by theme, to serve as a guide for your meditation and spiritual growth. Read through them. Pray them for yourself and others. Meditate on them. Let them shape your understanding of what faithful intercession looks like. As you do, may you find yourself conformed to the apostolic pattern of prayer—may you discover afresh what it means to pray with biblical conviction and Spirit-empowered urgency. And may you experience the transformative grace that comes when our prayer life aligns with the Word and mirrors the example of the saints.

1. PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING

For Churches

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.” (Romans 1:8)

“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you.” (1 Corinthians 1:4–6)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4)

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” (2 Corinthians 2:14)

“For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God… Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:12, 15)

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Philippians 1:3–5)

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints.” (Colossians 1:3–4)

“We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2–3)

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

For Individuals

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service.” (1 Timothy 1:12)

“I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.” (2 Timothy 1:3)

“I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints… for I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.” (Philemon 4–5, 7)

2. PRAYERS FOR SPIRITUAL WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE & REVELATION

“…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:17–19a)

“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent.” (Philippians 1:9–10)

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (Colossians 1:9)

“…and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” (Philemon 6)

3. PRAYERS FOR SPIRITUAL STRENGTH, MATURITY & GROWTH

Inner Strength & Fullness

“…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16–19)

Maturity & Sanctification

“For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.” (2 Corinthians 13:9)

“…so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.” (Colossians 1:10–11)

“…so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” (1 Thessalonians 3:13)

“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ… so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:6, 10–11)

4. PRAYERS FOR LOVE, UNITY & HARMONY

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together with one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5–6)

“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more.” (Philippians 1:9)

“…and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

5. PRAYERS FOR JOY, PEACE, HOPE & ENCOURAGEMENT

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)

“May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” (Romans 15:33)

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 Corinthians 13:14)

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16–17)

6. PRAYERS FOR GUIDANCE & DIRECTION

“…asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.” (Romans 1:10)

“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5)

7. PRAYERS FOR MINISTRY EFFECTIVENESS

“I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints.” (Romans 15:30–31)

“…and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:19–20)

“At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.” (Colossians 4:3–4)

“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11–12)

8. PRAYERS FOR SALVATION & DELIVERANCE

“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” (Romans 10:1)

“…that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea.” (Romans 15:31)

9. PRAYERS FOR INDIVIDUALS

For Timothy

“I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy… for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:3–4, 7)

For Onesiphorus

“May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains… may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!” (2 Timothy 1:16, 18)

Notes

1. Holy Helps for a Godly Life, Richard Rogers, Edited by Brian G. Hedges, Reformation Heritage Books, Grand Rapids, Michigan, pp. 26-27.
2. Systematic Theology, Charles Hodge, Oak Harbor, Wash: Logos Research Systems, 1997; 3:446.

• Charles Hodge writes, “By means of grace…the phrase is intended to indicate those institutions which God has ordained to be the ordinary channels of grace, i.e., of the supernatural influences of the Holy Spirit, to the souls of men.”

¶For a full treatment of the Spiritual Disciplines, see Donald S. Whitney’s ‘Spiritual Disciplines’, or Richard J. Foster’s ‘Celebrations of Discipline.’

The post The Prayers of Paul appeared first on TGN.

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.

The post Surprised by Reading appeared first on TGN.

The post The Mindset Every Christian Must Have appeared first on TGN.

The post Warning Signs of Bewitchment II appeared first on TGN.

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.

The post Gracious in Suffering appeared first on TGN.

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

The post The Secret And Revealed Things Of God appeared first on TGN.

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.

The post Are You Living in Deception? appeared first on TGN.

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!

The post A COVENANT WITH THE EYE appeared first on TGN.