GODS PERFECT PROMISE

Knowing the God of Impossibilities

By Albert A. Olaoye
First published in 2011 Published By The Electronic Book Company http://www.theelectronicbookcompany.com

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If youre reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This book contains detailed research material, combined with the author's own subjective opinions, which are open to debate. Any offence caused to persons either living or dead is purely unintentional. Factual references may include or present the author's own interpretation, based on research and study.

All references are taken from the King James Bible, except where otherwise stated.

Copyright 2011 by Albert A. Olaoye

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Book Cover Introduction: A Word for the Church Chapter 1: Joseph and His Dreams Chapter 2: The Seed of Abraham Chapter 3: Sermon on the Mount Chapter 4: Riches of the Children Epilogue About the Author Coming Soon

Introduction A Word for The Church

It is forever amazing how greatly inexhaustible and wealthy the word of God is. When I caught the revelation of the significance of the life of Joseph, I could not believe the seemingly endless wisdom and great possibilities which it has for today's Christians. The more I contemplate about it the more I realise that we do underestimate and underutilize the inexhaustible riches of the Bible as a whole. For the Christians of today, it is highly imperative to begin to look into ways and means by which the Word of God can be of more practical use in our lives. The name of an individual, an event, a miracle, a dream, or a simple action takes on such a flowery beauty, full of depth and meaning. No matter how bizarre or intimidating a biblical account or personality may look, at the end we see that it is a rich web of interrelated material, and rich in substance with which to nourish our spiritual being, and strengthen us through the long, and dreary journey which life sometimes turns out to be. In Joseph, I often see the very manifestation of God's promise. He was a boy who held to the promise of God, so much so that he had the confidence to share it with his brothers, not doubting that someday he would be exalted. That promise also holds for us as God's children. Today pastors tend to be saddled with so much counselling problems, not because their teams are not working properly but because many have not learnt how to hold fast to God's promise. Some hear a word, a sermon or catch a revelation, but allow the ordinary worries of life to lay ambush and rob them of these golden promises. That was a weakness that was utterly lacking in Joseph. He caught the revelation of what God wanted to accomplish in his life, and held firmly to it. Today, I hear Christians who accuse Joseph of being childish, and that he should have exercised some restraint

in the way he shared his dream - well, that is good counselling to some, but to me it is bad counselling, too. To begin with we are talking about God - and His Word. Once He has promised nobody can lay ambush on what He intends to accomplish in our lives. Did Jesus Christ not share His life with everyone - disciples, Pharisees, and all? He said that the temple would be destroyed and rebuilt in three days. Obviously that did not go down well with those who heard him say it. More so, God himself has signed to His word that not one iota of it would pass away, without being fulfilled. Joseph, beyond anything else knew and proved his acquaintanceship and unflinching confidence in the Word of God. As I see it, the people are awaiting to see the fruit of our relationship with God. Joseph proved that he was a fruitful and profitable child of God. There is no way we can avoid being insulted or assaulted by those who do not want God's will to come to pass in our lives. As members of the fellowship of God's household, we cannot do without having some Judases here and there, but it is imperative for the people to have the Word of God at their fingertips. The sermons, Bible studies, night vigil services, and many other contemporary Christian fellowship programmes that are held in most Churches are the means by which God strengthens His beloved. Regarding fellowship, it is always good to be at the right place at the right time. Anyone who would be victorious cannot afford to dodge Christian fellowship. Joseph's dreams were a revelation of God's promise for his life - and in fact for his family, nation and many others whom he did not know. Our lives are bound to affect others beyond any imaginable proportions. We cannot afford to be lax with the word of God. The Bible advises in these words: "This Book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." [Joshua 1:8]. What God is saying is that it is imperative for us to know the Word, and to use it effectively in our daily living. Joseph believed in the Word (or dream), and allowed it to prosper Him. Only if we too can lay hold of God's Word for us to triumph over any

obstacles that may confront us in life. The way in which Joseph positioned himself in relation to God's promise we see that he allowed his life to revolve around an overpowering constellation of dreams in which he had faith. When a people hold fast to God's vision for them in such a way that it is firmly anchored on the Word, then nothing can hinder its fellowship from prospering according to God's eternal will. Certainly there would be distracters and brethren who would act in a fashion that is contrary to a healthy fellowship, but the salt of the Word of God is able to heal the putrescence that festers in the body of a wholly unguarded fellowship. Irrespective of the treacherous plots that were engineered by Joseph's brothers yet God's promise to him did come to pass. There are many things that threaten the fulfilment of God's promise. After all, it is the devil that employs all those idle hands, mind, soul and all. His chiefest task is to demolish the fabric of fellowship so that it would have a foundation on which to lay its monstrous superstructure of falsehood and failure. But brethren, be ye on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees". Sin is nothing to be trifled with. No matter how small it may seem it should be remembered that it is able to spread its cancerous tubers into the body of an unrighteous fellowship. The antagonism of Joseph's brothers looked like a small thing in the beginning, but by the time the bitterness in them became uncontrollable it was even impossible for Reuben to stop the others from carrying out their evil plans. This brings to the fore another attribute of sin - evil company corrupts absolutely. Gods weapon for combating evil is evangelism, reaching our friends, colleagues, co-workers, neighbours, relations and adversaries with the message of God's love and salvation. No fellowship can withstand the gale of sin and God's retribution in the face of unholy and untoward living in the midst of a perishing people. Reuben could not do anything because it was too late for his rhetoric to sink into deaf brethren who had being overtaken by a murderous lust. One great lesson for us is this: Nothing should be taken for granted when the miasma of conspiracy eats through the ranks of an unguarded fellowship. It is important that everyone begins to see the great value of fellowshipping in Christ, otherwise some are bound to cause a dangerous hindrance to the prosperity of God's people. When Joseph's brothers heard about his dreams they were filled with bitterness, not love. They should have joined hands to see how they could help to

make the dream a reality. After all Joseph's dreams revealed that they worked on the farm - a common ground for fellowship and Christian worship. Certainly, they did not need a prophet to tell them what great roles they could have played. They should have found some fun in the work to be achieved. They should have analysed the rich prospects of the dream, though the grim truth is that no man can understand Gods ways and meaning. He works the way He wills - absolutely. They needed a farm plot, something like a field of play where everyone could contribute their skills; a coordinator or manager who could delegate functions in such a way that everyone occupied their rightful positions in the scheme of things, ensuring that resources were maximized; a visionary who could put the pieces together so that everyone knew what the whole thing was all about; and so on and so forth. But the pride of position, the ill-wind of distrust contrived to drastically change the direction of their relationship. They all suffered a sudden mental seizure which incapacitated their perception of one another and completely distorted their respect for the Word of God. The aftermath was an auto-generation of the poisonous wasp of unreason and murderous lust. It seeped through unseen holes in their relationship. What did it matter if Joseph was their chosen leader? The fact that they came from the same home instigated the peck order mentality to a grossly unrealistic proportion - not the will of God but theirs be done. Selfishness is a maddening arrogation of power to oneself. This partly explains why its victims often suffer a headlong collision with the power and the will of God. For us in a modern world it teaches the need to give priority to Gods will, no matter how inconvenient and discomfiting it may be. We need to keep an open mind when it comes to others having their way with destiny, bearing in mind at all times that everyman's life is ordained by God. Our understanding of democracy and human free will may be more enriched if we learnt how to allow the best people to do the job for which God has exalted them. We all have a role to play, but most importantly we must accept the truth that we cannot all be leaders. We can join hands to make the job easier for the leadership. We need to be humble at heart so as to be able to work jointly in reaching great goals.

Everyone in a fellowship has responsibility to share in its success or failure, after all no man is an island unto himself, and fellowship is about having a sense of belonging. To my understanding when Joseph shared his dream with his brothers it was not to blow his trumpet, but God used him to advertise a supernatural ministry. His brothers should have known that he used the opportunity to advertise job vacancies, too. Apparently, they did not feel qualified, hence the anger of frustration that impelled them to do what they did, but would eliminating Joseph have made life easier for these naive brethren? Nothing can demolish the greatness of God's promise in our lives. The Word of God is priceless and cannot be mocked. Joseph's brothers took his tunic, killed a kid goat and dipped the tunic in its blood [Genesis 37:30]. That is to say that the devil has no limit to what extent he can go when he wants to hinder the fulfilment of God's plans for our lives. No doubt, intimidation, deception, murder and other deadly actions are some of the ploys the devil uses to confuse or defeat us, but one with God is ever a majority. Like Joseph, we too can triumph over all these trials and many more. We are all destined to amount to something, because it is the will of God above all things that His beloved should prosper. Therefore, no matter how lowly our positions might be, it is always possible for God to use us in many great ways, especially also in this day and age when even Kingmakers tend to be more powerful and respected than the King himself. So it is a great honour to be part of a team that God has chosen to do great things. The bottom line is that the leader is never the all in all. His success would also depend on those whom God has chosen to do the work with him. In Pharaoh's house we see again how Joseph's destiny was kept under divine incubation until God finally hatched forth the glorious beauty of His plan for his life. The love of God for us does not preclude us from the plans that come from the various trials and tribulations that are bound to beset us. The promise of God is to be with us till the end of the age. The challenge before us is to have the measure of faith that makes God a golden priority in our lives. Joseph was irrevocably prepared for the sweet and sour. The more Joseph remained

faithful the more his mental and spiritual perceptions of God's plan for his life became broadened. Our greatest joy is to do Gods will. He had no doubt that nothing could stop the momentum at which the perfect will of God rolled into fulfilment in his life. Everyone, and every event aligned to comply with the revelation of God's will for his life. Nothing can dislodge God's promise for His beloved. There are many hindrances that dress up in the guise of Pharaohs wife. They endeavour to lure us into committing sins that would dislodge us from the orbit of God's love, and threaten our universe with the wrath of His vengeance, but the depth of God's love cannot be made shallow by the short sightedness of those whose hearts are bitter towards us, nor can the ruthless mindedness of the likes of Pharaoh's wife ever succeed in damaging God's unmistakable blueprints for our ultimate triumph. Through all that he went through, Joseph's love for everyone he encountered stood him in great stead. No great leadership can be achieved when its heart is poisoned with bitterness and vengeance. Joseph was able to maintain his dignity in the midst of it all so that God would be glorified. Nothing in life should be strong enough to renounce our love for God especially, when we are fully awakened to the reality of His promise for our lives. Perseverance has a direct correlation with the level of our faith in God's Word. God has a purpose for everyone and everything. His time is not our time, neither does he do things in the same way that we humans would do them. We do not understand the fabrics with which God has made our lives. Our lack of faith in God's promise often reflects the lowliness of our regard for the materials and wisdom with which God has created life. To triumph and enjoy the full liberty of God's love for us in life, we must come to a positional relationship in which we unconditionally allow God's will to be accomplished in our lives. We must not focus on the storms, the heat or the turbulence of the threatening clouds, but only on Christ who is the author and the finisher of our faith. The problem is that we want to edit God's script for our lives, whereas God's will is that we swallow His promise hook, line and sinker. Who owns the intelligence with which we intend to scan and edit God's will for our lives, or to claim that the devil has no limit to the damage he plans to do so as to hinder the fulfilment of God's

plans for our lives? No doubt, intimidation, deception, murder and other deadly actions are some of the ploys the devil uses to confuse or defeat us, but one with God is ever a majority. Like Joseph, we too can triumph over all these trials and many more. We are all destined to amount to something, because it is the will of God above all things that His beloved should prosper. Therefore, no matter how lowly our positions might be, it is always possible for God to use us in many great ways, especially also in this day and age when even Kingmakers tend to be more powerful and respected than the King himself. So it is a great honour to be part of a team that God has chosen to do great things. The bottom line is that the leader is never the all in all. His success would also depend on those whom God has chosen to do the work with him. In Pharaoh's house we again see how Joseph's destiny was kept under divine incubation until God finally hatched forth the glorious beauty of His plan for his life. The love of God for us does not preclude us from the plans that come from the various trials and tribulations that are bound to beset us. The promise of God is to be with us till the end of the age. The challenge before us is to have the measure of faith that makes God a golden priority in our lives. Because God's love is not a struggle, man is perpetually seeking an alibi to rise up in arms against it; Because it is so unconditional and an open invitation to all, man suspects there must be a catch to the event of him accepting Him.. Man restless quest for knowledge has come to adapt his mind to warped and terribly untoward thinking, but this should not be. In Christ God calls us to partake of the irreducible riches of His love, and to enjoy the untaxed, VAT-less and 0% APR-for-life benefits of the fullness of the blessings which obtains in His only begotten son, Jesus Christ. It is imperative that we hasten to answer to this clarion call. This could reach us through many spiritual satellites such as a vision, a dream, a simple call to repentance or an express concern of God's spirit for a depraved and wasted generation through His Word. Albert Olaoye. London, June 2011

Chapter 1 Joseph and His Dreams

As a youth, Joseph was the person whom God chose and ordained to fulfil great visions and to reach great heights in life. He was a diligent, obedient, eager and sociable person. These attributes could be seen in the way he obeyed his father and his mode of conduct in handling the fulfilment of his destiny. As a man, Joseph was a person of impeccable virtues, and righteous in his standing before God. He was one character that could not by any means be ignored in the family. God was his refuge in every sense of the word. As a young boy in his father's house where he began to dream dreams, to the fields where he was sold by his brothers, through the King's palace to the prison, the hand of God showed in every aspect of his destiny. As a man favoured of God, no traps nor evil machinations could stymie the ultimate fulfilment of Joseph's dreams. His life was an epitome of God's standard requirement of a faithful and diligent child - never discouraged nor overcome by trials, tribulations and all the obstacles which men and the circumstance of life may place in the path of destiny; exercising faith in the face of hardship and not giving any excuses for silencing or sentencing the spiritual gifts to a state of perpetual dormancy, extinction and ultimate disuse. God expects all his children who are true, to display these attributes in great abundance, so that they would be fully equipped to provoke one another unto love and all good works. [Hebrews 10: 24 - 25].

At the youthful age of seventeen, Joseph had a dream about the purpose of God for his life, not minding the cost to his personal life, he boldly shared the substance of his dreams with the members of his family, no matter how displeased some of them were: 'Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of corn out in the field when suddenly my sheaf arose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered round mine and bowed down to it' [Genesis 37:5-7].

In this dream, Joseph declared the whole counsel of God to him and for his brothers. From the dream, there was no doubt as to role of Joseph in the life of the family. He was a boy to be exalted above all others, but they could not bear the truth of this divine revelation. Joseph declared the whole counsel of God's truth, even an idiot could discern the very meaning and powerful implications of the dream. The dream, no doubt, had a drive - and a clout.

Joseph's dream carries with it the deep prognostic insight into the nature of man's destiny and the attributes of character development which assist in the radical provocation of the divine forces of eternal truth which is embodied, and carried on the wheels of God's divine purpose for man. In this case, there would be a testing of destiny, not only within the home but outside on the field, far away from parental bias, or traditional bondages which often hinder the liberty of those who would be mightily used of God. To Joseph, his brothers had been suffocated, bamboozled and misled by the comfort of the conditions at home, but a time always comes when neither friends nor relations would be able to twist the hands of God in the fulfilment of destiny. From Joseph's dreams, the brothers would fail this time of testing, and then it would be revealed that the youngest was the strongest, and would be so acknowledged. The sudden rise and uprightness of Joseph's sheaf would not be a mere coincidental phenomenon, but one that would have its roots in the integrity of Joseph's personality as a man favoured of God. His brothers sheaves, under the weight of defeat and shame, would bow down to Joseph's because out on the field it is no man nor any family member enforcing any traditional roles or obligation, but God using his hands to give honour to whom it is due. The reaction of his brothers interest me a great deal. Obviously, they did not like Joseph's dream, and there was a hint of panic in their response to the young Joseph. His brothers said to him: 'Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us? And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said' [Genesis 37:8].

Why did they need to ask these questions? Obviously, the sheaves of corn bowed down to Joseph's. So why the questions? The Bible says 'they hated him all the more'. Of course, because Joseph's brothers did not see the inner and deeper dimensions of

God's plan for the family through Joseph's dreams, there was doubt, rebellion and obvious signs of fear. They saw the dream as a one-sided revelation and which would favour Joseph alone. This was certainly an unfortunate mishap.

The same things happen in the Church, today. Many people prefer to see the vision of the Church, as only for the pastor's benefit rather than seeing the pastor as a contact point for divine guidance, blessing, inexhaustible and corporate anointing. To bless the multitude, the divine hand of God must touch some select few, and anoint them as leaders over his flock.

Throughout the Bible, we see more than enough evidence that any destiny that has substance must have a leader, or groups of leaders and team workers, before it could be accomplished. The journey through the wilderness could not have been accomplished if God had not decided to choose Moses and other successors who further assisted and took over the mantle of leadership after the death of the substantive leader. Joseph's dream follows the pattern of God's plan for the Church. To be sure, the life of Joseph was a divine pre-figuration of the life and destiny of Jesus Christ, as the Head of Creation and of His Church. The antagonistic reactions of Joseph's brothers to his success also exemplified the way Jesus was to be betrayed by his trusted friends and disciples. To this day, nations and people tremble when they hear that Jesus reigns forever, and that He would come back. Whilst on earth, like Joseph, Jesus did not hide the fact of his mission and the destiny to which He was called to die for the sin of mankind. Yet He was beaten and mocked. Jesus, like Joseph was rejected, and sold cheaply to the enemies, but He also became the head of the capstone - one who could neither be ignored nor destroyed. Joseph's brothers did not want him to reign over them, in the same way occultists, secret cults, all forces of darkness, and the world continue to fight tooth and nail to deny Jesus Christ as the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. Yet the Bible makes it explicitly clear that 'at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess'. The simple lesson which must be learnt from both the antagonism of Joseph's brothers and the persecution of Jesus Christ is that a life that is divinely ordained to reign superior cannot but fulfil the very destiny to which it has been appointed. This also goes for Church leadership, and other Church- related authorities.

The Word of God is the force that sustains the momentum at which a man's destiny rolls to fulfilment. God intends to see the Church as a family, not as a tribal, sectional group, not as a fragmented body that can be pulled apart by certain groups of powerful and nefarious people. It is better to see that a leader, irrespective of age, sex, tribe, status or educational background is God's representative, chosen to be a contact of blessing for the accomplishment of the destiny to which God has called the Church.

In Joseph's dream, they bound sheaves of corn out in the field, meaning, they were colabourers in the field. As brothers and co-labourers, it is important to realise that the corn needs to be prepared for gathering, sale, storage and preservation. The souls that are won into God's Kingdom also need to be gathered, through the Word of God, kept and made fit for His use, and preserved under the oil of God's anointing, until the glorious appearance of Jesus Christ. There would always be many seasons in the future, when opportunities would arise to share or rotate roles in the field, to allow more room for participation and fellowship. There would arise other opportunities to expand the farm, and to prosper under the hands of a leader ordained by God. Time would also come to train and establish other hands to carry on the work that is to be done. Obviously, the brothers of Joseph were short-sighted.

For the field work to prosper, organisations would have to be made on the work force, finance, management and other deliberations on how to better the prospect of the work to be accomplished. In short, the opportunities for expansion, betterment and great accomplishments were inexhaustible. The Bible says of the work to be done in God's Kingdom:

'The work is plenteous but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore that the Lord of harvest would send labourers into the field' [Matthew 9:27-28].

Men, not angels are the instruments of peace whom God sends to preach the gospel to the nations. Joseph's brothers were short-sighted and did not have the slightest clue into God's plans for their lives. Though Abraham, their great grandfather was a man favoured of God, and had left plenty of inheritance for his unborn generations, though it was the will of God to use every member of his generations to accomplish great and mighty things. Yesterday's grace is never sufficient for todays. So, what was this

Joseph's mania about sheaves of corn?

To begin with, it is the will of God that the work of His Kingdom should prosper immeasurably. God always embarks on projects that look impossible and larger than life. But He uses men to accomplish these projects. It is for this reason that God is in the business of drawing and reconciling men to Himself through Christ Jesus. The field in Joseph's dream is also the place of fellowship where the children of God come together and enter into relationships with respect to God's work. The Church is also God's field, and it may be found in both the physical building made of bricks or stones and also in the human body which is the temple of God. The unsaved souls are the sheaves of corn for whom we must labour in hope to get a crown that never fades, since it is the only means to be in an upright and commendable relationship with God. The counsel to all brethren is that they should jointly plough the fields and put the sickle to harvest, not raise sword to slaughter each other, nor to slander with the sword of the tongue. Those who excel in winning souls would enter into God's glory. From all indications Joseph's brothers did not locate themselves in such a way that they could align with God's will.

It is easy to envy the reward that accrues to those who are doing the work, but it is also good to appreciate their anguish and discomfort. To those who fail in soulwinning the Lord will say "I know ye not, ye workers of iniquity".

Christians should not be satisfied with being God's children, saved and filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongue. That could also have being a problem in Joseph's household. His children seemed comfortable with their heritage and the favour which it pleased God to bestow on them.

Chapter 2 The Seed Of Abraham

Joseph was Abraham's great grandson. We also are Abraham's seed [Gen 15:13-16] what a wonderful heritage we have in God. It is something to be proud of and for which to be thankful to God. Abraham was a man of great faith and impeccable standing before God. There was no doubt that he pleased God, because he was a man who demonstrated that he had faith in God's promise for his life. In Chapter 1, we saw how God favoured Joseph, and proved beyond all doubts that He was determined to bless the seed of Abraham. God made a covenant with Abraham concerning his future generation despite the sad fact that by all human standards the supposed seed of Abraham were utterly unworthy and undeserving of His promise. Yet He blessed them. God is a God of purpose and determination who when decided upon an action, does not go back on His word. This puts Him above man. Abraham, despite his weakness as a human being had long discovered the God whom he served. He knew that with faith, he could capture His heart. The Bible says of Abraham that he had faith and it was credited unto him as righteousness. In essence, the Bible is saying that with faith man can actually become credit-worthy in the things of the spirit. No wonder many Christians live a life of defeat and struggle because they have fallen into the excess debit side of unGodly living. Though we sing Abraham's blessings are ours' and it has become children's favourite rhyme, the actual truth is that many are not credit-worthy in God's heavenly account. The Bible records, that Abraham had so much faith that he pleased God. We know how easy it is to speak of faith and think everyone can live by it, but there is more to it than meets the eye. Many of Abraham's seed are not growing but have become stunted and unviable on God's soil. Many people often suffer because they have not been able to claim the blessings of God for their lives. Yet the Church is expected to be a house of blessings and every child of God is entitled to the inheritance with which God blessed Abraham.

'After these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, 'Fear

not, Abram; I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. [Genesis 15:1].

This Scripture contains the secrets of God's eternal and unchanging love for His beloved. There is nothing called failure or lack in God's Kingdom. When Jesus admonished that we seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, He was aware that God had issued a blank cheque of unfailing blessings to all who are called to be His children. Abraham's son, Isaac, prospered such that his sons also prospered in the inheritance which Abraham left behind. To date, there is no evidence that God is out of the business of blessing His people. As Abraham's seeds, we are expected to be planted in Christ who is the stream of living water. Jesus in whom we live, move and have our being is forever the foundation of our faith. The many who are impoverished and lacking in the testimony of the goodness of God, should check their level of viability as the seed of Abraham. The seed of the Church has been planted by God. For this reason, it is not possible for the Church to wither since it is destined to prosper in all dimensions of prosperity. There is nothing like deficiency or lack in God's household. When God made a covenant with Abraham, he knew what was promised. He is a God who never fails; one in whom we can trust and whose word never returns to Him void. This eternal law may be somewhat likened to the ingenious Newtonian law which states that a body continues in a state of motion unless acted upon by an eternal force. This law often only applies to physical bodies. But God is saying that no adverse force in heaven or on earth can hinder the fulfilment of His covenant. This calls for celebration of victory for all those who faithfully and righteously hold to His glorious promise. Many Christians have become customized to the things of this world, which are doomed to the limitation of physical laws. Consequently, many are drunk on the earthly waters of traditional cultures, background, status, education and beliefs, such that they have forgotten their inheritance in Christ Jesus. The most invidious sin is that even Christians have become limited by the physical limitations that are imposed by the laws and traditions of the society to which they belong. Such people cannot embark on a project because they do not have the collateral security, nor the resources to do so. As such, they have tragically abandoned all their creative and productive ventures. In the same manner, many have become limited by their education, status and other tools of hindrance employed by the devil. We tend to forget that the devil

has a threefold ministry to steal, kill and destroy. The devil employs these three malevolent combinations of evil designs in a desperate bid to discourage and stupefy the children of God. In so doing, many promising seeds have become malnourished and neglected to die in the soil of religiosity and powerless Christian living. They have been destroyed, and therefore made hopeless in their desperate bid for survival. This has never been the plan nor the promise of God. Salvation is not based on human judgment - rational or irrational. The Kingdom of God, is not based on voting rights, nor on what friends a man may have in high places. It is not a question of numeracy, but on those who repent and come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. God would not give power according to human nor societal parameters such as racial, family background or status. God loves all men, and is willing to accept them as His children as long as they believe on His name. The choice is man's and God does not harass anyone to become a child of His. The giving of an inheritance to Abraham's children is not based on the logic of legality or according to human expectation, but only on the absolute love of God for all those who love Him, and receive His only begotten Son into their lives; then are we Abraham's seed. From the very beginning, God purposed in His heart to bless Abraham and his future generations. Though He made a covenant, yet went the extra mile in demonstrating His love for sinful man. He sent His only begotten Son to die for the sins of all mankind. To seal this blessing, God confirms Himself in the life of those who are His through the power of the Holy Spirit. As we know, seeds are supposed to be planted on fertile soil, but God's love defies all such academism, because the seed of Abraham would thrive on the most arid and impossible places. It is the destiny of Abraham's seed to flourish on wherever God pleases to sow it. That explains some of the reasons why even a communist nation like Russia could not quench the power of the Church and those who laid down their lives in propagating the gospel. After all, it is the will of God that His word be carried to the uttermost ends of the world, even into the Islamic dens and other heathenish places. God's children have the mandate to go to the world to plant the seed of the word. Not only is the Church expected to flourish like a tree planted by the streams of living water, it is also expected to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. No human government can hinder the fulfilment of this command. To be sure, the implication of

God's command is that the world must unconditionally feed on the seed of the word. The Church has the destiny to feed mankind with the food of God's precious word. Though the world may try to reject or deny the power of the word, but it cannot live without it. God sustains the world by the power of the spoken word. He only, and nothing else can change its course. According to Collins Concise Dictionary, a seed is "a mature fertilized plant ovule, consisting of an embryo and its food store surrounded by a protective seed coat". This definition contains all the attributes of God's relationship to the Church. He promised to give Abraham's seed the possession of the land to which He would lead him. Also in the seed of that promise was the fertile embryo of the Word of God, protected by the seed coat of His divine grace and power. Without a doubt, Abrahams faith, stood him in good stead, and it all came to pass according to how God promised him. Anyone who becomes a child of God, automatically becomes a seed of Abraham fertile and able to spread in multiples across the nations. God gives the power of fruitfulness to all of Abraham's seed, such that they cannot but multiply it in their spread across the nations. It is from these seeds that God constitutes the Body of the Church, with the assurance of salvation fully protected by Jesus Christ. In Mark 8:1-9, Jesus used the seven loaves as seeds of blessings with which He met the need of a hungry and thirsty people. To all of Abraham's seed, God gives the power to meet all types of needs - private or public, local or global and to His glory.

In John 3:1-5, we see that Jesus is indeed life and light to a hungry, lost and perverse generation. Through faith in His name, God has made more than enough provisions for victory over death and darkness. The four thousand crowd whom Jesus Christ fed in Mark 8:1-9 do attest to the life-giving power in His name. We should not forget that He also fed them on the food of God's Word. He is the light of the world, and for those who believe on His name, it is indeed a great privilege and honour to be received by Him. There are many billion purposes which the Word of God can accomplish in a turbulent, tumultuous and unsaved world. Jesus Christ is an asset, not a liability. He gives strength and eternal life to everyone who comes to Him. We have no other choice, but to spread the seed of God's Word.

As the seed is plenteous, so also would we need more hands to sow and labour on the field. Thus the work is plenteous, but because of the unbelieving nature of the world, the labourers are few. The key to any breakthrough is prayer. God expects us 'to seek' before we can begin to see Him more in our circumstances. He told Abraham 'to look', and he obeyed. This is what the Church is also expected to do - to look unto the things of righteousness and holiness, by first seeking the Kingdom of God. In obeying, God would definitely meet His people at the very point of their need. To work in God's Kingdom is a profitable venture, for which God, by virtue of His omnipotence has made more than enough provisions for all those who would work for Him. God does not want His workers or labourers to be hungry, unclothed or impoverished. He does not wish poverty to those who do His will.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. [Matthew 6:19-21].

This is God advertising His Kingdom. There are no banking and insurance institutions that can advertise the businesses using the above Scripture. This puts to utter shame, the system of this world. When God promised Abraham about the innumerability of his seed, He had in mind that Abraham's seed would indeed become preserved from the 'moth, rust, corruption and theft' of this world. Nothing else could strengthen an investor's faith than the very fact that nothing would endanger the profitability of his investment. Abraham knew that he was engaged in business with the greatest investor of all times. He had faith and believed in God. The Church needs to have this wisdom before it can profit in the things of the Kingdom of God. Abraham was not moved by what he saw, nor by any form of persecutions or deprivations, rather he had absolute faith that God would never disappoint him. In the same manner, the Church must not only believe, but must be steadfast in faith in believing that the seed of God's Word must prosper and not be endangered by any intruder or destroyer. The things of this world are temporal, and no government can endanger the destiny of the Church. I believe that God is the only one

who has the business and charitable sense to give a quality product free of charge without losing. The body of the Church has been given the charge of carrying the word to the "uttermost ends of the world". It is also good news that the body of the Church would not go naked in the task of sowing the seed of the world. As far as God is concerned, there is no reason for any worker to be worried or troubled. The mysteries of the things of the Kingdom cannot be unravelled by man:

And why take ye thought for raiment? consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast unto the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed? [Matthew 6:28-31].

Joseph took no thought for his garment of many colours. To him, the dream was more than anything else. The more we allow ourselves to be propelled by the power of God's promise, nothing else would matter. God's riches are inexhaustible and His beauty cannot be tarnished, so why not be on the side of God who is able to save and deliver us all? For those children of God who become worldly in their thoughts and expectation, the above Scripture is a food for thought. Many workers refuse to be committed to God's work because of what they would do for a living or because they also want to follow the path of worldliness in their Christian living.

Chapter 3 Sermon On The Mount

Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. This implies that in Christ our faith does not need to be edited or screened by the world, but that in Him is the fullness of God's love. The Bible describes Jesus as the Word made flesh. He has been from the foundation of the world. While on earth, He went from city to city, through villages, mountains, terrains, seas and the high waves, hills, valleys and the synagogues. Jesus did not hide the fact that He was sent to do the Father's work, despite the scorn and abuses which he suffered in the hands of his many persecutors. Throughout his life on earth, Jesus preached against sin, stood against unGodly traditions and opposed to the utmost, the most ridiculous of beliefs. He preached the message of God's Kingdom both in plain words, and also in parables which he later interpreted to his disciples. He preached the message of salvation without fear nor favour, and often confounded the physicians of his time. He proved beyond doubt that he was sent to redeem mankind. Jesus Christ as the seed of the woman, was also the seed of God's promise to Abraham. The seed of the Word of which Jesus was an embodiment was God personified. The seed of the of the Word sown in the heart of mankind gives rise to God's nature and character - 'In him was life and the life was the light of men' [John 1:3]. Thus, Jesus Christ is indeed life to all men, in him alone can men find rest. He is the light that shineth in darkness. From the very foundation of the world, the Bible confirms to us that Jesus was there. As the Word that was from the beginning, the intimacy of Jesus Christ with God the Father is proved beyond all doubts. As one who was with God, He knew the will of His Father, and prospered in its fulfilment. When on earth, Jesus actually went about preaching the Word and the message of the Kingdom. Jesus described himself as 'the way and the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me' (John 14:6).

Through Jesus Christ, God perfected His relationship of love and the fulfilment of His promise to the whole of mankind. Despite the betrayals and the iniquities of man through the ages, God has refused to count these shortcomings against him. With the enactment of the new covenant with Abraham, God revealed that a loving relationship would bridge the gap between him and sinful man. If God avenges sin, none would be able to stand before him. It is knowledge of this type that constantly keeps man within the limits of God's love. Jesus Christ proved that he knew the Father, in the way he conducted his life whilst on earth. None else but Jesus could have been able to make the extraordinary claims which he made concerning his knowledge of God the Father, and the destiny to which God appointed him. God foreknew man. From Adam to the present age, there is more than enough evidence that man is indeed impoverished, broken-hearted, blind and bruised. It is in the desperate search for deliverance from lack and poverty that many a man has gone in search of economic and political solutions to the problems of the society. Man is broken-hearted from the way he proves himself to be unworthy of God's grace. Many are not happy because they have been cheated and maltreated by their fellow beings. Many are unable to achieve any worthwhile goals because they have been grossly disappointed by colleagues, friends and brethren - all their hopes have been dashed but they find it almost impossible to forgive their offenders. Also man has proved to be blind in his utter misunderstanding of the message and the purpose of salvation. He has found it difficult to follow upon the way in which Jesus came to pave the way for mankind to follow. Leaders who dont know any better also claim that they are themselves the ultimate solution to the problems of their sheep, but all to no avail. Many false religions have arisen with the hope of providing a possible way for blind man, but those too have not been of any use. Talk of those who have been bruised in their desperate attempts to implement or follow their own solutions to insurmountable problems. Many have lost their lives, property, relations and hopes in the pursuit of the shadows of their unfulfilled dreams.

The message of salvation is God's customized and ultimate solution to man's sins and prodigality. To heal all these problems God needed someone with whom He could walk and develop a perfect relationship. With man as he is - poor, broken-hearted, blind and bruised, there was no means by which God could conveniently

communicate with man's troubled conscience. God needed someone who was acquainted with peace and could appreciate His plans for mankind. Jesus is God's perfect solution to man's needs:

'The land of Zebulon, and the land of Nephthalum, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. [Matthew4:15-16].

All those who know him receive true life, and lack nothing. As the Son of God Jesus is beyond everything man has ever known. Only such a person would redeem the Gentiles. He has all powers in his embrace - and God chose Him. This is a great testimony of God's grace and mercy. The Scriptures say that the people sat in darkness - but doing what? Nothing doing than to wait to die. Not that they prayed nor fasted nor joined hands in fellowship, but simply awaiting to die, but God in his mercy allowed Jesus to spring as light in the midst of a perishing, and unworthy people. This is great news for the world, and one to which man must be grateful. Through Jesus Christ, God is able to meet the darkest and the most desperate needs of man. Only God has the perfect and the most permanent solutions to man's problems. Man is full of darkness such that he is at home in it, existing in the region and the shadow of it, but Jesus Christ as we have said, is God's divine light who is able to penetrate the most rotten portions of man's troubled life. The travails through which man has gone show that he has always been in darkness, and in dare want of light, though he knew it not. Man's doubts about the existence of God and refusal to accept the message of salvation, have arisen from the darkness and ignorance into which he has foolishly misled himself. Lost and strayed away from Jesus who alone is life, man has come to burden himself with so much sorrow and pain. The systems of man are unjust and often designed to keep other men in deep darkness and in perpetual bondage contrary to the will of God. Still man has always been God's priority in His agenda of bringing salvation to mankind.

Matthew 4:15-16 is a prophecy which helps to reveal the nature of God's plan of salvation in His desire to demonstrate His love for mankind. God needed to choose someone in whom He could perfect His plan, and who by all standards was not in darkness as the people He would redeem. Jesus Christ could bring light because He not only knew the way, but as the only Son of God, he proved beyond doubts that he has a perfect and unquestionable relationship with God the Father. Though man was long seated 'in the region of the shadow of death', but with the coming of Jesus Christ, a definite light of salvation shone upon mankind. It was the light of liberty, and one which would heal man of ignorance, poverty and hurt. Jesus Christ came with the intention of fulfilling God's plan to redeem mankind. There was none else like him who could relate properly with man and his Maker. In Psalm 23:1-6, we see that Jesus, as the son of God, reigns over every situation or circumstances. He it was who came down from heaven as the food of manna when the children of Israel were in the wilderness. He it was whom Moses employed when he stretched forth, his rod to the sea which was the evil that bedevilled the children of Israel as they approached the dreadful sea. Jesus parted the Red Sea and they walked on it as on dry land: I shall not want. Indeed, the Headship of Christ over all of Creation makes the greatest difference in everything. Not only does he see that no hunger nor harm befalls his own, but also that they come into fellowship to lie down in green pastures, which to them would be a place of maximum relaxation and fulfilment. Jesus as Head of the Church does not punish with hunger, neither does he lead his people to unprofitable places. It is the devil who leads his people to dry hay and straw, whilst Christ leads to life which can only be found on the luscious and the verdant plains of righteousness: the green pastures. The nature and character of the person who leads us through life matters a lot. It is the devil who has nothing good in store for us, but in Christ, we have hope of an evergreen life. All human systems would fail, but when we allow the Son of God to lead us through life, then we can be more than assured that we would all be renewed in the light of his love and mercy. He knows the needs of his people. He cannot provide for you a shirt without a pair of trousers, cufflinks and tie to match. After

giving food, He knows how to serve the best dessert, and drinks. He alone gives blessings that are complete and without loopholes: besides the still waters. Because you are deeply content, you are deeply rooted in the things of righteousness and eternal life. In other words, he brings us to a place of maximum rest and peace.

When Christ leads us, nothing disturbs our joy and peace. In God's household, there should be no harassment of any kind, because we are truly restored in the light of the covenant which he made with Abraham. Jesus Christ is also a true dietician and physician, if you may please. He knows man is made of body, soul and spirit, so he has a complete life. Not only would he secure man from all harm, He brings him to drink and rest as he pleases; enjoying the Godly life as it should be divinely experienced here on earth, but He also desires to restore the soul that is dead. Any soul that has not known nor accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour is indeed dead and long buried in the devil's heap and is in dare need of restoration: in the path of righteousness for his name's sake. Not that man deserves to be restored, for he has not done anything to merit it, but the saving grace of Christ enables him to have mercy on all perishing souls, that they might come to a knowledge of repentance. To go through life, man needs Christ. Life is full of many ups and downs: the valley of the shadow of death. On the plains of life, we see that death casts a penumbra shadow on all men. There is fear at home and on the fields, therefore, nothing is certain. Survival turns men into chameleons, threatened from all sides by the aggressive arrows of the enemy, but the fear of this belongs only to the devil. The children of God have nothing to fear, for Jesus is 'the way, the truth and the life'. Though, the devil has a threefold ministry 'to steal, kill and destroy', but those who come to Christ would be saved from death, not only in this life, but also in that which is after death. God has the rod to rebuke and to guide by the power of His Word, giving also the authority by the staff of the Holy Spirit which admits into all the offices of the spiritual gifts: they comfort the weary sinner who is returned home to the Father.

Chapter 4 Riches of the Children

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Epilogue
God has a solution to all human problems. It is true that we do not often realise, let alone admit that we have problems. When we do , it takes another stretch of time before we can psyche ourselves into finding a possible solution. But God is different, because He knows the end from the beginning. He does not find solutions to problems at the time of their conception but a long time before the problems manifest. Long before the problem of Sodom and Gomorrah, God had long prepared Abraham as a prayer warrior. As a man who trusted God for the fulfilment of a covenant, and especially in multiplying his generation when Sarah his wife could not conceive in old age. He must have been a man who waited on God and knew how to intercede. Abraham trusted God for a generation that would be numberless like the sand of the seashore. So interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah proved to be one of the easiest transactions he had with God. The prayer of Abraham for that sinful city looked so casual, simple and almost a conversational bargain with God, but it all came with long preparation. Perhaps, the moral of Abrahams experience for modern Christians is that we should not be fooled that the walk with God is an easy venture; and we must not be tempted that we can get away with being casual in our relationship with God. Yes, God is loving, and willing to meet with us at our level, but He deserves to be honoured, and revered in all that we do in our relationship with Him.

*****
Copyright 2011 by Albert A. Olaoye Published By The Electronic Book Company http://www.theelectronicbookcompany.com

About the Author

Albert A. Olaoye is an author, teacher and motivational speaker. He gave his life to Christ in 1990, and to this day, remains a practising Christian. His inspirational and insightful book, Gods Perfect Promise, sets out to guide and reassure Christians in the difficult times we are now living in. His forthcoming book, Worship as Warfare which is to be released later this year as an eBook, is a motivational expos on the place of worship in victorious Christian living. In addition to writing books, Albert records and produces motivational audio CDs whose titles include: Zarephath: Success in Difficult Times, The Six Wise Hats Systems and Designed for Success. Albert is currently working on his A Journey to Personal Fulfilment Series which he is producing to help, empower, encourage and build the faith of Gods people in these hard and turbulent times. His favourite biblical quotation which he likes to call his mission statement is taken from Isaiah 9:2: The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Albert lives in London, England, he is married to Olajumoke. They are blessed with four beautiful boys.

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