Hello Brothers and Sisters it’s been a while and I missed you all too since last year ending hence I’d say Happy New Year 2020. How’s the year been? I trust you’ve been doing well? Kindly comment below your responses.
I had a bit of time today and ‘itchy’ fingers wouldn’t let me not to scribble down some of my musings
There is a trend from time immemorial and till date it keeps reoccurring so I’d quickly get down to it
From the beginning of time, almost everyone looking at the arrays of things in the universe and observing the order of the same believes they must have been created by a magnificent creator
Since they can’t see the Creator, they err by worshipping the things created instead of the creator (Idolatry)
Romans 1:20-23,25 KJV
[20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
[21] Because that, when THEY KNEW GOD, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became VAIN IN THEIR IMAGINATIONS, and THEIR FOOLISH HEART WAS DARKENED.
[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
[23] And CHANGED THE GLORY OF THE INCORRUPTIBLE GOD into an IMAGE made like to CORRUPTIBLE MAN, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
[25] WHO CHANGED THE TRUTH OF GOD INTO A LIE, and WORSHIPED and SERVED THE CREATURE MORE THAN THE CREATOR, WHO IS BLESSED FOR EVER. Amen.
In essence, everyone throughout history until now in their vain imagination and darkened mind (information) have and believe their idea, opinion and perspective and perception of God. This made the True knowledge of God to be almost non existent, unpopular and very few folks in different time and space knows exactly who God is.
Now the Eternal and Invisible God left us not in the dark as He raised up spokes person(s) in every generation, we refer to them as Prophets as they speak on behalf of the Invisible God bringing us divine message from God.
This the Prophets did majorly from Abel to John the Baptist (the greatest of them all) according to Jesus’ commentary on John in Matthew 11 and Luke 7
Based on all the above we could say that the Prophets knew something about God that is unpopular in that most people does not know right?
Now the special message the Prophets brought from God contradicts all the available information about God in the general population but they had to herald it regardless of popular beliefs and so they did. In the process of preaching this message they had a number of experiences but the commonest of it is their message being opposed and the messenger brutally harmed and killed.
Why was this so?
It’s imperative to note that as much as these folks aren’t all ‘perfect’ people, they’re not evil people either, most of them wrought jaw-dropping healing and mouthwatering miracles all as service to humanity but that wasn’t the reason for their hatred.
It’s the Knowledge of God they had for which they preached (Doctrine: Their Explanation of God) which is contrary and very challenging to their popular beliefs, opinions, available information about God
Matthew 23:29-37
[29] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because YE BUILD THE TOMBS OF THE PROPHETS, and GARNISH THE SEPULCHRES OF THE RIGHTEOUS,
[30] AND SAY, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been PARTAKERS WITH THEM IN THE BLOOD OF THE PROPHETS.
[31] Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the CHILDREN OF THEM WHICH KILLED THE PROPHETS.
[32] FILL ye UP then THE MEASURE OF YOUR FATHERS.
[33]Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
[34] Wherefore, behold, I SEND UNTO YOU PROPHETS, and WISE MEN, and SCRIBES: and SOME of them ye shall KILL and CRUCIFY; and some of them shall ye SCOURGE IN YOUR SYNAGOGUE, and PERSECUTE THEM from city to city:
[35] That upon you may come all the righteous BLOOD SHED upon the earth, FROM THE BLOOD OF RIGHTEOUS ABEL unto the blood of ZACHARIAS SON OF BARACHIAS, whom YE SLEW BETWEEN THE TEMPLE AND THE ALTAR.
[36] Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
[37] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou THAT KILLEST THE PROPHETS, and STONEST THEM WHICH ARE SENT UNTO THEE, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
In most instances the people revolting often thought they were in service fighting on behalf of God. How do you explain killing a prophet between the temple and the altar?
Jesus said so in the synoptic Gospels and we see it play out even in the synoptic gospels and in the book of Acts starting with Jesus, His Apostles and other believers after throughout history
John 16:1-4
[1] These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
[2] They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
[3] And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
[4] But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Why was Jesus killed? For being a good man? Working miraculous signs and wonders? No!
He spoke the truth they just don’t want to hear (itchy ears) calling it blasphemy. He was accused of pulling down the temple made with hands and building another made without hands
Mark 14:58
[58] We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.
Why was James beheaded? The Apostles were explaining scriptures the way Christ did very differently from the pharisees and the teachers of the law.
Why was Stephen killed? Amongst many truth he told them from the same scriptures they read every sabbath that God doesn’t live in buildings made with human hands
Now someone might say “Yes but it’s only during the Apostolic era, things are better now” but I arguably say things aren’t any better!
If you’re reading this, you must have heard or read about Charles H. Spurgeon, Kenneth E. Hagin, E.W. Kenyon, John G. Lake, John Alexander Dowie just to mention a few. We appreciate the labours of these men, we celebrate them for taking a stance for the truth and all
Despite them having the whole counsel of God in a closed cannon of Truth called the bible, not everyone in their generation knew or believed what these men knew and preached about God. They faced a whole lot of criticism, opposition and persecution even amongst Charismatic folks.
It was believed that Tongues had ceased, the era of miracles ended with the Apostlic era etc but we see men like Dowie come alive into God’s Truth in Acts 10:38 seeing the Devil as the oppressor and God as the Healer and never the oppressor and based on that worked outstanding miracles…
This is also happening in this 21st Century as men who received ministry of the above mentioned names are labouring in word and doctrine but gainsayers and critics are saying all their labour is deception, heresy, a new movement, new covenant reality preachers, hypergrace folks etc. Some are arrogantly ignorant, proud after becoming ‘senior’ Christians in the faith such that the truth of God’s word can never correct their wrong opinions of God anymore.
1 Timothy 3:15-16
[15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
In my little years I’ve had my fair share of the opposition too but you know what? We’ve set our eyes like a flint, we remain steadfast at the Master’s business, we trust God’s Word and not our ability to break every MENTAL STRONGHOLDS (of human reasoning), oral traditions and warped philosophies contrary to God’s word and we subject them to the obedience of Christ
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NLT
We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do.
We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to KNOCK DOWN THE STRONGHOLDS OF HUMAN REASONING and to DESTROY FALSE ARGUMENTS.
We destroy EVERY PROUD OBSTACLE THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM KNOWING GOD. WE CAPTURE THEIR REBELLIOUS THOUGHTS and TEACH THEM TO OBEY CHRIST.
And this we would do even as we Pray more and boldly teach harder until the earth is filled with the Knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea
Amen!
Victor Oluwatobi Fabuluje
24th March 2020
Victor O. Fabuluje (Physical Therapist) 