December 8, 2018 by Jide Ajayi • Bible, Christian Living, Issues, Thoughts, Word • Tags: bible, exegesis, issues, Thought •
To make this text mean something God did not intend is to abuse the text, not use it. To avoid making such mistakes one needs to learn to think exegetically, that is, to begin back then and there, and to do so with every text.
Gordon D. Fee and Douglas K. Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, 3rd ed. pg, 25.
June 30, 2018 by Jide Ajayi • Christian Living, Life, Photography • Tags: books, celebration, life, photography •
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
This June has been a great month. So many life-defining events and every day a present from the Lord.
His grace is majestic and his love without end.
This month started with the planning for the celebration of my wife’s landmark birthday. I knew I would not be around so I had to plan some surprises before my departure to so that on the day, the plan will come to life.
The plan came to life; my wife was excited, happy and very grateful for the thought and actions. A week later with family and friends, we celebrated her birthday some more, and it was a beautiful and simple event. We took a lot of pictures, and it was just fun especially for me as I had to the opportunity to host friends and family and that my wife was the center of attraction. It was wonderful. I will share the details of the photography adventure in another post.
I had some training, interacted with long lost friends, made new friends and discovered two new podcasts Daily Briefing and Just Thinking.
Of course, Apple introduced macOS Mojave and iOS12 to the world, and they are great OSs. I have set up a “memoji” for myself, and I am enjoying it.
I learned about the book the Blue Parakeet, and so far it has been interesting reading.
It is also the end of the 1st part of the year 2018. Looking forward to the 2nd part of the year and hopeful and praying for God’s grace and mercy.
November 30, 2017 by Jide Ajayi • Christian Living, Issues, Life, Thoughts • Tags: 2 Corinthians, enemies, giving, love, Luke •
In the second letter of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians in chapter 9, he has this friendly encouragement and appeal to their Christian charity and giving concerning the ministry for the saints. He told them about his discussion with the Macedonians in which he did some boasting about the Corinthians about their ministry for the saints and the zeal they have for the service.
In preparing them for the gift that he intended to pick up from them and urge their preparation properly he gave them some exhortation on giving and how it should be done.
In 2 Cor. 9:7(ESV) he said: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
This is instructive in its setup and it is a refreshing breeze in the heat of overzealous demand and arm-twisting for giving that has drowned it out today.
The type of giving that is encouraged is one that is due to a willingness to do a good work cheerfully based on a prior decision the giver has determined.
The common discussion is about how you have to give percentages of gross and net and how often it should be done and a lot of the associated stories about those who have “obeyed” and received the blessings.
When we come to God, before we come to God he knows everything about us and still he gives us the opportunity to come to him with our gifts for the ministry cheerfully. We ought to go to him cheerfully and pre-determining before going and before giving already resolved on what we want to give.
We go to him giving out of a heart of gratitude and not out of a heart of business transaction. We give because we are thankful and acknowledge that he has distributed freely (2 Cor. 9:9) and that in doing so we are not only supplying the needs of the saints but as an opportunity to overflow in many thanksgiving.
Now Luke 6:38 is a favorite of those who encourage others to give as a business transaction, a tit-for-tat type arrangement and they say to their listeners “Give for it shall be given unto you. What you give to God, he will give back to you in good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over. God is challenging you to give to him.”
While the text does indeed read that way, the text does not exist in isolation, it is a part of the discourse the Lord was having with the people listening to him. In its context, it becomes clear what is being communicated.
The section starts with judging others, then to condemning, then to forgiving and finally giving. The first three obviously show a relationship between people as the idea of judging, condemning and forgiving are not emotions we can express towards God or positions we can be when we consider God. It is, therefore, logical to see that the next word which though can be used of a posture towards God, should primarily be seen as the previous three, a position before man as a part of our relationship with one another.
The section of the text from vs 37 to 42 points to the relationship between people. After the clear-cut instructions, the Lord speaks a parable which is filled with questions. The questions are as stated below:
1. Can a blind man lead the blind?
2. Can you remove a speck from your brother’s eyes if you can’t remove the log of wood in your own eyes?
3. Is the disciple above his teacher?
To each question or statement, the Lord gave answers and each point at the relationship between people.
In verses 37 & 38, the Lord was stating certain obvious truths which are judgement leads to judgment, condemnation leads to condemnation, forgiveness leads to forgiveness and giving leads to giving. Simply put, our attitudes and action bring the same back towards us. If the section before verse 37 is considered, then the continuation of the discussion of loving enemies is this section of focus. When we love our enemies and do good to those who have offended us and do not condemn them or judge them but forgive and give unto them, we fulfill this law of God.
So when next we see an opportunity to give, let 2 Cor 9:7 be the motivation and not the misreading of Luke 6:38.
Please plan to give, determine to give and give out of the abundance of all that the Lord has given to you.
All Came to Pass
March 30, 2019 by Jide Ajayi • Bible, Christian Living • Tags: Great God, Promises •
New American Standard Bible Jos 21:45.
This text is a testimony to the faithfulness of God. From this text, we can deduce that if God kept every promise he made to the house of Israel, he is also able to keep all the other promises he has made to the nations. He can also keep his promise about the return of Christ and about the glorification of his people and the establishment of his kingdom, of which there shall be no end.
Knowledge of that stated above should give great joy! It gives me great pleasure to know that my current condition and situation and status is not sufficient to change that which the Lord has decreed.
The promise to Abraham about the coming of his children to the land was before Isaac was born and between that time and the possession of the land, there was the sojourn in Egypt, the wandering in the wilderness, the community sins against God, the attacks from the inhabitants of the land. Many Israelites died in these events, and many families were wiped out as a result of these things, but it did not deter God from fulfilling his promise to Abraham.
The Lord is a great God, and He is indeed a good God.
As time goes by and we forget, and it begins to look like he has become slack concerning his promise, this shows us that is not the case. He is still working with his timeline, and at his appointed time, he will do that which he has promised.
So for those that think his commands are antiquated, they should not rejoice because as he has promised good and can deliver, he is also able and will reward the evil doers for their evil according to his word.