THE DEAD ON ARRIVAL MENTALITY

"Christ died on the cross on my behalf. It is like I died there with him. So I do not live my own life any more. Instead, Christ lives in me. The life that I live now in my body, I live because I trust what he has done for me. He has loved me so much that he died on my behalf." - Galatians 2:20 (EASY)

When James Calvert went out as a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands, the ship captain tried to turn him back, saying, “You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages.” To that, Calvert replied, “We died before we came here.” (The Mission-Minded Family, Ann Dunagan)

The phrase "Dead On Arrival" (DOA) is used to describe anyone that is declared clinically dead before arriving at his/her destination. Every believer is expected to have the "Dead On Arrival Mentality" mentioned in Galatians 2:20. To someone who is truly dead, persecutions and threat of death would obviously means nothing. But rather, it would be a good platform to display ones unwavering love and devotions to Christ.

"If you really want to be one of my disciples, you must be ready to die for me. Live like a person who carries his own cross to go and die. Whoever wants to keep his life safe will lose it. But whoever gives his life to serve me will have true life."- Matthew 10:38‭-‬39 (EASY)

Apostle Paul was one of those disciples who demonstrated the "Dead On Arrival Mentality" in the early church. For example, In Acts 20:22-24, he openly told the elders at Ephesus that he values his mandate to preach the good news at Jerusalem more than his life. Even when Prophet Agabus announced that terrible tragedy awaits him in Jerusalem, yet Apostle Paul did not burge or abandon his missionary duties (Acts 21:11-13).  

"But even if people kill me, this is not important to me. The Lord Jesus gave me some work to do. It is important that I finish his work. I must tell people the good news about how kind and good God is" -Acts 20:24 (EASY)

"When we all heard this, we and the people there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But he said, “Why are you crying and making me so sad? I am not only ready to be tied up in Jerusalem, I am ready to die for the Lord Jesus!”- Acts 21:12‭-‬13 (NCV)

Beloved, are you a true disciple of Jesus Christ? Do you value your life more than His mandate? Are you willing to sacrifice all that you have for Christ? How strong and vibrant is your love and commitment to Christ? Are you afraid of those who can kill the body only? Are you really living for Christ the way James Calvert, John Huss, Deacon Stephen and Apostle Paul lived for Him? 

"Christ is everything that I live for. If I die, that will be even better for me" -Philippians 1:21 (EASY)

One powerful hymn that re-echoes the question that every true believer must answer everyday is titled "Are You Living for the Lord? Please prayerfully meditate on the lyrics of this hymn and trust God to help you live for Him alone from this day.

ARE YOU LIVING FOR THE LORD By Carrie E. Breck, 1901

Live for Him who died to save you

From sin’s baleful curse and pow’r;

Live for Him who all things gave you

And who keeps you every hour.

Refrain:

         Are you living for the Lord?

         Are you living for the Lord?

         Only life for Him is worthy—

         Are you living for the Lord?

Sitting at the feet of Jesus,

Learn from Him the word of truth;

Find the chart to guide your goings,

Blessed guide for age and youth.

Bringing succor to the needy,

Comforting the sad, the lone,

Giving many a cup of water

To some loved one of His own.

Doing humble, daily duties,

Faithfully as unto Him,

Serving with your true heart-service

Till the day of life is dim.

It's my prayer that God will grant us more grace to truly live for Christ at all times. May our love and devotions to God never grow cold. And may we remain faithful in our kingdom duties till Christ returns in Jesus name. 

Good day and God bless you.(Amen)

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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THE DIVINE FACTORY RESET OPERATIONS

 "Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper"-  2 Kings  5:1

In order to fix some major fault or performance defect in a device, technicians often recommend that factory reset operation be carried out. A factory reset operation helps to automatically delete all current data, settings and applications on a device and then restores the original/default setting.

While creating man in the garden of Eden, God used His own image as the default/factory setting for man (Genesis 1:27). Man's default/factory settings was absolutely amazing. It was void of all forms of physical, spiritual, emotional and financial defects or complications. Man enjoyed this perfect setting for a while until the devil uploaded corrupt applications and data into his soul (Genesis 3:1-6). Since that day, man began to operate below expectations and there was need for divine reset operation to restore the default setting. 

The Bible is full of many examples of interesting factory reset operations that God conducted on man. For example, the skin of Captain Naaman that had already been destroyed by leprosy became a glowing and tender skin like that of a little child after a divine reset (2 Kings 5:1-14). By divine reset, the weak and dead womb of a 90 years old woman (Mrs Sarah Abraham) suddenly become fertile and was strong enough to conceive Isaac at such an old age (Genesis 18:1-14). Also, after Jesus pressed the divine reset button in the eyes of the boy born blind, his sight was restored instantly (John 9:1-12).  The prodigal son had his spiritual life restored by divine factory reset (Luke 15:11-24).

Beloved, don't you think you also need a divine physical factory reset like Captain Naaman, Mrs Abraham and the blind boy? Don't you think you need a spiritual factory reset like the prodigal son? Don't you think you need a divine financial and career factory resets like Simon Peter, the labouring fisherman (Luke 5:1-11)? Friends, I strongly believe you definitely do need it. So, I urge you humbly go to God and plead that He graciously press the much needed divine factory reset button in your life this day. Please do it sincerely and I trust God will honour your plea and a brand new you shall surely emerge in Jesus name. 

"Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean"- . 2 Kings  5:14

One powerful hymn that describes the divine factory reset operation that God conducted on the skin of Naaman is titled "There was Naaman the leper, that honorable man". Please prayerfully meditate on the lyrics of this hymn and trust God to press your own divine default reset button today.

THERE WAS NAAMAN THE LEPER, THAT HONORABLE MAN By Charles A. Tindley (1901)

1. There was Naaman the leper, that honorable man,

     A captain of the Syrian host,

   He was badly afflicted and sick in the land,

     And a burden to all of his host:

   Oh, my! What a sight, his disease made him white.

     No doctor could help him I've seen.

   He never did pray, and he knew not the way,

     To get into the beautiful stream.

   

    CHORUS: 

               Go wash in the beautiful stream. 

               Go wash in the beautiful stream.

               O Naaman, O Naaman, go down and wash,

               Go wash in the beautiful stream.

   

2. He heard of a man in the Hebrew land,

     A little maid told him about,

   I'll go if I can he said to his friend,

     For he may relieve me no doubt:

   So he went and called on the servant of God,

     And Elisha refused to be seen.

   But he lifted his burden and sent him to Jordan.

     To wash in the beautiful stream.    

3. So Naaman went on and the servant had gone,

     Whom Elisha had sent to the door,

   He did not believe that he had received,

     From the Prophet a perfect cure,

   He thought the rivers down in his own land.

     Were better because they were clean,

   It was just about night when he got in the light.

     And plunged into the beautiful stream.   

   

4. O, sinner, O , sinner, are you not the same

     As Naaman that noted Syrian?

   Your sickness injures both body and soul,

     And makes you feel loathsome and mean,

   If you feel you are lost, just shoulder the cross,

     And Jesus will then make you clean.

   If you feel you are sick, just come along quick,

     And get into the beautiful stream.    

As the Lord lives, many Naaman shall humbly plunge into the beautiful stream for their divine factory reset operations today. And by these divine factory reset operations, every traces of cancer, COVID-19, tuberculosis, diabetes, asthma, fibroid, high blood pressure, blindness, arthritis, insanity, kidney stones and cyst etc harassing their destinies shall vanished completely in Jesus name. 

Good day and God bless you.(Amen)

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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GOD NEEDS YOUR ANSWER

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, ......"-  Isaiah 6:8-9 (KJV)

When George Stott, a teacher with one-leg, volunteered for missionary service in China, someone asked why he with only one leg thought of going to China, he said, “I do not see those with two legs going, so I must.” (Culled from Twenty-Six Years of Missionary Work in China, Grace Stott)

There is a question God is asking that He cannot answer but we can (Isaiah 6:8-9). The question is "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?. God has a plan to save the lost, but He needs to enlist the services of people to achieve that plan. God has a message, but He needs messagers to deliver it! When God asked Isaiah that question several years ago, he responded swiftly saying, " Here am I, Lord, send me". Isaiah did not check his itinerary first to see if it will be convenient for him. He did not look around to see if someone else was willing to go with him. Rather, Isaiah totally agreed with Apostle Paul that the rescue mandate is a necessity that must be honoured to avoid terrible repercussions. (1 Corinthians  9:16)

"It’s not my work of telling the Good News that gives me any reason to boast. That is my duty—something I must do. If I don’t tell people the Good News, I am in real trouble"- 1 Corinthians 9:16 (ERV)

Friends, everyday God is still asking the same question He asked Isaiah and He awaits your response. Have you responded?. What is your response to God? Will you go for Him even when others are not willing to go? Will you go when no one appreciates or rewards you handsomely for your effort? Or will you go only when it is convenient? Will you go only when it appears less risky and glamorous. Or will you go simply because God asked you to go. But what if you refused to go. Will God be stranded and His plans frustrated? The answer is "No, God cannot be stranded". The truth is, if the educated and eloquent ones in the cities refused to go, He will recruit the illiterate from remote villages to advance His course. If people with two eyes and legs refused to preach the gospel, God will engage the service of the physically challenged ones around. If the rich and affluent ones are too busy to spread the message, God will raise the poor to do His bidding. Yes, He will anoint people like George Stott and send them to deliver His message in a mission-field. 

"Every Christian is a missionary; every non-Christian a mission-field"- Winkie Pratney

Beloved, the responses of Prophet Isaiah, Apostle Paul and George Stott to this question should be the new year resolution of every genuine believer in year 2021. Daniel L Schutte's captures those response very well in his hymn titled "Here am I, Lord, send me". How I wish this statement would be our watchword until we see Christ in glory.  

HERE AM I, LORD By Daniel L. Schutte, 1981.

I, the Lord of sea and sky,

I have heard my people cry.

All who dwell in dark and sin,

My hand will save.

Chorus:

       Here am I, Lord. Is it I, Lord?

       I have heard you calling in the night.

       I will go, Lord, if you lead me.

       I will hold your people in my heart.

I, who made the stars of night,

I will make their darkness bright.

Who will bear my light to them?

Whom shall I send?

I, the Lord of snow and rain,

I have borne my people's pain.

I have wept for love of them.

They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,

Give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak my words to them.

Whom shall I send?

I, the Lord of wind and flame,

I will send the poor and lame.

I will set a feast for them.

My hand will save.

Finest bread I will provide,

'Til their hearts be satisfied.

I will give my life to them.

Whom shall I send?

May God find us useful for His endtime rescue operations. May Heaven not replace us with the lame and blind ones in our generation. May God rekindle the lost passion for souls in our hearts. May He empower His words in our mouth to break stony hearts and conquer territories for Him. May Heaven back up all our efforts with great harvest of souls and outburst of miracles, signs and wonders in Jesus name. May God continue to meet the material, spiritual and emotional needs of missionaries worldwide. May He grant them grace to finish well in Jesus name

Good day and God bless you.(Amen)

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

For more articles, please visit -

http://okanlawon.webnode.com

http:// okanlawontaiwo.blogspot.com

Twitter: @tammytaiwo