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Dr. Joseph O'Femi Adeosun

Anytime that I need some laughter, I will begin to read the Bible, especially the conversations of the Lord Jesus with the Jews. Every statement of Jesus was always viewed from a different perspective. Honestly, they are interesting events. For instance, when Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst" (Jn. 6:35), "The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it, then, that he saith, I came down from heaven?" (Jn. 6:41-42).

Again, when Jesus said to those Jews which believed on HIM, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. They [possibly those who had refused to accept Him] answered Him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: How sayest thou, ye shall be made free?" (Jn. 8:31-33).

Jesus had to take time to explain to them that whoever commits sin is the servant or slave of sin. It does not matter if the person holds the highest office or position in the country or in the family. The person who commits sin after repentance or confession is as guilty as an unrepentant sinner, because he or she is still enslaved to the devil, the originator of the sin. And Jesus is the only way out (Jn. 14:6).

Apostle Peter unequivocally made this known to his audience in one of his earliest messages and said, "Repent ye, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19). To be converted is to be transformed or renewed both inwardly and outwardly, which can happen only after a genuine repentance or confession (never to go back to that sinful life). Otherwise, he or she is still in bondage of slavery to satan and his agents. In all honesty, conversion is a real U-turn which means turning your back to the destructive or sinful living, facing and embracing the constructive, holy and peaceful way of life. Hallelujah!

Peter affirms that the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord to you. It is a lifelong experience. I had mine over two decades ago, and I have never been the same as I continue to grow to maturity with His grace making me live from glory to glory every day. I mean, I am blessed every day of my life, and my victory is daily guaranteed in JESUS name. AMEN!

Jesus told the people further in His explanation, "And the servant abideth not in the house for ever; but the son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (Jn. 8:35-36).

I trust you know that "The earth is the LORD'S and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he [God] hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods" (Ps. 24:1-2). But in verses 3 through 6 we find some questions and answers which show a line of qualifications concerning a higher realm than this earth, one which also belongs to God.

Without the Spirit of God, it is nearly impossible to understand the Word of God, and the Word of God brings cleansing and deliverance. Jesus said, "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you" (Jn. 15:3). This is why the Jews' situation was complex. Also, read John 8:37-59. In addition, in His prayer to the Father for the disciples, Jesus said, "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world" (Jn. 17:14). It is impossible to understand the Word of God and live by it without the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God gives one the hunger and thirst for God's word.

To God be the glory, I have read the Holy Bible in different versions time without number, yet I have the hunger for it daily, and always what I read is new to me. Praise the Lord! When the thousands of Christ's followers who were without Christ himself in their hearts heard the Word of God and could not cope with it, they "went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God" (Jn. 6:66-69). Earlier, one can read the complexity of the Jews in that same chapter. It is a situation that made me realize how empty someone can be without the Holy Spirit. Anything that carries the anointing of God like Bible study, fellowship, preaching or evangelism, prayer and fasting will always be viewed as absurd by such a person.

I remember an occasion when my family was invited to a family gathering attended by people of a different faith. When we got there, our first daughter Evelyn Toyin told my wife that she was thirsty and needed some water. My wife, felt that our then 12-year-old daughter was mature enough to care for herself and responded, "Go and get water from the tap." "But I cannot find a drinking glass available," Toyin replied. And her mother, who did not want to be disturbed further, quickly pointed out to her some empty bottles on the tables, which Toyin could rinse and use for drinking water. " No," our daughter reacted sharply. Her reason was that if she dared put her mouth to one of those bottles, though it was emptied and refilled with ordinary water, the people who saw her would put her in the same category with those who drank the beer. Imagine how the Holy Spirit could teach a 12-year-old girl! (Jn. 14:26). Praise the Lord!

When Jesus said to the Jews, "I am the bread which came down from heaven" (Jn. 6:35), "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you" (Jn. 6:53), and, "He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever" (Jn. 6:58), all these statements were outrageous to anybody without the Holy Ghost. The Lord Jesus also heightened their tension, when in fact the Jews asked Him to show them a sign, by saying to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body" (Jn. 2:18-22). No wonder the Bible says, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (I Cor. 2:14).

His Word is Honey: The Spirit of God gives you all that you require in the Word. Just like the Prophet Ezekiel, "Moreover, HE said unto me, son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this scroll [the scroll means God's message-books], and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And, he said unto me, son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness" (Ez. 3:1-3). HONEY!

His Word is Joy and Rejoicing: "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart; for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts" (Jer. 15:16).

His Word is a Lamp: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Ps. 119:105).

His Word is More than gold: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh is as grass and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" (I Pet. 1:23-25).

I remember a Sunday school song: "Something more than gold, the spirit of God in the heart of man, is something more than gold. Hallelujah!"

My grandmother Ibironke (also known as Iyaolobi because she was a famous trader of cola nuts) was an illiterate who got someone to inscribe for her beautifully my middle name, Obafemi, with some prayer words on a cardboard. She pasted it at the doorpost of her room.

Although I was very young at that time, I can still remember vividly some significant events that happened in my childhood days. One day, my mom jokingly asked my ever-loving grandmother why she had put only my name conspicuously that way, not any of her own children. It was apparent that my mom was speaking the minds of her two brothers and two sisters. The old woman just smiled it off without uttering even a word.

When I grew up, the Holy Spirit began to illuminate in my mind certain things that happened in the past which I had not understood then (Jn. 14:26). Hallelujah! To God be the Glory!!! The reason why my granny was so much interested in my affairs was because none of Ibironke's children or grandchildren ever stayed closer to her than me, with the exception of 'Sanjo, my younger brother, who was still very young when our granny went to be with the Lord, so he can today hardly recall his experiences with the old lady. Praise God!

The reason why some people will for many years continue to be baby Christians is because they stay too far away from the Word of God. Perhaps they are too busy with some other programs which take them out of the Holy Spirit or the Holy Spirit out of them. Whatever the case may be, emptiness in the Holy Ghost is frustration to perdition undiluted.

God cannot but pay attention through the Holy Spirit to those who sacrifice time to study His Word (II Tim. 2:15). And, the "ocupado" people will begin to envy when God honors His Word by making His beloved able to put thousands to flight. He says in His Word, "Ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword" (Lev. 26:7-8). Which sword? His Word. He states further that, "For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and ye shall be my people" (Lev. 26:9,12).

God said to Joshua, "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Josh. 1:5,8).

The quiet time in prayer is not the same as the quiet time Word study. In prayer, you send to God, while in Word study you receive from Him through the Holy Spirit. When the apostles prayed and their meeting place shook (Acts 4), they had taken God at His Word, which they had earlier studied. They got the technical expertise through their Word study. You also can know the how(s) through His Word. I mean, you can also do the same or more today. AMEN.

God has graciously given us, His children, 66 remote controls (66 books in the Bible) that give solution to every situation that can be mentioned both in heaven and on earth. As big as the country of the United States of America is, one needs just one remote control to travel through the television channels that cover the entire country. If any channel does not satisfy one, he does not need to run crazy; all he requires is just to press the remote control to effect a change. Oh, yes. "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith, which we preach. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed" (Rom. 10:8,11).

Praise God for the 66 remote controls that are ever ready for any situation be it in heaven or earth, visible or invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers (Colossians 1:15-23). Apostle Paul from all indications was very studious. You may say that is because he was a lawyer. My friend, to be mentally lazy is bad. Please read II Tim. 2: 15; 3:16; 4:13.

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