SmartvilleWritten by Adeolu Oluade
FIRST LOVE RECOVERY MINISTRIES HOME PAGEQUOTES ARTICLES DESTINY GUIDE CONTACT US SMARTVILLE Psalm 1(The Message) verse 1 "How well God must like you--you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College." Smartville is an international community made up of three groups of people:- 1. The 'smartines' 2. The 'smartlets' 3. The 'smartless' The first group possesses, practices, and propagates a brand of wisdom in all spheres of life including religion. This wisdom is described in scripture below:- James 3:15 (Amplified Bible) "This [superficial] wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual (animal), even devilish (demoniacal)." The ‘smartines’ hang out at Sin Salon, slink along Dead-End Road, and go to Smart -Mouth College! The second group possesses, practices, and propagates a brand of wisdom in all spheres of life. This wisdom is described in scripture below:- James 3:17 (Amplified Bible) "But wisdom from above is first of all pure (undefiled); then it is peace-loving, courteous (considerate, gentle). [It is willing to] yield to reason, full of compassion and good fruits; it is wholehearted and straightforward, impartial and unfeigned (free from doubts, wavering, and insincerity)." This wisdom is linked to fear of God(Psalm 111:10 & Job 28:28) which comes with knowledge of God(Isaiah 11:2c-3a).This knowledge is personal ,intimate ,special ,unending ,amazing ,and dynamic !It is acquired by everyone(Heb.8:11) who has received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour! To receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, a person must:- * Acknowledge that he is a sinner (a ‘smartine’/’smartless’ indeed)-Rom.3:23. * He must repent wholeheartedly from his sins-Acts 3:19. * Believe that Jesus Christ died for his sins-Acts 16:31.
| | The rat raceWritten by Adeolu Oluade
FIRST LOVE RECOVERY MINISTRIES HOME PAGEQUOTES ARTICLES DESTINY GUIDE CONTACT US THE RAT RACE Ecclesiastes 9(KJV) verse 11 " I returned, and saw under sun, that race is not to swift, nor battle to strong, neither yet bread to wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all." Romans 9(KJV) verse 16 "So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." Underneath megacity,millions of rats young and old,male and female hurried through varoius passageways in search for food. Whenever food got scarce, sick,weak,injured, disabled,elderly and newborn often got neglected,since natural instinct of hunger had been transformed into lethal greed in a battle that favours fittest and wittest.For every rat,this gruelsome race starts from birth and continues until death! The modern world is lost in such a race as people run after pleasures,possessions and positions that life offers! Even though this way of lfe seems popular does not mean that it is authentic way of life especially for those who are followers of Christ Jesus Lord!This way of lfe engages motives,methods,and means that are diabolically opposed to ways of our Lord! And everyone is naturally born into 'this rat race'. Matthew 7(KJV) verse 13 "Enter ye in at strait gate: for wide is gate, and broad is way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:" verse 14 " Because strait is gate, and narrow is way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." The rat race takes place on broad and glamorous way that leads to destruction of individual,the home,the community,the nation,and world! The Christian race is however different to rat race which is order of worldly system.The Christian race is run on narrow way.The Christian race is pursuit of God through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.Throughout Christian race,Christ alone is to be glorified from start to finish!It is therefore a race that is for Christ,with Christ,and through Christ! To leave 'the rat race' of world system and start Christian race,everyone has to have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ during which individual wholeheartedly repents of his/her sins and humbly accepts Jesus Christ as his/her personal Lord and Saviour into his/her heart. The word of God clearly advocates divine prosperity but shuns worldly prosperity! And people of God have to boldly take and keep a stand against all signs and shades of unrighteousness even in all financial matters since they are called to be a holy people by Holy One of Israel Himself!The acquisition and expenditure of kingdom wealth by Christian,and Church is by divine wisdom based to godly fear;and demonstrated by good works. The Christian should not trust in his riches,but in Lord who gives him power to get wealth(Deut 8:18).The Christian is called to be a servant of God,not mammon,or both!
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