Thoughts of Our Fathers (TOF)

READ: Leviticus 17:10-14

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us

Hebrews 9:12

God revealed the importance of blood through the prophet Moses and therefore commanded that blood should not be eaten.

The generation that lived in the time of Moses would not have known about the importance of blood. Perhaps they would have thought that it was the heart, the brain or the kidneys that were important. But through the teaching of Moses, they learnt that the life of a person is in his blood. All the other parts of the body could be eaten but the blood was not supposed to be eaten because it represented a life. Long before medical science discovered it, Moses taught us that the blood of a person contained his life. Today, we know that the blood carries life to all parts of the body. Moses could not have known that by medical science. He knew this because God revealed it to him. Life is in the blood!

One night, I was on duty at the emergency ward when a young man was brought to the hospital, who was vomiting bright red blood uncontrollably. He retched and vomited all night long. I went to the blood bank many times that night, fetching blood for this man. It was a race for life. Sadly, he died because he had brought out more blood than we were able to replace. The race that night was a race to get as much blood to the man quickly enough. Only the blood could prevent the man from dying.

Indeed, the race today is the race to get the blood of Jesus to as many places as possible quickly enough.

READ: 1 Chronicles 11:1-9

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Matthew 7:16

King David judged Joab to be worthy of the position of commander of the armies based on his actions in the war against the Jebusites. Joab went first and became the chief commander of Israel’s armies.

Jesus taught us to know people by their fruits and not by what they say. Everyone says good things about himself and everyone has explanations for what they did not do. “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6). What people say about themselves does not matter. Who people say they are does not matter. Look at their deeds. Their deeds do not lie. The only thing that is true is the evidence and the actions that speak clearly and loudly. You must trust what they do. What they do is who they are! In court, judges are taught to focus on the evidence because that is what really matters.

Are you getting married to a beautiful lady who has nice words and beautiful smiles, but quarrels with everyone she works with, and is unable to maintain a good relationship with anyone? Why do you believe her explanations? Why do you believe in her beauty? Why do you believe you will receive nice things when you marry her?

You must trust evidence more than nice words. Remember that a wise person lives by the evidence of the actions that people have taken. He does not trust what people say about themselves. Trust what they do and remember what they have done!

READ: John 17:6-23

And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee...

Deuteronomy 26:18

If a country places more value on athletes and beauty queens than professionals and nation-builders, do you think that these professionals and nation-builders will be attracted to the nation?

People are attracted to places where they are valued. Many organizations undervalue the people they have. Every person who feels undervalued will move away.

Every developed nation values its citizens. What you respect will come towards you. What you attack will run away from you. People are the most valuable thing a leader has. A nation that attacks its leaders will be void of leaders. A nation that attacks its wealthy citizens will be poor. All the rich people will run away to countries where wealth is not a hazard.

You must value people because people are more valuable than money. Invest in people financially and educationally. Pay people well and spend time teaching and training them. People are more valuable than buildings. See them as gifts from God. People are more valuable than computers. Try not to lose the people that God gives you. Do everything to prevent the loss of even one person. People can sense it when you value them (John 17:12).

See people as being worth more to you than objects and projects. Jesus saw His followers as gifts from God: "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word" (John 17:6).

READ: Ecclesiastes 1:9, 10

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1 Peter 5:8

The Scriptures contain many history lessons that guide us. God instructed His leaders to teach history so that people would not forget what happened in the past. Forgetting leads to a repetition of the same mistakes.

History repeats itself. If you know what happened to others who walked where you walk, then you will know what will happen to you. There is a proverb that states, "Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it."

Many things are programmed in cycles. There is an inbuilt cyclical system of the world. The planets revolve around the sun. The moon circles around the earth. The human body has numerous biochemical and hormonal cycles within it. The Krebs cycle and the menstrual cycle are examples of these. Your life may be part of an evil cycle that is playing itself out. Break every terrible cycle of your life and ministry by studying history.

A student of history can predict the future (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Your prophetic insights will be greatly enhanced as you study church history. Boldness and confidence are fruits of studying history. You can lead the way with greater confidence by using the lessons you learnt from history.

One day, an old wise man said, "The devil has just a few tricks, which he keeps using over and over again. I am always surprised that the same trick works every time. Because people do not know what happened in the past, they keep falling for the same old tricks."

READ: John 4:35-38

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Matthew 9:37

I realize that many Christians, and even pastors, do not notice the harvest of souls around them. I see the multitude of people all around and wonder if these people know Christ!

When driving to church, I see crowds of people streaming down the road. I often ask myself, "How many of these people know Christ as their Saviour? How many will really die in Christ? How many of them go to church on Sunday morning?"

Sometime ago, my wife and I drove through the streets of Johannesburg (in South Africa), which is a very beautiful city. We saw many nice buildings. At one point during the ride, we had a good view of the entire city beautifully lit with thousands of lights. As I looked down, I suddenly thought to myself that there are so many people in the world. South Africa is full of souls. Adam and Eve have done a good job in filling the earth!

I did not only see the nice buildings, but I saw the vastness of the harvest, which lay virtually untouched. Dear friend, there are millions of people around you. I don't know if you notice that there are so many precious souls who have just a short time to live before tasting eternity. How many people will die in Christ? How many will live again?

The Lord Jesus testified of Himself that He is the good shepherd (John 10:11). He also said that He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). A good pastor is one who seeks and saves the lost.

READ: Acts 5:1-16

And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Acts 9:5

Paul discovered when he was struck down on the road to Damascus that it was actually the Lord (Acts 9:5) he had been persecuting all along! Some people may need some of this "Pauline" treatment in order to be cured of their interfering and blaspheming spirit. You may think that you are dealing with man, but you will find out to your surprise and embarrassment that you are actually dealing with God.

Apostle Peter had a similar experience. Peter did some fund-raising in his church, and two of his church members, Ananias and Sapphira came along with a lie about the amount of money they had pledged. This mistake cost them their lives. The cause of death was simply lying to a man representing the Holy Spirit.

A man of God told the story of a skeptic who sat in the congregation and kept thinking to himself that the preacher was a con man and a liar. The Lord opened his eyes, and he saw a huge angel assisting the man of God as he ministered, sometimes whispering instructions into his ear. This skeptic was very surprised to discover such heavenly support for this pastor he thought was a charlatan, and recounted the vision was an eye-opener for a potential blasphemer.

Listen to me, friends. Be careful what you say about men of God. You have no idea of the spiritual approval they may have from Heaven.

READ: Romans 9:1-3;10:1-3

...He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works …

John 14: 12

Paul had a desire to help the Jews. He was constantly burdened by this desire. All true leadership stems from the burden to help people whom you love. The greatest sign of leadership is the overwhelming burden and desire which compels the leader into action.

Some people go through difficulties in life. After they have recovered from their pain, they have a strong desire to help others avoid the pain and suffering they went through. A true father wants his children to have what he couldn't have. A true leader wants his followers to be better than himself.

Jesus wanted His followers to do greater things than He had done. If you do not have a desire to help people to become great, perhaps you are not a leader. If you just have a desire to help yourself, that is not leadership! Leadership is a desire to help other people achieve great things for themselves. A man who has a desire to win the lost at any cost is a leader for the cause of the Gospel.

In the earlier days of my ministry, I did not even know what the offices of a pastor, evangelist or apostle were. I thought these were far-fetched positions which I could never occupy. All I wanted to do was to help people to meet Jesus. All I wanted to do was to help people to grow in Christ. I felt that if people grew up in the Lord, many of their problems would go away. A desire to help people is a symptom of the call of God.

READ: John 11:1-45

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son...

Galatians 4:4

It is a known fact that we all need a blessing from the Lord. It is important to understand the law of the timing of miracles. Why did Jesus come to the earth only two thousand years ago? The Bible says when the time was right, God sent His Son.

Jesus was a gift of God to the Jews, but in the day of their divine blessing, they did not receive Him. It is important for you to recognize the time of your visitation. Just as you have a time when you do certain things, God has a time on His timetable when He is going to bless you with certain gifts.

In 1988, God placed me in the office of a teacher. At another time, He placed on me the anointing to pastor. He then gave the healing anointing to minister the power of God. Why didn't He do it all at once? God has a time for your breakthrough. As you "flow" with Him, you will come into special days for your life and you will be truly blessed. Mary and Martha called for Jesus to heal their brother Lazarus. Jesus did not come till it was "too late". But it is never too late with God. Jesus got there four days "too late". But God wrought a powerful miracle for all to see.

Do not be angry with God because He is keeping to His schedule. God may not come when you want Him to come. But He will come in time. Be a man or woman of understanding. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and understand the time. When it is your time, walk in it and be blessed.

READ: Ephesians 4:23-32

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Colossians 3:13

The Bible tells us that when we are born again, we become "new men", or "new creatures".

When a man becomes a doctor or an army officer, he is expected to behave in a certain way. In the same way, a certain pattern of behaviour is expected of anyone who claims to be a Christian or a "new man".

One of the primary qualities of a new man is that he forgives. The new man should not live in unforgiveness.

According to biblical principles, the new man must not live his life according to what goes on in this world. In the world, people hardly forgive. It is natural for a person not to forgive, but to seek revenge. However, when you become a new man, God expects you to forgive.

Indeed, one cardinal difference between the Christian and the unbeliever is that the Christian has the ability to forgive and release the offender.

Sometimes best friends become worst enemies. Yes, even husbands and wives can become sworn enemies. The closest person who told you he loved and cared for you, can become your worst enemy.

As new people in Christ, we need to remember that God has forgiven us for lots of horrible things.

READ: Proverbs 5:15-21

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

Genesis 2:18

I encourage people to marry young. The more Christians delay the marriage ceremony, the more likely they are to end up living in sin. What are you waiting for?

Do not use the lack of money as an excuse, because you can marry if you really want to. Marry whilst you are still young.

Do not wait until you have all the comfortable things in life before venturing into marriage. I have been through some really hard times with my wife, where we did not have any money. We had to warn our visitors to sit in a particular way because our chairs were weak and broken. She even had to go abroad to work to buy us some furniture.

I have truly struggled with my wife, so I love her. I did not have to wait until I was an old man to get married.

I love the people with whom I have been through struggles and difficulties. They are different from those who have come in a time of total blessing. When you are already established in life, you will have people interested in you because you are already blessed.

However, it is likely that the wife of your youth would have married you not because of what you had, but because of who you are.

It is a blessing to marry young.

READ: Judges 11:29-40

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof

Proverbs 18:21

Did you know that there is power in your tongue? Moreover, it is no ordinary power! The power of life and death is found in the tongue.

The power to live on is in your tongue. There are two types of confessions or claims: conversational confessions (claims) and commanding confessions (claims). You must be careful with what you say, even in casual conversation. Often, it is in casual conversation that you declare the things that you really believe. At other times, you can make deliberate commanding confessions. During these commanding claims, you lay hold on victories and breakthroughs by conscious and deliberate confessions. Both of these types of confessions (conversational and commanding) have power.

You must know from today that your words will trap (snare) you whether you spoke intentionally or unintentionally (Proverbs 6:2). A trap is a trap! Whether you put your foot in the trap intentionally or unintentionally does not matter. The trap will still function and grip your leg.

I remember how a distant relation would jokingly speak about a pimple on his face. He would point to the pimple and say, "This is my cancer." Obviously , he did not expect to develop cancer on his face. A few years later, this same man developed a cancer on his face and eventually died of it.

You are trapped by the words that you speak. Don't say things you don't mean.

READ: Titus 1:5-16

Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me…

2 Timothy 1:13

You are supposed to check on what pastors preach to you from the pulpit (Acts 17:11). Is it accurate? Is it the Word? This will help you to know whether to remain loyal to them or not.

You are also supposed to compare what they are preaching now to what they used to preach. This is because some start out with Bible-based preaching and end up with all sorts of weird doctrines. When it is not the Word of God anymore, you are supposed to "defect from the defector".

Some ministers have drifted off from the mainstream of Bible doctrines into extreme versions of some fundamental truths. There are great truths about the Holy Spirit, prayer, prosperity, etc. But all of these can be perverted and misinterpreted. Let's stay with the mainstream.

We have to analyze the type of messages that our man of God gives us. We are supposed to preach the Word of God and not our opinions. You see, there is a difference between your opinion and the Word of God. Do not just accept what anybody says because of who he is. Some preachers are clever with words. The Bible says they sway the hearts of the simple with their nice-sounding maxims. Anything that you say must balance up with the written Word, or else it is unacceptable.

Analyze the form of words you are receiving - somebody's opinion or the Word?

READ: Numbers 11:10-17

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts…

1 Corinthians 14:1

God will pass over a thousand people who don't care much for the anointing and will give it to a person who strongly desires it.

Did you know that Elijah's first servant was not Elisha? Did you know that Elijah's first servant was bypassed when it was time to be anointed? This servant was active in ministry but he was not chosen to be anointed by God. It was this servant who Elijah sent seven times to see if the rain clouds had appeared:

1 Kings 18:42, 43.

Why did this servant not receive the anointing? Why did Elisha, who was not even in the ministry , receive the anointing? Elisha was involved in business. He was plowing a field with his other business partners. What happened to the servant? Why wasn't he anointed? Why didn't he become the next great prophet?

Please learn this important principle right now! God will pass over a thousand people who don't care much for the anointing and will give it to a person who strongly desires it.

Desire the anointing more than anything else in this world. That is the first step to becoming "anything" in the Kingdom of God. God told Pastor Timothy to look for people with a desire to be bishops. People with strong desires are those who get spiritual gifts.

But covet [desire] earnestly the best gifts…

1 Corinthians 12:31

READ: Isaiah 61:1-3

...how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Luke 11:13

I want to show you why it is such a difficult thing for you to be anointed. One reason why God does not readily give His anointing to just anyone is because the anointing is the Holy Spirit (God Himself). The Holy Spirit is a precious gift from God to the Church. However, God does not haphazardly bestow that higher anointing needed for ministry on just anyone. If you don't value the anointing, God will not give it to you!

God has a very precious commodity! He is looking for someone who really wants it and will appreciate it. Often, those who should be obvious recipients miss the blessing. The anointing then passes on to someone else, to the surprise of others.

Have you ever asked yourself why God loved Jacob and hated Esau (Romans 9:13)? Jacob desired the anointing.

Was Jacob not a heel snatcher and a deceiver? He was, but Jacob strongly desired the birthright (anointing), for which Esau had little regard. Something that should worry us is the fact that God hated Esau. If God hated Esau, then it is possible that God can hate you! If God hated Esau because he didn't care about the gift, then God can hate you because you don't care about the gift of His anointing.

Often, earthly desires drown the desire for the anointing. You may be surprised that failure to meet this qualification (of desiring the anointing) eliminates many people from receiving God's gift.

READ: John 16:12-15

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God

Romans 8:14

One of the greatest desires of all serious Christians is to know the will of God. We often come to the crossroads and ask, "Which way is best?" If you take the wrong road, the implications may be devastating. If you marry the wrong person, the consequences may be terrible. If you join the wrong church, the consequences may be eternal.

Many times when we take decisions, we are unable to retrace our steps. In other words, many decisions are irreversible. Because of this, we need to know the will of God so that we can be guided along every step of the way.

Unbelievers consult soothsayers, astrologers and fortune tellers. They put their trust in false prophets and occult power. They also see the need to know what to do next. You will notice however, that none of these things have taken them very far.

As Christians, we do not need to consult satanic powers to know the future. God has graciously given us the Holy Spirit to guide us. Being led by the Spirit of God is a sign that you are a true Christian.

In the Old Testament, only the prophet seemed to know the will of God. You see, the Holy Spirit was not given to everyone at that time. We are living in a blessed dispensation. We all have the Holy Spirit in us and can be led by the Spirit of God. It is possible for us to know the will of God.

READ: Exodus 14: 10-17, 27-31

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force

Matthew 11:12

One of the primary reasons evangelism does not happen is because Christians keep to themselves. You cannot keep to yourself if you want to be an effective witness for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Begin talking to the people around you. I always try to share the Gospel with people around me. I have always believed that I have some good news about Jesus. He has saved me and set me free.

I lived in London for a period in 1983. I felt stifled by the stiff atmosphere in England because I realized that one couldn't easily relate to the people around. Everyone seemed so unfriendly and uninterested in his or her surroundings. I was used to preaching anywhere and everywhere.

One day, while sitting on the top level of a double-decker bus, I stood to my feet, maintained my cool and delivered a complete full Gospel sermon. The bus was quiet for a few minutes as they listened to this young mad man preach. I took my seat after preaching and got off at the next stop. One gentleman, who got off the bus with me, said to me, "I admire your courage! But I don't think you got very far." Whether I got very far or not is not what matters. What is important is that I preached the Word, and the Word always accomplishes something when it is preached (Isaiah 55:11).

You see, any form of soul winning in our modern day and age, is going to have to be of the forceful type. Gentleness and meekness will not take you very far.

READ: Matthew 21:33-41

For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

1 Corinthians 4:15

In this life, God is going to send a number of people to father you. The first of these is your earthly father whom you must not see as an elderly, person who is out of touch with the realities of modern life.

Soon, the relay begins and the next person sent by the Lord to father you will arrive on the scene. A pastor often becomes the next father in the relay. Through his ministry, you will receive the fatherly care that you need to go through the next stage of your life.

Among the hundreds of instructors and teachers, it is always important to recognize who the fathers are. Fathers have a wider scope of concern for your life. You will discover that their ministry cares for you totally. One of the keys to recognizing a father is to recognize the love, care and direction of our heavenly Father being transmitted through him to your life.

No human being could truly be all that a father is supposed to be. Only the Heavenly Father truly exemplifies what a father is. Fathering by the natural man is fraught with imperfections, and justifies the need for what I call, "the relay of the fathers". The relay involves God sending one person after another for different phases of your life and ministry. It is important to recognize the different people as they walk into your life.

This is what Jesus was illustrating with the parable in Matthew 21. We will be judged by the way we received God's servants who were sent to us.

READ: 2 Samuel 6:17-23

Yea, mine own familiar friend...hath lifted up his heel against me

Psalm 41:9

There are four groups of people that often suffer from familiarity.

First, your colleagues - those who know you closely - often suffer from familiarity. When I started my church as a medical student, very few of my colleagues were able to receive from me.

Secondly, we have relatives who also suffer from familiarity. Mine would say, "Do you remember me? I carried you when you were two years old. I knew your father very well." With this background, how can such people receive me as a man of God?

Pastor's wives are the third group who suffer from severe familiarity. Just like Michal, when everyone is impressed with their husbands, they are not. They say things like, "I know you", "No one knows you better than I do", "I am the only one who can tell you certain things!"

Close friends and associates are the fourth group of people who also experience familiarity. They have been around you for so long and they have seen your vicissitudes. Sometimes it would be better not to know someone closely in order not to develop an air of familiarity.

When people are familiar, they lose their respect and they cross boundaries they should never cross. Familiarity makes people say things they should never say. Familiarity breeds disloyalty.

READ: Romans 5:15-19

...every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry...
Philippians 4:12

The apostle Paul was intent on obeying the Lord. If the instruction was hunger, he was prepared for it; if the instruction was fullness, he would obey!

The consequence of obeying or disobeying one little instruction can be so great that no sacrifice could ever compensate for the act of disobedience.

Think about Jesus, who by one act of obedience has rescued millions from the throes of Hell. There is nothing like obedience in the eyes of God. To obey is better than to sacrifice. This is the most important truth you must learn about obedience.

I remember the story of an army lieutenant who received orders to fire his artillery at the enemy . As his soldiers prepared to fire, the radio operator had a message from the general asking the lieutenant to hold his fire. Something had changed: the enemy position had now been occupied by his own troops. The lieutenant was so zealous to fight that he did not listen to the radio operator, but rather opened fire and pounded his own soldiers.

God is like the army general, who sees the whole picture. He knows when to fire and when not to fire; He knows when to sacrifice and when not to. I have learnt that to obey is better than to sacrifice. God has sometimes asked us not to do things that we habitually do. Could it be that there will be times that it is more important not to preach, than it is to preach because that is what God says?

READ: Genesis 24: 1-27, 58-67

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her...She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Proverbs 31:11-12

Abraham knew how important it was for his son to choose the right woman for his wife. He knew that she would influence him all the days of his life.

Woman, thou shall not make thy husband sin. Some women prevent their husbands from going to church. The man is the head, but the woman is surely the neck. Woman, you have a lot of influence. Use it wisely! Do not use your influence to make your husband stay away from God.

I remember a woman whose husband was willing to donate money to the church for some instruments. When the man raised up his hand during the fund-raising, the woman pulled it down. She stopped him from giving to the Lord. She came up later to lie to the pastors about how stingy her husband was. Woman, do not make your husband sin.

Even if your husband is not saved, you influence him spiritually. Perhaps you are married to an unbeliever; remember what the Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 7:14.

The Bible teaches that the believer sanctifies the unbeliever. Whatever that means, we know that the believing person has a spiritual influence on the unbeliever.

Abraham knew how important it was to have the right kind of wife. This is the reason why he went so far to get a wife for his son.