Blog - Page 3 of 8 - Thrive by The Word

March 4, 2019March 25, 2019

Knowing God

If ever there was a grand list of recommended reads for believers, greenhorns and old-timers alike, Knowing God is one that is sure to make it to the list, by my reckoning.

As the title fittingly tells, it offers a helpful foundation for a good understanding of God’s nature and character – a subject matter so vast, yet so crucial. So well does the book’s cover capture the endless path it takes for a finite mind to truly know the infinite.

A book for travellers

The book’s foreword provides a comparative analogy between two distinct experiences of the Christian life – ‘balconeers’ i.e., those who grapple with ideas at the theoretical level, and ‘travellers’ who often live life in the frontline of the practicality of ideas and truth claims. This distinction helped the author direct his focus to his target audience as he makes clear from the start that this is a book for travellers. The structure and delivery of themes give credence to his effort at maintaining that focus.

Author J.I. Packer draws primarily from the Bible and throws in a handful of wisdom and experiences of saints of old; one of the ways the latter features prominently in the book is in the inclusion of lyrics of old hymns. Each hymn is appropriately included in a manner that succinctly summarizes the preceding idea discussed.

To what end?

Early on in the book, readers are faced with the question of motivation, i.e., “what is my ultimate aim and object in occupying my mind with these things?”, “what do I intend to do with my knowledge of God once I’ve got it?”

Admittedly, there is a world of difference between knowing about God and knowing God. The author helps readers understand the interplay between the two aspects – knowing God starts with knowing about Him. Answering the crucial question of how we move from knowing about God to knowing Him, he gives a simple but demanding rule – ‘we turn each truth that we learn about God into a matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise to God’.

Knowledge applied

As with all books that offer insights and solutions to practical problems, the real test of true learning is in the action that stems from knowledge gained. Each section concludes on a practical note that serves to provoke thoughts and a right response. Included also is a study guide for each of the 22 chapters, offering discussion questions suitable for use in study groups.

Knowing God is a book that turns the searchlight on the nature of God in a personal and practical way. It is a book that deserves to be read purposefully with the intent of allowing timeless truths penetrate head and heart.

The book ended on a very encouraging note as it takes readers on a tour of ‘the high peak’ of ‘the high peak’ of The Bible – Romans 8. The concluding chapter leaves readers with the picture of the one who knows God as the one who lives in Romans 8, exulting with Paul in the adequacy of God.

What greater goal could there be than to know Him who knows us through and through?

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga

February 18, 2019February 18, 2019

Faith in action

In our last post, we identified a ‘different’ kind of faith. I guess a natural follow up to that would be exploring what that kind of faith looks like. Quite apart from our everyday run-of-the-mill faith, what does faith in God look like?

The book of Psalms is chock-full of many heartfelt expressions of lament and joy, each one a tangible expression of its writer’s faith. One of such is Psalm 130, a song of Ascents, i.e., one of those sung by pilgrims on their way up to Jerusalem. Whilst it by no means offers an exhaustive list of dos (and perhaps implicitly, don’ts), it does offer a framework that is broad enough to spur us on to an active lifestyle of faith.

Looking in the right place

Simba, in the movie The Lion King, face to face alone with his father, Mufasa’s lifeless body lets out a gut-wrenching cry for help: “Help!! Somebody… Anybody… help!” he soon realised disappointedly, with tears trickling down his little face, that there was no help in sight.

Not so the Psalmist, whose cry wasn’t an aimless shot fired into the dark, rather, a well-targeted cry out of the depths to God who really is there. Surely the ears of the Lord are as attentive to the prayers of His children as to the psalmist’s cry. What great comfort then for us to be assured that our prayers, cries, and even sighs don’t go unheard.

Thinking rightly

In recalling the goodness and faithfulness of God from of old, the psalmist brings to light the character and identity of the One who is indeed trustworthy. The Christian faith gives us so much to think about and meditate on, particularly in the midst of trying circumstances.

Rightly so does author, J.I Packer admonish in his book, Knowing God;

“Think of what you know of God… and apply it. Think against your feelings; argue yourself out of the gloom they have spread; unmask the unbelief they have nourished; take yourself in hand, talk to yourself, make yourself look up from your problems to the God of the gospel; let evangelical thinking correct emotional thinking.”

Without doubt, pondering great truths about God helps keep our fears and troubles in perspective.

Patiently waiting

The kind of waiting the Psalmist models is one of patience in hope and confidence in God to do what is best. This involves actively tuning out the surrounding noise and chatter for the greater goal of laying hold of God’s promises.

Far from the notion of a gateway to a plain sailing experience of life, we see faith in the trenches – desperately crying out, thinking and waiting patiently for the Lord. In much similar fashion, there is a sense in which the summary of our walk by faith is ‘crying out’, ‘thinking’, ‘waiting’, ‘acting’… Repeat. Even so, we wait by hoping in God’s Word.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga

January 28, 2019January 28, 2019

Stepping out in faith

It’s still early days and perhaps too soon to tell how well (or not) we will fare with our New Year resolutions. For some, a bright and enthusiastic start is already showing signs of bountiful year end results. Yet for others, it’s been a rather gloomy start, and the temptation to quit is looming.

Whatever side of the scale you tilt towards, it’s worth keeping an eye on your game plan.

For us believers, a crucial part of our journey is faith – faith, not in and of itself, but in the God who is trustworthy and faithful.

Run-of-the-mill ‘faith’

The idea of faith is not exclusive to religious circles, but features implicitly in our day to day living. For example, buying a ticket to board a passenger plane shows trust in the pilot’s ability to safely fly and land the plane at the port of destination. Or dashing through the door in a rush to catch an early morning bus shows a measure of faith in the bus driver that he hasn’t overslept or altogether forgotten that he does have a job!

Generally speaking then, we all encounter life with varying degrees of faith.

Yet as vitally important and pervasive as faith is, it is the object of faith that is of greater significance. In other words, in whom or what are you investing your trust?

A different kind of faith

There is an aspect of faith shown at the level of awareness – this faith says ‘yes, I know the information’, but this doesn’t necessarily translate to a persuasion of the truthfulness and reliability of that information. Biblical faith on the other hand goes beyond mere intellectual assent; it reaches for the heart and will in such a way that faith becomes a ‘whole of life’ experience. In other words, faith and action become intertwined.

Pleasing God

Equally as important as producing good works, faith is essential in pleasing God. In fact, the Bible asserts that without faith, it is impossible to please God.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

Whatever step of faith you’re taking – from the humdrum to the exciting, remember it’s not so much about your faith in faith, rather in the reliable and worthy One. And oh how comforting it is to know that even those of little faith have the same trustworthy and faithful God as those with much.

How then shall we live? Simply by faith!

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

December 31, 2018December 31, 2018

A precious thing

My pastor recently narrated how over the Christmas holidays, his family had a near miss experience of losing a precious little item. Buried under the pile of torn wrappings from all their Christmas presents sat a treasured gift. They had gathered up all the rubbish and stuffed it away in the bin only for them to later discover that something was missing… and so the search began. It was quite a tasking search, thankfully, not a futile one, as the lost item was found right at the bottom of the bin and rescued just in time!

As we look forward to a new year, it is important to remind ourselves of what truly matters, and give ourselves to the pursuit of such matters. There’s so much clamouring for our time, energy and resources; yet some things are more valuable than others. See how Jesus helps us make a striking value judgement:

²⁴Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever would save his life^[g] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ²⁶For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Matthew 16:24–26 (ESV).

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
– Jim Elliot

So, as 2018 draws to a close, if there’s a charge to be given, it is this – don’t lose a precious thing!

Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading.

Sike Osinuga.

December 3, 2018March 5, 2019

Real

I love the idea of friendships. As such, a book that offers good insights into nurturing deep and healthy friendships is always a winner for me, even more so one that purposefully draws from biblical wisdom.

So you can imagine how my face lit up when I received a marketing email from a trusted publishing house about a new book on friendship they had just released – Real : The surprising secret to deeper relationships, by Catherine Parks.

I might as well have come up with the book’s subtitle, as I found the secret it offers to deeper relationships quite surprising indeed! Continue reading “Real”

November 19, 2018November 19, 2018

A blessing worth waiting for

Thankfulness is an important part of the Christian life; and even though the temptation to grumble and complain is ever so real, we can, by the simple act of counting our blessings, foster truly thankful hearts.

This week on the thankfulness series, Cathy McIntosh shares her story of gratitude to God for the gift of a mentor who came into her life at just the right time.

“Some of the steadfast lessons I learned during my wait are that God’s ways are perfect and that no one can thwart His plans. That message continues to resonate in my life and help me as I face a variety of trials and struggles. I thank Him every day that He helped me understand such a valuable truth.

I’m not proud of the way I focused on myself all those years ago. But I’m grateful that the Lord walked with me and began to mould me into His image. The Lord seems to move slowly, but we must take heart knowing that His timing is always perfect. His blessings are always worth the wait. Once we begin to understand, we can give thanks even while we experience delays.”

Read the full article here.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

November 12, 2018

Everyday gratefulness

Today’s post is the fourth in the ongoing Thankfulness series at Hebrews12endurance. Meredith Curtis shares with us her journey of cultivating gratefulness everyday in her life that is filled with both blessings and challenges.

Isn’t it the case for us all? Each life with its own share of ‘blessings and challenges’.

“When I count my blessings, I feel thankful and happy inside. I am aware of how much the Lord has given me and want to praise Him for every blessing.

When I focus on my trials, I feel so isolated. I feel like I have a heavier load than anyone and I feel sorry for myself.

Should I pretend the hard things don’t exist? No, not at all. However, I don’t need to dwell on them.

Instead, I can pour my heart out to Jesus, casting all my anxiety on Him because He cares for me. When I pray about my challenges, I feel strength rising up in me as I lay those burdens at His feet.”

Read the full article here, hope you find it encouraging.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

November 5, 2018November 5, 2018

What are you thankful for?

Aminata, over at hebrews12endurance is running a series on Thankfulness in the month of November. Each Monday and Thursday, she will be featuring one of 9 contributing bloggers, sharing what they are thankful for.

First in line is an expression of gratitude for the gift of words – written words, spoken words, The Living Word. Aminata shares her amazing journey from loathing God’s Word to loving it!

“I started seeing the beauty of a God who pursues His people, who loves them when they are most unlovable. For the first time in my life, I saw how He loved me. And it was humbling. As I recalled events in my life, I saw how God had snatched me away from disaster. When I made the decision to be baptized a second time, it was because I had fallen head over heels in love with Jesus and wanted to commit my life to Him.

God had saved me with His words.”

Head over to read the entire article here. And be sure to join in on this month-long series.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

October 29, 2018

Though I stumble

I am quite pleased to have finally picked up a piece of fiction to read, thanks to an invitation I received to join a virtual group of readers. I had always wanted to read one, but it seemed I was spoilt for choice and couldn’t make up my mind on which one exactly.

I’m glad I stumbled on this one.

Though I Stumble, the first of the ‘Promises of God’ Novel series by Kim Cash Tate, is quite intriguing and makes for some good leisurely read. Although I was initially startled when I saw chapter numbers in the sixties. Fear not! They are not lengthy chapters at all, some are only 2-3 pages long.

The novel tells the story of four women at different ages and stages of life, attending a weekend conference that proved to be life-changing for each one of them in peculiar ways. Each woman’s story had its fair share of hardships and disappointments, through which they held on to God’s promises, albeit for some, just by the skin of their teeth. The ‘happy ending’ they had was more about the transformation they experienced through their journeys, than having their troubles miraculously removed.

Perseverance, deep friendships, accountability, love and forgiveness are some of the themes woven into the suspense-filled plot.

Written in such a relatable way, the characters are not presented as super Christians with perfect lives, rather, their vulnerability and mistakes mirror the journey of an average Christian fighting for faith. The author, in detailing the conference account, captivatingly invites readers into the conference hall, within earshot of the speakers – a few chapters in, I could picture myself in attendance with these ladies.

The charge to the conference attendees, wrapped up in its theme, to run “in hot pursuit” of Christ extends beyond the pages of the book and readily applies to believers today, women and men alike. So also does the promise of God’s firm and loving hold, even though we stumble, à la Psalm 37:24.

A helpful reading group guide is provided at the end of the book to facilitate group discussions, this would equally serve an individual reader keen to personally apply valuable lessons that will aid spiritual growth.

On the whole, this book is worth its readers’ while, not just for its brilliant storyline and delivery, but primarily because it holds out true biblical hope; winsomely reassuring us that God’s promises are worth holding on to and resting in.

The dramatic twists and turns are quite unpredictable and that means that the book is a cliffhanger right up to the last page. I guess I’ll be going on to read the next volume in the series!

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

October 22, 2018

Going it alone?

The story is often told about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.

Whose job is it anyway?

One of the many blessings of the Christian faith is the community it offers. We are saved into a community of believers, almost like a band of rowers in the same boat paddling along in the same direction. It is through this community of brothers and sisters that God’s blessings are mediated to us, and so the body of Christ is one of the places we turn to in search of godly counsel. Of course I am not unaware of the possibility of the same body turning in on itself in animosity – an undeniable effect of sin. Yet God’s mercy abounds as we graciously bear and forbear with one another.

In as much as there are people called to formally pastor local churches, bearing the responsibility of preaching weekly sermons to their congregations, there’s a sense in which we’re all expected to be looking out for one another, speaking the truth of God’s Word as occasion demands.

How then do we fulfil this calling?

Loving well

As previously noted, if we’re not spending time in The Word, we’re less likely to give godly counsel. Hence, one of the ways we can love those around us well is by getting into the Word.

Tevye, a poor milkman in the film Fiddler on the roof, would often pepper his conversations with sayings ‘from the good book’.On one occasion, he merrily blurted “as the good book says, when a poor man eats a chicken, one of them is sick”, to which a bystander firmly responded with a quizzing “where does the book say that?” Tevye, with a dismissive wave of hand replied “alright, alright it doesn’t exactly say that, but someplace it has something about a chicken…!”

Funny as that exchange sounds, it is not unlikely that what may be branded on the surface as godly counsel is really worldly wisdom with a veneer of godliness. At the heart of true godly wisdom is a desire to make much of Christ, and so it is important that we are probing beneath the surface, weighing if what we’re offering or receiving is ultimately making much of self or Christ, rarely does it do both.

No wonder John the Baptist insisted “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30

God’s will for us is to grow in discernment, and as we do, help our blood-bought community do the same. It’s ‘Everybody’s’ job after all.

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.