The New and Living Way Church, Ikorodu.
Meeting: Community Service
Message: Keeping The Commandment Of Charity In The Season Of Everlasting Things
Date: 23rd May, 2021
Ministers: Pastor Laide Olaniyan
Pastor Laide (Message)
A minister once said the church is a living organism journeying somewhere: it’s like a train or danfo, you board at a bus stop but it doesn’t stay there. Unfortunately, many have seen the church as a static entity that we come and live where it is. Many have built monuments around the church such that they are defined by a set of codes and rules but really the ecclesia of God is found in the Spirit.
If you’re a student of church history, you will see how the church has migrated through time, how the Lord has taken time to bring in first the early church, then in the season of the restoration of truth to the body of Christ after the dark ages.
You will see how the Lord has, upon one stone and the other, laying foundations of truth in the church for comprehension as it grows into the head in all things. The counsel of God is that the church will grow into the head in all things as stated in Ephesians 4:15, but growing into the head in all things doesn’t happen one day. In fact, we can grow into the head in some things or in many things but we are to grow into the head in all things. The way to grow is to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:12-15). We were outside of Him but are now to grow into Him in all things (Ephesians 4:15). For example, we can touch the Head in authority of a believer but have not touched the Head in submission, holiness e.t.c.
Once people in the church hear head, they think of authority, but that’s not what defines Him. So, we must grow into Him in all things. This also means journeying into Him in all things. The Lord allows unveilings of Him to allow the church to grow. It is also possible that by the time seasons are changing, we might not have exhausted all for that season. Just as in farming where there are shortfalls, the Lord also brings dispensations in the Body. In the declaration of everlasting things, not everyone has perfected Christ and we’ll be deceiving ourselves if we think we no longer need the things of Christ. But, the Lord is bringing grace to tidy us in every width so that His harvest will still be whole.
For the Ephesian church, there was a declaration of their love towards the saints; and for the Thessalonians, there was a declaration of their faith and charity (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3; 1 Thessalonians 1:7-9; 1 Thessalonians 2:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:6). There was a speed in the Thessalonian church (2 Thessalonians 3:1). There are different territories and if we compare the Thessalonica and the Berean church, the brethren in Berea were nobler; they went and searched the word daily but still, entrance was more for the Thessalonian church. God season was quickly opened to them. Paul did not commend the charity of other churches aside this church because they were quickly opened to the things of God. They were commended for their charity, but there were things still lacking in their faith (1 Thessalonians 3:9-12). Paul wanted their love walk to increase and abound. When he wrote them again, their faith and love had grown exceedingly (2 Thessalonians 1:3). It is possible to grow in love.
For us as a church, we have not yet completed the course of charity. We have yet to come into 1 Corinthians 16:14.
Charity with Our Neighbors
When going to the market, it’s a good thing to think about your neighbours too, about the needs of others, what they might need. Sometimes, when you have surplus, you can send some to your neighbour or other families in your compound: that is charity. One minister said he gives a one-tenth of everything he buys not just of money, but so that he doesn’t have the mindset of “everything belongs to me”. The world has trained us to think about ourselves and families alone, but when charity begins to govern our conduct, all our things can begin to be governed by the law of charity. Charity does not seek her own. It seeks the welfare of others, but this is not the only expression of charity (1 Corinthians 13:5).
One place we fail in charity is in traffic. A man who can do charity on the road is a saved man. We must do to others as we want them to do to us. For some us, obeying the first commandment of charity might seem like we have grown but scriptures say we are to do charity in all things.
Charity in Our Day-To-Day Lives
We must walk charitably at the barber’s, inside danfo, to bike men, at the market when pricing. We must price fairly. This is not to say we should be foolish, but it’s also okay to be cheated. Some of us wrestle for a bargain at the expense of the seller, it is not good. That is not charity. Let’s not be wicked. Acting this way can be an indication of lust and love for money. We need to walk charitably knowing they’re humans too. Can we buy something and the seller thanks God rather than feel like something has been stolen from him/her?
Charity in the Workplace
When our colleagues are transgressing, even if it’s in our power to report them or get them sanctioned, we should give allowance for them but not at the expense of the company (there must be a balance to this). If overlooking it will not affect the company, we can walk charitably by giving an allowance for the person to repent. Charity allows itself to be inconvenienced and is still kind.
We should be able to put ourselves in that person’s shoes, otherwise we will not remain pitiful or kind, we will only be bottling up bitterness until one day we explode. We must walk charitably so we can accumulate grace for life. We must exercise charity until we can do charity in all things.
Can we walk charitably towards our boss, our superiors, and our organization? Do I honour my superiors just for eyeservice or not? What are my deliverables and am I committed to ensuring they’re being done whether I am seen or unseen? Am I seeking the interest of the organization above my personal interest? Am I working to foster the goals that they have set and put in place? Is my heart in the job that I am doing?
God does not want us to do charity in some things and put a crown of the wreath on our head as though we have done all, He wants us to do charity in all things. If I were my own boss, will I be happy with my work conduct? Will I say I am pleased with my conduct? Even when there are issues, we must still be committed and deliver results. If you feel you do not have grace for your job, ask God for reassignment, but make sure you’re found faithful.
One of the hallmarks of charity is faithfulness, commitment. Anything that we will be part of that our heart will not be part of, we must labour for our heart to be a part of it or pray to be excused from it. We should not be a part of something where our commitment and loyalty are not felt even if we are not present.
Charity in the Church
Many people like to be absentee members in the church but that is not a charitable walk. When we find that there is no excitement with brethren or when coming to church, danger is lurking. We are meant to be excited about church and to be around brethren (Psalm 122:1). When we start lacking enthusiasm for the things of God, charity is waning.
If we find we’re getting tired at the mention or thought of meetings, we must quickly arrest that thought and tell ourselves, this is what we will be doing for the rest of our lives. We must have a “we die here” mentality, otherwise we would recede. We should not make provisions for the flesh and not give in to every whim of our flesh.
The way to flee youthful lusts is to follow after righteousness and follow together with people following after the things mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:22. This is how we get serious in church and would experience so much growth and see ourselves stop struggling with some things.
Charity with Our Dressing
Even though we have the liberty to wear whatever we want, and are free to do all things, we are still to dress charitably in a way that edifies (1 Corinthians 8:1).
Charity is actually an expression of love towards God (1 Corinthians 8:1-3). The proof of every knowledge is that we are able to excavate the charity commandment out of it and foster the love of God. A lover of God is a man that walks in charity. A man who has come to charity is a man known by God (1 Corinthians 13:12). One thing I am trusting God for is that we are not just exercising charity occasionally but are practitioners of it.
Charity with Brethren
We must become practitioners of charity, not seeking our own, esteeming our brothers more than ourselves. Charity must be amidst brethren and then towards all men. We have not arrived there yet.
We can find there are still schisms even amongst us. We have not fully perfected loving the brethren and we must do so (1 John 3:14). We will know we still hate brethren when the Lord tells us a certain man is our husband, but we despise the idea of it. The question is: what is wrong with the man? Some of us cannot love the man/woman who is Christ because of the arrangement around the person that we do not like.
Charity is vulnerable. We need to be vulnerable with brethren. Some of us have been hurt in the past and it has made us frigid. Because of these we might not experience the truth of release.
Charity in Choosing a Spouse
Using compatibility to choose a husband or a wife is a very low judgment. As long as a man/woman is growing in grace and truth, that man/woman is Christ and is compatible. Our hearts are exposed when the Lord chooses a spouse for us and we struggle to agree because the person doesn’t look like what we want.
We have all gathered debris and don’t know our original shape and what we want; unless the Lord finishes chiselling us, we do not know what is right for us. Some of us define who we are and who we marry by our present. But we all change and it’s only God that is unchanging and knows the whole of tomorrow. He is the alpha and omega and knows who will last through time. All we need as assurance is God said. We must trust the spouse God gives us even if it doesn’t fit into our reality.
Our soul can easily love a particular man/lady because they fit into our ‘spec’ and we would not need the grace of God to love this person: this love cannot give us everlasting life. But when the Lord gives us one who does not fit into our ‘spec’, we must choose to love them and devote ourselves to them because God said and has commanded us so. This is what gives us the reward of everlasting life. We commit to love that person even more than the one our soul naturally loves (Song of Solomon 3:4) because we have regard and honour for the Lord. This is why God did not give Jacob Rachael but rather, Leah.
Anything we don’t need the energy of Christ to love, we must run away from it. God wants us to love so we can exercise our souls into devotion. It is a way of dying. We must learn to love our spouse charitably. No one who marries in the Lord marries what their soul naturally desires.
Our heart is very deceitful and we must judge it by the word of God and by the leading of the Spirit. The fear of many of us is that God will give us something that we don’t like and until we esteem every single member of the body of Christ worthy (as long as he/she is a believer and is holding truth) – if God says he/she is the one, they’re the best person for us. But because we regard men, we will struggle with accepting who God gives us. Our hearts must be exercised unto all malleability. We must esteem Christ above everything else and must be able to commit to love even with their imperfections and flaws, doing it for Jesus.
We must let charity be involved in our choice of picking a spouse.
Charity believes all things. Can we endure all things because of the everlasting gospel, because of God?
Charity with Social Media
Some of us are wayside hearts. We do not need to know everything trending online. A person that knows all trends is probably a wayside heart. The most important information will come and meet us. In trying to keep abreast of all information, we’ll gather junk. Can we learn to ignore some trends? We should exit some unnecessary groups that are not necessary. We can know such groups by assessing if they’ve edified us by their content since we joined. We must be content with groups or things that we will get life content from.
Part of the commandment of charity is to flee these things that do not edify and follow righteousness. We also need to note people and celebrities we follow on social media. Do they call unto God out of a pure heart? Are they following righteousness, peace, faith, charity? (2 Timothy 2:22) If no, unfollow. We must flee and run the race of escape for our lives.
Charity with Our Parents
Our parents invested a lot to send us to good schools and even if they didn’t send us to school, God will not judge them. It’s not something they owe us, it is only gracious. Some of us see it as our entitlement. What they did is a noteworthy thing that we should not trivialize. They chose to send us to schools when their mates were buying clothes. It is only charitable and gracious that we make an effort that we do not make their labour a waste.
Charity with Our Pets
It is unfair to domesticate a pet and not take care of it (Proverbs 12:10).
We can see that there are charity commandments for all things. One thing charity commandments does is purify and edify the soul.
It is possible to have knowledge for so long but not be washed from our filth. When God brings knowledge, He also sets the atmosphere for such working and God does it in the midst of brethren first before He does it in the world. The company of the brethren (controlled environment) is God’s laboratory to run the knowledge He has put inside of us. Once we are stable, He can now put us in an uncontrolled environment.
It is unwise to hear knowledge and run away with it. Not wanting to stay with brethren or be part of a company will make us have head knowledge and at best we get puffed up. For the knowledge to edify us and prevent us from becoming puffed up, we must be placed in an environment where charity is able to work and do a re-engineering adjustment.
If the Lord exposes us too early to an uncontrolled environment without first exercising us in a controlled environment, our faith might fail. Except God exposes us, let us not expose ourselves because there are negative statures out there that can veer us off the path.
We need a lot of Christ/charity sense to be able to get God sense.
There are times we’ll face some situations and the Lord will not say anything but the voice of judgement will guide us (Isaiah 30:20). There are times the leading of the Spirit will guide us, but there are times we have too much light and judgement from what we’ve been taught to pretend we don’t know what to do. Can God trust us to disobey a darkness to reflect His glory and allow His praise to be known? Can God trust what He has put inside of us knowing we won’t yield to temptation? Can God trust us enough to respond to His instructions if He allows some resources to pass our hand, where we obey the charity code that we might show forth His glory?
(1 Peter 4:8; 1 Peter 1:22) The exercise of charity purifies our heart, this is how we grow up to Him in all things. (Ephesians 4:15) This church had kept some things, but the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned (1 Timothy 1:5). The fullness of Christ is when charity is coming out of a pure heart. The end of the commandment is Christ (Romans 10:4) which is Charity out of a pure heart, good conscience and faith unfeigned. This is so because when charity commandments begin, it doesn’t start from a pure heart.
The Lord is speaking to all of us, so don’t feel bad thinking He’s talking to only you. Charity must become a culture in the house. It must become so natural to us such that anyone who comes in will be baptized into it.
(1 Corinthians 13:3-6) Charity is not judgemental, bitter, fretful even while it suffers long. This idea of seeking our own or loving ourselves or no one will love you is an unseemly behaviour and is satanic.
There is a seemly and unseemly behaviour in the spirit. To not think evil, is to not think anything outside of God. If we become charity beings, we become faithful ever, never failing (1 Corinthians 13:8).
Some of us are known to promise and fail. We’ve promised our cousins and did not make good on our promise. The first place our kids will learn of God’s faithfulness is from us. Can we be constrained by God to keep our promises? Let kids, nephews, and cousins see that we went out of our way to keep to our word and when we fail let us try to make it good. Let us walk in charity. Show them the faithfulness of God, let them learn first in you.
God is waiting for us to showcase Christ in our dying.
1st Tongues & Interpretation
Rejoicing! Rejoice!! Rejoice, o ye people!
Rejoice and sing for joy for your salvation is closer than you first believed.
It’s time to rejoice for indeed there is a great victory in the spirit for you to conquer. I have given great victory for this company, for many many things will come down when you shout, for many things will scatter by shouting for grace.
Oh, grace, grace, grace…
2nd Tongues & Interpretation
Ona ti shi. I have opened many doors to hearts.
Many people will be able to access these things
I have averted. I have averted many wiles of the devil. I have changed the course, I have changed the order.
You will begin to start on a new ground and a new place. I have turned your story for good, testimonies will begin to abound.
I have turned many hearts around. I have stopped the devil even at the entrance of your heart, he will not find entrance again.
I have put my seed upon you. You are mine.
There is no entrance for the evil one any longer, testimonies will yet abound. Many testimonies will yet abound. For you will overcome by the words of my testimony.
3rd Tongues & Interpretation
Strength for feeble knees.
For the journey is yet far, so I bring provision for strength.
For you will run and you will not be weary.
For I’m bringing an abundance of grace. For my grace is sufficient for you. In the times when you are down, remember grace. In the times when you are weak, remember grace.
What a beautiful grace.
Grace and peace be in multiplication. I multiply grace, I multiply peace.
I bring grace to many hearts.
I bring peace to many hearts.
4th Tongues & Interpretation
It’s time to make haste. It’s time to drop and make haste.
I free you of many weights. I free you of many hindrances. I free you of many things that have held you bound. I bring freedom.
You will drop those things and there is yet an obtaining.
Even when I speak, I want to hear you say yes. Say yes to my will, say yes to my commandments. Say yes, as I bid you say yes.
As I call you to come closer, say yes.
5th Tongues & Interpretation
I raise you above your fear.
I raise you above those things that are confronting you at this time. They are nothing and they do not appear in the realm of the spirit.
I say to you, see things the way we see things. Reality upon your soul is going to change.
Things that are stealing my reality to you, I put an end to them.
There are hindrances, so many veils, but this is the time for you to see. For I’m bringing eye salve.
You are far from where I want you to be, so I cried to my Father. You will see far. There lieth an abode in the Father for you.
Satan is a liar, that which you have seen is a lie. There is a reality in the realm of the Father. Anything that is not reality will be lighter upon your heart.
I’m shedding off weights.
6th Tongues & Interpretation
Thank you, Jesus, oh thank you.
I am going to take you from things that form generations. There is handwriting upon your soul that looks hellish.
It is a season where the Lord wants to occupy His people. A season has come where full entrance has been granted. Even the fellowship of the Son.
The reason why there are demonstrations is to break barriers and hindrances.
Some of you will mourn, some of you will weep. For it is a sound of victory. For weeping may endure for long, but joy is coming. The joy of the Lord is coming. I bring my joy and my mercy.
7th Tongues & Interpretation
Purer walk, purer conducts, purer conversations.
I have come to even show you the spots in your conversation, in your feast of charity.
For indeed I want you to begin to show a purer conversation, I want you purer that is why I am pointing at these areas. I want you to pay keen attention that is why I’m showing it clearly.
Begin to act as you are told. It is time to practice what you have heard. It’s time to live it out. It’s time to take steps by the Spirit for indeed you can do it.
My grace is sufficient for you.
I have said it over and over again, I want you to come into my kind of sense. I want your charity to be spoken of even in the realm of the spirit.
As a church, it’s time to arise, as a church it’s time to deny ungodliness. It’s time to deny fleshly lusts. It is time to put them down and live righteously and godly in this present world.
There is a conversation I want to see even amongst you. I want it to be birthed amidst you.
It’s time to live it out, it’s time to take steps.
I’ve come to point these areas to you. You are not yet perfect, you have not yet gotten there. For there are yet many many things you need to begin to correct in your daily living at work, at home, at school, wherever you find yourself, even in marketplaces.
Anywhere you find yourself, there is a conversation, there is a lifestyle, these are spots spoiling your feast of charity.
I’ve come to point it out, to show you that you might live righteously, there are yet many many things you need to obtain upon this journey and I’ve come to show you these things that you might live righteously and gain life.
8th Tongues & Interpretation
He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying. For I am speaking expressly to every heart and oh you can hear me clearly.
Take heed to the things you have heard lest at any time you should let them slip away from your heart.
You know that area, you know that place you are defaulting and I’m pointing you to that area, that place you don’t want me to come into, I am speaking to you and pointing, yes you, you, you.
I am speaking to you, make haste while the sun shines.
I am breaking that stony heart.
I am breaking that stony heart and making it a heart of flesh.
Many many writings will come upon that soul and you will find grace to do.
For it is not difficult and I have said it time and again that my commandments are not burdensome. In them, you will find life, so I speak to your heart, take it.
I give you ears to hear these words, to hear these speakings for there is grace even to do it.
For there is grace to accept it, for you have been fighting, you’ve been fighting and saying no Lord, I don’t want it.
It is my gift to you, I give you a good gift, for I am a good Father and I know what you need per time.
I bring a good gift to you, so accept my gift.
It is when you accept it that you will indeed arise, that you will indeed come up hither.
Don’t fight it, don’t struggle.
Just accept it and come up hither; for if you reject it, you will remain at the spot you are.
Accept my gift.
Accept my gift, for they will bring you up in the spirit.
..END..