Christian living Archives - Thrive by The Word

July 6, 2020July 6, 2020

Teach us to number our days

It was my birthday yesterday, and even though I am not one to make an elaborate fuss of such a day (more so being married to a man who’s just as apathetic about such, maybe a tad more even), it provided a good opportunity for me to pause for some reflective review.

Looking back, I am deeply grateful for God’s gracious gift of life and sustenance – physical and spiritual, and the additional blessings of family and friends who make it all the more worthwhile. Looking ahead, I am confident, not of a clearly mapped out, foolproof blueprint, but of a Father who is faithful to lead and guide me precisely to the destination he intends for me. Between then and now, he calls me to redeem the time, diligently stewarding my moments and my days.

Bought with a price

God requires good stewardship of our time, and lives really. Indeed, as believers, we are not our own, having been bought with a price of another’s death. The Bible does not live us in the dark as to the implication of that truth, but instead gives us a single, yet all-encompassing life purpose to live for – the glory of God.

We must not fall for the mistaken idea that it’s possible to keep our spiritual lives separate from our secular lives. What genuine faith requires is more than a tangential commitment to Christ, for “unless he is Lord of all, he is not Lord at all”¹. Eating and drinking are by no stretch of the imagination extraordinary activities, I very much doubt that they are the stuff of To-do lists, yet the Bible commands that they be done to the glory of God ( 1 Cor. 10:31), how much more so the more significant endeavours.

Living for the glory of God is not less than what we say and do, but more; it has a lot to do with why and how we do and say the things we do and say. It is very likely that our motivations will fly under the radar of a spectating audience, especially in the sea of carefully curated social media content, but such motivations are uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Numbering our days

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

The goal of numbering our days is not so that we may wallow in shame and regret at opportunities squandered, nor is it that we may revel in past successes and achievements, but it is that we may gain a heart of wisdom. A heart of wisdom is one that is committed to learning and applying the truth. There’s not much use of knowledge gained but not applied. To be sure, there is knowledge that puffs up, but that is not the kind that ought to characterise our lives.

Numbering our days is an invitation to attend to things temporal with eyes fixed on the eternal. It means being present in our callings, seeking to do wholeheartedly what we have been called to do, resisting the temptation to succumb to the many legitimate distractions that line the path of 21^st Century living.

Numbering our days involves looking carefully how we walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil (Eph. 5:15&16).

Life is short, the days are evil, and we have an enemy who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for whom to devour. Oh that we would fervently cry out with Moses, the man of God – “Teach us to number our days!”

On my part, as the strands of grey hair continue to jostle for undeniable prominence, my prayerful desire is that I will, with wisdom, walk daily in the good works prepared beforehand for me (Eph. 2:10).

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

¹ Dr. S.M Zwemer, The Solitary Throne.

June 8, 2020June 8, 2020

Blessed are those who mourn

In the wake of all the unrest going on around the world in the last couple of days, particularly in the US, I reached out to a dear friend across the pond to know how she was faring and what prayers were on her heart. On my part, my heart was still reeling from the horror of the video clip I had just watched, overwhelmed by grief and with tears streaming down, I could only cry ‘Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus.’ Not too long after, she replied with prayers that were quite perceptive of a broader take on the crisis that was breaking not just both of our hearts, but of countless others. I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to pass along some helping of that godly wisdom as the thrust of this blogpost.

The heart of the matter

The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart. If we’re going to take seriously (and we ought to) the Bible’s description of the human heart as “deceitful above all things…” (Jeremiah 17:9), then we must take stock of how our hearts are doing, in order for us to tow the path of genuine repentance. And by genuine repentance, the Bible does not mean turning from one sin while safeguarding another. D.A Carson likens the absurdity of partial repentance to that of partial pregnancy, asserting that “loyalty to God in selective areas is no longer loyalty, but treason.”

To kickstart that oh-so-needful heart check, we need not look far at all, the Psalmist has done us much favour:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!”
Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV)

There’s not much left of a self-righteous finger-wag at the other end of the Psalmist’s prayer, I would imagine, and fittingly may we say, “There, but for the grace of God, go I”.

A glorious spectacle

Christ’s body, the Church, is described as “a pillar and ground of the truth” 1 Timothy 3:15. In other words, the Church ought to be a visible representation of the truth, in both words and deeds. It is through the Church that the manifold wisdom of God is on display before a watching world.

The world is crying out for justice, and rightly so! Whilst we acknowledge that no human legal system could administer true justice the way the cross of Christ does, might it be a wake-up call for the Church to assess her own failings in this regard? Are there undetected biases and indifference to the plight of fellow image bearers? Are our ears tuned in to these conversations? Are we pushing through the awkward to foster unity, and not necessarily uniformity? Are we willing to sacrifice cultural preferences on the altar of Christ-centered community?

These call for individual and corporate repentance alongside prayers for the preservation of the Church’s testimony, that we may not be ashamed on the day of unveiling. But rather that “he might present the church to himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:26 -27 (ESV)

Mourning with those who mourn

Springing across the pond yet again, any way you slice it, great evil and injustice was done. One charged with the responsibility to protect lives, gruesomely and unnecessarily snuffed that very life out of another. Everything in us ought to cry out, not just for justice, but for mercy from the righteous judge of all the earth who will do right. In the meantime, we mourn with those who mourn, earnestly praying that they may know the comfort and nearness of the one who has promised “never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (ESV).

As we mourn at both personal and corporate levels, first our sins, and also the loss of a reality that our hearts yearn for, let us do so with trust in Jesus’ promise that “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” May he sanctify to us this moment of deep distress. Amen

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga

March 10, 2020March 10, 2020

What about suffering?

High on the list of objections to Christianity is the problem of evil and suffering. This is not particularly surprising, as one needs to only catch a glimpse of newspapers and news channels. They are brimming with reports of all manner of atrocities and disasters, natural and man-made alike. This ill does not spare any known category under the sun. Rich or poor. Educated or not so educated. Royal or plebeian. Male or female. Whatever category one considers, varying degrees of suffering cut across all strata of human existence. Even the wider set of (non-human) living things are not spared.

Some calamities can be attributed to visible causes, and are subsequently ‘explainable’, but others remain shrouded in mystery. To such grim reality, the Bible speaks. Not in mere intellectual rhetoric or trite religious platitudes, but empathetically and ultimately in Christ, a man of suffering and one familiar with pain (Isaiah 53:3).

For the Christian, suffering brings into focus the question of how an all-powerful, all loving God could possibly exist in the face of pervasive evil and suffering.

Continue reading at TGCA

Thanks for reading!

‘Sike Osinuga.

September 30, 2019September 30, 2019

The Pilgrim’s Progress

It’s been quite a while! We’ll chalk that up to the joys of school holidays… and perhaps a bit more!

That notwithstanding, I did get up to some reading, one of which is the subject of my book recommendation for this month –The Pilgrim’s Progress; from this world to that which is to come – by John Bunyan.

A shared experience

The Pilgrim’s Progress, an enduring classic first published in the 17^th century, is regarded as a significant piece of religious English literature. Written in an allegorical format, Bunyan sets forth the journey of Christian, an ‘everyman’ character, from the City of Destruction (this world) to the Celestial City (that which is to come). It fittingly depicts and chronicles the reality of the Christian life, regardless of the day and age, such that readers are able to relate to the exhilarating experiences of persevering faith.

Words of hope, encouragement, rebuke and guidance, all laced within a biblical framework, are in ample supply, as we encounter tales of seeming defeat as well as triumphs. No surprises at all, seeing that Christian’s ordeal started the moment he opened the book (i.e., the Bible) in his hand to read. It is not unlikely that Bunyan wrote from his personal experience, even though this account was conveyed as a dream he had as he lay down in a county jail to sleep.

Reading this book was an absurd experience of duty and delight; it seemed like it would take forever to read through. But as it turned out, the unhurried pace was just what I needed to savour the author’s genius of expression and imagination in storytelling. Page after page, as the narrative unfolded, the lucid imagery and language transported me from the realm of a reader far removed from the scene, right into the shoes of the protagonist, Christian. Without doubt, there were also moments when the’ hat’ of other featuring characters fit so well, both the good and not-so-good alike!

Oldie but a goldie

Modern pilgrims need not despair at the trials and temptations that line the path from this world to that which is to come; we have, in the Pilgrim’s Progress, an example and forerunner, a fellow pilgrim who has walked the same road, made the most of the ever so ordinary means of grace, and safely arrived the shores of the Celestial City. Slowly but surely, there remains a sure hope of transformation into the image of Christ, from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Without tampering with the author’s original intent and message, what started out in antiquated old fashioned language is now widely available in refreshingly easy-to-read formats. Modern readers are therefore without excuse if ever they miss out on such valuable treasure!

Thanks for reading!

Sike Osinuga.

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019

Flying on gospel wings

“Run, John, run, the law commands, but gives us neither feet nor hands,
Far better news the gospel brings: It bids us fly and gives us wings”

Whilst there’s some uncertainty as to whether the quote above originated from John Bunyan, it is indeed a profound summary of the gospel that rightly deserves our attention.

Our earlier introductory post concluded on the highpoint of the comfort that we do not war alone or in our strength, rather through the help of the Spirit. We follow that up today with a word on how we may profit from the Spirit’s help made readily available to us.

Two sides of a coin

Quite apart from works-based faith systems, Christianity offers salvation primarily on the basis of faith in Jesus’ finished work on our behalf; that faith however manifests in good works, as James concludes – “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” James 2:17.

Believers are, on one hand, called to actively put to death (mortify) works of the flesh, and on the other, fan to flames (vivify) a new spiritual life. These two aspects go hand in hand, and involve us consciously keeping in step with The Spirit.

Rarely does the Holy Spirit work in a one-off manner to bring about sustained spiritual growth in a believer’s life; what we see instead, in Scriptures, is a complementary interplay, where the believer has the personal responsibility to pursue holiness faithfully, carefully and earnestly. Spiritual maturity largely depends on how the gifts and resources at our disposal are put to use.

The Domino effect

Giving in to a moment’s worth of guilt or shame may lead us to impulsively embrace new patterns of behaviours, but as we know, quick fixes aren’t always lasting. Tony Reinke in his book – 12 ways your phone is changing you – cautiously warns against quick but ineffective change; and even though his focus is on battling social media addictions, his identification of what we really need holds true across board – “new life disciplines birthed from a new set of life priorities and empowered by our new life in Jesus Christ.” In other words, our new life in Christ empowers us with new life priorities that, in turn, birth new life disciplines. Anything short of that God-given order is unlikely to yield lasting change.

Maturity through habit

Surely there’s a marked difference between a maturing Christian and one who is not, all thanks to everyday choices that slowly, but surely, morph into habits! At the risk of overgeneralising, humans are, by and large, creatures of habit, be they habits we have willingly cultivated or ones we’ve had imposed on us. Nevertheless, we do well to orient our choices and habits for our temporal good and even more so for our eternal good.

Oh that we would fly on the wings of the gospel!

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.

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.