walking in grace

7/31/2019 Walking in Grace

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StevJethro O.E


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Lord Jesus, I love you.


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This effort is not exclusive on its own, but an addition to works by other authors targeted at

encouraging tenacity and staying true to the end. The work is still in progress, it has being

released for edification of the reader and possible criticism. Send your comments and criticism

to [email protected] or [email protected] my Phone numbers are

+2348066007310, +2348077044454
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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CONTENT

CHAPTER 1: SIN

CHAPTER 2: GraceCHAPTER 3: Total Surrender

CHAPTER 4: Learn to be led by the Holy Spirit

CHAPTER 5: FALLING FROM GRACE


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CHAPTER 1

SIN

Sin is a transgression of Gods law. What a simple definition but the gravity of Sin has been

greatly watered down by Satan, the World, and/or even by us. Sin is an act of rebellion against

God. It questions his authourity and his supremacy; it throws a challenge to God, inviting him

for a fight. No matter how small, Sin is an enemy, because it antagonizes God; it sets the

creature against his Creator.

Taking Adam and Eve for example, one would say, is it not just the fruit? Let them vomit

it or is their punishment (and ours) not too much? But let us see the compelling statement the

Serpent used to convince Eve. First, he said you will not surely die. This is a direct challenge to

the word of God, opposing him; thereby making God a liar and a deceive; it renders God

untrustworthy, unreliable and unfaithful; it suggests that God doesnt know what he is doing,

that he is not all knowing neither is he Almighty. Thus challenging the very nature of God

and saying he is not God after all. Second, he said, for God knows that when you eat of ityou

will be like God. Yielding to which implied that Eve and Adam wanted to be like God, they

bought the Devils idea, when they concluded that .The fruit of the tree was good for foodand pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom they doubted Gods love and

good will for them. And when you sin, these are exacting what you are saying (if not more); that

is the position you are putting yourself, the position of challenging God for a fight; of wanting to

be God. And so God cannot stand Sin, in fact, it is for mercy that Sin is not punished

immediately. But be sure that judgment and condemnation awaits every unrepented sinner,

and it is the full weight of it, without mercy. Some people say: God is not wicked to punish his

creatures forever. But he can and he will. How can he condone a man who questions his

authourity and challenges his nature? How can he be with men who will not submit to him,

wanting to be like him for competition? If God has plans for a city of God, as he does, then its

occupants must be people who are loyal to him, and not antagonists or coup plotters orbackstabbers. Even for Gods children, he did not ignore Sin, but visited the weight of

punishment for Sin on his only begotten son, he turned his face away from even Jesus because

of sin, for us to be acceptable before him. So how will you now conclude that he will be more

favourable to those who not only that they sinned, but also rated the suffering of the only

begotten Son of God as useless and unnecessary? Heb. 10:2931. The enjoyment of Sin is false;

it is an illusion, a perversion. It is a misrepresentation, orchestrated by the kingdom of

darkness, which strive by ignorance. When Sin is in full bloom in a man, he tends towards being

an animal: thoughtless and without common sense. It is my prayer that hatred for sin will issue

from our hearts.

Sin cannot be forced on a man against his will. The freedom of free will that God has

given to man is so absolute that nothing can violate it or force himself on man against his will,

not even God. Man must willingly consent. This is why no excuse is permissible for sin. The way

sin came into the World in the time of Adam and Eve is still the way it comes even now, its

method. Sin is a seed, it grows, it is like leprosy, it works corruption in its carriers and its

corruption can be inherited. Its consequences and effect can be passed from one generation to

another either consciously or unconsciously. Infact, an average man in this generation cannot

fully picture the true nature in which Adam was created because of the corruption sin has


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wrought over the years in mortal man and that is why men in the flesh cannot understand or

fathom life in the Spirit, because life in the Spirit is a restoration of what Adam lost. That is life

in continual, growing relationship and communion with God. Sin came into the World through:

1. CRAFTINESSOther words closely associated with craftiness are subtle, cunny, deceptive and the like. These

are the ways of life in the flesh. Now, one of the things we dont know for sure about the

Serpent is its physical structure, its appearance. We dont know whether it had two or four legs,

we cant say for sure what it looked like before the curse, and one would have felt these

descriptions should have been part of the introduction of Genesis 3. But as far as the fall of man

and the entrance of Sin into the World is concerned, the characteristics that is important or

relevant is the fact that the Serpent is wild and crafty. To be wild is to be reckless, out of

control, not tamed or domesticated, violent, un-submissive, stormy or restless, hostile,

uncultured. While the business of craftiness, is that of survival of the fittest, striving to outshine

others, considering personal interest or gain before others.

These are all characteristics of life in the flesh, in other words, it wild and crafty. Sin

lurks around a man in the flesh; a man who is not in the Spirit; a man who has lost communion

and relationship with God. The desires of the flesh are contrary to that of the Spirit and vice

versa. These cannot go together. Life in the flesh is a perquisite for Sin; it may look gentle and

religious today. It is still flesh. Now carefully consider the description accorded men that were

alienated from the common wealth of Israel:

Ishmael: A wild donkey of a man hostile toward Gen. 16:11-12;

Esau: A cunning hunter, a man of the field (open country) Gen. 25:27.

The wicked: restless Isa.48:22. All through scriptures Sin is almost always associated with life in

the flesh or its characteristics which is lost of communication with God. It is not only a man who

is in the flesh that is prone to Sin, but also the one who fellowships with him.

2. PROBING GODS INSTRUCTIONS

Did God really say? The art of probing is that of investigation, thorough examination,

scrutinizing, questioning the authenticity, the credibility, the reliability of Gods word. Nothing

maybe wrong with asking questions, but when are you asking? Why are you asking? Who are

you asking? And how are you asking? The Serpent was not asking God, he was not asking when

God was walking in the Garden neither was he asking to know. The question was rather passing

a vote of no confidence on Gods word doubting God; doubting Gods recommendations as if to

say God was not wise enough, or as if God doesnt know nor mean the best for man. When a

man begins to question Gods instructions, Sin is close by. When you begin to say, but what isreally wrong with fornication since both parties agree? Or why shouldnt I out smart another

person (i.e. stealing)? Must I do it this way? Is that not too much? and so many other questions.

One tends to use reasoning or logic not knowing that reason logic and even general view have

been adulterated by the Devil who is the god of this World and so it does not always convey

Gods will or his mind. We must come to the stage where we can fully trust inGods love and

accept the fact that he knows the best for us; a time we can go to sleep with our eyes closed on

an issue because God says so; a time we can trust God like a Child trust his father.


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3. BEING DRAGGED AWAY

James 1:14-15 Says but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire he is dragged

away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-

grown, gives birth to death. Desire is a strong urge, longing, craving of somebody for

something. It could be for something good or evil. It is stimulated or aroused by the senses; the

sense of small, taste, sight, feeling and hearing. The senses could be real or imaginary;physically, psychologically or spiritually sourced; either from God or Satan. Desire is a thing of

the heart, no matter how it was sourced; it is analyzed and coordinated in the heart. The

decision to do a thing from the collected data is scrutinized by personal principles, standards

and the presiding school of thoughts. The presiding school of thought has the capacity to alter

our standards and principles momentarily or permanently. What a man sees with his eyes is not

the sin, neither is it what you smell, taste, feel or hear that is sin. If your personal principles,

standards and the presiding school of thought is correct; if it has been built and based on the

standard of God i.e. the word of God, then these thing will come in, your system picks up what

is good and useful and then eject the rest as an un-useful waste. It is only an awkward or bad or

sick system that takes things that are not good. It now the things that have been retained that

produces all kings of evil things, murder, sexual immorality, theft etc. which when executed is

sin (Matt. 15: 16-20) So the problem may not be with the senses but with the heart. The

presiding school of thought Eve had at that particular moment was that of distrust for God; as

aroused by what she heard, saw and felt. It was that of wanting to be like God competitively,

her desires dragged her away. So that when she saw the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of

good and evil, it was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining

wisdom. She took some, ate and gave some to her husband. That was how sin came/comes into

the World. Now, for somebody who commits sexual immorality, whether male or female,

he/she sees the opposite sex, seeing is not the sin, but then if his/her presiding school of

thought is that of selfish satisfaction, pleasure or money, then it is that desire that dragged

him/her away. We must guard our heart. Above all else, guard your heart for it is thewellspring of life. Prov. 4:20-27

Consequences of sin:

1. DEATH

Concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God told Adam .For in the day

that thou eatest, thou shalt surly die. Gen. 3:17 and so death is one of the consequences of

sin. But Adam and Eve did not drop dead physically immediately they ate of the fruit from the

tree. The fact is that they became dead spiritually which preceded their physical death, because

they died eventually. The spiritual death is more grievous and terrible. The physical death is a

faint description and a shadow of the spiritual death. And even the immediate spiritual deathwhich Adam and Eve experienced was yet a picture of the final and eternal separation of the

sinner from God, which is the final judgment and punishment for sin. It is indeed very terrible

for the creature to be eternally separated from his creator.

Consider a dead man, he is helpless, careless, irresponsible, useless, unproductive,

insensitive he is deaf, dumb, blind, has no feeling, no sense of taste or smell he has lost

control of himself and his environment; his growth stops, he is stagnant, his system stop

working his respiratory, digestive and other systems his mind stops, his heart and brain stop


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working, his nerves and central column become irresponsive and finally, he may look alright

for sometime but he will surely begin to decay gradually until he starts to smell, becoming a

nuisance to those who are still alive. Even those who love him will not be able to stand his

stench at a point. Think through these descriptions again, it is a glimpse of the consequences of

spiritual death. The man who is spiritually dead is helpless, careless, and vulnerable spiritually;

he is not even disturbed by his state, he is irresponsive, irresponsible, useless andunproductive; everything he does is a spiritual nonsense and amounts to nothing, he can not

bear good fruits that abide, he is insensitive to God and spiritual matters, he has lost control, he

is a spiritual zombie, controlled/ordered around by anyone who knows his state. He doesnt

have taste anything goes his life is in a circleno growth, he doesnt eat the word of God

nor digest it, he does breath i.e. pray. And despite the fact that he can pretend, using spiritual

languages, he cannot keep up with that for too long because he is decaying and will start

smelling soon and cannot but be disposed from the living. By eating the fruit of the tree of the

knowledge of good and evil, man lost his part of the tree of life. Cherubim (guardians of Gods

holiness) and a flaming sword guards the way to the tree of life. And for man to approach God

there must be death; the shedding of blood as was typified in the Ark of the Covenant overlaid

with the mercy seat, with Cherubim guiding it and the blood sprinkled on it. The way to the tree

of life is replacement death which is what Jesus Christ did for mankind.

Also as a consequence of sin, the eyes of Adam and Eve were opened. When God

created man, was man blind? Of course, man could see, but his sight was just within the will

and purpose of God for him; he did not know right and wrong; he did not know good and evil;

he only knew the will of God, he knew what God wanted him to do, he knew who God wanted

him to be; he was focused and no other thing mattered to him so long as it was outside Gods

will for him, he was content to be in God, he was satisfied with what God had in stock for him;

he was not thinking of the varieties in the World or in the Devil. He had a single eye Luke 11:34,

35 (KJV). And so one of the things, the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil did to

man was to introduce the two sides of the coin, leaving him to choose. And with the perversionof sin and Satan, man could not, but chose evil. His inclination was only evil all the time

Gen.6:5, 6. Even when man recognized that there was need for reverence for the Supreme

Being, he fashioned his own way of reaching and reverencing this Supreme Being, he invented

religion, which is mans ways of looking for God and this, he said, are in different ways which

does not exclude worshipping Idols. But man cannot find God except he chooses to reveal

himself to man. What can fig leaves do in covering mans nakedness and how long can it cover

him? Man became diversified as a result of sin.

Other consequences of sin as contained in the Scriptures are banishment from Eden,

curses, pain and suffering, sin makes man hide from God etc.


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CHAPTER 2

GRACE

It is impossible for a project to fail in Gods hand. Man or any other creature of God

does not have the capacity to thwart the plan of Gods big picture or wander away from it. God

is not the author of confusion neither can he be confused. His knowledge, understanding and

wisdom are unfathomable; his path is beyond tracing out. He determines and knows the end

from the beginning.

Sometimes we, mortals think we can frustrate God or frustrate his plan by choosing not

obey or serve him, we think we can be wiser than God. But look at scriptures and time gone:

men who wandered from the service of God did not frustrate or truncate Gods plan nor

terminate his purposes, but only wandered away from the very good of their lives but still fits

into Gods big picture as the scriptures says The Lord works out everything for his own ends

even the wicked for a day of disaster.Prov.16:4(NIV); who were before of old ordained to

this condemnation Jude 4; they went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had

been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be

made manifest that they were not all of us IJohn2:19.

As clay in the hand of the potter are we in Gods hand. If like a pot in the making, we seem to

be marred in his hands, he can form us into another vessel or shape as it seemed best to him

(and not to us nor as we think) which may or may not be for our advantage, but his purpose of

making a vessel is achieved. The only good we can do to ourselves is to willingly cooperate withhim for our own good and eternal joy and fulfillment. God is not our mate; neither is he a rival

of the Devil. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours as the heavens are higher than the

Earth.

In the fall of man, that was what happened. Man was not able to frustrate God or his

plan. In his infinite mercy God started to unravel his plan for the redemption of man. Ephe.1:3-

14. As time went on, his plans and purposes unfolded and it is still unfolding. In his

unquestionable way of doing things, God decided that there should be two dispensations in his

plan for the redemption of man. One of the law and the other is of grace. The first came to

prepare man for the other, and the work of second wouldnt have been complete without the

first. And so, the law was introduced to intimate man of Gods demand. It brought theknowledge of sin. Although, it gave man the opportunity to earn his redemption and

acceptance before God by obeying everything contained in the law, man failed and indeed, God

knew man would, because man in his flesh does not have the capacity to please God. most of

time, we are tempted to preach or use the law or the dread of judgment or common sense or

age as a possible way out of sin. But it has always failed. Through the years and as a matter of

individual experience, we have come to discover that sin is a law breaker; it waters down the

dread of judgment; it does not have common and it is not a respecter of age. It takes as


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captives, the rich, the poor, the aged, the young, kings and servants alike. It does not respect

colours or national boundaries, cultures, religious affiliation or sect. Some of these may seem to

reduce it or render it inactive, but it is still there and will manifest at the slightest opportunity.

Considering the things we have seen so far, one may be tempted to think I have got it I have

gathered enough to keep me out of sin, but no, it is not sufficient because it will still lead you to

struggling and strife. Sin is like mud and the miry clay. Once you get into it, which we alreadywere, you cannot get out by yourself. The more you struggle to get out, the deeper you go,

worsening your condition. You need someone who is not in the mud to help you; someone who

is stronger than you and the force of the mud; someone who loves you enough to go the length

for your sake; someone who knows your state, can help you and help prevent you from

entering the cycle again.

It was at this stage of mans helplessness and need that God introduced the second

dispensation, the dispensation of grace. Sin is the fundamental problem and grace in Christ

Jesus is the fundamental solution. And so grace came. It came in Jesus Christ: the God-man; it

came in his death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus met all the criteria needed to redeem man.

He didnt soil himself in the mud of sin, he was and is sinless; he was ready to go all to length

for man and in his grace, man is sustained and preserved, preventing him from entering the

cycle of sin once again. And yes, Jesus went all the way for man. In him sin was fully paid for. He

hung on the cross and cried it is finished the death he died, he di ed for and when God, the

judge, saw him on the cross, it was us, the sinful man he saw and the prophecy by the mouth of

Caiaphas the high priest was fulfilled. It would be good if one man died for the people John

18:14. Assuming, Jesus just dealt the final blow to sin and remained in the grave, we would

have been the most miserable of men. I Cor.15:17-23. But he resurrected and we, with him in

the newness of life and not only that, he ascended Hallelujah But of him are we in Christ

Jesus I Cor.1: 30.

Our death with Christ makes the law powerless over us, because the law only has

authourity over a man as long as he lives Rom. 7:1-6. It also makes us lose our Adamic (sinful)nature and everything associated with it, including the curse and decay brought about by sin.

Our death with Christ makes us dead to the World, sin, self and they to us. So that we posses all

the characteristics of a dead man as discussed earlier towards them; we are no longer sensitive

to them, we are useless, careless and unproductive to them, we are a nuisance, a provoking

smell of death to them and so they can not stand us, they look for a way to get rid of us. And it

would have been terrible if our death was not with Christ.

God did not abandon Jesus in the grave, but raised him and us with him, that we might

live for him and re-present Christ in this World. Consequently, we can be counted among the

living again In Christ, we gained more than we lost in Adam. Christ became our life, our

connection and bridge back to our creator. He became our covering, our righteousness. Deathis powerless over us, for death came as a result of sin, but in his death, sin is overcome and in

his resurrection, we rose with a newness of life to live a righteousness of him and so we cannot

die again I Cor.15:16-21; Rom.6:8-13; 8:1-2; John 11:25-26.

Our Ascension with Christ takes us to the right hand of God, far above principalities and

powers. Ephe.2:6-10. And now, we can come fearlessly right into Gods presence, assured of his

glad welcome when we come with Christ and trust in him. Ephe.3:12 (LB); Heb. 4:14-16; 10:19-

25. This gives us the confidence that when we pray he hears and answers I John 5:14-15; John


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14:12-14. Our Ascension with him gives us the hope of spending eternity with him. Also the gift

of the Holy Spirit has been given as a result of our Ascension with him; who is our seal unto the

day of redemption Ephe. 4:30; 1:13, 14. The Holy Spirit is also a guarantee that God will do

what he has promised. II Cor.5:5; Ephe.1:19-23; Col.3:1-17

And so our Salvation, from top to bottom, is a work of grace. It is not what we can do or

have done, but what Christ has done. It is complete and there is nothing we can add to it.Although, grace is not an excuse to sin, neither is it a way to dodge Gods requirement. Grace

is God, having paid the price for mans sin, working in man to meet Gods demand to please

him. Even though, in grace, the law is no longer our pivot and our lives or walk with God does

not depend on obeying it, we find ourselves living above the law, doing more than the law

requires and yet, not by our effort nor trying to earn approval before God through it, but by an

indwelling power of a life giving Spirit. Rom.8:11; I Cor.15:45. Our internal and eternal hatred

for sin is because we have been born of God and his seed remains in us. I John 3:4-10; Phil.2:13.

Grace is entering Gods rest and his Sabbath which is our land of promise. God took

Israel, which is a picture of the spiritual Church, from Egypt, the land of slavery, which

symbolizes the land of sin and flesh. Now, before this time of deliverance, the Israelites saw a

problem in Egypt: they saw that they were oppressed and in bondage; they saw that they had

no promising hope inn Egypt; they also saw that they could not deliver/help themselves and so

they cried to one who was greater than them; to the God of their fathers. God heard and

delivered them by the hand of Moses who represents the law. For a Christian, this symbolizes

bringing recognition to sin, its oppression, bondage, vanity and our hopelessness and a

willingness to turn from sin and this is what the stage from crossing the red sea to Mount Sinai

is for us. Leaving the land of sin, but that was not their entrance into the land of promise. They

had to pass through the wilderness, where despite the great miracles they saw and received

Gods demand of them (the law), they still complained; practiced some of the ways of the

Egyptians; considered their life and death in the land of slavery a better option to their

deliverance and threatened to go back to Egypt. They disbelieved God and a good number ofthem died in the wilderness without entering the Promised Land. Moses, although he saw the

Promised Land from afar, also did not enter the Promised Land. This is the highest the law can

take us, it sees the promised land and talks of it, but could not enter, neither does it takes

anyone there. It was Joshua, a picture of Jesus Christ, who led them into the Promised Land. He

led them through the Jordan which symbolizes repentance from dead works. Stones were taken

from the Jordan for a monument at Gilgal which is how we ought to regard our repentance;

they were circumcised at Gilgal which is the putting to death of the sinful nature. Col.2:11 and

God said .Today, I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from.Josh.5:9. So it was there

that God rolled away the reproach, the shamefulness of Egypt from them. They also celebrated

the Passover in Gilgal and you know Jesus is our Passover Lamb. I Cor.5:7. Manna stopped beingsupplied in Gilgal so that they needed to learn to receive from God through faith. From them

onward, so long as they were in God and depended on him, they won their battles. And giants

were a common victim of their faith and their sword. They were entering their rest.

Now, the land of promise is a land flowing with Milk and honey, a land with flourishing

cities, you did not build; houses filled with all kind of good things you did not provide; wells, you

did not dig; vineyards and olive groves you did not plant; a land with streams and pools of

water; with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land where bread will not be scarce and


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takes and act on the truth which is, what God is saying about the situation. For us also, the

intimidating facts abound; the flesh, the Devil and the World try to make us doubt the

authenticity and absoluteness of the promise of grace, you observe your heart still yearn for

sin, you still see the flesh falling to temptation and you feel, itis like this thing is not real, or I

have not gotten it yet. But no, this is where you start acting by faith. Speak the word of God to

your heart and the flesh anytime sin stirs within you. Speak the word of God to the Devil; to theWorld, stand firmly resisting sin. Speak scriptures like: No-one who is born of God will continue

to sin, because Gods seed remains in; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of

God. I John 3:9 (NIV) and/or therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things

are passed away; behold, all things are become new. II Cor.5:17 and/or For sin shall not have

dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. Rom . 6:14 and/or For

whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World: and this is the victory that overcometh the

World, even our faith. I John 5:4. Rom. 8:1, Titus2:11, 12 and so many other scriptures. Believe

the word of God you speak and position yourself in the direction of God s word as a conqueror

and an overcomer. This is a part of the battle you can scarcely escape from, but victory is not

only possible but sure, as you stand firmly on the word of God. Some of our brethren who have

gone before us overcame by faith, for they did not count unfaithfulness with the God who has

promised, because they were convinced that God can not fail and that he can not be wrong.

They looked beyond the shores of this World to their real home. And so they refused to enjoy

the passing pleasures of sin, for a season. The joyous eternity in the presence of God is worth

sacrificing our short-stay on Earth for, even if we have to fight all through our stay here

(although, this cannot be said to be a bed of roses). The promises of God can be

trusted.Heb.6:13-20.

THE GALATIAN CHRISTIANS

An example of a situation where the absoluteness of the work of grace was questioned

was in the case of the Galatians church. Now, outside Christ; outside the salvation that comes

by faith, they had nothing to do with the common wealth of Israel, they were alienated fromGod, but in the death of Jesus Christ, a way was opened for them to be grafted in. having heard

the Gospel of grace, they believed and were growing until some Jewish brethren; the

circumcision party came and made them feel/agree that grace was not sufficient to save them

and the Galatians brethren were drifting fast in complying with that school of thought. The Holy

Spirit through Apostle Paul, in a letter to them, expressed his astonishment. He told them how

he, in his zeal for the law, wanted to destroy the Church of Christ. Paul was a Pharisee, a sect

that demanded the strictest of the law but now he discovered this could not save him. A light

brighter than the sun shone on him from heaven, he fell from his height to the ground and

Jesus spoke to him. He became blind and when he was prayed for, scales fell from his eyes, and

all that were to his credit before now, he counted as loss and less than nothing for the sake ofChrist. Phil.3:1-11. This is what the law and other ways beside Christ of gaining approval before

God does to us. It gives us false heights and unrealistic hopes. But when the true light, which is

Christ revealed in our hearts, we discover we have been blind all the while even as scales fall

from our eyes.

Paul then asked the Galatians Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now

trying to attain your goal by human efforts? Gal.3:3. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision


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nor un-circumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing it self through

love. Gal.5:6.

Grace is absolute, it is enough and sufficient to save. Combining any other thing with

grace is saying the solution God has given is not enough; that the death, resurrection and

ascension of Christ is not enough to save man and present him before God and in God. And yes

the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Love is component of thefruit of the Spirit. Genuine love can only be manifested by a man who allows the Holy Spirit to

bear fruit in him. It is a sign that we are walking in grace. It is not self centered; it is not lust or

bribery; it does not follow rational thinking or reason; it is foolishness to the carnal man, or

what can we do for Jesus Christ that he chose to die for us? What is the rationale behind a man

praying for the very people killing him? It is only the love of God as manifested by the Holy

Spirit. For the Christs love compels us .that those who live should no longer live for

themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. II Cor.5:14, 15. It is only the

living; those who have been made alive by Christ that can love. It shows that we have been

born of God I John 3:11-24; 4:7-21. It is an act of faith. And so love flows from you to your

creator and Redeemer; to your brethren, fellow Christians; to the unsaved; to your enemies

and those who persecutes you.

Entering Grace

Many who have come close to the saving knowledge of the Gospel or even some

professed believers have given up the possibility of living the Christian life; the life of walking in

grace as exemplified by Christ and those who have gone before them. They conclude that theirWorld and circumstances are different from ours, as God was more favourably disposed to

them or that his power or his promises were more trustworthy then, as is obvious in the signs,

miracles, extra ordinary manifestations that accompanied their days. But this can not be true,

because Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Heb.13:8. If there is a change, it is not

with the promise but with those who try to draw near. One of our problems is that of choice.

Men have the mentality that no good thing is free and so would prefer to pay for anything they

consider good, either in cash or in kind. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden had the problem.

There was a tree in the garden that was very costly; eating its fruit cost death; another of its

cost is disobeying God and being banished from Eden and several other costs. But that was

what they chose, they chose to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil andwe are still paying the cost. But there was another tree also in the middle of the Garden, close

to this very costly tree, it was absolutely free, there were no instructions or advice prohibiting

man from eating of it. Infact, it was given him for food and eating its fruits had the capacity to

make man live forever. It was the tree of life.

Now, life is a continuous process of spontaneous metamorphosis with little co-operation

from its benefactor or victim. (The dictionary must be wrong then!). Let us consider the human

life. Once there is a union between the male and female reproductive cell, a zygote is formed


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and life begins. It is not the zygote that determines to have head, hands or any other part the

human body or not to have but the life in it. So long as its mother is alive, the zygote grows

without even knowing it to become a fetus and later born as a girl or a boy, all of which is

beyond its choosing, as it is fed and cared for, the child grows and matures to become an adult,

which process is outside its control or powers or efforts, all he has to do is cooperate with the

Guardian. It is the life in him that manifests itself as it is given the opportunity to express itself.This is how life in grace is. Once that life of God is formed in you, which happens as a result of

believing in Jesus Christ and surrendering all to him, it grows as you feed and care for it,

cooperating with Guardian the Holy Spirit. Here, the spiritual life tells you when it is hungry

and needs Gods word or when it needs to breath more prayers or when it wants/needs to

associate with other like minded; it gives signs when it is starving, attacked, sick or dying and

our cooperation with the Holy Spirit, restores normalcy.

In Christ Jesus, we have a second chance of choosing the life Adam and Eve lost,

although it is still free. This principle of life works any where, it cannot be thwarted by space or

time, and it is obtainable as long as the offer lasts. Once you walk in it, you see it working in you

life, ministry, business and every other thing that involves you in the will of God. This brings us

to two cardinal points:

Total Surrender Being led by the Holy Spirit

We have need of spiritual knowledge and understanding. Spiritual in the sense, that, it is not

gotten in/ by the flesh or head knowledge, but by the impartation of the Holy Spirit. This

knowledge, when it comes, leads to heart felt prayers for the help of God in ones life. It should

be sought with fervent prayers and diligent and prayerful study of the word of God. Once you

know and understand the principles, your freedom becomes a choice, best of which is to totallysurrender to and be led by the Spirit of God all through life. It is possible.


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CHAPTER 3

TOTAL SURRENDER

Grace does not nullify or abuse the free will God gave to man. If it does, the whole

World would be Christians since it was the sin of the mankind Jesus Christ died for; there has

not been any sin committed that has not been paid for, except of course, the sin against the

Spirit of God. There is an open pardon for every man, yet pardon not accepted is not

pardonable, so that the punishment is not just for the initial offence but even more for the

refusal of pardon. How can God treat likely the act of not just sin, but refusing grace and

counting the death of his son as unnecessary; allowing the priceless blood of Jesus Christ to

waste? Grace is free and necessary, but not forced on any man. Jesus Christ did not force his

earthly relations to believe him neither did he force the High Priest nor the Sanhedrin to accept

or believe him nor has he started doing that of recent. He saves those who surrenders totally

and willingly; those who mean their surrender. This surrender is very important, yet, it is

beyond the once for all answering of an alter call or saying the sinners prayer which may not

reflect on ones daily life. It is a daily, continuous handing over/submitting of the control ofones life to him. He knows and understands us; he sees our hearts and will only commit

himself to those who are serious with their surrender and mean it. And until then, we are yet to

be ready to experience grace in full measure; until we are ready to forsake sin, the World and

ourselves in their entirety, no matter what it may cost us: the pleasure, enjoyment or gain and

be ready to be found in the center of his perfect will.

Our surrender must be total and gradual. Total, because God will not only accept the

whole of our heart and nothing less. It is gradual because it is a daily affair. II Cor. 4:10, 11.

Most often we dont understand or know all what our surrender entails or even our hearts. But

as the Holy Spirit reveal them to us, we surrender. And as we continue in this act of daily total

surrender, we grow in it. So that the struggle and time it takes to surrender, diminishes and the

grace of God expresses the life of God in increasing measures in our lives. Those who count

unfaithfulness with the promise of grace are those who fault in their surrender, for

unfaithfulness can not be with the God who has entered his own rest. Heb.4:10. He who

promised is faithful and he looks for lives in which to show the incomparable riches of his

grace Ephe.2:6-10 and Matt.11:28-30. A proper understanding of total surrender includes,

the following, but not limited to them:

1. IT IS A LIFE OF PRAYER

A life of prayer is not limited to the few times a day affair, but it is a life of dependence

on God 24/7, a life that is in tune with God per time, constantly dwelling in his presence; a life

that always looks up to God. The life of Jesus Christ is an example, his prayer life is not limitedto the early hours or his other private praying time, but his focus was continually fixed on the

Father: he depended on him per time and he does only what he sees his Father (God) doing. He

said my father is working and so am I. John5:15. This is the secret of his life and success. It is

practically impossible for the blind not to see or for the paralytic not to walk or for the dumb

not to speak when he ministers to them because he only does it as he sees his father doing.

Neither will be possible in our case if we follow his example. The reason why we ought to fight


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or do any other thing is not because enemies came or past victories or because we are strong

or even because it is good or any other thing, but because we see him doing it. We do this with

the eyes of our spirit; anything the life of God within you does not agree with, you should not

do, no matter the necessity or pressure. Here is a quote from Evelyn Underhill to buttress this

point.

What then is a real man of prayer? He is one who deliberately wills and steadily desiresthat his intercourse with God and other souls shall be controlled and activated at every point by

God himself. One who has so far developed and educated his spiritual sense, that his

supernatural environment is more real and solid to him than his natural environment. A man of

prayer is not necessarily a person who says a number of offices or abounds in detailed

intercession; but he is a child of God, who is and knows himself to be in the deeps of his soul

attached to God, and is wholly and entirely guided by the Creative Spirit in his prayer and his

work. This is not merely a bit of pious language. It is a description, as real and concrete as I can

make it, of the only really apostolic life. Every Christian starts with a chance of it; but only a few

develop it. The laity distinguishes in a moment the Clergy who have it from the Clergy who have

it not: There is nothing that you can do for God or for the souls of men, which exceeds in

importance the achievement of that spiritual temper and attitude.

2. IT IS A LIFE OF SERVICE TO GOD

It is robbery for anyone to use what belongs to another person for his purposes and in

his own way without the owners permission. This is exactly, if not more than, what we are

doing, if after we surrender our lives to Christ Jesus, we use it for whatever we like without

even seeking his opinion. Here, it is not a matter of just seeking his opinion, but handing over

our lives to him to use as he dims fit and for whatever purpose he wants. Who told you to do

what you are doing now? Your Job/occupation, career, business, your ministry etc. it may

sound fanatical, but when you surrender to Christ Jesus, even the continuation of your present

Job should only be because he told you to continue. The ratio of how much you do by and forhim, to how much you do for yourself or others is the measure of your surrender to him. Total

surrender means all for him and nothing for myself. Even the work you say you are doing

for him, who told you to do them? Sometimes what stands between us and our total surrender

is our working for him. If you must be in the service of somebody, it must be the service he

has asked you to do. Else you may do disservice to him or stand in his way in your attempt to

serve him. Jobs friends wanted to prove to Job that he was a sinner thus, as they thought,

doing God a service and a favour. But they only attracted wrath and God said I am angry with

you because you have not spoken of me what is right Job 42:7. Your life must be laid at his

feet so that he determines everything about you, whether you should be a Pastor, a missionary,

a doctor, an engineer; what you should wear or eat, who you should marry, where you shouldsettle; what you should do per time, else, it is not a total surrender yet. For Jesus Christ, the

work of the father was a must, it was priority, it was all , it was his satisfaction, it was his food;

it didnt matter what it cost him, it was his life John 4:31-34; 5:19; 9:4, 5; 17:4; Matt.26:42. We

ought to live without expecting a thank you. Luke 17:7-10. When we are thus surrendered, our

daily activities will bring glory to him and be avenues through which he reaches out to those

around us.


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3. IT IS A LIFE OF UNCERTAINTY

Most often we tell things about tomorrow or lay out plans for years without hearing

from God; we speak with certainty as if we own ourselves or our tomorrow. A life that is

surrendered to Jesus Christ should only say with assurance what he has heard he says about

him, and even with this we ought to acknowledge that it is by grace. Besides surrendering

Christ Jesus, no man knows tomorrow holds James 4:13-16; Prov.19:21; 20:24; Lam.3:37. Hencefor surrendered lives, our lives must be filled with I dont know or if God permits or by his

graceor depending on what my master says. So that , your trust and hope are in him, not in

anyone or anything else. You must beware of making promises except your owner approves.

Uncertainty here does not mean presumptions or assumption about your relationship

with God; it does not mean uncertainty in hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit or in his

leadership for your life. It is not uncertainty about eternal/final destination; it is rather a shifting

of our confidence, assurance and certainty from ourselves to the able hand of the keeper of

Israel, who tells the end from the beginning; the one who is a sure foundation; a strong tower

and shelter of refuge and a God with whom there is no shadow due to change. James 1:17;

Isa.28:16; 46:10; Prov.18:10


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CHAPTER 4LEARN TO BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

The importance of being led by the Holy Spirit in this life of grace cannot be over-

emphasize, because without the Holy Spirit, you can not walk in grace. For as many as are led

by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Rom.8:14. But if ye be led of the Spirit, you arenot under the law. Gal.5:18. The Holy Spirit is the indicator, the mark, the seal of God upon a

life. From the day of Pentecost, God gives him as a gift to those who belongs Jesus Christ, even

to Christians who earnestly seek him. Matt.7:11 (KJV)

Here are some things we need to know about the Holy Spirit and his leading. John

14:15-21; 16:5-16

The Holy Spirit is a person and he is holy. He is not an impersonal force. He does not contradict the word of God the Bible and the life of Jesus Christ.

He does not glorify man, his way does not please the flesh, and neither can flesh understandhim. His way and leading may not always follow human logic and calculations. His target is not

maximal satisfaction of a man or an always me show for the person he is leading. The Holy

Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ.

He speaks to/leads more frequently, listening/sensitive and obedient hearts who treat his wordas important.

He entertains questions for better understanding. The Holy Spirit is a gentle Spirit. He is never in haste, he is never late and his timing is always perfect. Some other being, maybe

even Angels, may suffer hold ups/delay as it was in the days of Daniel (Dan.10) but not the

Holy Spirit. His speaking is expressly to a sensitive heart, even though we sometimes do not pick

the signals quick (may God improve our hearing capacity). I Tim.4:1. We must therefore,

beware of pressure and haste; it is most predictably not the Spirit of God. Isa.5:18, 19; 28:16b.

This also means that we can not put the Spirit of God under pressure; we must follow his

timing, we must learn to wait for him; we need to be patient; we need to calm down.

He is not an unrealistic Joker or a talkative who talks for talking sake. He speaks when he hassomething to say with a purpose in mind. What he says always come true and come to pass if

the necessary precautions are not taken. He doesnt need our help but want our cooperation.

He doesnt need us worrying or anxious for him whether what he says will come to pass or not,

he remains faithful for he cannot deny himself.

He may choose to speak/lead through circumstances, but it is not always the case. It is not amandatory way of leading. Infact, sometimes circumstances seem opposite to his leading/wayfor our lives. So we must not look up to circumstances but to God for leading.

When the Holy Spirit speaks, he allows us to pray; to test; seek scriptural confirmation and/orother confirmation. However, in seeking other confirmation, we must be careful not to think we

can be wiser than God. He knows our intentions, motives and understands us. It is often wise to

ask the Lord to give us a sign by himself and perform it. Seeking confirmation is not a way of

feeding our doubts and faithlessness or justifying our unbelief. It is not a question of can you

do it? but Is that you? it is to ascertain the source of the voice/leading.


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With time, other voices/leadings fade away or become inconsistent/change but thevoice/leading of the Holy Spirit becomes bolder as you pray and yield yourself to God. And so

give them time.

With these points clearly understood, we must know that there are no hard and fast rules or

ways through which the Holy Spirit communicates with us. It is his sheep that hear him, lambs

need to learn; train themselves to hear him. Hearing him is a result of an intimate relationship;a growing fellowship with him. Make your intentions to hear him and be led by him known to

him; ask him to speak to you and create time to listen to him, especially, with the ears of your

heart. Do not resist or refuse the Spirit of God when he speaks to you and you have confirmed

that is/was him; yield to him; be quick to obey; cooperate with him because the Spirit of God

will not continue to strife with man; to struggle or contend with him.

God promises to lead us. Ps.32:8-10; 23:2; Isa.30:20, 21; John 16:13

Therefore allowing ourselves to be led by favourable weather conditions or controlled by bits

and bridle is not Gods perfect will for us. It is the way of unbelievers, which may not always be

beneficial or palatable at the end; to be used and dumped as a one use material. It is better

to listen and follow than be pushed or forced by any other means. It is important to note that

suffering, hardship, difficult conditions does not always mean God is not the one leading us or

didnt lead us; his good plan for our lives does not exclude these things. But the end, either

here on earth or eternity, will justify the situations he allowed our way or led us into.

Know this, that even though the Holy Spirit can not be wrong or make mistakes, we can

and we make mistakes, we might not have heard him rightly; we might have misunderstood or

even be out rightly wrong. But these give us opportunities to learn more; we must not quite or

give up on hearing the Holy Spirit or being led by him. Go back and ask questions on why or

where you missed it or went wrong. Remember that God is watching you and rewards

diligence, earnestness, persistence and faithfulness. The timing of the Holy Spirit is something

we must be sensitive to. It is as important as the art of hearing itself, because a right or an

accurate word executed at a wrong time may delay or muddle the whole process. Keep up,because the juice will be worth the squeeze; the work done will outweigh the effort. May God

help us in Jesus name, Amen.

The beginning point of walking in grace is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and

personal Saviour; surrendering to him everything about you in totality. If this is your desire,

then pray this prayer with all your heart.

Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner and cannot help myself, but I realize that you have paid

the prize for my salvation. I accept your offer of salvation by grace and nothing else. Come into

my heart, be my Lord and Saviour. Live your life through me. Help me to be solely dependent of

you that I may enter your rest; May grace find expression freely through me. Thank you fordying for me, thank you for answering my prayers more than I have asked. In Jesus name I

pray. Amen.


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CHAPTER 5FALLING FROM GRACE

looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness

springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled Heb.12:15.BE NOT WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES

Isa.5:21; Prov.3:7; I Cor. 1:18-31.

To be wise, is having or showing good judgment, it is a consideration of the choices you

have at hand with the aim of choosing the most favourable; the one with the best

consequences. Wisdom is a distinguishing trait amongst human being. A wise man suffers

minimally, because he is careful in risk and plans for the worst. But when it comes to relating

with God; when it comes to dealing with the All-wise Creator, we ought to be exceptionally

foolish. Being wise in your own eyes towards God is a foolish suicide game. It only serves to

destroy the player without hope.

Now, what if the Bible is wrong? What if there is no God; no heaven; no hell? What ifJesus Christ did not die and the Christian faith is the false one after all? What if you die as a

Christian and discover you have been deceived? (What a terrible thought). If this un-imaginable

happens, the reactions of Christians will broadly be in two dimensions. There are Christians who

can never recover from it. Eternity will only reveal their foolishness and stupidity, because they

have put all their eggs in one basket; they have been totally wasted on God without

reservation. But there are those Christians, who will almost not be able to bear it; they are as

broken as the first group. But somehow they find themselves recovering; they find little

courage to keep up; they begin to discover they have not been totally foolish after all; they

were a little wise, even though it might have been only in their heart. This wisdom might be

the distinguishing factor/trait between the Christians who endure to the finish line and those

who do not. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;

In all your ways acknowledge him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your

eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. Provb.3:5-7. Woe to those who are wise in their

own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! Isa. 5:21.

King Saul, the son of Kish, was wise in his own eyes. He was a man with an exceptional

start: his father was a man of standing; Saul was impressive; he dwarfs everyone in Israel; he

was humble and knew how to carry people along; he was zealous for God, the Spirit of God

comes upon him and God moved through him in great work. But even with all these, he was a

casualty. He had a way of covering up for God when he feels God was not up and doing, as if

there were loop-holes in God. When the Philistines gathered to fight Israel and they had to

make a sacrifice before going to fight and the Man of God was not coming as scheduled,obviously divinely orchestrated, Saul waited for sometimes and his wisdom manifested in

covering up for the man of God by making the needed sacrifice. He told Samuel, who arrived

short afterwards, when I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the

set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, I thought, now the Philistines

will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lords favour. So I felt

compelled to offer the burnt offering. I Sam.13:11, 12. What wisdom! But listen to what

Samuel told him. You acted foolishlyyour kingdom will not endure V. 13, 14 (NIV). Again


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God sent him to totally destroy the Amalekites, which he went. But on getting there and seeing

the spoil, the things to be destroyed, he once again tried to cover up for God as if God did not

know the spoil will be that good before he sent for them to be destroyed or as if he was not

wise enough. So Saul helped him again and brought the best of the Sheep and Cattle, the fat

Calves and Lambs to sacrifice to the Lord, not for any personal gratification. And he protested,

But I did obey the Lord. Then finally when God rejected him as king over his people, he stillwanted to take the place of God and act as though all was well; He wanted to hide the broken

state of his relationship with God and his rejection as king, he said, I have sinned. But please

honour me before the elders of my people and before Israel I Sam.15:30 (NIV).

Being wise in your own eyes is first a thing of the heart; a secret and may be un-

intentional. But even at the heart level, God still sees it and understands the ways of a man.

People who are wise in their own eyes, especially towards God, often make plans and

arrangement or alternatives, just in case God fails (as if he does!). They have a way of escape if

the worse of worst happens in their walk with God. They will feel the impact if it happens, but

some how they find themselves recovering from the shock faster than others. It is however, not

coincidental as they had made the preparation and/or mind set.

Judas Iscariot had his expectations of Jesus Christ. So that when Jesus was not meeting

up to them, Judas felt he had to try his own alternatives by betraying Jesus Christ. This was not

surprising because, apart from allowing Satan enter him, he had other ways of meeting his

needs stealing from the Purse he was wise in his own eyes. His last wisdom showed up,

when after he betrayed his Master, guilt struck him. Instead of turning to God in repentance,

seeking forgiveness and mercy, he decided to put an end to it all by committing suicide.

Being wise in your eyes is something that manifests or tries to manifests in our daily

lives. What do you do when it seems God is not up-coming? Or when it seems his prescriptions

are not working? Do you attempt to help God in your own intelligent ways? Hardship comes to

test this. Disappointments; extreme situations; watered down faith; delayed or un-answered

prayers; fruitlessness in ministry; Satan seeming to be in control; God seem no where close etc.The three Hebrew boys said the God we serve is able to saveand he will but even if he

does notwe will not serve your gods or worship the image Dan.3:17 -18 (NIV). They made it

very clear that if God does not help them, they had no other alternatives other than to roast.

They preferred to die; be humiliated if God does not show up, than live outside him. Through

the years, this has been the mind set of Christian martyrs and it ought to be ours also, that even

in little things, we will choose to remain un-helped if God chooses not to help us. Heb.11:15, 16,

35.

Here is a description by Charles Spurgeon:

"The dove found no rest for the sole of her foot."Genesis 8:9

Reader, can you find rest apart from the ark, Christ Jesus? Then be assured that your religion isvain. Are you satisfied with anything short of a conscious knowledge of your union and interest

in Christ? Then woe unto you. If you profess to be a Christian, yet find full satisfaction in worldly

pleasures and pursuits, your profession is false. If your soul can stretch herself at rest, and find

the bed long enough, and the coverlet broad enough to cover her in the chambers of sin, then

you are a hypocrite, and far enough from any right thoughts of Christ or perception of His

preciousness. But if, on the other hand, you feel that if you could indulge in sin without

punishment, yet it would be a punishment of itself; and that if you could have the whole world,
http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ge+8%3A9http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ge+8%3A9http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ge+8%3A9http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ge+8%3A9


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and abide in it for ever, it would be quite enough misery not to be parted from it; for your God--

your God--is what your soul craves after; then be of good courage, thou art a child of God. With

all thy sins and imperfections, take this to thy comfort: if thy soul has no rest in sin, thou are not

as the sinner is! If thou art still crying after and craving after something better, Christ has not

forgotten thee, for thou hast not quite forgotten Him. The believer cannot do without his Lord;

words are inadequate to express his thoughts of HimMorning and Evening

These wise people like to keep secret the dealings of God in their lives and happenings

in their lives, so that they will be put to shame if things do not turn out as expected. Ananias

and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11 wanted to be wise and yet known as exceptional givers, you know

their end is not enviable. This is the time to examine your self; look inward, it is better to wept

now in prayers before God than to miss out later:

1. Pray -That God should reveal your heart to you continuously

-That God should remove every other wisdom from you and flood your heart

with his wisdom.

-Pray for God to give you grace and show you mercy.

-Commit your needs and questions to God and leave them with him.

2. Fear God -Reverence him, and hold him in high esteem.

-Dont try to explain everything; acknowledge that you are limited; that

you are but a human being.

-Do not be wise in your own eyes.

This effort is not exclusive on its own, but an addition to the other works which aretargeted at encouraging tenacity and staying true to the end. The work is still in progress, it has

being released for edification of the reader and possible criticism. Send your comments and

criticism to [email protected] or [email protected] my Phone numbers are

+2348066007310, +2348077044454
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

walking in grace

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