ARE YOU A WORKER OR A SHOPPER?

From now on I call you not servants... but I have called you friends, – Jn 15:15

The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is more than that blank page between Malachi and Matthew. It’s a radically new system in man’s relation with God; something the book of Hebrews calls “a new and living way”, (Heb 10:20).

This is why our Lord didn’t want His disciples to fast while the Old system was being dismantled and the New was being set up. Like He said, “No man puts new wine into old wineskins;” (Luk 5:37).

It’s easy to conflate the system of the OT with the New, because on the surface, nothing seems to have changed. God still demands holiness, we still pray, we still fast, we still give and God still expects us to be separate from the world (sanctified). In essence, we still go to the same MALL.

However, what distinguishes the Believer from the OT Saint is that while one goes there for shopping, the other goes there to work. One goes out of pleasure, the other goes out of necessity. They may both rise up early to get to the MALL, but one is hurrying to get the “Early Worm” deal, while the other is hurrying not to get a query.

One gives out of gratitude to God, the other gives lest his heavens be closed shut! While one lingers at the MALL because there’s just so much to see/receive (NT prayer), the other lingers as well – just to say, "I stayed for hours" (religious prayer). One fasts in order to enlarge his shopping cart, the other fasts to show contrition and elicit pity.

The attitude with which we approach the Grace MALL determines whether we’re a worker or a shopper. When we see fastings and giving as things to do to move God, or try to rack up the hours during prayer time to make God see how serious we are, then we’re still in the Worker-mode.

True New Testament Believers are SHOPPERS. They approach the MALL with BOLDNESS and confidence. Their hours spent in prayer, study, etc. are not to PLEASE God (they’re already “accepted in the Beloved,” Eph 1:6), or to BEG Him to give to them (all things are already theirs in Christ, Rom 8:32). But their lingering is in order to explore and take more of all that their loving Heavenly Father had made available to them.

So, the next time you pray, study or engage in any other spiritual exercise, ask yourself this pertinent question, “Am I working or am I shopping?”

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

BE A VETERAN SHOPPER

Friend, go up higher. – Luk 14:10

Several years ago, my elder sister told me with breathless excitement of a certain section of the famous Lagos Oshodi market that she’d accidentally stumbled upon. She’d been shopping for hours looking for a particular material and then, without knowing how she got there, she broke into this strange place. In her words “I felt like I had entered another market”; because it looked and felt very different from the Oshodi she knew.

It would interest you to know that as at the time she told that story she had lived in Lagos for over 30 years!

Act 10:34 says, “God is no respecter of persons”; He doesn’t reserve some blessings for some “superior” Believers or special “Men of God”; what He’s made available to one, He’s made available to all. The Super-Mega MALL of Grace is open for all of God’s children to shop freely in, but only those who tarry long there have discovered where the good stuff is at.

Many Believers only shop at the entrance, no more than 50 feet from the checkout. But others go deeper, and stay longer. Through experience they have familiarised themselves with the various sections and departments. If ever they need something in the future they don’t linger, wondering if the MALL has it, or spend hours searching for it. They simply go straight for it; because they’d seen it before during one of their frequent visits to the inner parts of the MALL.

That’s why their prayer and study times are more effective. It doesn’t mean God likes them more, it just means they know how to go straight for what they want. Some others spend hours just to get “into the presence of God”, they – veteran shoppers that they are – get into the presence as soon as they kneel down.

Beloved, the riches and wisdom of Christ are inexhaustible. There’s always something more, something new, something deeper. Let’s not be complacent with what little revelation or experience we already have, let’s go higher. It’s only when we tarry long that we’ll discover new light, new graces and new blessings.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN 

HOW’S YOUR SHOPPING CART?

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. – 2Pe 3:18

It’s amazing the attitude some believers take to the Christian walk. They see nothing wrong in not praying, not studying God’s Word, or not Fellowshipping with the Brethren.

They are qualified to shop freely in the Super-Mega MALL called GRACE, yet when the giant Gates to the MALL open up, they stroll in casually, with a picnic basket in their hand!

Beloved, what we can receive from God is determined by the size of our ‘Shopping Cart’ and its size is determined by our level of faith and our mindset. We increase the size of our Carts in the place of prayer, in the place of studying God’s word, and other such spiritual exercises.

No size is considered too big at the MALL, if you bring a heavy truck as your cart, no problem; there’s more than enough to fill it up.

Grace has made everything available to us, but we must “grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ;” so that we might “know the things that are freely given to us of God.” (2Pet 3:18; 1Co 2:12; 3:22)

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

THERE’S WORK IN GRACE

Therefore, my beloved,... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. – Php 2:12

The Gospel message proclaims that Jesus has paid it all and done it all.

In Rom 11:6, Paul paints a stark contrast between GRACE and WORK: “If by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

However, some believers take this truth to the extreme by saying that GRACE therefore, is so Anti-Works, that we must avoid anything that looks or smells like "work". For them, Christian exercises like prayer, fasting, giving, even church attendance are considered “WORKS”.

Like the Hippies of the 60’s, they’re quick to tell you, “Relax Bro, don’t get yourself worked up; it doesn’t take all that to receive”.

Nevertheless, though Grace is a Super-Mega MALL completely paid for by Jesus for the Believer to shop freely in, he or she still has to SHOP to get what has already been paid for.

They still have to DRIVE to the Mall, they still have to WALK into the Mall, they have to GET a shopping cart for themselves and they still have to move around the MALL and pull the things they want out of the shelves. Why would any person see this as work?

Spiritual exercises like fasting, prayer and meditating on God’s Word are means with which we shop in the Super MALL called Grace. Everything has been prepared and paid for, but we still have to work it out in faith. Prosperity isn’t going to fall on your laps, the miracle isn’t going to come unasked, and that breakthrough you’ve been looking for isn’t at the MALL gate; it’s on Aisle 1165 – by the Dairy Section, in between “Kosher Foods” and “Fresh Imports”. If you really need it, you have to do whatever it takes to get ‘there’.

And why wouldn’t you? It’s FREE. Go get it. Pray, Fast, develop your faith: whatever you need to do, Work it. And that miracle will surely be yours in Jesus’ Name.

AMEN.

Greg Elkan

The Mall

And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready – Lk 14:17

The unique message of the Gospel is one that has flummoxed many for centuries – even in the Church. The concept of an economy that gives without anything in exchange is anomalous to all that the human mind can fathom.

Christianity’s doctrine of forgiveness of sins – not based on penance, sacrifice or any thing we bring to the table – is what distinguishes it from every other World religion.

But the Gospel of Grace goes beyond salvation; Eph 1:3 says Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

In Christianity, we’re not working to be blessed, we already have been blessed; we’re not praying to be healed, we already were healed (1Pe 2:24); and we’re not hoping for Everlasting Life in a future paradise, because as believers, we already have “everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation,” (John 5:24).

That is why I liken the New Testament Gospel to a MALL – an extremely large, country-sized MALL with millions of shops stacked full with billions of items. There’re spas, restaurants and theatres; swimming pools, bowling alleys and specialised gallerias. This MALL has everything and anything!

Now, here’s the distinguishing feature of this super-mega MALL – everything inside has already been paid for you by the owner, Jesus Christ. Yet many have not entered this MALL. Some are ignorant of its existence even though they’re saved, Born-Again Christians. Others hurdle in little camps around the large gates and argue about doctrines and terminologies. And others still simply stand at the gate – looking longingly into the goodies that are it but disbelieving that anything this good can come at no charge.

 “COME;” says your Master, “for all things are now ready” (Lk 14:17). Will you go in? Or will you keep stalling?

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. – Rev 22:17.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

“Jesus” or “Yeshu’a”?

... What is His name, and what is His son’s name, if you can tell? – Pro 30:4

While on Earth, our Lord declared, “If you shall ask anything IN MY NAME, I will do it; And these signs shall follow them that believe; IN MY NAME shall they cast out demons...” (Jn 14:14; Mk 16:17).

The “Name” there needs not be a perfect, stylized pronunciation of the Hebrew “Yeshua”. Whatever way you pronounce His name, Jesus will always come through for you.

The Greeks call Him Iisous,  the Spanish call Him Jesus (pronounced “Hay-sus”).and the Japanese Iesu. In Galician He’s Xesus, in Scottish Gaelic, Iosa and in Hawaiian, Mai la o lesu.

There’s no scripture that says our salvation is dependent on our ability to properly pronounce God’s name in Hebrew. What we do see, however, is the prophet Joel proclaiming, “WHOSOEVER shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved”, (2:32).

In law, they say Res ipsa loquitur, (“The thing speaks for itself”); wherever the name of the Lord is mentioned in the world in any of its various forms, there’s always power: power to heal, power to deliver, and power to save.   

While scholars and theologians are debating whether His proper name is “Yeshua” or “Yahoshua” or “Yahshua”, illiterate villagers in Cambodia are casting out demons in the name of “Preahyesaouv”!

The power is not in the name itself – like a Harry Potter magical spell that must be pronounced correctly, the power is in the OWNER of the name. And Paul declares that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth,” (Php 2:10).

Beloved, do not let intellectual squabbles and dogma hamper your faith, pray boldly in THE NAME OF JESUS today, and watch the demons, sicknesses and mountains flee.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them IN JESUS’ NAME.

GREG ELKAN

gregelkan@h0tmail. com

Phone: 0813 664 2912 (WhatsApp messages only)

The Reason For “Jesus”

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. – 1Ti 1:15

Who was the man called Jesus; that Carpenter from the backwaters of Nazareth who radically changed the world? This Man so honoured that all of secular history is reckoned based on the time of his birth (BCE or CE).

It may surprise many to know that Jesus is the most mentioned person in the Quran! And His mother, Mary, is the only woman mentioned by name in it, (she even has a chapter titled after her). The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society’s signature publication, The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived is all about Jesus and a cursory study of secular study of the “historical Jesus” shows that virtually none has anything untoward to say about His person.

Nevertheless, Jesus did not come to this world to be venerated and admired; he came to SAVE US. When the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, he asked Joseph to name the child to be born of his virgin betrothed, “JESUS: for he”, says the angel, “shall save his people from their sins.”

This, Beloved, is the reason why Jesus came. He didn’t come to show us “how to fully obey the Father’s commands,” (like the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim); He didn’t come to show us that the Mosaic Law was doable, )as the “Hebrew Roots movement” assert); neither did he come to show us how to live in love and harmony with one another (as the New Agers say), etc.

SIN is the reason He came. He came to save us from our sins, not to make us better sinners. When He was teaching about prayer, He hinted at our universal depravity when He said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Mat 7:11).

Even as a Church, we sometimes forget this truth and talk to sinners about “changing their ways” and such. A change of lifestyle or behaviour is not what takes people to heaven; neither would trying to ‘live like Jesus’ or practicing WWJD (What Would Jesus Do).

Jesus did not come to be a role model, or a world wisdom teacher, He is God come in the flesh to die for our sins. And it is important we always put this to the fore when presenting Him to the world.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

gregelkan@h0tmail. com

The Myth Of The “Jewish Jesus”

Neither do men put new wine into old wineskins: – Mat 9:17

A result of the current research into the historical Jesus that has been accepted, nay, embraced, by the Church is the “discovery” of the Jewish Jesus.

Simply put, the theory goes that contemporary Christianity has excised Jesus away from His Jewish/Hebrew roots and portrayed Him in opposition to it. The contention is that Jesus was a FULL Jew who lived in a fully Jewish culture and lived a fully Jewish life; and the Church must acknowledge this fact. And while we’re at that, they insist that His real name is Yashu’a, NOT the anglicised “Jesus” that we keep using.

The “Jewish Jesus” doctrine has done much good in terms of re-presenting a fresh, hitherto unconsidered facet of Christ. As an evangelical tool, it has enabled the Gospel make inroads to Jews around the world who are more open to a Mashiyach (Messiah) that is kindred to them.

Unfortunately – typical of everything we touch – extremism has crept into this noble concept. Now we hear of Believers being asked to celebrate Jewish feasts like Yom Kippur, pray exclusively in the name of Yeshu’a Hamashiach, and tap into “the power of the tallith (Jewish prayer shawl)”.

Not only are the proponents giving Believers the impression they’re missing out in not acknowledging Jesus’ Hebrew Roots, but some even go to the point of implying that not going Jewish is disobedience to God’s command.

But this craze is nothing more than erroneous nostalgia; because the Torah-observant, Moses-honouring ‘Jesus’ that they’re trying to paint never existed!

It’s incorrect to say that the Jesus of scripture had no problems with the Jewish rituals and even “encouraged” their practice. From the very beginnings of His ministry, He was already dismantling it and by the time His Christianity became fully formed, it had cleanly cut itself from the umbilical cord of Mosaic ritualism. The first Christians, who by the way were 100% Jewish, NEVER celebrated the Day of Atonement and as a matter of fact, equated it’s celebration with apostasy (see Hebrews 10).

Jesus came to die for all of humanity, and in Christianity “there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” (Col 3:11)

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

gregelkan@h0tmail. com

Say Hi To “The Existential Jesus”

Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? – Mat 16:13

The current secular and academic search for the historical man called “Jesus” has led to the strangest of discoveries. Depending on which research you read, Jesus was an eschatological prophet, a Galilean holy man, an occult magician, an innovative rabbi, a trance-inducing psychotherapist, a Jewish sage, a political revolutionary, an Essene conspirator, an itinerant exorcist, a historicized myth, a proto-liberation theologian, a peasant artisan, a Torah-observant Pharisee, a Cynic-like philosopher, a self-conscious eschatological agent,... the list goes on.

Is this a testament to the superlative, multigrained glory of the man Jesus, or is this evidence that they have no idea who Jesus was?

It’s neither. Because as it turns out, not only do they begin their research with full knowledge of what the Gospel writers have to say about Christ, they also make it their stated aim to make sure that whatever Jesus they discover, he must be different from that one!

It is this biased, self-serving motive that has led to the popularity of “the existential Jesus”, or as one theologian puts it, the What-Does-He-Mean-To-Me Jesus. Like someone looking down a deep well, each researcher ends up seeing a Jesus that is more like them – a Jesus that’s germane to their agenda.

That’s why scholarly ‘research’ has ‘concluded’ that Jesus was a Feminist, an Environmentalist, a Big-Government Critic, a Social Justice Reformer... anything and everything.  What they won’t say is that He is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mat 16:16).

In all of the advantages and education of contemporary research, we must never lose sight of the REAL Carpenter from Nazareth: the One who loved us enough to tell us we are lost in Sin, and died in our place to save us from it.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

The Greatest Man Who Never Lived

...as it is written, This people honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. – Mar 7:6

There was a time in recent history when it was commonly argued that the man Jesus never existed. According to scholarly sceptics, “Jesus” is nothing more than the imaginative creation of some first century men.

Not anymore. Today, no self-respecting scholar will publicly deny that Jesus ever existed; and indeed, for some time now, there has been an increased interest in the famed Carpenter of Nazareth. With each new month comes a new book, a new movie, documentary, or News Special about some supposedly unknown aspect of Jesus.

However, a common thread that will be seen in all these pieces is their patent emphasis on the ‘man-ness,’ or humanity of Jesus.  Just like the conclusion of the popular Jehovah’s Witness book, (The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived),  Jesus always end up being “The man,” (emphasis in the original).

Nevertheless, Jesus was more than just a man. We could patronize Him by giving Him such superlative appellations as “greatest”, “historic”, or “revolutionary”; but as long as our regard for Him falls short of full acknowledgment of His true nature, we’ll still be walking in error.

Paradoxically, it was emphasis on the divinity (at the expense of the humanity), of Jesus that was the heresy during the days of the Early Church. Deviant doctrines and teachings flourished back then that taught that Jesus was completely divine and never human. When He walked, His feet never touched the ground and the body at the crucifixion was only a mirage (or someone else in some versions).

[The opening lines of 1John were apparently written to counter this other form of extreme heresy].

Emphasizing Jesus’ divinity at the expense of His humanity, or emphasizing His humanity at the expense of his divinity will only lead to error; as it is often said, He has to be Man to qualify to die for our sins, and He has to be God to be able to do it.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

gregelkan@h0tmail. com

THE MISSION IS POSSIBLE

Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in war, turned to flight the armies of foreigners. – Heb 11:33,34

Biblical Faith affords us the opportunity to get to realms beyond our physical limitations. Through faith, you can speak of the distant, prehistoric past with absolute certainty. Heb 11:3 (CEV) says, Because of our faith, we KNOW that the world was made at God's command. Faith makes a crucifixion that occurred two millennia ago something so real and tangible that you’re willing to place your life on it.

Faith doesn’t just take you to the past, it also makes you confidently see the future. It is faith that makes you KNOW that all things work together for good to them that love God, and makes you  PERSUADED, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, ... Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:28; 38-39).

Faith makes us manipulate space-time in a way that would make Einstein go green with envy. By faith, Moses parted the red sea, Peter raised the dead and Rahab inserted herself into the Jewish bloodline.

Faith enables us tap into the power of God – because faith, when stripped to its barest, is granting God access to intervene in our realm.

No matter your situation or condition, I want to use this opportunity to as you to give faith a chance. Believe, For with God nothing shall be impossible. Lk 1:37.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

HOPING AGAINST HOPE

Look unto Abraham your father, – Is 51:2

One the things that Abraham did that earned him the appellation, “Father of Faith”, was his determination to still live in hope even when there was nothing to hope for.

Rom 4:18 says, “(Abraham) against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall your descendants be.”

How did Abraham become the Father of many nations? By continuing to hope when his entire situation was HOPELESS.

This is why you must not be quick to rule your situation out. What is that miracle you are looking for? Sarah conceived long after menopause, Elisha caused an axe to float, Joshua made the sun to stand still, Peter walked on water...

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Rom 15:4)

Unbelief will give you a thousand reasons why it can never happen, faith will give you only one – God. As long as there is God, nothing shall be impossible. Get your hopes up today; your miracle is in the offing.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

GOOD REPORT

For by it the elders obtained a good report. – Heb 11:2

The paradox of faith is that it is judged strongest when nothing is happening. Faith is stronger with the poor than with the rich, with the sick than with the healthy. We can’t claim to be “Living by faith” when all our desires are granted and all our needs are met. Our Faith is evidenced by our behaviour when the situations are contrary, not when they are conformable. As the Apostle says, “hope that is seen is not really hope,” (Rom 8:24 ISV).

This is what distinguished the “Elders” of faith listed in Hebrews 11. They lived their lives of faith without any needed evidence – their faith was their evidence. We may read their history with the perspective of hindsight and ‘see’ things working out for them, but they themselves had nothing to hold on to. This is why God was pleased with them.

Heb 11:2 (GNB) says “It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God’s approval.”

Beloved, there’s more going on than you just ‘trusting’ God. For each day you stay in faith without any external evidence, you’re giving glory to God and winning His approval, (Rom 4:20).

A life of faith that holds on to God’s Word in spite of lack of evidence is the one that pleases Him, not the one that believes only because it can see what is happening behind the scenes.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

‘NOW’ FAITH?

Be it unto me According To Your Word. – Luke 1:38

Ever heard of ‘Now’ Faith?

Basically put, ‘Now’ Faith is said to be Faith that insists on getting the miracle NOW; not tomorrow, or some indefinite “someday”, but now!

There is an element of truth in that; a person who doesn’t have a definite expectation for divine intervention in their life is not really walking in faith but just going through the motions.

The problem with this ‘Now’ Faith theology is that it hinges its scriptural backing on the opening two words of Heb 11:1 (“NOW FAITH is the substance of things hoped for...”)

However, the “Now” in that passage is there as an adverb, not as an adjective. The previous chapter ended by talking about faith (“the just shall live by faith”) and this chapter begins with “now” as a preface about that aforementioned "Faith".

Saying “Now Faith” as though the “now” there is describing a type of faith may seem harmless, but it violates a fundamental rule of faith. Biblical Faith is NOT what you make it to be, it is what God says it is.

If we expect to receive Divine intervention in our affairs through faith, then we should at least begin by taking God at His words and not twisting it to suit our fancy.

There’re are people who use the Scriptures like some legal document where they point out facts, precedents and lacunas. But the Bible is not a legal document with which we twist God’s arm, it’s a love letter filled with promises written long before we ever were saved at all.

For Faith to work, we must act according to the Words that came out of God’s mouth – and not the ones we put in it.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

HOPE

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, – Heb 11:1

The first verse of Hebrews 11, the Bible’s most definitive chapter on faith, defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

This definition ties Faith to Hope. It tells us that Faith is something that comes as a result of an already-existing Hope. Without Hope, faith is not just powerless, but non-existent.

But what is Hope? Hope can be defined as “a positive expectation that something good will happen.” A lot Christian teaching today is about faith. But if the people have no expectation of good in their future, then faith has nothing to act on.

The word translated as “substance” in Heb 11:1 is hupostasis and means “a setting under, a support or foundation.” Faith is the foundation on which your Hope rests on. Without a beautiful edifice of hope, our faith is nothing more than a well-laid concrete slab.

Depression, weariness and frustration only take the air out of the sails of our prayers. Tears and misery are not the things that move the hands of God, it’s FAITH. Without faith it is impossible to please God. (Heb 11:6) And we have seen that Faith only works on Hope.

The Lord has given us “exceedingly great and precious promises” (2Pe 1:4) that we can lay hold on. So get your Hopes up. Expect good things. And watch your Faith rise and blossom before your eyes.

Heads up Beloved, Great things are afoot.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN