My 9yr old son Ed has been asking some very interesting questions lately.

"Before God created heaven and the earth, where was He staying?" "Ed, I asked Him the same question some years ago and He didn't tell me so I stopped asking Him."

"Are the Four Beasts in heaven mentioned in the book of Revelation aliens?" "I don't know, I'm still reading my Bible to understand it better. When I do, I will tell you. I think you should watch less of Ben-10 Alien force cartoons and spend more time reading your books."

"Dad, will there be children in heaven?" "Of course!" "Dad, will there be children in hell?" "I don't think so." "Why not, there are some very bad boys in my class?" "What makes them bad?" I asked. "They hit me and tell lies and steal and..." "Well, that's bad but they don't know what they are doing, so God will forgive them." "But you spank me when I do the same things." "Do I spank you all the time when you do wrong?" "No dad."

"Dad, so every child will go to heaven?" "Yes!" "That means there'll be more children in heaven than adults." "Why did you say that?" I asked. "Adults know what they are doing but we children don't, so God will forgive us or what do you think?" "I guess you're right."

I paused to ponder; have I given this boy the right perspectives to these very interesting questions? But more than right answers to knotty questions is modeling a godly lifestyle. Am I modeling truth for my boys?

In his blogs here and here, Seth Barnes Jr. talks about his parents.

"My dad also sacrificed himself for my sisters and me. He set up dates with us to make us feel special, he played football with me every single day before dinner for years; he encouraged me to discover truth..."

"My mom has a true mother's heart. She gives and gives and gives. She absolutely loved raising her children. She regularly spends herself cooking wonderful meals. She plans events, consistently thinks of others above herself, seeks the Lord with all her heart, and supports a very busy husband all the while."

What are your children learning from you? What do they observe as your treasures? What do they hear you pray for? What passion oozes out of your life that influences their choices and motivates their behavior? Do they see a different you at home and another you at church? How God-centered are your priorities, do your kids share them? Are you really modeling truth for them?

What do you think about this video clip?

This is not a fanciful title. We hate to be in debt. The thought of it strips us of our pride and dents our ego. But as God's creatures, we are all debtors to Him- to obey Him with all our spirit, soul, and body. Having broken His commandments, as we all have, we are debtors to His justice, and we owe to Him a vast amount which we are not able to pay.

But for the believer in Jesus Christ it can be said that he does not owe God's justice anything, for Christ has paid the debt His people owed; but for this reason the believer owes the more to love as he has been loved. I am a debtor to God's grace and forgiving mercy; but I am no debtor to his justice, because He will never accuse me of a debt already paid. Some still struggle with this truth and try to help their conscience by good works instead of simple faith in Christ.

Jesus said, "It is finished!" this could mean several things to different people but to me, He meant, that whatever I owed was wiped away forever from the books of remembrance because He has satisfied divine justice; the account is settled; the handwriting is nailed to the cross; the receipt is given, and I'm no longer a debtor to God's justice.

But then, because we are not debtors to our Master in that sense, we become a thousand times more indebted to God than we should have been otherwise. How?

Let's pause and ponder for a moment. What debtors we are to divine forgiveness and mercy. Consider that after multiple thousands of disobedient acts, He loves us as infinitely as ever. Consider what we owe to His power; how He has raised us from our death in sin; how He has preserved our spiritual life; how He has kept us from falling; and how, though a thousand enemies have flooded our path seeking to snuff life and grace out of us, we have been able to hold our own on His account.

Consider what we owe to his immutability. Though we have changed a thousand times, he has not changed once. I heard John Bevere speak in a sermon where he said God spoke to him in a vision and said, "...ask My people, if they want me to be as faithful to them as they have been to me?" His name is still Faithful and True.

We are as deep in debt as we can be to every attribute of God. To God we owe our very existence. He made all things for His pleasure, for His entertainment, to just amuse Himself. Some people may be tempted to feel offended with the idea that they exist solely for God's amusement. But all creatures find their fullest fulfillment in actualizing the very essence of their creation.

Shouldn't we therefore count it an honor and a great privilege that the Creator of the vast unseen heavens and all their hosts, thought it wise also to make us, along with the unknown depts, with a longing in His heart, a hope and an expectation, that pleasure and pure fun will flow out of our short-spanned lives and meet His eternal hunger? We are not just to yield our lives as a living sacrifice; it is our only logical (reasonable) service said Paul to the Romans. As steward of His blessings, we owe Him faithfulness and fruitfulness. This, in one word is- worship.

Oh that God will get all His due from our lives.  I'm still awed that He won't mind less than a 100-fold return on His investments; He delights in a 60-fold and even a 30-fold. I don't know how He takes these measurements. But I know His righteous judgments will be manifest in time. Until then, we must ask now, "What will my repayments be worth to God when the night comes and books are closed? How would your gratitude to His unfailing mercies be valued? Your priorities today can help straighten out your judgment, in case you seem confused.

 The phrase in Colossians 3:13 that command forgiveness and forbearance deserve a diligent study. I'm not a fan of the King James Version of the Bible (though I was thereby nursed), it uses an expression in that text I feel is foreign in modern grammar- "Forbearing one another..."

To forbear or forbearance isn't very romantic or inspiring; in short it means "to put up with, to endure." It may not sound very spiritual to say that we have to "put up with" some kinds of people, but isn't that exactly what this scripture and Ephesians 4:2 are requiring of us?

There are some people and some things we need to forgive. Many more, we need to grit our teeth and put up with and endure. I'm learning my lessons by observation and examination. We need wisdom to be able to make a distinction between forgiving and forbearing. If I turn every grievance into a forgiveness issue, I could become a very lonely person. I could also appear to others as proud and they may choose to avoid me or labor unnecessarily to satisfy me; thus making me a graceless egghead.

Dictionaries give a variety of definitions of forbearance: "a delay in enforcing rights, claims, or privileges"; " self-control, especially in not responding to provocation "; "a good-natured tolerance of delay or incompetence."

For some people, forbearance refers to the postponing or reducing of payments on a debt, though the interest keeps accruing and the loan is still due; they says, "I may not make you pay now, but your day is coming and the interest is growing!"

Forbearing is not about postponing repayment, but rather involves putting up with the weaknesses, frailties, and failings of others, without charging it to their account or making it a big issue; without continuing to relate to them based on their past errors. It is like a lubricant that helps minimize interpersonal friction which abounds in any relationship.

We are usually convinced that it is other person, not us, who possess irritating mannerisms, annoying habits and negative personalities. We wonder why they seem to enjoy such bad music (not our kind, the good stuff), have such a poor taste for clothes, seem to demand or command special attention or act immaturely? They probably feel the same way about us! One of the great surprises of the first year of marriage is how many unexpected and some unexplainable things you discover in the person you once viewed only through the misty lens of romantic love. But marriage, friends, family, and church exist in the cruel world of reality.  Our reactions and responses matter more than we think they do.

The great missionary leader Hudson Taylor was once challenged by his fellows about the incompetence of some of his missionaries. His response- "My greatest temptation is to lose my temper over the slackness and inefficiency so disappointing in those on whom I depended. It is no use to lose my temper-only kindness. But oh, it is such a trial!"

To forbear is to grit your teeth and to put up with differences, mistakes, and failures in an attitude of grace, because we are deeply and humbly aware of our own need of grace. Forbearance is all about enduring discomfort on account of love without showing it. I wish I could stress the importance of not SHOWING IT. I mean not hoping the other party learns their lessons from your coded silence or comments. I know my wife will certainly take me up on some of these comments and she should.

I've thought much about the story behind the fight captured in this video clip between two friends, cripples. They fought the way to national fame on TV over a girl and some few change. Could this their disgraceful public row be better than your private graceless restraint?

How are you dealing with hurt from friends and family? Have you started asking that dreadful question, "for how long...?" If yes, then it's time to acknowledge, embrace and dispense the graciousness of a love-charged forbearing spirit which we enjoy freely in and with Jesus Christ.

During a debrief session I had with my mentor Tim Olonade, on returning from Sudan,  he asked me, "What do you fear about your work in Sudan today?" My response was not well thought out. I simply answered- Nothing. As I chewed on that very question, I have since noted several things I'm anxious about in relation to my mission in Sudan. I'm surprised to see that some are so unnerving that I don't even want to discuss them.

You can't read far in the Bible without encountering fear. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is awash with examples. In every circumstance though, one principle is consistent: God wants to be trusted with every detail of our lives, especially with those unknown elements that provoke fear. Our resolve to serve God and seek His will despite the fears, worries and anxieties of life is a testament to His faithfulness and unchanging purpose.

As I meditate on anxiety and ask questions about its meaning and workings, I imagine that like fingerprints, everyone has their own brand of anxiety, ranging from vague feelings of dread occasioned by various handicaps, to paralyzing fears of loss or of discovery of personal secrets.

Anxiety may stem from unconscious feelings which may go undetected and thus never be confronted. But worry is a conscious act of choosing an ineffective method of coping with life's issues. Worry suggests the absence of trust in God. Scripture instructs us not to worry.

Procrastination and avoidance of an uncomfortable issue create most of the problems associated with anxiety. Though these twin strategies bring temporary relief, they both promote and compound anxiety in the future.

"What am I avoiding? How? Why am I putting this off?" "Why am I hiding this?" When you ask yourself these kinds of questions, be prepared for some internal resistance, a mini war, which I pray you don't win. May everyone who engages these questions be overcome by them deeply enough to seek sincere solutions. It's difficult to understand and accept that sometimes the very things we're doing for relief could be causing or complicating our fears and heightening our anxiety.

Consider these words of wisdom from Chuck Swindoll:  

"Stop reading only the grim sections of the newspaper. Watch less television and start reading more books that bring a smile instead of frown. Locate a few acquaintances who will help you laugh more at life. Ideally, find Christian friends who see life through Christ's eyes, which is in itself more encouraging. Have fun together. Affirm one another."

It's our choice. We can allow fear and anxiety to make us their victims or we can defy them by deepening our dependence on God as we prayerfully follow Him.

Experts spend a lot of time trying to figure out what makes people successful. They often look at people's credentials, intelligence, education, and other factors. But more than anything else, passion is what makes the difference they say.

As I watched some volunteers on television struggle to serve the crowd and keep them organized in Haiti, I recalled my ordeal in Yei, South Sudan, during an outreach in October 2008.

A crowd of over 500 had gathered that evening and the stage was almost set for the outreach, which was to feature two major programs- a Karate show (that will attract the crowd) and later, an evangelical message from Daniel King, an evangelist from the USA.

As calmly as I could, I explained to those in front, the danger they faced by standing too close and pleaded with them to take a few steps back. Those at the back wanted to come to the front to get a better viewing spot and those in front starting moving backwards. Try and imagine the scene.

In my frustration, I jumped in front of the crowd from the stage and feeling like Samson, I began to push them back, using a tree branch I picked on the stage, pressing it against the guys in front of me-ERROR! ERROR!! ERROR!!! They began to have fun before the main event. They rushed forward the more and pressed hard on me, laughing and screaming at me as they pushed. It was now a mini war and with their number and strength, I was bound to lose the battle.

My passion, mixed with a little anger went into overdrive and I pushed these folks with all my strength and at some point I thought I could push them all the way and gain 10 meters.  My willpower was as strong as my passion, if not stronger. But when gas accidentally escaped from my buttocks, I knew it was time to quit.  I'd failed and my embarrassment was profound. I left the scene gasping for air. One of the international guests came to me and said, "Hey Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger (he mocked), I really thought you're going to gain us a yard or two there."

In Nigeria today there's been a breakdown, and a compromise in integrity. Recent headlines say it all. From the ailing banks and their Chiefs to the sickly but "recovering" Commander-in-Chief, who his predecessor recently called an invalid (or was I the only one that heard that); we are witnesses to and victims of a system built on a foundation devoid of integrity. I'm still waiting for a name from someone in the Presidency, for this current government. We've once had "a child of circumstance" and "a child of necessity". What shall this "baby" be called, after fifty years of self rule?!

Sadly though, insensitivity, wickedness and greed aren't limited to bank CEOs and other Executives in government. We are witnessing a moral laxity behind our pews and, even worse, behind the pulpit.

A person with integrity does not manipulate others or the system they serve, for private goals and ambitions. He or she is not prone to pomposity or arrogance. Integrity even invites constructive and necessary criticism because it applauds accountability. Integrity is not afraid of the white light of examination or demands of close scrutiny. It's honesty at all costs.  It is expensive but a higher price is paid without it.

In addressing this crucial mark of character, I could come across as the "white knight," but those that know, will agree that I struggle and even fail more often than I'd happily admit; though I try not to spend time mourning my falls of yesterday, neither do I treat myself with kid gloves when the questions, "for who and why?" cannot be answered without a tincture of guilt. It's important to establish this here and now because there are some things integrity is not. It is not sinless perfection. A person with integrity does not live a life absolutely free of sin. No one does. After all, Nathanael (in whom there was no guile John 1:47), still needed the saving grace of Jesus.

Integrity means the absence of duplicity and is the opposite of hypocrisy. If you are a person of integrity, you will do what you say. What you declare, you will do your best to be. Integrity also includes personal reliability, private purity and financial accountability.

This is the story of Peter, a disciple in Sudan. I met Peter in April 2006. He came to South Sudan from Nigeria by road in October 2005; traveling through the infamous roads and bush tracks from Cameroon to the Congo, via Central African Republic. His journey was that of an adventurous and desperate businessman, with big dreams for success in a land he knew absolutely nothing about. He'd later confess, "... if I was given $1million now to make that trip again, I'll not do it." He traveled for 2months. He's a red-blooded Ibo man with a nose for business.

Peter came to know the Lord Jesus through my witness and a whole new journey started; one far more challenging than his trip from Nigeria to Sudan by road. Driven by his ambition to "make it" in business, he'd learned to speak Juba Arabic which is the local dialect in just 5months. But that was not what surprised me the most.

Peter walked into my room one day and showed me $1000 in hundred dollar bills and said, "... I noticed the bank has credited my account with this- and I didn't pay that into my account. What should I do?"

We were at the bank an hour later and they were shocked he was returning the money. I was overjoyed for him. Though life was tough those days, it was so satisfying to see he loved the decision he made. He passed the test of integrity several times on different occasions then after and still continues on its path today; enjoying the riches of Christ as he matures along the narrow way.

When you work and walk with integrity, you honor the Lord. Regardless of your profession, your character and conduct are methods of ministry.

Apostle Paul wrote, "For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.  And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, welcoming the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you were examples to all who believe in Macedonia and Achaia." (1Thess1:5-7)

Do we really desire change? Then let's stand with integrity in a culture weakened by hypocrisy. Let's start by doing what is right when no one is watching or would know. Brazen courage demonstrated on behalf of righteousness, never goes unnoticed and unchallenged. The rewards are greater than we could ever wish for.

The great story of God on mission with His people in this world, is the basic framework of the entire Bible. The Bible is not a collection of unrelated historical events. It's a single story of how God blessed all nations and was finally glorified.  I think the Edition we are currently reading is Earth's edition, which is documented by holy men under God's prompting (2Peter1:21). Heaven's edition will have Petra's detailed life story and others like her in it; as it will be chronicled by angels.

Jesus said, "...Much is required from the person to whom much is given; much more is required from the person to whom much more is given." (Lk 12:48)

Is what you are giving today, a worthy percentage of what He has given you? If you are thinking money... Tithes (i.e. 10%); I would imagine God could feel cheated or even insulted.

Last week was filled with tales of survival and death. The Haiti story continued and then suddenly, our attention shifts as hell's envoys visit the city of Jos, the capital of Plateau State in Nigeria. As usual, they leave behind their horrific signature of death and destruction.

This was no earthquake, but had all the trappings of one. It was humans versus humans, with all manner of deadly weapons deployed. Like in Haiti, it's still uncertain how many were killed. But we know they are in their hundreds; the injured and the displaced, in their thousands.

The following letter was sent by a resident of Jos to his friends last week.

"Dear Friends, The past few days had been a miracle for some of us in Jos and for some a nightmare. The Jos crisis has changed the lives of many, we loss some of our friends and others made homeless, Over 370 people lost their lives, we were told of a Corp Member serving in Jos, who was on phone with the parents and screamed "They are coming" he tried to run for safety but he was killed, the parents tried reaching him on phone again, his killer answered their call saying "I don kill am" (I've killed Him). Many have survival stories to tell, life is indeed a miracle to many..."

I was reflecting on this blog yesterday when another email from a well-known Christian leader in Jos hit my in-box . It reads in part,

"Muslims have been harassing, tormenting and killing Christians; for how long will this be allowed to continue? The Muslims manipulate the media locally and now they are doing same internationally in order to discredit the Church when the Church is deeply hurting? The current General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Armoured Division based in Jos is a Muslim; the Officer Commanding the troops to quell the riots in Jos is a Muslim. This state of affairs would not be accepted in any of the core Northern states who are known to have rejected Christian Military and Police Commanders in the past. The evidence of premeditated attack is indisputable and says it all."

As the blame game begins and difficult questions wait for sincere answers backed with action; the dead are being buried and mourned; while the survivors recount their ordeal and some count their blessings. Sadly, many Christians in Jos feel undone.

A look at this map of Nigeria here reveals a significant and dynamic partitioning showing the spread of the two dominant religions, Christianity and Islam.  

The city of Jos and many other major cities lie along this "Contested Religious Ground". These cities are like gateways to the interior. The belt is tagged "Contested" because Muslims and Christians live together in sizable proportions but with a history of forced Muslim pre-colonial rule that involved enslavement. The struggle for dominance has since continued to elicit tension in the socio-political structure of the region; such that the slightest and flimsiest of qualms from anywhere could provoke a killing spree. A stronger Christian foot hold in these gateway cities create a great sense of insecurity among Muslims. This is why the Christian witness is vehemently opposed in most cities in the North, from campuses to the corridors of power.

I'm certain that this "contested religious ground" will continue to widen northward as God by His Spirit propels the Church in Nigeria to corporately pursue the mission enterprise with unquenchable zeal.

God is not managing evil in the world. He has destroyed it using His Son Jesus and He is manifesting that victory through the Church today. It's now an expansion project, one that CANNOT be stopped or even delayed; and as Apostle Paul said, "... we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth." (2Cor 13:8)

At the crux of the struggle is the dominion of the promised eternal Kingdom, with Jesus as Lord of lords and King of kings. It's all working for the good and growth of the glorious company we belong.

I'm mindful of the immense sacrifice the followers of Jesus residing in these frequently troubled spots are making. God must have strategically located them there for His precious global purpose. These are prized and endangered creatures! The natural survival instincts will keep many of them at their post. But more than surviving, we pray for souls fully alive and abounding in the task set aside for them from the beginning of time.

In the past week, many believers dwelling in these "contested areas" in Nigeria have prayed more, drawn closer to God and even to their spouses and children. Though some have fled. There's a curfew in Jos now and as long as it lasts, some husbands may feel stuck at home with their wives and may eventually resolve one or two quarrels (that will be nice:). Nine months from now, the maternity wards there may be teeming with pregnant women; you never know... good things can come out of some quarrels that meet solution in times of uncertainty like this.

Though many have lost loved ones, lost a body part and (or) property; there's a song of victory for all God's people who will stand fast at their post, waiting for His hour.

The Lord is still saying, "...there's still much more land to possess and occupy before He returns."

I was thinking of the various needs and challenges I'd identified while watching the news on Haiti when I received this report from my dear friend Seth Barnes.

We're talking to Miguel Shaul now who just returned from Haiti. He described a school that was full of students at the time of the earthquake that completely collapsed.

They had turned the large cement slab in front of the school as a triage center for the living right next to that place of death because there was no more space for them. A pickup truck with four crushed but living people showed up. There was no room for them there. The man driving it said, "Where else can I take them?"

There was a woman crying beside the body of her sister who couldn't get treatment and had just died. A mass of people is fleeing Port-au-Prince. It was hard to move. It is becoming like a war zone.

People are being triaged all along the way from the capital to the Dominican Republic border.

Miguel describes the situation as "on a knife's edge." But he added that this can push us to a complete dependence on God. The pastors are saying that people are turning to God in an unprecedented way."

Sudan will likely be in the news more often for the next 14moths. We trust the Lord that it will be for all the good reasons.

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which took effect from January 1^st 2005 shared power between the rebels from South Sudan called Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) and the government in Khartoum.

The CPA was to divvy up the region's oil wealth, most of which is in the South and set a timetable for elections which is slated for April this year and a referendum on Southern independence, scheduled for January 2011. This model offered and offers a way forward for Sudan, a way out of the gruesome civil war that lasted over 20years, a way for prosperity, for freedom and ultimately, for God's breakthrough with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Stand with us in prayer this season because impious politicking in high places and war plots in other areas are being conceived for execution. They will fail!! These are trying times for many Sudanese and those with vested interest in their land. We are commanded not to be ignorant of the plans of the devil. He is planning, we must be praying; not out of fear, because we fight from victory not for victory. Jesus said, "It is finished!"

Sudan, strategically set in the midst of 9 neighboring countries stands at crossroads yet again and I'm calling on all lovers of peace, progress and prosperity to stand in the gap with us. 

1.      Pray for healing from the hurts and pains of the many wars and regional strife.

2.      Pray for the emergence of more peace makers not just peace keepers.

3.      Pray for peaceful elections in April 2010 and a smooth referendum in January 2011.

4.      Pray for purposeful leadership from the government house to the classrooms.

5.      Pray for the peaceful resolutions among the warring tribes in the South, East, and Darfur.

6.      Pray for the manifestation of the power of God in signs and wonders among the peoples of Sudan, leading to radical conversions and deliverance from the powers of darkness.

7.      Pray that the emerging Christian youths, especially those in school, catch the vision of a godly and glorious Sudan.

8.      Pray that Message Bearers engaging the Sudan be fruitful and faithful in their assignments as they disciple many and plant churches.

9.      Pray that the Lord of the harvest will more than ever before, thrust laborers into the huge field of unreached peoples in the Sudan.

 10. Pray that news coming out of Sudan will bring to God the praise and the worship due Him.