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I still remember when I arrived in Ol-joro, a small village about 7 kilometres from Oloitoktok town center.
The team that had arrived before me had walked that entire trip with their luggage in hand and back but my friend and I were privileged to go by bodaboda (commercial motorcycle).
I got my share of the walk, though, after the mission.
We were received by men and women from the church who were waiting for us.
And then something happened. Four young boys approached me. When they got to where I was standing they all stood still heads hanging down on their shoulders as sheep do in the rain. ''What low self esteem?''I thought to myself.
Then one of the elders told me to place my right hand on the crown of each of the boy's heads. I did. Later I asked what the significance of that was and I was told that that is how the young greet those that are older than them in Maasailand.
''Oh. So it was out of respect?''
Now you are wondering where am headed with all this. Am glad you asked. Let me get down to explaining to you.
You see, there is a lot of maasai Greetings taking place on the altar in Church today. The people out of respect for the minister approach him and he places his hand on the crown of their heads and they walk back to the pew, ''ritual performed!''
Whilst this is meant to yield a visitation from God, it ends up no different from the maasai greetings I experienced that day.
The Holy Spirit is given to the church to empower it for ministry. We have however ignored this fact and we are going on with dry traditional rituals daily presuming that we are ministering.
The only thing that distinguishes laying on of hands from maasai Greetings is the presence of the Holy Spirit.
When the Holy Ghost moves it is ministry, but if He doesn't move with you it is just greetings regardless of how long your hand stays on them.
The Holy Spirit will deal with you in public as you deal with Him in private. If you honour Him in private He will honour your public ministry. If you ignore Him in your private life He will ignore you in your public life.
If you grieve Him in private...
If you treasure Him in private...
Again thank you for asking. I will gladly give you the scriptural basis of this.
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
You cannot withdraw from the bank what you did not deposit. If you do not deposit time, fellowship and honour with the Spirit of God, you will soon be operating below the minimum balance in your ministry.
''Well am not a preacher.'' I like your thinking but no one is exempted from this. This is not just referring to preachers who lay hands on the sick. It is referring to anyone who ministers. Ushering in Church without the Holy Ghost is no different from ushering people to their seats in a restaurant.
Praying without the Holy Ghost is no different from a chit chat with an old friend. Worship without the Holy Ghost is as dry as the neighing of a donkey.
What distinguishes spiritual things from dry physical exercises is the move of the Holy Spirit. But there is a danger in ministry without the Spirit. It amounts to an equivalent of a massage without lotion. The people you're ministering to soon feel the pain of betrayal and shy from your ministry.
When the Holy Spirit is present, ministry becomes faster, easier and enjoyable. Sinners are convicted of their sin when they step into a Holy Ghost charged atmosphere. Yokes break in that aura. Burdens are lifted. The opposite is true.
I have discovered that the Holy Spirit doesn't always go where He is needed or where He is invited. No. He goes where He is honoured and welcome at the same time. ''What is the difference?'' I like your questions and so I will tell you.
When you invite a buddy in your house, you rarely make any prior arrangements or adjustments in the house. But think of hosting a government Minister in your house for a week. What adjustments would you do before his arrival. Now think of hosting the president.
Christians have been falsely taught that so long as they make the invitation the Holy Spirit will come. He will treat you as you treat Him. Treat Him as God and He will treat you as a son of God.
Now you know why sometimes services are dry, prayer is dry and people answer the same altar call a hundred times.
Jesus told His disciples to lay hands on the sick and the sick would recover. But most importantly He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem until they were endowed with power from on high. In other words the former commandment would only work if the latter was obeyed.
When we are going to Church we check to make sure we are properly dressed, our clothes are properly ironed, we apply the correct amount of lotion, brush our shoes, carry our Bibles and notebooks and such things. We forget the most important thing: if we don't carry the presence of God, it is not going to yield.
How are you treating your lifetime partner, The Holy Spirit? Is He honoured. Is He comfortable in your house. Does He have to walk out when you are watching TV or is He the one with the remote? Does He look aside when you are scrolling your phone or is He the one scrolling as you watch. Does He back you up when you sing or does He select the songs? Does He stop His ears with cotton when you are talking or does He initiate the conversation and come up with the topic?
Today you are withdrawing what you deposited yesterday. But the most important question is,''What are you depositing to withdraw tomorrow? ''
I still remember when I arrived in Ol-joro, a small village about 7 kilometres from Oloitoktok town center.
The team that had arrived before me had walked that entire trip with their luggage in hand and back but my friend and I were privileged to go by bodaboda (commercial motorcycle).
I got my share of the walk, though, after the mission.
We were received by men and women from the church who were waiting for us.
And then something happened. Four young boys approached me. When they got to where I was standing they all stood still heads hanging down on their shoulders as sheep do in the rain. ''What low self esteem?''I thought to myself.
Then one of the elders told me to place my right hand on the crown of each of the boy's heads. I did. Later I asked what the significance of that was and I was told that that is how the young greet those that are older than them in Maasailand.
''Oh. So it was out of respect?''
Now you are wondering where am headed with all this. Am glad you asked. Let me get down to explaining to you.
You see, there is a lot of maasai Greetings taking place on the altar in Church today. The people out of respect for the minister approach him and he places his hand on the crown of their heads and they walk back to the pew, ''ritual performed!''
Whilst this is meant to yield a visitation from God, it ends up no different from the maasai greetings I experienced that day.
The Holy Spirit is given to the church to empower it for ministry. We have however ignored this fact and we are going on with dry traditional rituals daily presuming that we are ministering.
The only thing that distinguishes laying on of hands from maasai Greetings is the presence of the Holy Spirit.
When the Holy Ghost moves it is ministry, but if He doesn't move with you it is just greetings regardless of how long your hand stays on them.
The Holy Spirit will deal with you in public as you deal with Him in private. If you honour Him in private He will honour your public ministry. If you ignore Him in your private life He will ignore you in your public life.
If you grieve Him in private...
If you treasure Him in private...
Again thank you for asking. I will gladly give you the scriptural basis of this.
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
You cannot withdraw from the bank what you did not deposit. If you do not deposit time, fellowship and honour with the Spirit of God, you will soon be operating below the minimum balance in your ministry.
''Well am not a preacher.'' I like your thinking but no one is exempted from this. This is not just referring to preachers who lay hands on the sick. It is referring to anyone who ministers. Ushering in Church without the Holy Ghost is no different from ushering people to their seats in a restaurant.
Praying without the Holy Ghost is no different from a chit chat with an old friend. Worship without the Holy Ghost is as dry as the neighing of a donkey.
What distinguishes spiritual things from dry physical exercises is the move of the Holy Spirit. But there is a danger in ministry without the Spirit. It amounts to an equivalent of a massage without lotion. The people you're ministering to soon feel the pain of betrayal and shy from your ministry.
When the Holy Spirit is present, ministry becomes faster, easier and enjoyable. Sinners are convicted of their sin when they step into a Holy Ghost charged atmosphere. Yokes break in that aura. Burdens are lifted. The opposite is true.
I have discovered that the Holy Spirit doesn't always go where He is needed or where He is invited. No. He goes where He is honoured and welcome at the same time. ''What is the difference?'' I like your questions and so I will tell you.
When you invite a buddy in your house, you rarely make any prior arrangements or adjustments in the house. But think of hosting a government Minister in your house for a week. What adjustments would you do before his arrival. Now think of hosting the president.
Christians have been falsely taught that so long as they make the invitation the Holy Spirit will come. He will treat you as you treat Him. Treat Him as God and He will treat you as a son of God.
Now you know why sometimes services are dry, prayer is dry and people answer the same altar call a hundred times.
Jesus told His disciples to lay hands on the sick and the sick would recover. But most importantly He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem until they were endowed with power from on high. In other words the former commandment would only work if the latter was obeyed.
When we are going to Church we check to make sure we are properly dressed, our clothes are properly ironed, we apply the correct amount of lotion, brush our shoes, carry our Bibles and notebooks and such things. We forget the most important thing: if we don't carry the presence of God, it is not going to yield.
How are you treating your lifetime partner, The Holy Spirit? Is He honoured. Is He comfortable in your house. Does He have to walk out when you are watching TV or is He the one with the remote? Does He look aside when you are scrolling your phone or is He the one scrolling as you watch. Does He back you up when you sing or does He select the songs? Does He stop His ears with cotton when you are talking or does He initiate the conversation and come up with the topic?
Today you are withdrawing what you deposited yesterday. But the most important question is,''What are you depositing to withdraw tomorrow? ''
