MY BABY HUSBAND Episode 35

© Ayo Omolayo

I was still praying in the spirit when the voice came loudly.

“PICK UP YOUR BIBLE”.

I was sweating already. My room was air conditioned, but I had sweat pouring all over me. I stood up and staggered a little.

“EASY GIRL!”

“Thanks Dad!” I smiled.

“YOU’RE WELCOME, MY PRETTY EBONY!”

I grinned and took my Bible from my bed and sat down.

“WHERE’S YOUR QUIET TIME JOTTER?”

“Jotter?”

“YES! SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD USE TO WRITE DOWN WHAT I WANT TO TEACH YOU”, Came the response.

“I don’t understand sir!”

“I HAVE TWO TOPICS FOR YOU THIS MORNING. FIRST, I WANT TO ANSWER A QUESTION YOU ASKED ME THEN WE’LL CONTINUE WITH THE BOOK OF THE SONGS OF SOLOMON. GET A BOOK TO WRITE DOWN WHAT I’M ABOUT TO TEACH.

YOU CANNOT RELY ON MEMORY ALONE. WHATEVER YOU WRITE DOWN STAYS WITH YOU FOREVER. THESE TEACHINGS ARE SO PRECIOUS. YOU CANNOT ALLOW THEM SLIP AWAY”.

I stood up and went in search of something to write with. I found a birthday jotter one of my friends gave to all that attended her party.

I sat down, pen in hand, ready to write.

“CRIS! THAT JOTTER IS A JOKE. I’LL PERMIT THAT FOR TODAY. MAKE SURE YOU GET A BIG JOTTER SOMETHING THAT WON’T GET EXHAUSTED QUICKLY. SOMETHING LARGE AND CLASSIC. IT’S A BOOK FOR YOU PERSONAL QUIET TIME. IT MUST NOT FOLLOW YOU TO CHURCH.

IT’S YOUR PERSONAL QUIET TIME JOTTER AND CHURCH SERVICE JOTTER. IS THAT CLEAR?

“Yes sir!”

“EVERYTHING YOU ARE WRITING HERE, YOU WOULD TRANSFER LATER WHEN YOU GET THE NEW BOOK. IS THAT OKAY?”

“Yes sir!”

“ALRIGHT, LET’S BEGIN. OPEN TO THE BOOK OF ROMANS CHAPTER 3!”

I opened it and began to read.

“Romans 3:1. What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

Verse 2. Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

Verse 3. For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

Verse 4. God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Verse 5. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

Verse 6. God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

Verse 7. For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

Verse 8. And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

Verse 9. What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

Verse 10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Verse 11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Verse 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one”.

I paused and looked at the words again.

“Daddy! I don’t understand what I’m reading oooo!”

“ACTUALLY, I ONLY WANTED YOU TO READ A FEW VERSES AND MEDITATE ON THEM”, Came the gentle response.

“What verse sir!”

“START FROM VERSE 20!”

“Verse 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Verse 21. But now the righteousness of God with the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Verse 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Verse 23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Verse 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Verse 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Verse 26. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Verse 27. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

Verse 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Verse 29. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

Verse 30. Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Verse 31. Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law”.

I took my eyes off the bible and looked up as if God was hanging there.

“I don’t understand ooo! Why is Bible study something else today? I don’t understand what I’m reading!”

“CALM DOWN DEAR! LET’S TAKE IT PROGRESSIVELY.

NOW IF YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING YOU HAVE JUST READ, YOU’LL DISCOVER THAT THE ENTIRE PASSAGE IS TELLING US THAT THE LAW CANNOT SAVE ANYONE. KEEPING THE LAW CANNOT SAVE ANYONE. KEEPING THE LAW WILL NOT SAVE YOU!”

I was more confused. What kind of bible study is this!

“CALM DOWN DEAR! STOP THE WORRY. I’M EXPLAINING IT. DON’T BE IMPATIENT”.

“Okay sir!”

“NOW, ALL THESE IS TO ANSWER A QUESTION YOU ONCE ASKED”.

“What question?”

Immediately, it came afresh into my mind.

“What I want to ask is, why would you want to make friends with me? Do you think you can trust an unfaithful servant like me? Don’t you think it’s easy for me to run away from you? Considering how often I’ve done that?”

“I don’t want this relationship to end. But I have a feeling, I’ll always fall back to my vomit. I’m so inconsistent in my walk with you and that’s what I’ll always be. Always starting afresh with God everyday. I don’t want to lose you ever again. But! I’m used to losing you and I just can’t help it!”

I sighed and looked at the passage again.

“Lord it’s so true. Despite all I’ve been taught. I still can’t help it. I almost failed you this morning. I was given an instruction to always keep my quiet time, but! Wait a second! Are you telling me that the law of keeping and maintaining my quiet time cannot save me? Are you telling me that all the rules I was given to keep cannot save me?”

“EXACTLY!”

“Oh my goodness! So what is the key? What’s going to save me? What’s going to keep me consistent and going? It’s the truth ooo. Despite all the wisdom I have been taught, I still notice how darkness is winning this battle. I almost lost to the devil today if not for mercy. God, what is the way out? All the laws I was given to help me grow in grace and instructions cannot save me. So what’s going to save me?”

“LOOK AT THAT SCRIPTURE VERY WELL AND YOU’LL FIND THE ANSWER. WHAT I’M TEACHING YOU IS TO RELY ON THE RIGHT SOURCE OF STRENGTH.

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE SCRIPTURE SAYING? THEREFORE WE CONCLUDE THAT A MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH WITHOUT THE DEEDS OF THE LAW, THAT’S VERSE 28.

THE POWER THAT WILL SAVE YOU IS NOT IN YOUR WORKS OF THE LAW OF KEEPING YOUR QUIET TIME. IT’S IN THE FAITH THAT YOU HAVE IN GOD TO KEEP YOU CONSISTENT.

I WANT YOU TO GET THIS CORRECTLY BECAUSE ONE THING IS CERTAIN. YOU’LL ONE DAY BE TEMPTED TO BRAG THAT YOUR DISCIPLINED LIFESTYLE OF ALWAYS SHOWING UP IN THE SECRET PLACE TO BE WITH GOD. YOUR CONSISTENCY IN YOUR PRAYERS AND BIBLE STUDY IS WHAT IS KEEPING YOU.

NO, IT IS THE GRACE OF GOD THAT IS AT WORK IN YOU. AND THAT GRACE IS A PRODUCT OF FAITH. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR WORKS. YOUR WORK OF DISCIPLINING YOURSELF TO ALWAYS BE IN THE PLACE OF PRAYERS.

THE WORKS OF TAKING YOUR PRAYERS AND BIBLE STUDY SERIOUSLY, IS NOT WHAT WILL SAVE YOU, BUT THE GRACE THAT COMES THROUGH FAITH. SO YOU DIDN’T WORK TO EARN THIS GRACE, BUT IT WAS FREELY GIVEN TO YOU. BECAUSE, SOMEONE WHO WORKED FOR YOU, YOU’RE INDEBTED TO THAT PERSON.

BUT THE PERSON WHO DIDN’T WORK AND WAS GIVEN A REWARD FOR FREE, OBTAINED IT THROUGH GRACE. THAT’S HOW OT OPERATES.

SO I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD WILL KEEP YOU AND GIVE YOU THE POWER TO BE CONSISTENT”.

I opened the jotter and started writing.

“ACTUALLY, THE LAW CANNOT SAVE MAN. THE LAW ONLY TELLS MAN WHAT HE OUGHT TO DO AND NOT DO. THE LAW ONLY HAS INFORMATION. IT DOESN’T HAVE POWER.

THE LAW MAKES US FEEL GUILTY WHEN GOD SPEAKS TO US AND WE MAKE UP OUR MIND TO OBEY. BUT WE MISS THE POINT. THE LAW CANNOT SAVE US. THE LAW ONLY INFORMS. SO AFTER WE HEAR THAT GOD WANTS US TO KEEP OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, WE WEEP.

GOD I’M SORRY! LORD I WON’T MISS QUIET TIME AGAIN! GOD! I’LL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO OBSERVE MY QUIET TIME AS FROM TODAY. GOD I WILL TAKE MY SPIRITUAL LIFE SERIOUSLY FROM NOW HENCEFORTH. WOW! SO MANY PROMISES, BUT DO YOU NOTICE SOMETHING?”

“No, sir!”

“THOSE PROMISES NEVER LAST. THEY JUST DON’T LAST. THE SAME PERSON YOU THOUGHT WOULD BE THE BEST PRAYER WARRIOR AFTER HEARING THE TRUTH, IS STILL STRUGGLING LIKE SOMEONE WHO NEVER HEARD ABOUT THE TRUTH IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHY? THE LAW! IT CANNOT SAVE!

IT CAN ONLY MAKE YOU CRY. IT CAN ONLY MAKE YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND PROMISE GOD HEAVEN AND EARTH. BUT THE WILL POWER OF MAN WOULD SOON FAIL AND THE MAN IS DOWN AGAIN. ALL THE LAW DOES IS TO MAKE YOU EXERCISE YOUR WILL POWER.

HOW LONG DOES WILL POWER LAST? EACH PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT. SOME PEOPLE’S WILL POWER CAN LAST UP TO A MONTH. SOME A WEEK, OTHERS LOSE THEIR WILL POWER THAT SAME DAY.

IMMEDIATELY, THEY ARE BACK INTO THEIR INDISCIPLINED SPIRITUAL LIFESTYLE. THEY KEEP ASKING GOD FOR CONSISTENCY. BUT THE CONSISTENCY THEY ARE CRYING FOR IS JUST WITHIN THEIR REACH. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH. NOT OF WORKS LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BRAG THAT I PRAY FOR 2 HOURS EVERYDAY, THAT’S WHY I’M CONSISTENT.

I’M A VERY DISCIPLINED MAN. I DISCIPLINE MY FLESH VERY WELL, THAT’S WHY I’M STANDING. HA HA HA! YOU THAT SLEEP ANYHOW, YOU ARE SPIRITUALLY LAZY. HOW WILL YOU GROW? OH LAZY CHRISTIAN! I STUDY MY BIBLE FOR 2 HOURS. I FAST 6 TO 6 TWICE IN A WEEK. THAT’S WHY IM STANDING! THAT’S WHY IM CONSISTENT.

NO!

BUT THAT CHRISTIAN WHO WOULD BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN AND DOESN’T WAVER IN FAITH. THAT’S THE CHRISTIAN THAT HAS THE KEYS TO A CONSISTENT SPIRITUAL LIFE”.

To be continued…….

Please keep praying for me oooo. Don’t relent.

How many of you have a personal quiet time jotter?

Not church jotter!

Please get one. It’s very important