Programme: Lekki Soul Centre (LSC)
Date: Wednesday, 8th February 2023
Transcript Summary
1. (Jer. 32:37-39; Exo. 19:3-6). God promised the children of Israel that they will be a "peculiar treasure" unto Him above all the people of the earth. However, they must first become a kingdom of priests unto Him, and a holy nation ‒ both elements are the requirement for attaining the status of a peculiar treasure. Becoming a "peculiar people" is the highest of God’s promises.
2. God’s promises are of two dimensions. There are “promises” that one has to attain in order to attain “the promise”. The promise is a school of two classes: “Yea” and “Amen” (2 Cor 1:20). These two classes also mean “yes” and “it is so”. Each class contains many promises. There are promises that are “Yea”, and there are promises that are “Amen”. These promises make up God; hence, He does not change. We cannot attain the glory of God without these promises; they have alignment with God and He is not seen or glorified without them.
3. (2 Pet 1:4; Heb. 6:12). It takes time to complete the school of divine nature because the course is voluminous. This is why anybody who is hasty cannot be a student of God's promise, not even of the least one called Christ.
4. (Exo. 19:3-6). There are three things God desired that the children of Israel would become: a peculiar treasure, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These tally with four things mentioned in 1 Peter 2:9. "Peculiar treasure" means "peculiar people". God bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt unto Himself shows that He had chosen them; this is what makes them a chosen generation. Any Christian that has not left Egypt is not yet a chosen generation. Such has not been chosen by God to attain the rest of the promises.
5. People often do not place priority on the life of Christ because Satan has his grip on them through the allurement of a life also filled with promises. Satan lured some angels into following him by preaching promises to them, and he still does so till now. People often do not like God’s promises. They argue that what is taught in the word of righteousness is irrelevant to men’s lives because they prefer promises that are of physical benefit.
6. For 400 years, the Israelites suffered in Egypt before God sent Moses to them. It had to take that long to bring them to a state of being able to hate Egypt enough to leave it. Israel’s bondage took so long because God knew the character of the soul of man. Dealing with the body is quite easier than with the soul.
7. The peak of God’s promises is being a peculiar treasure (or peculiar people). The promises of God have three bars – the promise of a holy nation, the promise of a royal priesthood, and the promise of a peculiar people. The major intention of the Father is for every soul to become peculiar. To be a peculiar person is to be a peculiar treasure; this is what the Scripture refers to as “My people” (Ezek. 36:28). It is only a peculiar man who can call God “my God”. God becoming one’s God (personalized) is the promise of God to every believer.
8. The first two promises ‒ a holy nation and a royal priesthood ‒ are Christ and they have their lands. The land of the "holy nation" is the "Court" of the Lord, while the land of the "royal priesthood" is the "Holy Place". Lastly, the hope (house) of the "peculiar people" is the "Holiest of All". This arrangement is for the promise. The Holiest of All is characterized by the phrases, “My People” and “My God”.
9. (Heb. 8:10). There is a law responsible for making “My people” — it is called “My law”. The Holiest of All is the realm where fathers dwell. God can only be a God to fathers and not children. God referred to the Israelites as children of Jacob; but Jacob was the least father in that order (the order of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - Exo. 3:6). In the book of Malachi, those in the Holy Place were called sons of Levi; they were not children of Jacob. Those in the Court are called Levi ‒ holy nation. The holy nation that has come into the holy place is one that has entered into a kingdom/dominion.
10. (Heb. 8:6). Promises are not mere words; they are usually associated with a covenant. Promises contain a life which can only be accessed through its covenant. The promises of God are summed up in everlasting life (or divine nature). This nature exemplifies who the Father is, and this is what is referred to as “my God”. “My God” constitutes lives and promises. Someone who has all the promises has all the life. Such a one has made covenants at different points in his sojourn, and when he has gained all the lives, he is qualified to have “the life”. As you attain life, you gain mastery not to perish.
11. God wants to make us fathers. A father is a keeper; he is one who has learnt the attitude of not dying, and he remains (1 Jn. 5:18). He knows how to preserve himself and also his children. Satan tries to dissuade us from becoming fathers in God; he does not want us to continue to offer up offerings of righteousness. Learning what is right and doing what is right is unlearning corruption and the corruptible. We are to war (fight) against the corruptible until everything about us is “yea and amen” against corruption and the corruptible.
12. When Jesus our Father rose from the dead, He became a Father and is currently playing a Fatherly role, being one with God the Father. The Apostle John described Him to be full of grace and truth because He is "Yea and Amen" (Jn 1:14). Grace is "Yea", meaning yes; "Amen" is truth, meaning life. "Yea" is God’s name; it is the first name of everlasting life called "grace".
13. (Eph. 2:8-9). The work of grace involved in the salvation of our spirits transcends forgiveness; it is an energy translation without our works. When our spirits had no clue about God and sat in darkness, grace came through for us. Suddenly our spirits were quickened and made to sit with Christ in heavenly places. Grace is a mysterious weave, it is a blessing. Grace enables us to do things we naturally cannot do; for example, living above sin.
14. Truth is an amen of grace. When one has grace and truth, he has divine nature. This is why the Apostles often blessed the church with grace and truth. May we also be blessed and be at home with them.
Blessings!