Posts in category: Top Stories

Welcome to Matchday 3 of the titanic clash between Love and Hatred. Matchday 1 was a household derby within the family of Jacob. The second day was a Mentor-Mentee avoidable clash between King Saul and his “boy” David that turned bloody until the former committed suicide. In both encounters, Love won convincingly but not without the usual suspense, stress and tension on the players and spectators. With the embarrassing scoreline in both games, one would have thought that Hatred would concede and turn down any of such encounters. Entirely predictable and customary of his side to steal, destroy and kill, Hatred doesn’t make a retreat nor surrenders easily. He aggressively engaged Love in another blockbuster encounter similar to a Champions League finals involving 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush (Esther 8:9).

There are individual lessons to glean from each of these encounters. The first game was a family issue, while the second relates to believers in a fellowship or Church. Matchday 3, however, broadly applies to the hatred that erupts amongst workers or professional colleagues within an organisation. Of course, the depraved nature of humankind would always be the match commissioner of such games with the devil as the sponsor, promoter or bankroller. It all started when Mordecai decided to keep to his Jewish beliefs of not kneeling to Haman after the latter was promoted as a senior officer in the palace (Esther 3:2b). Mordecai’s office colleagues drew Haman’s attention to the latter’s determination not to kneel when the former passed by. Indeed, Haman did not even recognize Mordecai until the office colleagues brought his attention to it and aroused him to hate Mordecai. Let us be careful mere gossips don’t steal our peace by loading us stuff that can only get us to hate others. They will be asleep when you can not find sleep for your eyes. Mordecai’s relatively lower rank as an officer did little to affect his dedication to their most cherished Jewish beliefs handed over to them by God. His status as a Benjamite in exile also did not influence him negatively but instead urged him to keep his trust in the God of their fathers. At this time, the Israelites or the Jews had become a sad race. They didn’t have a land, could not worship God in His temple, and didn’t have their freedom. Their ancestors had been removed from the Land of Judah many decades earlier and taken into slavery by Nebuchadnezzar.

It is, therefore, worth noting that hatred has no mercy for the exiled, depressed, the oppressed or the poor. If not, how could newly promoted and dignified Haman have time for “poor” Mordecai and his people? Esther 9:5 confirms that sheer hatred against God’s children or Love engineered the encounter between Haman and the Jews. At the exchange of pleasantries, the captain of Hatred’s side, signifying Haman, had the inscription on his armband, “The enemy of the Jews.”

Those who arouse us to hate others become the pallbearers who carry us in the coffin of disgrace in style to our graveyard at the referee’s last whistle. Resist, therefore, every influence by others and provocation to hate others.

Unfortunately, many have been drawn into an arena of hating others without any cause. Before this time, Mordecai, the gatekeeper, pre-occupied himself with the duties assigned to him per his appointment letter as security personnel at the King’s gate. He executed his task with the professionalism and diligence required of him when he reported the coup and assassination attempt on the life of his Boss. The King set a committee to investigate the intel,  and it was found credible. The two masterminders were executed (Esther 2:22). Even though what was supposed to be his upliftment or promotion at the time went to Haman, Mordecai kept his composure and did not allow bitterness to take the better part of him. If you want the power of Love to be behind you, anytime Hatred brings it on, do the right thing even if you don’t see the reward immediately afterwards.

Esther 3:5-6, “When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel or pay him honour, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead, Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the kingdom of Xerxes.” Anger, pride, self-aggrandisement, wickedness and murder had all made the first eleven for the side of Hatred against Love. Unlike the first two games, this encounter was characterised by many off-the-pitch incidents. Besides the captain’s armband for the side of hatred labelled “The enemy of the Jews”, they formed a circle in their goal post to cast Lot to find a suitable formation that would daze their opponents before kick-off (Ester 3:7). It is a lesson for Love and its supporters that deep-seated hatred is well connected to diviners, mediums and evil spirits who leave no stone unturned once they move upfront. Casting Lot to determine the most spiritually conducive time date and time to carry out the massacre of the Jews tells how far hatred can take people. Even before the kick-off, Hatred appeared to be winning the psychological bit of the game. At the blast of the referee’s whistle, Hatred swings a few passes together between Lies, Exaggeration and Propaganda when Haman told King Xerxes the Jews had no regard for him nor the customs of his Kingdom (Esther 3:8-9).

Meanwhile, Esther, the King’s wife, was herself a Jew. After casting the Lot, it was not surprising Haman somehow managed to get the King’s approval to do whatever pleased him to the Jews (Esther 3:11). Is it not amazing that the King had been influenced to sign the death warrant of his own sweetheart in the person of Queen Esther without knowing? Was he under a spell? Similarly, only God knows the source of some organisational policies and laws that come to force at our various marketplaces. In hindsight, there was an order by the King to kill every Jew throughout the 127 provinces. Meanwhile, Haman or Hatred was the principal architect behind that supposedly Socio-Cultural ethnic cleansing.

Thank God Hatred does not and will never have a field day or blank cheque in his encounter with Love. When the King’s edict for the annihilation of the Jews went viral, the Bible says, “Mordecai tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.” (Esther 4:1). However, Haman and his side, Hatred, were celebrating and drinking because the scoreboard had registered an early goal for their side (Esther 3:15). As the side of Hatred and their supporters kept on triumphing in the stands, Haman’s wife Zeresh and his friends advised him to finish the game by setting up a 75ft high pole to have Mordecai or Love hanged on it. Every wicked suggestion taken from friends and loved ones hook line and sinker confirms the assertion that Hatred is indeed very shallow, unwise and short-sighted. Little did they know that Love never walks alone even though his side is playing away in this temporal life.

The million-dollar question is, “Where were those who incited Haman to hate Mordecai when he was being hanged on the 75ft gallows? Where was Zeresh when Haman was hanging on the very gallows she designed for him to construct?

Those who incite us to hate would be nowhere when we drown in the deep waters.

In (Esther 4:8, 15-17;5:1), Mordecai expected Esther to use her feminine power and influence to negotiate with Hatred. Unfortunately, Hatred doesn’t understand any truce of such kind. His side is full of pretense at the negotiating table. It is worth noting that it doesn’t lie with humankind to unearth Hatred’s natural causes and roots. It is no secret that the makeup of women as designed by God offers them a certain edge over their male counterparts when looking for favours from them. As a celebrated beautiful Queen with a nice figure and eyes, as the Bible put it, Mordecai was not too wrong trying to remind Esther to play that card as the going was getting tough for them. After all, she was the King’s bedmate during their ordeal. Mordecai, therefore, tried pushing gentleness and lobbying into the “18” of Hatred, but the Holy Spirit intervened (Esther 4:8). Whiles Haman was boasting about his vast wealth and influence over King Xerxes, the bench of Love introduced Fasting, Prayers and Hope to take care of the midfield with Faith as the lone striker in the person of Esther. The game against Hatred is a serious game that cannot be won with one’s looks, talents or beauty alone. When the “Hamans” cast the Pur or Lot before starting the match, your husband may not see your beauty or fine-looking figure. It was, therefore, not surprising that for thirty (30) solid days, beautiful Esther’s husband had not felt like going to her or attending to her. She told Mordecai, “…But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” (Esther 4:11b). Therefore, the technical response from the bench of Love was apt and on point just before the halftime. Fasting and prayers must rise with increasing and legendary levels of hatred against us. Prayer procured for the Jews what Queen Esther’s beauty and night wares could not bargain for. After the 3-day fasting, at the resumption of the second half of the game, “Then the King asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the Kingdom, it will be given you.” (Esther 5:3). The scoreboard here credited Love their equalizer changing the scoreline to 1-1. Love then substituted hope with wisdom by Esther’s request for a great banquet with Haman as the guest of honor (Esther 5:4-8). Hatred took another lead (2-1) when Haman went rejoicing and boasted of his invitation to the King’s banquet (Esther 5:9-13). With all of Haman’s excitements, he told his wife and friends, “…All this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.” Hatred does not know peace as long as Love is focused because no matter the honour bestowed upon Haman as the only invitee to the King’s table, he loses his peace and joy anytime he meets Mordecai sitting at the King’s gate. Haters, therefore, have no peace as long as Love is around their environment.

The side of Love crossed a deep ball into the “18” yard box of Hatred, which caused the King to suffer a sleep disorder while Mordecai was probably asleep (Esther 6:1-3). So, on the eve of the banquet, the King could not sleep. He called for the book of the chronicles, which culminated in his decision that night to honour and recognize Mordecai’s hard work in uncovering the coup plot. At that ungodly hour, Haman had visited the King’s palace to discuss how Mordecai would be impaled on the pole he had set for him. The King asked him how he could decorate the one he delights to honour. Thinking he was the only contender for that category, he outlined four (4) awards for decorating that nominee. He told the King, ” For the man, the King delights to honour, have them bring a royal robe the King has worn and a horse the King has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the King’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the King delights to honour and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, this is what is done for the man the King delights to honour! ” (Esther 6:8-9). The King commanded Haman, “Go at once, get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the King’s gate.” Wow! So Haman went sadly from the King’s court to bestow all the listed honour on Mordecai. Within minutes, the scoreboard credited four (4) own goals against Hatred and for the side of Love bringing the score to 5-2 in favour of Love.

In Esther 6:12-14, Hatred’s loyal supporters started hooting and booing them from the stands. Haman’s wife and advisers shouted from the popular stands saying, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him-you will surely come to ruin!” (Esther 6:13) Hmmm, what a late admonishing! This is the loneliness Hatred goes through when the going gets tough. It is, therefore, not worth allowing yourself to be deceived into hating anyone for whichever cause. It is simply not worth its salt. When Haman heard Esther mentioning his name to King Xerxes, he became terrified at the King’s rage and tried begging Esther for his life. The King returned from the garden to see Haman falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The referee, close to the action, whistled for an indirect free kick in the “18” yard box of Hatred. (Esther 7:8). Love converted that set-piece to a goal taking the scoreline to 6-2.

Haman took an early shower from the game when he was given a red card and impaled on the same pole he had prepared for Mordecai. Haman’s estate was bequeathed to Mordecai making the scoreline 7-2. The side of Hatred was now playing 10  against 11 during the game’s dying minutes. The King signed a new mandate that gave the Jews the right to self-defence. (Esther chapters 8-10). At this time, Hatred’s spectators turned around, cheering the Love side from the stands looking at how organized and composed they were playing. “…And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.” (Esther 8:17b). Love scored their last goal to take the scoreline to 8-2 when the Jews struck down all their enemies and all who hated them (Esther 9:5). Mordecai was again lifted and promoted as the second in rank to King Xerxes, whiles Haman and all his ten (10) sons were executed. Love is, therefore, wiser and far more potent than Hatred on any given day.

From these three matches played so far, it will be realized that, no one can avoid clashing with Hatred since he is playing home in this temporal life. If you manage to prevent him within the family setting, you will meet him in Church. If you swerve him in the body of Christ, you are most likely to clash with him at the workplace or in your organization. Instead of becoming exhausted and frustrated with such encounters, let us instead be encouraged in the strength and winning power Love has over the fighting spirit of Hatred. At the return league on Love’s home soil at the culmination of the age, it will be all joy because every hassling, sweat and tears from our eyes will be wiped away (Revelations 21:4). Watch out for the grand finale in my next write up, which is the last in the series of Love versus Hatred dubbed “The Easter El-Classico”.

Team Sheet of Love: Patience, Kindness, Humility, Hope, Perseverance, Truth, Trust, Peace, Joy, goodness, Self-Control, Faith, Resurrection Power, Selflessness, Respect, Forgiveness, forbearance, gentleness, Unity, Compassion, Prayer and faithfulness.

Team Sheet of Hatred: Anger, Envy, Jealousy, Pride, Slander, Selfish Ambition, Unforgiving spirit, Strife, Bitterness, Worldliness, Wickedness, Hypocrisy, Greed, Dishonesty, Lies, Nepotism, Rebellion, Death, factions, witchcraft, Propaganda and racism.

Written by Pastor James Orhin Agyin (j.orhinagyin20@icloud.com)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it” (John 3:16-17).

THE LAST SUPPER (MARK 14)

So, the two disciples went on ahead into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover supper there.

In the evening Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples.  As they were sitting around the table eating, Jesus said, “The truth is, one of you will betray Me, one of you who is here eating with Me.”

Greatly distressed, one by one they began to ask Him, “I’m not the one, am I?”

He replied, “It is one of you twelve, one who is eating with Me now.  For I, the Son of Man, must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago.  But how terrible it will be for My betrayer.  Far better for him if he had never been born!”

As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked God’s blessing on it.  Then He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is My body.”

And He took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it.  He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  And He said to them, “This is My blood, poured out for many, sealing the covenant between God and His people.  I solemnly declare that I will not drink wine again until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

JESUS PRAYS IN GETHSEMANE

And they came to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.”

He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be filled with horror and deep distress.  He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.  Stay here and watch with Me.”

He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting Him might pass him by.

“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for You.  Please take this cup of suffering away from Me.  Yet I want Your will, not Mine.”

Then He returned and found the disciples asleep.

“Simon!” He said to Peter.  “Are you asleep?  Couldn’t you stay awake and watch with Me even one hour?  Keep alert and pray.  Otherwise, temptation will overpower you.  For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak.”

Then Jesus left them again and prayed, repeating His pleadings.

Again, He returned to them and found them sleeping, for they just couldn’t keep their eyes open.  And they didn’t know what to say.  When He returned to them the third time, He said,

“Still sleeping?  Still resting?  Enough!  The time has come.   I, the Son of Man, am betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Up, let’s be going.  See, my betrayer is here!”

JESUS IS BETRAYED AND ARRESTED

And immediately, as He said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a mob that was armed with swords and clubs.  They had been sent out by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law and the other leaders.  Judas had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I go over and give Him the kiss of greeting.  Then you can take Him away under guard.”

As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus.  “Teacher!” he exclaimed, and gave Him the kiss.  Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.  But someone pulled out a sword and slashed off an ear of the high priest’s servant.  Jesus asked them,

“Am I some dangerous criminal, that you come armed with swords and clubs to arrest Me?  Why didn’t you arrest Me in the Temple?  I was there teaching every day.  But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about Me.”

Meanwhile, all His disciples deserted Him and ran away.  There was a young man following along behind, clothed only in a linen nightshirt.  When the mob tried to grab him, they tore off his clothes, but he escaped and ran away naked.

JESUS IS CRUCIFIED (MARK 15)

So, Pilate, anxious to please the crowd, released Barabbas to them.  He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip then turned Him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify Him.  They dressed Him in a purple robe and made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on His head.  Then they saluted, yelling, “Hail! King of the Jews!”  And they beat Him on the head with a stick, spit on Him and dropped to their knees in mock worship.  When they were finally tired of mocking Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes on Him again.  Then they led Him away to be crucified.

A man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the country just then, and they forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.  And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means Skull Hill).  They offered Him wine drugged with myrrh, but He refused it.  Then they nailed Him to the cross.  They gambled for His clothes, throwing dice to decide who would get them.

It was nine o’clock in the morning when the crucifixion took place.  A signboard was fastened to the cross above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against Him.  It read: “The King of the Jews.”  Two criminals were crucified with Him, their crosses on either side of His.  And the people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery.  “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at Him. “You can destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, can you?  Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus.  “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but He can’t save himself!  Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe Him!”  Even the two criminals who were being crucified with Jesus ridiculed Him.

THE DEATH OF JESUS

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.  Then, at that time Jesus called out with a loud voice,

“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought He was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to Him on a stick so he could drink.  “Leave Him alone.  Let’s see whether Elijah will come and take Him down!” he said.

Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed His last.  And the curtain in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.  When the Roman officer who stood facing Him saw how He had died, he exclaimed, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”

Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph) and Salome.  They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for Him while He was in Galilee.  Then they and many other women had come with Him to Jerusalem.

THE BURIAL OF JESUS

This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath.  As evening approached, an honored member of the high council, Joseph from Arimathea (who was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come), gathered his courage and went to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body.  Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman military officer in charge and asked him.  The officer confirmed the fact, and Pilate told Joseph he could have the body.  Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth, and taking Jesus’ body down from the cross, he wrapped it in the cloth and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock.  Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance.  Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.

THE RESURRECTION – JESUS IS RISEN! (MARK 16)

The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus’ body.  Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they came to the tomb.  On the way they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb.  But when they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone – a very large one – had already been rolled aside.  So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white robe.  The women were startled, but the angel said, “Do not be so surprised.  You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn’t here!  He has been raised from the dead!  Look, this is where they laid His body.  Now go and give this message to His disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee.  You will see Him there, just as He told you before He died!”  The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to talk.

It was early on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead, and the first person who saw Him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and found the disciples, who were grieving and weeping.  But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they didn’t believe her.

Afterward He appeared to two who were walking from Jerusalem into the country, but they didn’t recognize Him at first because He had changed His appearance.  When they realized who He was, they rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them. Still later He appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together.  He rebuked them for their unbelief – their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

And then He told them,

“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere.  Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved.  But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.  These signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in My name, and they will speak new languages.  They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them.  They will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them.”

When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.  And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked with them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.

God loves you so much that He sent His son Jesus Christ to die for your sins. After His resurrection and ascension into heaven, He sent His Spirit to live in our lives and empower us to live the abundant life.  But we must personally ask Him into our lives to be our Lord and Savior.  If you are sincere about asking Him into your life, why don’t you pray the suggested prayer below:

(Prayer is talking to God. God knows your heart and is not as concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart.)

Source: Thoughts-about-God.com