Emmanuel Okoro (aka MrLift)

God watches over you  "For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), and His ears are attentive to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who practice evil [to oppose them, to frustrate, and defeat them]. (1Pet.3.12 AMP) This will be a December to remember. This is so because God will watch over you to do you good. Our text says that the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayers.  This December, what are you asking the Lord for? God's ears are attentive to your prayers. Not only in this December but always. Jesus Christ made us understand that God always hears us when we pray. And this is a clarion call for you to ask God for something special this new month of December. "Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You alwa...

Cultivate good  "Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth." (1Pet.3.11 MSB) As part of loving life and seeing good days, we were admonished to refrain our tongue from evil and speaking deceit. Furthermore, verse eleven says we must snub evil, cultivate good, and run after peace.  In the first part, we were refraining but in this other part, we doing something. And what we are to do, much more than snubbing evil, is to cultivate good.  It is said that when we say the grass is greener on the other side, it is because there is a gardener cultivating it. That is to say, nothing good just happens. If it is going to work then we must work it. Cultivate good. That is why having the right heart is important. When your heart is right, your thoughts will be right, and when your thoughts are right your actions will follow. Your heart therefore is the garden where you cultivate good.  "How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?...

Love life and see good days? "For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile" (1Pet.3.10) I love this scripture so much. Love it because it shows us the path to living the good life. He says if one will love life and see good days, one has to refrain one's tongue from evil and one's lips from speaking no guile or deceit or lies.  Our mouth and our heart are connected. Jesus teaches that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.  "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Matt.12.34) If one will refrain from speaking evil, one's heart must first refrain from evil. Jesus asked how can those who are evil speak good things. Right words cannot come out of an evil heart.  There are so many people saying the right thing with the wrong heart. Their lips disagree with their heart. If you desire...

Bless--that's your job, to bless "That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless--that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing." (1Pet.3.9 MSB) No exceptions, no retaliation, and no sharp-tongued sarcasm. These are the flip side of being gracious. You cannot be gracious and critical at the same time. You cannot be a curse and a blessing at the same time. You are called by God to a blessing - that is your job.  It has always been God's intention for us to be a blessing. He told Abraham I will bless you and you will be a blessing. God wants you to be a blessing and to be a blessing you will first be blessed because you cannot give what you do not have. "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the ear...

Expressions of grace "Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble." (1Pet.3.8 MSB) We speak of grace all the time. Grace comes to us in different expressions. In the previous verse, the Apostle Peter speaks of us as being heirs together of the grace of life and shows us in the next verse how we can express this grace.  Be agreeable: some people just want to disagree or have a contrary opinion for the sake of it. The Bible says it is okay to be agreeable. We do not have to agree but we should be agreeable. It diffuses contention and makes for peace.  Be sympathetic: see the needs of others, feel their pain, put yourself in their shoes, and be sympathetic. You may not have a solution for them but let them know that "we are in this together".  Be loving: we know that love is the greatest emotion and giving is the highest expression of love. Be loving - that is be love personified. Let people encounter you and walk away feeling loved...

12 ways to enjoy your husband "When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him - to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband]." (1Pet.3.2 AMP) The relationship between husband and wife is symbiotic. And as they both seek to uphold the sanctity of the marriage union, they grow together.  Here in our text, the Apostle Peter gave a list of twelve powerful words that will help the woman enjoy her marriage. It says if you want to enjoy your husband: 1. Respect him. Some have said that man needs respect than he needs love. Respect your husband. Sarah so respected Abraham that she called him lord. 2.  Dever to him: even when you know what to do, out of the respect you have for I'm, always defer to him.  3. Rever...

Wives, subordinate yourselves "In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives, (1Pet.3.1 AMP) In these days of women's empowerment, women's emancipation, and women's rights, we should not forget the structure God puts in place. No woman should be subjugated, it was always God's plan for a woman to have a place of pride beside her husband.  Here in our text, Peter's instruction was not targeted at every woman in general but at married women specifically. Married women were asked to subordinate themselves to their husbands and not to every Tom, Dick, and Harry. When you hear some men speak, it is as though God instructed every woman to be submissive or subordinate to every man. No! But wives to their own husbands. ...

Cultivate Inner beauty "You were lost sheep with no idea who you were or where you were going. Now you're named and kept for good by the Shepherd of your souls. CULTIVATE INNER BEAUTY (1Pet.2.25 MSB) Whose eyes see inner beauty? If it is inner where the eyes cannot see, how do we know or how can we tell it is beautiful? Our text says we were lost. Were, being the operative word. It says we had no idea who we were and where we were going. These are existential questions - who are you? Why are you here? And, Where are you going? When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, man became lost. He did not only lose his way -where he was going but also who he was. To find where he was going, he had to first find himself.  To find one's self, one has to find one's source and that source is connected to one's name. Hence, it says, "We are named for the good Shepherd. A name not only defines who a person is but also where the person is going.  We were lost but not anymore. On...

By whose stripes ye were healed. "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1Pet.2.24) God wants us to live in health but more importantly to live healthy. A lot of people are not into health, they are into healing. Some of us do not eat right, live right, exercise, rest enough, or sleep enough but want to be healthy.  God wants us to live in righteousness and be dead to sin. Sin is the gateway to sickness, poverty, and death. And the death of Jesus Christ on the cross made provision for us to live in righteousness. The Apostle Paul tells us that the kingdom of God is in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.  When we have done all we are meant to do and sickness comes still, we know it is an oppression from the devil. So Peter tells us that by the stripes of Jesus, we were healed. Not that we are healed, not that we are going to be healed but that we we...

Silence is golden "They called him every name in the book and he said nothing back. He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right." (1Pet.2.23 MSB) Silence is golden so goes the axiom. But you must know what to be silent on. Indeed, you may not be silent when your situations and circumstances speak to you. You must respond.  For example, we saw the Master respond when he was tempted by the devil. He spoke back to the tempter, speaking God's word. "It is written", he said. When the storms rose against him, He spoke peace to it.  "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." (Mark.4.39) But when men reviled him and called him all sorts of names, he did not answer back. Our text says that they called him "every name in the book and he said nothing back". I imagined they called him a bastard but he said nothing back. They called him a glutton, but he sa...

Fellowship of His Suffering "This is the kind of life you've been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step."  (1Pet.2.21 MSB) The Master left many examples for us to follow. He showed us how to heal the sick, taught us how to pray but also left us an example of Suffering. The Apostle Paul calls it the fellowship of His Suffering, and he longed to share in it.  "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;"(Phil.3.10) Our text says we have been invited to the kind of life that Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way and we are invited to share in the suffering  "This suffering is all part of what God has called you to. Christ, who suffered for you, is your example. Follow in his steps." (1Pet.2.21 NLT) It is noteworthy to menti...

Dignify everyone  "Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government." (1Pet.2.17 MSB) The way we treat others is truly a reflection of how we see ourselves. Jesus told us to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. If you do not know how to love yourself, you will find it hard to love others. I have noticed that the promises we make to ourselves are sometimes the hardest to fulfill. This is because we do not have anyone who will be critical of us should we fail to fulfill that promise. But that is where we must start, learn to be true to ourselves. Then and only then can you truly be true to others.  If you learn to treat yourself right, then you can flip that and treat others as you would that they treat you. Most times the reason we do not treat others right is because we do not know how to treat ourselves right.  If you learn to treat people with dignity, they will begin to act out their royalty. Treat everyone you m...

Free slave "You are not slaves; you are free. But your freedom is not an excuse to do evil. You are free to live as God's slaves. (1Pet.2.16 NLT) I have often insisted that one always has options. To choose or not to choose, to be free or not to be free. The concept of freedom is fascinating and so also is that of slavery - that one is one or the other boils down to one's choice.  Our text agrees with me. He says you are not slaves; you are free. And then it concludes, that though one is free, one is only free to live as God's slave.  So if you are free why live as slaves to God? Choice You choose whose slaves you become.  "Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval." (Rom.6.16 NLT) So I insist that I am not a slave to anything or anyone. I am free and I use this freedom as a reason to live as God's slave. To God, I submit my w...

Silence ignorance and foolish men "For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men" (1Pet.2.15) It is said that you do not argue with the one with the experience. Many times we try to shut people off by imposing superior arguments but the more we try the more they persist in their ways. A better way to silence ignorance and foolishness is by doing well- good deeds.  We cannot overemphasize the impact of exposing someone to good deeds consistently. When a person does wrong, instead of criticizing and punishing them, they are forgiven. There is something that does to them.  Jesus showed this to us. Instead of the punishment we deserved, Christ died for us. So the Apostle Peter says the way to silence ignorance and foolish men is by doing well. More like, action speaking better than words. Some will criticize you and your faith, your good deeds will be more effective in silencing them than many grammars. Peter says for this is t...

Good citizens  "Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; (1Pet.2.13 MSB) There is a recurring statement that you hear now and then and that is "The problem with Nigeria is ..." And the person goes ahead and states what the person thinks the problem with Nigeria is. It appears the challenges that Nigeria faces have made experts out of Nigerians on how to identify problems but ignorant at proffering solutions to the identified problems.  I think the solution to Nigeria's problem may not be unconnected with good citizenship or the lack thereof. The good poet in his poem, "The Leader and the Led" talks about the "Followers mindful of their right to lead” Our text says "Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens". Be it the leader or the led, they are both citizens and if both commit to making the Master proud, our long-lost solution would have been found. When we all ...

Your ego or your soul? "Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul." (1Pet.2.11 MSB) The singer Jim Reeves got it right when he sang, "This world is not my home". And that is what our text affirms today. Indeed, we do not want to be too heaven-conscious that we are of no earthly good but our text is plain, that this world as we know it is not our home.  As a result, it says do not make yourself cozy in it. I like the way another translation puts it,  it say "I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls."( 1Pet.2.11 NLT)  The Apostle Peter says "Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul."  Jesus asked a pertinent question, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark.8.36) Whatever you do here i...

You are chosen (Part 2) "But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you" (1Pet.2.9 MSB) Jesus told his disciples that he had chosen them and by extension chosen you. (see John:15:16) And in our text the Apostle Peter gave five reasons why we were chosen. We've looked at two, here are the remaining three: 3. God's instruments to do his work. God chose you the way you are but love you enough to make you an instrument in His hand to do good works.  "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."(Eph.2.10) 4. Speak out for him: What are we to say for God? To reconcile the word back to God. "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto t...

You are chosen (Part 1) "But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you" (1Pet.2.9 MSB) You are chosen by God. God chose you irrespective of your shortcomings. He chose you the way you are but love you enough not to leave you that way.  There are at least five reasons shown in the text why God chose you. We will look at the first two today: 1. God chose you so that you will carry out the high calling of priestly work. The priest is an intermediary, one who stands between  God and His worshippers.  "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation....

Why people stumble "And the Scriptures also say, "He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that will make them fall." They stumble because they do not listen to God's word or obey it, and so they meet the fate that has been planned for them. (1Pet.2.8 NLT) This passage is not saying that Jesus is a stumbling block as some would think. Jesus said that when a man walks in the light he does not stumble but if he walks in darkness, he stumbles  "Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him." (John.11.9 - 10) So according to Jesus Christ, the reason people stumble is because they don't have light or because they are walking in darkness.  Peter agrees when he says "They stumble because they do not listen to God's word or obey it". Peter says the way we get ligh...

We have not believed unto shame "For thus it stands in Scripture: Behold, I am laying in Zion a chosen (honored), precious chief Cornerstone, and he who believes in Him [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] shall never be disappointed or put to shame." (1Pet.2.6 AMP) It will work out for your good and not for your shame. Don't take my word for it. It is written. It says "For thus it stands in Scripture...." It is written. And I like that it is written. I am reminded of the inscription that was placed on the cross after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  "And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answe...

Come to Christ Jesus  Come to Him [then, to that] Living Stone which men tried and threw away, but which is chosen [and] precious in God's sight. (1Pet.2.4 AMP) I employ you to come to Christ no matter what you are going through and I guarantee that he will understand you but much more, he will come through for you.  The Bible says he is the Living Stone which men tried and threw away. This is huge. Christ was tried by men and was found wanting and had to be thrown away. If Christ was judged unqualified, do you think you would be qualified according to the standard of men? Men will try and disqualify you but that is the more reason to come to Christ. People will speak against you, say all sorts but Christ will accept you irrespective of.  This Living Stone that men "took one look at and threw away, was chosen and precious in God's sight. Could that be your pointer? That when men reject you, God accepts you? If you are still in doubt, see the way the Apostle Paul puts it: ...