Verify Podcast: Recent Episodes
Isioma Dogo
Verify Podcast places popular Christian beliefs and teachings, under the lens of the bible. It is anchored on the behaviour of the Berean Jews, whose insistence on confirming the words they heard, led to the salvation of many (Acts 17:11-12). The podcast also helps you learn what makes Christianity stand out among other world views, so that you can give answers to the reason for your hope (1 Peter 3:15).
Have you ever pondered on the difficult topic ofslavery in the bible? Listen in as I share some thoughts, on the latest episode of Verify Podcast.
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Did the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, guarantee alife of luxury for Jesus? What does the bible say and does it matter what we believe?
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In January 2024, I watched a documentary about a popular Nigerian preacher. The documentary which alleged that the preacher severely abused several of his former members, generated a lot of opinions among Christians across the world. Some said the documentary was an attack on the body of Christ... but was it?
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Is it arrogance to say that the Christian way is right?
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Preachers of Another Jesus and Another Gospel. They were there in bible times and they are here with us today. Please listen.
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Is there a contradiction in Matthew 7 about judging others?
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Was the story of Jesus copied from the lives of Krishna, Buddha and other religious figures from other ancient religions?
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Poverty or riches? Which one leads to sin?
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In a world of diverse beliefs, what should be our attitude when dealing with people of other faiths and religious viewpoints?
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I have met people, including professing Christians, who think that thebible is an out-dated, illogical book, which goes totally against science and common sense. They believe that science contradicts the bible, and because of this, they have no confidence in it.
Maybe you or someone you know, thinks this way, but what if I told you that there are several precise ways in which science aligns with the bible? Contrary to the belief that science and the bible disagree, the bible contains factswhich bible authors had no way of knowing, at the time the scriptures werewritten, and which no one knew for sure to be true, until modern science camealong. Stay with me for a few minutes, let me point out just a few.
In Job 38:16, the bible talksabout ‘Springs of the Sea’. Scientists use this term to describe hot springswhich lie at the bottom of the sea. This phenomenon was first discovered in1977 off the coast of Ecuador. Now my question is, how would the bible writershave known about springs, deep at the bottom of the ocean floor, centuriesbefore they were discovered, using sophisticated modern scientific equipment? How could the bible foresee so accurately, what modernscience confirms today?
In Amos 9:6, and Job 36:27-28, the bible describes evaporation,condensation and precipitation; what we know today as the water cycle. Yet, thewater cycle was not fully understood by scientists until the 16thcentury. How could the bible writers, thousands of years before, have understoodthe invisible process of water rising from a lake and going up to the sky,before falling as rain?
What about thestars? The bible in Jeremiah 33:22, tells us that the stars are uncountable. Yetall through history and even until the 17th century, men believedthe stars could be counted, and several prominent astronomers, gave figures ofhow many stars, they thought were in the skies. Today, however, modern science agreeswith the bible, that there are more stars than we can count, and someastronomers even claim that there are no less than a quadrillion stars, that is1 with 23 zeros behind it! Amazing!
Still on the matter of stars, Job chapter 9 verse 9,and chapter 38 verse 31-32, mention and accurately describe some aspects of thenature of several stars and constellations. 1 Cor 15:41, also tells us thatevery star is unique, and all these have been confirmed by astronomers, but howwould the writer of the book of Job have known these details without telescopesand modern equipment?
If you still think all this is mere coincidence,come with me for a minute, let’s look atcircumcision. In Gen 17:12, God commanded His people to circumcise the malechildren on the eighth day. Now listen to this, modern medicine now understandsthat one of the most active agents involved in blood clotting, is notsufficient in an infant’s body until….. you guessed right, until about theeighth day of life! So this apparently simple instruction from God to Abraham,was precise, in order to prevent excessive bleeding during the circumcision of new-borns.Isn’t that just remarkable?
Theseare just a few of several instances where the writers of the bible, a seeminglyprimitive book, turned out to be scientifically accurate.
Now, I am very well aware that there are things inthe bible which do not appear to line up with science, and it could befor one of two reasons. It could either be because of a faultyunderstanding or interpretation of the bible, or it could be because of a faultyunderstanding or interpretation of science, such as I mentioned earlier, wherescientists initially and erroneously believed that starswere countable.
Scientists acknowledge that scientific theories canchange, as new evidence is uncovered, and by this, Iam reminded that science is a tool in God’s hand, a powerful one,but also a limited one. So while I am thrilled by these obvious parallelsbetween scienceand
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Have you heard people say that monogamy is unnatural, and that the Bible endorses polygamy for Christian men today? I have heard many comments like that over the years, and I thought it was just a few isolated personal opinions, until I heard that there are pastors now preaching this. Now let’s see if the bible backs it up.
Very early in the bible in Gen 2:24, we see the scripture, “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This clearly monogamous arrangement was entirely God’s idea and original plan. If monogamy was abnormal and against nature as some claim, don’t you think God would have made it crystal clear from the get go? I mean, this was the perfect opportunity to make His point right?
Anyway, fast forward down the line, polygamy became acceptable and robustly practiced. But check this out; Years later, when Jesus came along, he defined marriage in Mark 10:7-8. He said “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one”. Do you know what Jesus did there? In defining marriage, do you know where He quotes from? He quotes word for word, from the book of beginnings, the book of Genesis. By doing this, he was telling us that this was God’s intention for marriage from the beginning of time, and more than that, He was telling us that He was in agreement with it! How do I know this? Because Jesus and the apostles kept using the singular of husband and wife, throughout the New Testament, in their description of Christian marriage. Not once was a singular ‘husband’ mentioned with ‘wives’, and this happened at least 40 times in the New Testament.
Eph 5:25 says “Love your WIFE as Christ loved the church.” 1 Corinthians 7:2, says “But since there is so much immorality, Let every MAN have his own wife. Several dozen other different instructions to Christian couples, and all, strictly talking monogamy.
Now, some say well, there’s no direct command in the New Testament against polygamy, and so, Jesus would have been fine with it. There’s no direct command against pornography in the bible either, or sexual abuse of children; there’s no direct command against that. But if the principles of the bible prohibit something, do we need a direct commandment, a thou shalt not, before we adhere?
That polygamy was accepted in the Old Testament is not in doubt. But to prove that it is an acceptable lifestyle for a Christian today, one will have to ignore the fact that Jesus and in fact the entire New Testament, did not record one word in support of polygamy, but rather consistently promoted monogamy. To make a case for polygamy in the New Testament, one will have to twist several words in several passages, for example bride would turn to brides, wife to wives, and so on. The thing is, however, when we twist scripture, it’s not a joke. God takes it quite seriously. We may think we have succeeded in getting scripture to mean what we want, but instead, what anyone who twists scripture does is that they set themselves up for destruction (2 Peter 3:16).
Some, in support of polygamy for Christians say, hey, if David and Solomon did it, then I can too. The thing however, is that unlike you and I, David and Solomon, were not Christians! Why would we think they should be our standard against that which Christ Himself set? Anything we emulate from them, and there are many things to emulate, but anything we do emulate, must rhyme with our Christian standards. We should copy the Old Testament and anything or anyone for that matter, only to the extent that they emulate Christ (1 Cor 11:1).
I realise that no matter how clear an issue is, words alone cannot change a man’s heart, only the Holy Spirit can. Therefore I pray that beyond the words of this episode, my heart and the heart of every listener will be flooded with light, so that we, who name the name of Christ, receive grace to
On more than one occasion, I’ve heard people imply that the study of the bible is an academic activity best left for those in seminaries and bible schools and that expecting every Christian to study their bible is unrealistic, especially with busy schedules and deadlines, and yes, in our fast paced world, there’s often little time for anything that isn’t priority… but then that’s the thing; To a Christian, isn’t the matter of our faith, priority?
There’s a story in 2 kings 22 (it’s repeated in 2 Chronicles 34 as well). The story is of an Israelite King named Josiah. Even though Josiah was righteous, he was king at one of the times when the people of Israel as a nation had fallen deep into idolatry and departed far from God’s intentions for them, choosing instead, to copy the abominable practices and cultures of surrounding nations. One day, King Josiah asked his subjects to renovate the temple which had fallen into disrepair. In the process of preparing to do the job, they stumbled on the scriptures in the temple. They took their find to the king and when the scriptures were opened and read to him, he tore his clothes in despair. Why? Because he suddenly realised that what they had been doing, the way they had been living as a people, was worlds apart from what God had directed in His word. King Josiah realised the difference between what was, and what ought to be, and this led to repentance and unprecedented revival in the land of Israel.
Today, like in the days of King Josiah, many Christian lives are governed by modern forms of idolatry; by unashamed obsession with self and substance. To many, contentment is dead and material things have become idols to be obtained at all costs, yet, the bible addresses this so clearly in Col 3:5b where it says “Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world”.
Today, like in the days of King Josiah, many Christians choose what is popular and current, over what is scriptural and believe it doesn’t matter, yet Rom 12:2 says we should not copy the behaviour and customs of this world.
In King Josiah’s day, the scriptures were kept in the temple and read aloud from time to time. Today however, we are called to have a more personal relationship with scripture (2 Tim 2:15). If we are to live lives that honour our maker, we must constantly check to see if what we endorse and the values we live by, are compatible with scripture. If we will please God, then reverting to scripture should be our default setting. There’s simply no other way.
I pray for myself and you my listener, that we will always see the necessity to open up the scriptures. That none of our life choices, whether lofty or little, will escape the light that the entrance of God’s word brings. And that as we defer to the prescriptions of scripture, we will experience liberation, revival and life. I pray in Jesus name, amen.
So the bible says that Christ is the only way to everlasting life andthere is no other name by which men can be saved (Acts 4:12). Now, I’ve heardsome sceptics say that the God of the bible must then be unkind and extremely unfair,to judge everyone based on their acceptance of Christ, without caring thatthere were some who lived before Christ came to the world.
Frankly, I have thought of this many times myself. I have wondered aboutthe fate of people who lived before Christ was born; People who never heardabout Christ in their lifetimes, and so could never have received Him. Whatbecomes of them? Are they all condemned to hell automatically?
Rom 1: 19-20, lets us know that through theearth, the sky and indeed, all of creation, God has surrounded us with evidenceof Himself and so, no one can give an excuse for not knowing God. He has provedHis existence to mankind, such that just by observing the intricacies of God’s creation,even the earliest of men, would have known that there is a God behind it all. Rom1: 18, however, also lets us know that even in the midst of this evidenceprovided by God, some choose to suppress and ignore this truth about God,thereby rejecting it.
Now we may askquestions about the fate of people who lived before Christ wasborn, whereas, the reality is that Christ was right there from the beginning oftime. What do I mean? The bible says in the beginning was the word and the wordwas with God and the word was God. (John 1:1). And just in case you’re still wonderingwho the word is, John 1:14 tells us that the word who was with God in thebeginning, became flesh and dwelt among us. This means that Jesus was there inthe beginning, thousands of years before He was born on earth, and beforeanyone on earth ever existed. And since Jesus is God, any ancient man or womanwho received a revelation of the existence of the one true God by faith, anddid not suppress or ignore the truth they had received about God, were saved.
Abel andNoah, some of the bible’s earliest humans, are good examples of this. They livedthousands of years before Christ came and never knew him physically, but Hebrews11:4-7 describes them as people of righteousness and faith, because theyrecognised that there was a creator and worshipped the one true God.
Christ may have showed up on earth only 2000 years ago, but in reality, Hehas been there since the beginning of time, slain before the foundations of theworld! (Rev 13:8). He died for all sins, not just for us today, but once forall time, to take away the sins of many (Heb 9:28), and through Him, those evenin ancient times, who put their faith in God, were saved by Him. God thoughtthis through and sorted it out; put things in place, way ahead of time, and thefact that He is a thoughtful, just, deliberate and intentional God, can neverever be overemphasized.
I pray today, O Lord, that You will help us to believe Your word overthe pronouncements of critics. Help us to see more clearly, not only that Jesusis the only way to eternal life, but that Jesus has been here all along. Helpus to see not just that You are a master planner, but that You are perfectlykind and just, and help us never to take this for granted, in Jesus name, Amen.
As I put together today’sepisode, I remembered how, many years ago, I was going out with a group to talkto people in the neighbourhood about Christ. The leader of our group asked usspecifically, not to mention anything about hell or judgement, as we approachedpeople to preach to them, so as not to make them uncomfortable and you know, jeopardizeour mission. He asked us to just invite them to church. But then, I noticedthat even in church, one could go years and years, without hearing anythingrelated to eternal judgement. Now I’m sure you’re wondering, well who cares? Thetopic of hell is not a particularly cheery one anyway! And yes, I agree.
But not talking about it isproblematic on at least two levels. Firstly because, at everychurch service, there is a mixed multitude, consisting of many who do not knowChrist, and are headed for hell, by default. And secondly, there are people whonow teach that Jesus is too loving to condemn anyone to hell for eternity, andthat all of mankind will somehow be saved in the end, whether or not theyrejected Christ in their lifetimes. This teaching is called Universalism, and interestingly,those who preach it try to use the bible to prove it,taking scripture in isolation and out of context, in an attempt to force it to meanwhat they want. For example, Universalists use as one of their proof texts, 1Tim2:4,which says that it is God’s desire for all men to be saved. They emphasize thewords ALL MEN, as proof that all will be saved, yet totally ignore the numerous portions ofscripture that declare that all who reject Jesus, enter into eternaldamnation.
The scarypart though, is that many are believing this narration that both those who rejectChrist and those who accept Him will be in heaven in the end; many who sit inchurches where little or no mention is made about this.
Jesustook a different approach to this topic. He talked often about hell andjudgement. Remember the parable of separating the chaff from wheat? (Mat 3:12and Mat 13:30), separating the goats from sheep? (Mat 25:31-46), and separatingthe bad fish from the good ones (Mat 13:47-50). Jesus thought it was importantto repeatedly mention the eternal consequences of rejecting His message. Infact, theologians say that He talked about hell and judgement, more than anyoneelse in the bible. He wasn’t worried that his teachings about hell would scarepeople away from believing in Him.
Jesus spoke of hell, but Healso spoke of the Kingdom of heaven and if we believe his words about heaven,then we certainly should believe his words about hell. If universalism is true,then it means Jesus sacrifice on the cross was of no use. It means in His manysermons and parables on eternal condemnation, He lied or exaggerated; and as itis said in Rom 3:4, let God alone be true though every man be a liar.
It is my prayer that God willgive Christian leaders, the sincerity and boldness to preach the whole counselof God. May God grant us understanding on Christ’s teachings about eternaljudgement, so that they never fill us with fear, but only the joy of what wehave been saved from, if we are in Him. For all the precious souls who havebought into the lie that a life without Christ will still somehow lead toparadise, may God’s word bring light and deliverance to them, in Jesus name Ipray, amen.
I heard aprominent, internationally renowned preacher declare that he, his listeners andby inference, all believers, are equal to God. He based this on the scripture that says “Letthis mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form ofGod, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” Now let’s takea moment to read the scripture from which the preacher deduced that believersmust not think it as robbery to be equal to God. Phil 2:5-8 says “Let this mind be in you, which wasalso in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery tobe equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him theform of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found infashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even thedeath of the cross.” I just read from the King James Version, butearlier, I had to read it in other versions, to understand it better. In anutshell, that portion of scripture talks about how Christians should have thehumility of Christ, who even though He was equal with God, relinquished hishigh position, to become a servant and ultimately die on the cross for us.
So how does this scripturewhich talks about having this attitude of humility which Christ had, suddenlybecome twisted to mean something quite the opposite; that believers are equalwith God?
The sad part of this is thatthis is not a stand-alone teaching. There are many such teachings from the samepreacher and others, in which scripture is cleverly stretched and twisted, inan attempt to get it to mean what it does not say, and many times, the motiveis to unduly elevate man beyond the level which the bible does.
Now, please don’t get mewrong, the bible does teach that we are made in God’s image, seated with Christin heavenly places, that we are in Christ and Christ is also in us. All that isindisputable, and praise God for that, because if not, none of us would haveany place in God. But nowhere does it state that humans are equal with God. Infact, on the contrary, Isaiah 46:5 calls God the one who has no equal.
From2 Cor 4:2, we see that believers have the responsibility of refusing to distortthe word of God or handle it deceitfully. We are to correctly explain the wordof truth (2 Tim 2:15). No matter how prominent a preacher is, it is for ourgood, that we submit all that we hear to the scrutiny of God’s word.
May God helpus to put every teaching to the test,including those of preachers who are highly admired and respected. May wealways esteem the sacredness of God’s word, higher than the opinions of ourmost loved preachers, in Jesus name, amen.
Have you met someone who is so weighed downby their flaws and inadequacies that they feel disqualified? Someone whose pastis stopping them from pursuing a more intimate relationship with God? Have youmet someone like that? Or is that someone, you?
Many timesin the bible, those were just the kinds of people God used for spectacularthings. The weak, thedespised, the least likely; those were the ones He used to carry out his plans.Gideon was fearfuland insecure, the smallest in his family, yet the Angel of the Lord called him amighty man of valour and he was chosen to judge Israel (Judges 6:12-15). Moses was astammerer and didn’t have much confidence in himself, but God appointed him to delivera nation (Exodus 3:10-11&4:10). David was the last born of his father’ssons, yet it was he, who was chosen to be king (1 Sam 16:11). It wasn’t acoincidence that God sometimes by- passed first borns and used people likeJacob (Rom 9:12). Imagine the shame that came with the prolonged barrenness ofHannah and Elizabeth, yet He brought great prophets out of their barren wombs.
Even when theperson’s sin was the problem, it didn’t stop God from using those whoencountered and yielded to him. Look at Apostle Paul, who viciously opposedChristians (Acts 26:10), yet God used him to write several books of the bible.See the woman at the well. Her private life was in disarray, yet Christ usedher to draw many to Himself (John 4:39). Rahab was a prostitute and Ruth was initiallyan idol worshipper. Ordinarily,they shouldn’t measure up, but these women yielded to God and He put them among theancestors of the Messiah (Matthew 1:5).
Even today, among the flawed, that’s you and I, Godlooks for yielded hearts to use. How do I know this? Hebrews 12:1 encouragesthe believer to strip off every weight that slows us down, and run the race Godhas set before us. So you and I may not look like the perfect candidatesbecause of where we’re coming from, but thank God for 2 Cor 12:9 which says thatHis power is made perfect in weakness. We are not disqualified because God sees usbeyond our deficiencies, and is willing to work with us, regardless, if we arewilling to submit to Him.
May yesterday’s mistakes, weaknesses andinadequacies, never stop us from pressing in to be all that God has called usto be, in Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Almost everyday, I find people in the social media space who are completely disenchantedwith Christianity. I know some personally, who years after, are still bitter aboutexperiences with abuse and falsehood they saw and suffered in church. Manytimes, these are valid feelings, borne out of real and painful experiences. Asmuch as one would want to wish it all away, the sad fact remains that lies,manipulation and abuse sometimes happen in Christian gatherings and this turns peopleaway from church and from God.
One thing Ilove about the bible though, is that the bible is very real. Without anysugar-coating, the bible lets us know before hand, that all this would happen.The bible lets us know that not everyone in a Christian gathering is there withgenuine intentions (Gal 2:4); that people can preach Christ for the wrongreasons (Phil 1:17); that there are men who claim to be believers and are not(2 Cor 11:26); that there will be fake prophets performing signs and wonders(Mark 13:22), that there will be false teachers among believers (2 Peter 2:1).Beyond all of this, the church is made up of flawed and imperfect people likeyou and I, who even with the best of intentions, will make mistakes and offendeach other sometimes.
So as sad asit is, what some have been through in church, let’s not blame God or run awayfrom Him, because of the actions of men; actions which God knew and warned, allalong, would happen. If you my listener, are one of those who have been hurt, pleasedon’t run from Him; Your fight is not with God; rather, take your fight to Him.Jesus surely will understand you. He faced a similar temptation when He wasmaltreated by people in the religious circle of his day. Surely, we can approachHim boldly, when we too are hurting (Heb 4:16).
May everyonewho is hurting, who was been wronged, receive justice and restoration. May God healevery hurt and bind every wound. May mercy and forgiveness prevail. Where thechurch is lacking, may the fear of God return and may the church arise in lovetowards each other, for as it is written in John 13:35, it is by this love thatChrist says all will know that we are His.
HappyEaster to everyone listening in. At Easter, we celebrate the foundation of ourfaith, because as 1 Cor15:14 puts it, without the resurrection, our faith isuseless. So we give God praise for the gift of the resurrection.
Speakingof gifts, I’ve heardof several instances where people sowed as seeds in church, their family housesor cars; things that did not solely belong to them to begin with. In each ofthe instances that I know of, these acts led to awkward and embarrassing situations,where the rest of the family discovered what had happened, and demanded theproperty back.
Now, I believe totally that generous givingof money and other resources, in and outside of church, is a posture every truebeliever should assume because according to Heb13:16, that iswhat pleases God. Also, from examples like that of the Widow in Mark 12:44, there’s definitely every indication that God applauds sacrificialgiving.
However, Apostle Paul gave advice to the believers of his day, whichhas turned out to be very relevant, many centuries down the line. In 2 Cor 8:12,he writes that one should give according to what hehas, not what he doesn't have. In verses 2-4 of 2 Cor 8, he applaudedthe Macedonian Christians, who even though they were poor, gave sacrificially. Interestingly,even in the Old Testament, the Israelites were instructed to give according towhat God had blessed them with (Deut 16:17).
Weshould never be compelled to put in the offering basket, what is not ours, simplyfor the sake of sowing a big seed. Our giving should be bountiful and cheerful,at the level where we are, and out of what God has given us, and veryimportantly, it must never ever be under compulsion (2 Cor. 9:7). God doesn’tcompare our seeds with those of the next person. He looks at your giving, basedon what you have. That’s why the widow, who gave her two small copper coins, inthe eyes of Jesus, gave more than the many rich people who had put in largesums (Mark 12: 41-44)!
May God grant us grace to always give as thebible says we should, so that our gifts both in and outside of church, will behonourable and acceptable to Him always, in Jesus name we pray, amen.
In this week’s episode, we will be buildingon a few points raised from last week. So if you haven’t listened to theAfrican Christian part 1, this is a good time to do so.
The relationship between Africa and the Bibledid not start with colonialism, but is as old as the bible itself. Africans lived among the Israelites in bible times andwere some of Christianity’s earliest worshippers and theologians.Interestingly, the bible contains over a thousand references to Africaor Africans! For example, Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus to carry his crossin Matthew 27:32, was from present dayLibya. Apollos in Acts 18:24, wasEgyptian. The Eunuch in Acts 8:26-40, and ProphetZephaniah, were from the region around present daySudan (See Zeph 1:1).Acts 2:10 lets us know that some of those who witnessed what happened in theupper room on the day of Pentecost, were Africans! And there are so many moreexamples like these, scattered across scripture.
Unfortunately, 1500 years after Christ, the missionaryactivity that came with colonialism in Africa, sometimes appeared to camouflagethe inhumane exploitation which was unleashed almost concurrently on theindigenous people. Of course, I could never belittle the sterling foundationslaid by Christian missionaries in the areas of healthcare and education, or thework of heroic missionaries like Mary Slessor, who is still remembered andrespected in Nigeria and across the world today. Sadly however, there wereareas where for monetary gain, the missionary activity on ground, tolerated, supportedand even benefitted from the mistreatment of the indigenous people.
But this should not come as a shock to us, or turn our hearts away fromthe gospel. Apostle Paul kind of prepares us for this when he lets us know inPhillipians 1:15-17, that the gospel can be preached with selfish ambitions,and just as the gospel can be preached in truth, it can also be preached inpretence. We must realise that not everything that has ever been done in thename of God, was sanctioned by God.
About Africanshaving their indigenous religions before taking up Christianity, guess what? Joshua24:2b lets us know that the Jews also had their own indigenous religion beforeGod spoke to Abraham to come out of it. But upon calling Abraham out of idolatry, Godmakes it clear that even though His message comes to and through the nation ofIsrael, His target is ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD (See Gen 12:3b and Gen22:18). The message of the bible therefore, is notEuropean, it is universal. Christ died to save all ofmankind (1 John 2:2) and as long as you and I are part of mankind, then wequalify! So yes, I am African, but Christ saysHe died for me as well, He says I’m included, and that’s good enough for me!
May the understanding from Rev 5:9, thatChrist is called to every tribe, tongue and nation, be impressed in our hearts,today and always, amen.
Hello and welcome back to a brand new season of Verify Podcast! Today’s episode may seem tailor made for our listeners from Africa, but if you’re listening from some other part of the world, I’m quite sure you’ll be able to relate, so please stay tuned.
So I’ve heard professing Christians contemplate on how our indigenous African Traditional Religion was working just fine for us before the Europeans introduced Christianity to the continent. I’ve heard many describe African Christians as illogical and hypocritical for abandoning their own functional religious system, to practice the religion of the colonisers who enslaved our people. I see Christians sharing and promoting these messages, about how we should all return to our religious roots, so I know that it is appealing to a growing number of people.
Let me say first of all, that Christianity is not a European religion! It was not brought to Africa by European colonisers, rather it spread into Africa, less than 50 years after the death of Christ, just as it was spreading to Europe and other parts of the world! Mark, one of the writers of the New Testament, spent many years in Egypt as a missionary, spreading the gospel. Other early African churches were also set up in Ethiopia, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania and Sudan, within a few centuries after the death of Christ, and about a thousand years before the Europeans showed up in Africa. Also, some of the earliest theologians and fathers of the Christian church such as Cyprian of Carthage and Augustine of Hippo, were African! So Christianity was not introduced to Africa by the Europeans.
It’s true that many years down the line, and most unfortunately, Christianity was sometimes used as bait by colonialists, to whitewash and justify the atrocities of imperialism. I will talk more about this in next week’s episode.
But beyond all this, a few weeks ago, I was going through the book of Leviticus. Leviticus gives detailed instructions of how the ancient Israelites were to perform sacrifices to God. It narrates procedures and directives, some, very odd, to be honest. For example, there were specific guidelines on how, and on which parts of the altar, animals were to be dissected for sacrifice. The instructions were numerous and the sacrifices had to be done precisely, or there would be consequences.
I read all these and then it crossed my mind, that these sacrifices and rules described in Leviticus were similar to traditional rites that are still carried out in many parts of Africa, where different deities require different sacrifices, and bringing the wrong sacrifice or what is considered taboo, could result in dire consequences. As I thought of the tediousness of all this, quite honestly, a strong wave of relief washed over me. Relief that I do not have to take animals to a priest; Relief that I can come to God directly; Relief that I do not need to provide my own sacrifice, or shed human or animal blood, to have fellowship and communion with God.
I’m grateful that because of Christ’s sacrifice and His resurrection, ONCE AND FOR ALL, no more blood needs to be shed for protection or salvation, and to me, that is a better option that I would choose all day, every day. It is an option that I could never exchange for any other!
So when next we are challenged about the legitimacy of our lives as African Christians, may God help us to see right through every carnal suggestion. May our faith in the sinless spotless lamb who came to give His life as ransom for many as written in Mark 10:45, remain resolute and unshakeable, in Jesus name, amen!
In 2019, I developed severe medical complications during the birth of my child. I was not expected to survive the ordeal and at several points that year, I was called a medical miracle. 2 years ago, Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), did an interview of my family and I, which has just been released and is currently showing on about 200 TV stations across Africa and the world. Please listen and share this, to encourage, to revive and to remind someone that God still works miracles.
You can also watch the full episode on Turning Point International: https://www.cbneurope.com/tv-show/tpi/?playlistVideoId=6318140148112
"Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the LORD..." Psalm 102:18.
Before I go into today’s episode, I will like to announce that this is the last episode of the first season of Verify Podcast. After today’s episode, I will be taking a break for a few weeks, after which I will be back for a second season. During the break, I will share a video or two and I pray that they will keep our minds occupied with thoughts of God’s greatness. Also, please feel free to listen to old episodes and beyond just listening, verify all that you hear. Now to today’s episode.
Have you ever met a person who was sceptical about miracles? I have met several people like that, and truthfully, one of them, was me. Let me explain. For many years after I got married, I couldn’t get pregnant. I went through many phases of trying, praying, hoping and believing, and then I got to a point where I just grew tired. Tired of hoping; tired of believing; I was weary. Prov 13:12 says that hope deferred makes the heart sick. Perfect description of me at that point. And please don’t get me wrong, I still totally believed in God, but I just didn’t want to hear anything about miracles. This went on for a while, maybe a few months or so and one day, it suddenly struck me that a part of me had become numb. I had become cynical about something God Himself ordained and performed many times in scripture. I remember vividly, the moment I broke down in tears, asking God to forgive me for the posture I had assumed. I could literally feel God heal my heart and turn the walls of stone, back to flesh. Thank God for mercy!
Several years down the line, I personally experienced a series of events that science cannot explain. Yes, even science acknowledges that there are situations that science cannot explain. In 2019, I heard doctors call me a Medical Miracle, and several times that year, I was given only a few hours to live, but each time, I stayed alive.
But this is just my experience. More importantly, what does the bible have to say about miracles? In Jonah 1:5&16 and Exodus 8:19, we see how an encounter with the miraculous, can cause unbelieving onlookers to acknowledge the God of heaven. In John 20:31 and Mark 16:20, we see that God used signs to confirm the message of Jesus, and to get people to believe. God also used situations like the healing of the blind man and the raising of Lazarus, as signposts to draw attention to Himself and to showcase the glory of God (See John 9:3 and John 11:4). Miracles are therefore, signposts to a greater work, and not an end in themselves. It is very important to understand this.
Now, I know that miracles can be faked or counterfeited. The bible mentions this in 2 Thes 2:9 and Rev 16:14 a. This is why it’s crucial to understand that a true miracle is never an end in itself. The end of every genuine miracle is God and Him glorified. But do true miracles still happen today? Absolutely!!
In the coming days, I will share a video relating to today’s episode, but in the meantime, I pray that God will grant the desires of all those trusting Him for a miracle. I pray also that just as He convicted me about my attitude, that He will open the eyes of all those who despise the miraculous, to understand that He still does incredible things, in Jesus name, Amen.
In Episode 21, I spoke about how not everything written in the bible is an example of what to do. Some are examples of what not to do. How do I know this? Because according to 2 Tim 3:16, one of the reasons God gave us the bible is for correction! 1 Cor 10:6&11, also explain that some narratives serve as warnings to us.
Just for an example, in 2 Kings 3:27, a king sacrifices his oldest son in the heat of battle, and the tides turn in his favour. Does the mention of this story indicate an endorsement of it? It was described, but is it prescribed?
2 Tim 3:16 talks about the bible being useful for doctrine, reproof, correction and teaching. It means that some parts of the bible will be useful for doctrine, some for reproof , some for correction and some for teaching. As Christians, we must be able to discern which is which, or we will end up with many strange and false doctrines from stories that were simply described to us, but never prescribed.
Concerning polygamy, there are many examples of its practice across scripture by some who were very dear to God’s heart, many great men, used mightily of God; and this was the argument of someone who engaged me on this issue a few years ago. His insistence on polygamy being ok for Christians today, drove me to search the bible and I realised that Jesus and his apostles, kept using the singular of husband and wife in their speeches. Not once was the word ‘husband’ mentioned with ‘wives’, throughout the New Testament. Jesus’s words in Mark 10:6-9, provide one such example. Now, this happened at least 40 times in the New Testament. 40 different instructions to New Testament couples, and all, strictly talking monogamy. It was no mistake or coincidence. The New Testament did not record a single word in support of polygamy, but rather consistently promoted monogamy. What does that tell us?
Remember also, that even in the Old Testament, there were warnings about polygamy for kings (Deut 17:17) and several examples of its drawbacks, even in the lives of men of great faith, courage and wisdom such as in 1 Kings 11:3-4.
It’s always important to find out the context in which narratives were made and the overall stance of both the Old and the New Testament on any matter, before building our convictions around it.
May God’s word dwell richly in you and I, that we may know it for ourselves and also understand, preach and practise it the way He intends for us to, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Several times, I’ve heard people joke about emulating David and Solomon in the bible, who both had several wives and concubines in their lifetimes. They say that if those bible characters were allowed to, then it’s ok for us today. I have also met some professing Christians, for whom this is not a joke at all; who have argued quite seriously and passionately in favour of polygamy for Christians today. Now here’s the thing. The Bible contains stories about so many things including human sacrifice, slave trade, homosexuality, incest and so on. Because all these are mentioned in the Bible, does it make them acceptable practices for Christians today?
Now, the bible says in 2 Tim 3:16 that all of scripture is useful. All things mentioned in the bible are useful in one way or the other, and there are lessons to be learnt from every bit of scripture.
However, some of the accounts in the bible are descriptive. This means that they simply narrate an event. Other portions of scripture are prescriptive, indicative of instruction, and some portions are both descriptive and prescriptive. In order to understand the bible effectively, we must recognise that descriptive texts are not always prescriptive. To differentiate between the two, we must always read scripture in context, make comparisons with other related scripture, and use scripture to interpret scripture, with God’s help.
In subsequent episodes, I will mention some examples of prescriptive and descriptive texts, but for today, I pray that God will fill us with a desire, not just to read the word of truth, but to study, rightly divide and correctly handle it, in Jesus name, Amen.
Someone once told me he does not make any serious life or family decisions, without his father’s intervention and approval. What made this information extremely strange was that at the time of our discussion, his father had been dead for close to ten years. My acquaintance made me understand that he had been receiving guidance from his departed father over the years, and he did not feel it conflicted with his faith as a Christian.
Around the same time, I heard of a “church service” (and I will call it that for want of a better phrase), a church service in Abuja, Nigeria, where the pastor was communicating with the spirit of a dead person to the astonishment of the congregation. If you’ve been following my podcast, I mentioned in Episode 13, about a place where members are sometimes required to kneel as their pastor walks by, and flower petals are thrown on the ground for him to walk on. Yes, this is the same pastor.
This practice of communicating with the dead is called Necromancy and it is actually not new. It was recorded in the bible but strongly condemned in both the Old and New Testaments, along with sorcery and other related practices. Please see Lev chapter 20:6, Deut 18:11, Gal 5:20, Acts 19:19 and Rev 21:8. Be sure to read them in context, in order to see the varied implications of necromancy.
Now I understand the pain of having lost a loved one, but no matter how loved they may have been, our prayers and search for clarity in life, are never to be directed towards our dearly departed ones, but instead, towards our heavenly father (Isaiah 8:19-20).
It is important to know what scripture says about these things, so that we can make the right decisions or give the right advice, if we or people we know, are faced with these matters.
In spite of what we may have believed prior to now, may all of us who profess Christ, have the spiritual strength to defer to God’s word and avoid places and practices that violate His instructions, I pray in Jesus’s name, Amen.
Happy New Year 2023 my dear listener! I’m super grateful for the opportunity to be recording the first episode of the year.So after I made the last episode titled “Be Intentional”, I suddenly started seeing both religious and non-religious posts all over the internet about intentionality. You know how you buy a new car and suddenly start seeing the type all over town? That weird thing definitely happened to me over the last week.At the beginning of last year, 2022, in my bid to be intentional at the time, I made a commitment to read the entire bible through in a year, and I can tell you, it was such an interesting experience. It raised many strong questions in my heart, which drove me to deeper study and to ask God and myself, many questions. It was such a rich experience so much so that when I completed it on December 31st, I immediately committed to starting again on January 1st this year, and so I’m currently going at it for the second time in my life. And as I read through the book of Genesis a few days ago, something struck me about the story of Cain and Abel. It’s an old story which I’m sure you’ve heard and read many times, but for a refresher, please pop over to Genesis Chapter 4. It will only take a few minutes of your day. If you do better with audios like I do, you could play it to yourself in a bible translation you understand. Anyway, in Genesis 4:3-5, the brothers each gave offerings to God and only as I read through a few days ago, did I realise that the difference between their offerings, what distinguished Abel and made God favour his offering over Cain’s, is that Cain gave an offering, but Abel went a step further and was deliberate about his offering. He was intentional! That word again right? While some have made the moral of this story to be about giving meaningful offerings in church, the lesson from the Cain and Abel story for a Christian today, encompasses, but goes beyond giving an offering because in the New Testament, we are called to “be” the offering (Romans 12:1). The story for me, was simply another reminder so early in the year, not to relegate my spiritual life, but to be deliberate and intentional with God, every day of this year. So maybe God has whispered to you to make adjustments in how you spend your time, in how you relate with Him and others; don’t ignore the promptings. Remember that you are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Cor 6:19-20). I pray that as we take steps in our lives, to be more intentional in every way, God will bless our decisions and make abundant grace available to us, in Jesus name, Amen
It’s the last day of 2022 and in my country Nigeria, and in churches around the world, multitudes will gather for cross-over services and night vigils into the New Year. As one pastor put it, it’s one day in the year that brings a huge crowd of people into church, many of whom, will thereafter, most likely not hear another sermon for the rest of the year, and will put everything about God on hold, till the next cross-over service.
Indeed, the truth is that for some people, Christianity is a part-time venture, and the word is often nothing more than an option to be ticked off on an official form. However, from the bible, it’s clear that the Christian walk is meant to be a daily, intentional experience. Scripture says our spirits are renewed daily (2 Cor 4:16). It says to exhort one another daily (Hebrews 3:13), and to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23). The Christian life is a daily life, and in spite of whatever we do for a living, our primary duty every single day, as long as we qualify to be called human, is to fear God and keep His commandments. (Ecc 12:13).
I pray as the Psalmist does in Psalm 90:12, that God will teach us to number our days, so that we will increase in wisdom. As we start a brand new year tomorrow, may that wisdom enable us take the right steps to make each day in 2023, count for good. May we live, no longer just for ourselves, but intentionally to bring glory to God, in Jesus name, Amen.
Merry Christmas, my dear listeners! I hope you have a really blessed celebration today. Amidst the activity of this period, the season is a good time to reflect on what Christ’s presence in our lives, truly means to us as individuals.
Several weeks ago in episode 4, I mentioned that there was one time I heard a preacher say that if a professing Christian is committing fornication at the moment Christ returns, the person would go straight to heaven. His basis was that everyone who professes to be saved, would always be saved, no matter what. By inference, this would mean that if one prayed the sinner’s prayer and soon after, became an unrepentant serial killer till their dying day, they would go to heaven. Since we all make mistakes in one way or the other as human beings, this narrative would be extremely convenient to believe, except that it is not at all consistent with scripture!
Many professing Christians today, boast about their lusts and deviations, while declaring that they are secure in Christ, no matter what; most likely because of teachings like the one I heard that day, but can we really do life on our own terms and expect to be saved on the last day?
The bible lets us know that it is possible for a professing Christian to wander away from the truth (James 5:19), to go astray and follow satan (1 Tim 5:15), to deny God by one’s way of life (Titus 1:16) and even to be denied access to heaven, in spite of having spiritual gifts (Mat 7:21-23).
In fact, a close look at Matthew 7, tells us that on the last day, there will be many who profess to be Christians, with whom Christ will have absolutely no relationship!
Now you may be asking, what hope is there, therefore, for even the true Christian, since in the frailties of our mortal bodies, we all have faults? Well, true Christians need not fear because we have an advocate who pleads our case when we make mistakes (1 John2:1), and God promises to keep those that are His, right to the end (1 Cor 1:8), as it is only the one who endures to the end, that will be saved (Matthew 24:13).
But how can we know we are His? In John 10:27-28, Jesus promises His sheep eternal life and assures that no one can snatch them from his hands, but He lets us know that His sheep are those who listen to His voice and follow Him. Today, take some time to examine yourself (2 Cor 13:5). Are you listening to His voice? Are you following Him? Or are you living life on your own terms?
See the progression in 1st John 2:24-25. It says to remain faithful, and by so doing, you will remain in fellowship, and it is in this fellowship u will enjoy eternal life. Does this mean we are saved by our own power? Certainly not! for it is still ultimately by God’s power that we are kept from falling (Jude 1:24).
As we celebrate the birth of Christ today, my prayer is that we will, as the bible instructs, examine ourselves to ensure we are in the faith. May we remain in fellowship with Him, and may we never find someday, that He never really knew us all along. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
So in the past few episodes, I talked about the uniqueness of the life of Jesus, who was Himself, the fulfilment of several ancient prophecies. Please check out episodes 14 and 15 if you missed that. Today, I will be talking about the bible. I have heard professing Christians mock the bible. Ironical right? Yes. Many believe that it is merely a collection of incredible and largely unproven stories.
Now it’s true that the bible is a supernatural book, there’s no doubt about that, but unproven, certainly not! The bible is historically and archaeologically authentic. The people, places and events in the bible are real and archaeological findings as recent as 2017, continue to debunk the speculations of skeptics. For instance, do you know that in the 19th Century, the Pool of Bethesda in John 5:2, was discovered by archaeologists in Jerusalem? This is just one of many discoveries of ancient sites, mentioned in the bible. Over the years, archaeologists have also discovered thousands of copies of fragments of the New Testament, hand copied from the originals; many more in number, compared to any other ancient writing in history.
In fact, there are many ways in which the bible stands out from other religious books. It was written in 3 different languages by 40 men from various walks of life, who lived across 3 continents and mostly never met each other. It took more than a thousand years to write all 66 books but despite the seeming impossibility, with no technology to connect these authors, the books of the bible have a common message running through them; a message of God’s love for mankind and His desire for fellowship. This is profound! Nothing short of a divine intervention by an unseen hand could have allowed for this kind of phenomenal collaboration. The writers of the bible presented the books in a dynamic combination of writing styles, making it a book of poetry, prose, history and prophecy.
Now speaking of prophecy, the bible contains several predictions about real life figures and historically verified events; predictions made years and sometimes centuries before the event would occur. One example is the prophecy about King Cyrus in Isaiah 44 &45, which was written over a century before he was born.
The bible is not just a book of stories and throughout the Gospels, we see that Jesus believed, quoted and endorsed the scriptures (Luke 24:44-45). If Jesus, the prophesied and resurrected King, had faith in the scriptures, then you and I should too.
I pray today, that we will never fall for the old strategy of satan, who continually tries to discredit the bible so as to attack the foundation of our faith. May our confidence in the bible and all that it stands for, be unshakeable always, in Jesus name, Amen.
I have met many Christians whose only reason for being called Christian is that they were born into it. Does that describe you or anyone you know? Then, please listen for a few minutes.
In Episode 14, I spoke about portions of the Old Testament which predicted the life of Jesus. Some were so exact that they foretold some of his last words on the cross, and details of His crucifixion, several centuries before crucifixion even came into existence! Amazing right? Well, it gets more interesting.
After His crucifixion, Jesus was pronounced dead in public and sealed in a heavily guarded stone tomb, to ensure that his body did not go missing. The authorities of the day, needed to deal a final blow to what they considered a troublesome movement, and showing the disciples that their messiah had no power to rise as He had earlier said He would, was their way of doing this (Matt 27:62-66). However, in spite of their best efforts, the crucified Christ rose from the dead 3 days after, and left the tomb empty.
Thereafter, Jesus was seen alive, on several occasions, and by over 500 people in the weeks that followed (1 Cor 15:5-7). Because of this, many of His disciples who for fear of arrest, had deserted Him before the crucifixion, suddenly emerged boldly, spreading the gospel and ready to give their lives for its propagation. Indeed, most of them did in the years that followed, choosing to die rather than deny their faith. Why this sudden change of heart? Why did they suddenly become so bold? Why did the early church grow rapidly after the resurrection in spite of the barbaric persecution that the very first believers had to endure? Could it be that they were witnesses to a mystery; a miracle, that would change their lives and the course of history forever?
Now let me share something that intrigues me greatly. Do you know that outside of the bible, ancient non-Christian writers such as Lucian, Pliny the younger, and Josephus, among several others, documented the death of Jesus and the persecution of the early church? Some of these men were hostile to the Christian faith, yet they put down in their writings, evidence that has made disproving the bible accounts, even more difficult for several generations of the strongest sceptics. If historians from around the time of Jesus, attested to these stories, then we should not be doubtful. Cynics have come and gone, and many still remain today, trying hard to prove that the resurrection did not happen, but guess what, their arguments will always fall short. Why? Because the grave of Jesus was empty and no one ever found a body!
So beyond the ancient writings that foretell of Jesus, His resurrection is another unique attribute which no one else in history has, and a strong anchor for the Christian faith.
I pray today, for all of us who profess to be Christians, that we will find rest in the reality that the grave is truly empty, and we will come to a fuller understanding of the reason for our faith, Amen.
Once, I overheard someone in a casual discussion with other younger Christians, joke that since she was born, she had been hearing that Christ was coming back soon, but yet, He (Christ) had still not shown up. In a few words, amidst laughter, she let her audience know that she believed the second coming of Christ was some kind of fable which would most likely never happen. This woman is a very active leader in one of the biggest churches in the city where I live, yet here she was, openly ridiculing one of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith; the second coming of Jesus.
I had forgotten about this incident, till I stumbled on 2Peter 3, from verse 3, where Apostle Peter narrates this exact scenario, talking about people in the last days, who will mock the promise of Christ’s return. Please take a few minutes to read it yourself.
To be honest, I too have had my fair share of questions in my walk with God. I have asked many hard questions. I mean of all the religions of the world, Why Jesus? Why Christianity? Like the woman I narrated about, you too may be asking “Why should I believe that Christ will come back again someday? Why should I even believe in Him? Tough questions right?
Well, I personally believe that Jesus will come back again, because there were aspects of his life which were accurately predicted in the Old Testament; too many to be disregarded as mere coincidence. Think about it for a moment….what are the odds, that details of the life of one human being will be correctly predicted by different people, hundreds of years before that person is born? I am yet to read of any other person in history who has this record. Now here’s the thing; if several specific prophecies about the life of Jesus such as the ones that mention his hometown, tribe, family and details of his crucifixion were fulfilled, there is no doubt that those describing him as a conquering King, coming to judge the world , will surely come to pass. (See Micah 5:2, Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 and Daniel 7:13-14)
This absolutely unique attribute of Jesus as the embodiment of several ancient prophecies, is one of the reasons I believe He is who He claims to be, and will come back to the earth once more. I will share more reasons in subsequent podcast episodes, but for today, I pray for myself, and all, who like me have struggled with tough questions about the Christian faith, that the Holy Spirit, the great teacher, will direct us to accurate answers, and continually fill us with an unshakeable faith and confidence in God, Amen.
A few weeks ago, I stumbled on a story in the book of Acts, how Paul and Barnabas had been going about preaching and healing people and the people were so amazed by their exploits, that they exclaimed, “These men are gods in human form!” The people then went ahead to bring flowers, animals and other materials for sacrifice, to offer worship to Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:13). Interesting right? But here’s the part of the story that really got my attention. Acts 14:14 says that when Paul and Barnabas heard what was going on, they tore their clothes in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, 'Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings-just like you!” Obviously shocked and alarmed at the way the people eulogized them, Paul and Barnabas would have nothing to do with the pedestal on which the people were attempting to place them. Acts 10: 25 & 26 also tell the story of Apostle Peter refusing worship and reminding Cornelius that he was a mere human being.
The reaction of Paul and Barnabas was quite dramatic and I couldn’t help thinking to myself, how that the same situation that played out in the early church, is at play again today, almost two thousand years later. Just like Paul and Barnabas, some clergy men in our day, are on the verge of being worshipped, because of their gifts and aura. I heard of a place in Abuja, Nigeria, where some members are required to kneel as their pastor walks by, and flower petals are thrown on the ground for him to walk on. I also heard someone say concerning his pastor, and to the applause of other church members, “I wish I could worship him because he is worship-able”. (Deep breath) There’s a thin line between honour and worship, and some of these examples show how dangerously close, we may be to crossing that line without knowing.
I know first-hand, the attachment one can have to a spiritual mentor. I have pastors who I also love and respect dearly. But it’s important to be conscious, so that we do not go overboard, not only with our pastors infact, but in all our relationships. And let’s not say these things don’t matter. If it mattered enough to be handled in a certain manner by the leaders of the early church, it should matter to us.
May God help us to be honest enough, to search our hearts, for any way in which we may have given fellow human beings the worship that is due to Him alone. May modern day Church leadership, emulate the examples of the leaders of the early church and reject every form of human adulation, amen.
Sometime last year, a prominent clergy man in Nigeria lost his adult first son. In the days that followed, social media was awash with all shades of comments. Many were in shock and clearly sympathetic as should be, but there were some who faulted his standing with God, because according to them, he should have known before time, that the unfortunate incident would happen, and perhaps somehow avert it. I was particularly saddened by those comments directed at a grieving man, but I wasn’t altogether surprised, because it was not my first time of hearing that kind of sentiment. Many today expect pastors to have answers to every question and should they have a prophetic gifting, they expect that they should know everything about the future.
I believe that some religious leaders have themselves, by their utterances, fuelled this narrative, and left many people with the illusion that they have answers to everything. But guess what, the bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11b, that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives. The Good News Translation says God never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does. Moses in talking to the children of Israel, said in Deuteronomy 29:29a, that God has secrets known to no one. This means that pastors don’t know everything. They aren’t even supposed to! There are of course, genuine prophets, to whom God reveals things supernaturally, but no matter how gifted, because they are human, they only see in part and are sometimes limited in understanding (1 Cor 13:9, 2 Kings 4:27, 1 Sam 16:6 & 7).
So basically, no matter how knowledgeable one is, we must come to terms with the fact that there are some things we will never know or understand on this side of eternity. Whether we are priests or laity, a lot that happens in this life will only be understood in the next.
May God help us to honour our priests and pastors, but never to apportion them, that position of omniscience which belongs only to God. May we also retain tender hearts so that our words are seasoned with grace when addressing the hurting around us, Amen.
I once had a pastor who even though she believed in the miraculous, taught me to focus on knowing God, rather than on what He could give to me. One day, she asked me a blunt and unexpected question, "Isioma, what if God never gives you what you are asking Him for? Will you still serve Him?” I often say that that day, I grew up a thousand years.
My pastor is long gone now as she died a few years later, but her question never left my heart. Many today, would view that question as evidence of a lack of faith, because it dares to consider the alternative to answered prayer. This brings to my mind, the story of the 3 Hebrew boys in Daniel 3, who when threatened with being thrown into a furnace for refusing to bow to the King’s statue, said to the King in verses 17-18, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if He doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Now my emphasis is on those 5 words, “But even if he doesn’t”. Some believe that the addition of those words in the boy’s speech, portrays a lack of faith. In fact, I once heard a preacher try to explain away Daniel 3:18. It was almost as if he was embarrassed by the statement of the Hebrews boys, and how their speech was a sign of double mindedness, and so that couldn’t have been what the boys meant. But the thing is, what the boys said was clear. They did not lack faith; what they lacked was fear! Beyond faith in answered prayers, the faith of the boys was in God Himself and God alone. They trusted that God was so on top of the situation, that even if their prayers were not answered in their way, God was still in charge!
We may not be called to a literal fiery furnace today, but when faced with life’s trials and when it seems things are working out differently from the
way we planned and prayed, may God give you and I, an unflinching faith in Himself, and the courage and boldness to keep standing for Him no matter what, in Jesus name, Amen .
There are motives behind our daily actions and many times, I have found myself taking decisions out of selfishness, the need for reward or recognition, competition with others, and sometimes even fear.
Sometimes we give an offering in church, not primarily because we want to support God’s work, but simply because our minds are focused on the harvest of blessings we will receive in return. Sometimes we honour people, not because we genuinely respect them, but because we anticipate a favour from them in future.
But so what if my motives are not exactly noble? Why should this be an issue for me? Well the answer is that it should matter to us, because it matters to God.
Jesus tells us that we can fast, pray and even give gifts, with the wrong motives (Matthew 6:1-18). It’s also possible to serve in church and even preach the gospel with impure motives (Phil 1:15-17). Wrong motives can cost us our rewards for the good we do (Matthew 6:1b) and answers to our prayers (James 4:3).
Prov 16:2 lets us know that no matter how noble our actions are, our motives are weighed by God, and on the last day when we all stand before Jesus, our private motives will matter to Him (1 Cor 4:5 b)
I pray for myself today as I pray for you my listener, that the things that matter to God will matter to us. That God will reveal wrong motives and give us the grace, not just to do the right things, but to do things for the right reasons, Amen.
I love to watch movies when I can find the time, but I’ve found that no matter how intriguing, I hardly settle down to watch the same movie twice. The 1980 Hollywood block buster, ‘Guyana Tragedy’ is among the few exceptions. I’ve watched it several times and it still holds a certain fascination for me. It tells the story of how on November 18th 1978, a man named Jim Jones led 918 people to their deaths in the biggest mass suicide event in modern history. The name on the sign post outside his door, was ‘Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ’, yet his was a cult gathering and not a church. How did an ordained clergyman manage to drive almost a thousand men, women and children to their graves? Well, simply put, he gave them instructions and sadly, very few of them took the time to check with the bible to see if what he said was true. He worked miracles and provided for the needs of his congregation, so when he quoted portions of the bible that suited him and criticized the ones that didn’t, they ignored it. When his life style was in direct contrast to Christian values and he started teaching his personal philosophies rather than the word of God, his followers looked the other way, made excuses for him and went along with it. They took his word for it, until it was too late. In the end, it cost them their lives.
Today, there are many preachers like Jim Jones. Popular, charismatic, but preaching their own philosophies, which when held up to scripture, do not add up, yet many of us believe there is no harm done. It is important to fellowship with other Christians (Heb 10:25), but also important to check who we listen to, because the New Testament is replete with warnings about false teachers and the repercussions of buying into false teaching. Jesus said in Matthew 7:15, that we should beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep.
I will encourage you my dear listener, to read the book of 2 Peter 2. I promise you, it will only take a few minutes of your day, but it will expose how seriously God regards false preachers and the consequences of their teachings.
I pray that God will give to all who love Him, the understanding of how important it is, to discern and test what words we listen to and live by, Amen.
A few years ago, a colleague at work made a comment about how she had never seen me pregnant before, even though she knew I had been married for several years. She went on to tell me categorically, that if I wanted to get pregnant, I must go beyond just praying and trusting God, and I must give God an ultimatum! Now, I had heard many things in my time of waiting to have a baby, but this one struck me differently. Give God an ultimatum? Who was I, I thought, to give the Lord of heaven’s armies, ruler of heaven and earth, an ultimatum? As if to corroborate my colleague’s stance, about giving God an ultimatum, I began to hear in some circles, how it’s ok to command God to give us our heart’s desires. Those who teach this, base it on Isaiah 45:11b (KJV) which says “and concerning the works of my hands command ye me”.
Now, I am always an advocate of not just reading, but studying scripture within context, and so studying the entire 45th chapter of Isaiah, in different bible translations, provides context to verse 11 and reveals that the chapter actually talks a lot about God’s sovereignty, might and authority. In fact, several bible translations render verse 11 as a question, challenging those who would dare to command God. Also, several other portions of scripture across the bible, speak to the supremacy of God above all else (Col 1:16, 1 Chron 29: 11-13) and the reverent posture, we as humans should have towards Him. Rom 9:20 says “Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the One who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” Rom 11:34 asks “For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give Him advice?” Isaiah 45:9a says “What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker?” These are all very humbling portions of scripture and therefore to claim that Isaiah 45:11b is about commanding God to do our heart’s desires, would mean ignoring its rendering in various translations and discounting the context of surrounding verses and the overall context of the bible on this matter.
James 5:16b makes us know that a righteous person has great power in the place of prayer. However, we are never to exercise that power over God, who Himself is the source of all power and authority!
I pray today, that the reverential fear of God, which ought to fill the heart of every true Christian, will be abundant in ours, in Jesus name, Amen.
I have heard some preachers say that after we accept Jesus into our lives, our works do not matter and we must cease from works. They say that any focus on doing good works, downplays Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Some say our righteousness is like filthy rags in the eyes of God anyway, so we need not bother. In fact, the word “works” has been vilified in many Christian circles, such that it is usually given a negative connotation. But is this truly what the bible teaches?
Jesus made a one time sacrifice on the cross for our sins, and our salvation is a gift of God that cannot be earned by our efforts, or boasted about (Ephesians 2:9). However, upon being saved, the power of Christ within us helps us to do good works. (Titus 2:11-12) and these good works glorify God (Philippians 1:11).
In fact, the bible says good works are proof of our faith (James 2:18b). James 2:14 says,” What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?” James 2:17 says ”So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless”.
So from our text in James 2, as well as many other scriptural references in the New Testament, it is clear that salvation produces good works, and these good works are evidence of our faith! Therefore faith and works go hand in hand.
Some quote Galatians 5:4 where believers are instructed not to become entangled with the law again, as their basis for calling for works to cease. But a careful study of the book of Galatians from chapter 1, provides useful context and shows that the works of the law mentioned in Galatians, are the Mosaic laws which comprise of circumcision and over 600 other laws, different from the law of Christ and the good works which we who are in Christ, are expected to fulfil (Galatians 6:2).
I encourage you my listener, to spend some time looking at these portions of scripture for yourself. May God’s grace dwell richly in you and I, helping us to produce those good works that are proof that Christ lives within us, and which are so evidently dear to God’s heart; and just as is written in Hebrews 10:24, may we always be encouraged to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Amen.
Several years ago, I read somewhere that it is no longer in vogue for believers to pray or seek for God’s will to be done in their lives, because as someone actually put it, “our wills now supersede God’s will”. I have also heard a believer being rebuked during a prayer meeting, for raising a prayer point that God’s will should be done in an area of his life that he was uncertain about. He was told that it was his will that mattered and not God’s will, and that any mention of God’s will, showed a lack of faith, and so, he should just pray for his heart’s desires to be done on that issue.
In looking at the bible’s position on this, I found that Jesus Christ, had a very different opinion! In Matthew 26:39b, among several similar verses of scripture, we see that even though Jesus had and expressed his own will, he prayed for God’s will to ultimately be done in his life. This could not have been an expression of a lack of faith, because we know that Jesus was without sin (1Peter 2:22).
The will of God is mentioned throughout the entire bible, and many times in the New Testament, where in different books, believers are instructed to actively seek, chase after, pray to understand and do God’s will. Col 1:8 for instance, is a prayer for God to give the believers in Colosse, complete knowledge of His will.
It is true, that God is interested in hearing and giving us the desires of our hearts, but remember that He expects even those petitions to be in accordance with His will! (1 John 5:14-15)
Therefore, any teaching about a new dispensation in which we can place our will above God’s, glorifies self and puts us in a posture that is contrary to scripture. This is a dangerous place to be, as Rom 8:7a, tells us that the mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God. James 4:15 also warns against putting confidence on ourselves, and instructs on the right attitude to keep, which is one that is focused on what God wills. This is not a popular message today, but it is God’s word.
I pray for myself and you my listener, that God will help us not to be so self-consumed in our daily lives, that we take the place meant for Him. May He make us in- tune with Him, so that His will matters above all else, and our wills align with His, Amen.
Before I go into today’s episode, I must start out by saying Happy Independence Day Celebrations, to everyone listening in from Nigeria, the land of my birth. I pray that as we step into this highly anticipated New Year, we will indeed start a journey that will turn the fortunes of our country around for good.
Moving on to today’s episode, I have often heard people say that as Christians, it’s ok to interpret a bible verse, the way it suits or favours us, irrespective of the actual context of that verse in scripture. I’ll give an example. Once, I heard someone lead prayers, asking congregants to regulate their earth and their world and quoting from the book of Job, chapter 38:33.
Studying the scripture later on, I found in actual fact, that Job 38:33 says the exact opposite of the prayer point that was raised that day. In a series of powerful rhetorical questions, God interrogates Job in Job 38, on issues that only the Divine can answer.
While we undoubtedly have power as believers, Job chapter 38 had the purpose of showing Job’s inability as a human being, to contend with Gods’ sovereignty, dominion and omnipotence. Therefore, using that verse as a promise for our dominion as believers, was a misrepresentation of that scripture, and quite the opposite of what the verse was saying.
As Christians, we are to approach the bible with the intention of understanding what God is saying to us, rather than reading our own opinion into the text, to make it mean what we want.
Remember that we are called, not just to read the bible, but to study it and correctly or rightly divide it (2 Tim 2:15).
May God give us the grace to be content to stop where scripture stops, and to respect the completeness and infallibility of His word, Amen.
I have heard it preached, that if a professing Christian is caught committing fornication at the exact moment Christ returns, the person would go straight to heaven, because there are no eternal consequences when a believer commits sin. This teaching has been amplified by prominent individuals across the body of Christ, and backs the lifestyles of many professing Christians, but does it have any rooting in scripture? Please stay with me, let’s find out.
Firstly, to prove that every professing believer is saved forever, no matter what they go on to do, one would have to totally ignore many bible verses that contradict this teaching. 2 Peter 2: 20-22 is one of such. It explains that if someone is overcome with the pollutions of the world after knowing Christ, their end is worse than their beginning, and it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness in the first place. Another is Matthew 24:13, where Jesus, speaking of the end times, states clearly that it is the person that endures to the end, that will be saved.
2 Peter 1:10 shows that it is possible for a professing believer to fall away. Gal 5: 19 says that anyone following the desires of their sinful nature, will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Rom 8:6-8 says that letting your sinful nature control you, leads to death, and those under the control of the sinful nature can never please God. In Rev 3:4-5, Jesus speaks to the Church in Sardis, and commends those who have not soiled their clothes with evil, stating that He will never have their names erased from the book of life.
There are scores and scores more of these scriptures, speaking of the eternal consequences of a sinful lifestyle, for one who claims to be a believer.
Unfortunately, many have downplayed the dangers of sin, in a bid to teach about God’s mercy, ignoring the fact that God is both kind and severe (Rom 11:22)
Thankfully, we have good news, because though we are in our earthly, imperfect bodies, we have God’s grace as Apostle Paul describes in Titus 2:11-14, which empowers us to turn from sin. We also have the opportunity to confess our sins and ask for forgiveness whenever we need to (1John 1:9). There is therefore, no fear of condemnation for those who belong to Christ, and who walk according to the spirit (Rom 8:1).
More and more, may we be eager to test all that we hear, and only accept what lines up with God’s word, no matter how respected, prominent or highly placed the speaker is, in Jesus name, Amen.
I got married in the year 2009 and I didn’t give birth to a child for almost 10 years. In Nigeria where I come from, this is quite a big deal and so with time, I heard several insinuations from people, that it was somehow the fault and sins of my husband and I that had caused our condition. I encountered the notion that anyone going through a tough time doesn’t have enough faith, hasn’t prayed enough or isn’t as spiritual as those who have had it easier.
During an extended period of ill health after finally giving birth to our baby in 2019, I again heard the insinuation that I must have wronged someone and must find the person and ask for forgiveness before I could get well.
These were trying moments for me that led to many secret tears, and as I struggled with all that people had said to me, I found the scripture in Luke 1:6-7, which tells of Zechariah and Elizabeth who were blameless, yet childless for many years. This and other examples, made me realise that even though our mistakes sometimes get us into trouble, trials are not always an indication of sin! God’s people also go through trials!
According to John 16:33 and Mark 10:29- 30, trials will come, even to those of us who take a stand for Christ.
The great news though, is that no trial can separate us from God’s love (Rom 8:37), and He is mighty to save, and with us, always.
My prayer today is that God should fill his church with the spirit of true compassion so that every air of superiority is put aside and we do not tear down the weak and wounded, with our words. May strength, help and deliverance, come speedily to all who are suffering, Amen.
I must start out by saying that even though I will be addressing true life statements that I’ve heard, I will not malign anyone. The bible says that it is love, not knowledge that strengthens the church (1 Cor 8:1b), so while knowledge is important, the pillar which is love, must never ever be broken down. Some of the statements I will address in this podcast, were made by dear friends and people whom I ordinarily respect, and so it can never be my intention to ridicule them.
Having said that, today’s episode is titled “Disregarding the words of Jesus”. I’ve heard several people say that some of the verses in the gospels, including some of the very words Jesus spoke, became insignificant after Pentecost, and so are out-dated and no longer applicable to Christians today. To suit a certain narrative, some say that the things Jesus said before his crucifixion, are obsolete. This teaching which has multiple grave implications, seems to have gathered momentum, because I’ve heard it from different people, and even once during a sermon where several hundreds of people were gathered. Maybe you’ve heard it too, but is it really scriptural? Please stay with me, let’s discuss it in the next 2 minutes.
Jesus did tell us to expect the Holy Spirit, but at no point did he say that the Holy Spirit would contradict or annul any of His teachings. In fact in John 14:26, He assures us that the Holy Spirit would remind us of everything He taught us!
While He was on earth, Jesus must have known that many years down the line, men would either be grossly misled or up to great mischief because throughout the gospels, he repeats about obedience to his words. Apostle Paul (1 Timothy 6:3-4) and John (2 John 1: 9), also have strong words for those who undermine or deviate from Christ’s teaching. In fact, in 2 Cor 11: 4, Paul raised concerns about the believers of his day, putting up with whatever anyone told them, even if it was contrary to what they initially believed!
These scriptures are very clear and speak for themselves. The Holy Spirit will not speak of his own initiative (John 16:13), and therefore will not contradict Christ, and so, no revelation inspired by the Holy Spirit, should ever contradict scripture.
So in these days when there’s an abundance of opinions fighting for our attention, may we be like that wise person in Matthew 7:24-25, who heard and did what Jesus said to do, Amen.
Have you ever had a discussion with someone, or listened to a Christian message that tugged at your heart and left you wondering whether what you heard was as it was written in the bible? Well, I have, and it led me many times, to go searching, to see if those things spoken to me were true.
Welcome to Verify Podcast with Isioma Dogo. I’ll be your host, x-raying popular beliefs, under the lens of the bible, and encouraging you to examine them for yourself, just like the Berean Jews did in Acts chapter 17 verse 11. Remember that there’s no indication that the Bereans were theologians. They were most likely regular people who cared enough to search, to see if what they heard was true. So if you’re looking to check if a teaching is out of context, or just looking for a more intentional relationship with God’s word, then Verify Podcast is the show for you.
Please hit the subscribe button and watch out for new episodes, every Saturday from September 10th. See you then!