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Faith

A Mind-blowing lesson from Jesus’ healing of leprous man; He touches the leprous

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Consider how embarrassing it would be if the Queen of England was discovered befriending beggars. Imagine how it would be for the Oba of Benin or the Emir of Kano to be found in local bars with locals. Strange right? Now, imagine the King of Kings, Jesus, being found with the lowest class of people in His day.

Jesus was found with those who society rejected, from fishermen to tax collectors to prostitutes to insane people to blind beggars. He was not embarrassed to be in the company of outcasts.

Jesus feels at ease among those who have been marginalized by society. He has no hesitation about identifying with those who are struggling, spiritually blind, or sick in any aspect of their lives.

Here is one of the numerous instances where Jesus demonstrates His undiscriminating love for mankind;

Matthew 8:1 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.

In Jewish culture, lepers were considered unclean and were ostracized from society. They were not permitted to live among people and whoever touched them was considered unclean as well.As a result, they were stigmatized and treated as lower-class people.

I can imagine how the leper felt seeing everyone avoid him due to his condition. I can imagine it because I’ve been through something similar before. I know what it’s like to be treated like a scumbag because of how life has treated me. I know what it’s like to be scorned and abandoned when you need people the most.
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Do you know how it feels? To have visible spots on your character, health or mind that you refuse to wash away. And because they are visible, no one wants to be with you. You are left alone!

That is the climax of whatever punishment you want to give to a person. Even God said it is not good for man to be alone. We were never created to be alone.

But there is a way the circumstances of life will treat you, you will be considered unattractive by many. And you will be left alone. Left alone to ponder on the misery of your situation. Left alone to beg for food to eat. Left alone to live for survival.

The leper was left alone because of a leprosy that was never his fault! Have you ever gone through battles you did not cause? Have you ever found yourself in tough situations you know you did not deserve? This leper was in such situation.

But one day, Jesus was passing the very place the leper was. And the leper ran to meet Him. This is where some of us fail as believers. I wish I had done this earlier. Some of us run from Jesus instead of running to Him.

We do not want him to see our leprosy so we either run from Him or try to hide our leprosy.

So in Church, we act like holy saints when we are dying in sin within. We shout ‘praise the Lord’ when we are doubting God within.

We dance in Church and cry at home. We smile in public and mourn in secret. We put on a false appearance because we afraid of being judged or condemned like in the past.

But Jesus does not condemn 😥Isaiah 42:3 says, ‘A bruised weed he will not break’.

Men condemn and abandon because that is the only thing they can do. They have no power to change, deliver or heal. But Jesus is our savior. He can mend the broken hearts and set the oppressed free!

The Leper asked for healing.

I was walking home (Benin, Edo state, Nigeria) one day, and a very little girl ran to me. She was dirty looking and had a very bad odor oozing off her mouth.

She also had a pus on her face. Obviously, she was a beggar. I was so irritated by her appearance that I crossed to the other side of the road just to avoid having to look at her.

I was disgusted by the appearance of a beggar with a little pulse. Imagine how Jesus is supposed to have felt being close to a man with stinking LEPROUSY! Any other person would run away, but Jesus stayed. Because He is not disgusted by our leprosy. In fact, our leprosy is the reason He wants to be with us.

He came for the sick, remember? Luke 5:32.

And He touched the leper. No man had ever touched the leper for years, but Jesus did, and His touch healed the leper.

Jesus wants to touch you. He said to the leper, ‘I am willing’ (Matthew 8:3). Jesus is willing to heal you. He is willing to make you whole again.

What is your ‘leprosy’? Depression. Anxiety. Fears, even doubts. Confusion. Uncertainty. Today you feel you believe God and the next day, you are on the verge of losing hope.

You are the exact person wants to touch. He is the physician looking for the sick. The Advocate looking for the condemned. The Light looking for darkened hearts (John 8:12). The healer looking for wounded souls (Matthew 8:16). The High Priest looking for sinful lives (Hebrews 4:14)

All you have to do is open up your heart, your heart, your weaknesses to Him. Welcome His presence into your life and trust Him not to make you better, but to make you NEW.

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Nwodo Divine

Fam 😊 I need a little favor from you…. actually two favors. I really want to hear from you, so if you were blessed by this post, drop a comment, I will reply ASAP. Then, I need you to subscribe to the blog (it’s free), so that you will be getting these inspiring updates easily. Thank you 😊❤

Faith

Here are five things to do to make 2022 a success

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How was this year for you? Ever asked yourself that question? Well. It was until this morning that the question rang in my ears. Did it ring in yours too?

There’s a very easy way to rate your year. It’s not by checking how much you have in your bank account or how comfortable your life is. Grab your jotter or the piece of paper in which you wrote your New Year resolution for 2021 and check how many were truly fulfilled.

I checked mine and candidly, I still had a few that I had not achieved. So you’re not the only one who still has some unfulfilled resolutions. Lol. But I’m grateful to God that He gave me the wisdom to achieve the ones I could achieve. And that wisdom is what I would love to share with you in this post.

Here are a few tips on how to have a more successful 2022;

  1. Go on a retreat before New year’s day.
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Did you go through battles this year? Academic battles. Financial battles. Marital and family battles. Health battles. Moral battles. Spiritual battles. We all had a battle to fight. Even the struggle to survive in the midst of the virus was a tough battle.

No matter what the outcome of the battle was, retreats allow you to take some time off the battle field to restructure your life for a more productive 2022.

Switch off your phone. Grab your Bible. Go to a solitary place (your church, home or a camp ground etc) and spend time reflecting on the year.

A. Habits. Decisions. Friends. Consequences of our decisions. Mistakes. Successes. These things should be reflected upon in the retreat.

B. Correct whatever needs to be corrected.

C. Decide on the new course of action, decision and habits you are making next year.

2. Have a mental picture of who you want to be by the end of the year.

My little sister showed me a picture of a gown she wanted to sew. The gown looked quite difficult for an amateur tailor like her to sew. ‘How can you sew this,’ I asked and she replied, ‘If I have it in my heart, I will produce it with my hands’.

Who do you want to be by the end of the year? How do you want your life to be in all ramifications? Broke? Rich? Single? Married? Dating? Do you want to close 2022 with an excellent grade in school or you just want to maintain an average grade. Make your decision and be intentional about it.

Wishes do not come true in life. Only heartfelt desires come true. You can write down this picture.

3. Set ‘How-to’ for everything you want to achieve in 2022.

It is one thing to want to or be something. It is another to know and do what it takes to be it. Everything in life has a ‘How-to’. Our mothers are well cultured in the how-to of cooking. Our fathers (mostly) are skilled in the how-to of discipline and financial management. Elder brothers are skilled in the how-to of bullying. They are very skilled bullies to we last boys. Lol.

Everything and everyone has a how to including that which you want to be. Let’s say you want to close 2022 spiritually mature. The next thing to do is to find out how to attain spiritual maturity – through prayer, studying the word etc. Or you want to break out of an addiction. Find out how-to break out of it. You can even seek counsel from your spiritual leaders.

Short-term goals also help.

Short term goals are very important. Long term goals are like the mental picture of who you want to be by the end of the year. That picture is on a ladder.

A very long one. Short-term goals are like little steps you must climb to get to the long term goals.

One of my goals this year was to round off the year with a strong CGPA. That was the picture at the top of the ladder. Each step of the ladder represented a month. Month one’s goal was to read for a total of a hundred and twenty hours. It increased in month two and kept increasing until it accumulated into a scholarly student (side note: I’m blushing right now) who pushed his CGPA from 3.75 to 4.something.

Here are two more;

3. HABITS ARE EVERYTHING

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John Maxwell taught that you can’t have downhill habits and expect to climb uphill. It’s like walking to the bottom of a staircase and expecting to automatically elevate to the top.

You can’t spend the whole day doing amebo (*African: Gossip or talkativeness) and expect to end the year as a wealthy business woman. Your habit has the propensity to propel you to the picture at the top of the ladder or drag you down to its bottom.

Choose your habits wisely. Cut out time spent on things that are not relevant to your goal. Whatever will help you climb the ladder and reach the picture, do it daily! I mean DAILY! Not once in a while. EVERY SINGLE DAY, DO IT! Lastly,

5. MAKE QUALITY FRIENDS!!!

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Hope didn’t this prick you? I’d be happy if it did nonetheless. Those we spend time with have an unseen way of influencing our thought pattern, lifestyle and behavior.

Do not be afraid to distance yourself from friends who are influencing you negatively or hindering you from reaching the top of the ladder.

No friend is worth sacrificing your goals or destiny for… especially the ones that do not have any goal in their life. Modify your network. Make friends who share the same positive interests like you. Get mentorship from mature folks. Make relationships that will impact you positively.

Lastly. Again. Sorryyyy, but I felt this one shouldn’t be added to the list because it is a climax of everything that will make 2022 a better year; get closer to God. We all need God. Everything we want to achieve will be useless if God takes away His protection or health from us. As the scripture says, ‘in all your ways, acknowledge God’.

Please I need a very little favour from you…. just little. If this post was helpful to you, please copy the post’s link and share on your social handles with friends and family. Thank you so much… Light and love!!

Rating: 5 out of 5.
Faith

Here’s why you shouldn’t be ashamed of your little beginning.

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When I was starting out as a freelance writer, I suffered greatly from discouragement arising from being underappreciated. I envied those freelance writers who were making bucks from doing what I could also do.

These discouraging thoughts flooded my mind and hampered my creativity. For a long while, I found it difficult to write or do anything creative. I was desperate to be at the top, yet, I was too myopic to see that the way to the top started from the bottom.

My discouragement ended when I came across a very powerful Bible verse that has been my anchor ever since I read it;

Zechariah 4:10: “Do not despise these small beginnings”

In the context of the scripture, the people of Israel who had just returned from captivity were rebuilding their destroyed temple. Zerubbabel was the one who led this rebuilding. However, it was quite difficult as the resources and manpower required to build a temple as magnificent as Solomon’s own were not available.

This reality hampered the faith of the Jews, particularly Zerubbabel. The beginning of the project was rocked with several difficulties.

However, God encouraged to Zerubbabel through his prophet. The encouragement God gave to Zerubbabel is the same He is giving you right now through this post.

When people begin to envy the success of great men and make comparisons between those men and themselves, they begin to despise their little beginnings.

Moreover, every great man was once irrelevant. Every famous man was once unknown. Every wealthy man was once poor. Every revered man was once disregarded. Every expert was once a beginner.

Those at the top once lived at the bottom of human existence. It was their beginning, but it didn’t deter them from achieving their goals and becoming great men and women in society.

So don’t feel sad that you post sermons and no one views them. Don’t feel sad that you organize classes and only a few register. Don’t be sad that you write a good story and only a few share it.

You’re in the days of your beginning. This is only a phase that will propel you into the greatness God has predestined for you.

Therefore, do not despise this beginning. Give it your best. Blossom and grow. Remain faithful even in your little – your little fan base, your little sales, your little church, your little brand etc, no matter what your little is, be faithful in it. God’s gonna lift you up to sit with Kings!

Meanwhile, the little building Zerubbabel started eventually became a magnificent temple of worship. It started as a little building, but it became a great temple.

Your business, family or occupation might be little now, do not be discouraged, God will make something magnificent out of it!

Type an Amen in the comments if you believe!

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Faith

You were chosen for a time as this! Esther 4:14

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ESTHER 4:14

“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

One of the unanswerable questions I’ve always had within myself is the question of my own existence. Why do I exist in an age that is plagued with Covid? Why do I exist in an age that is plagued with sexual immorality? Why do I exist in an age where abortion is considered a human right? Why do I exist in an age where homosexuality is celebrated? Why do I exist in an age inundated with inflation, insecurity and Christian persecution?

These thoughts engulf my mind and sometimes, they make me wish I was never born. Have these thoughts ever plagued your mind before?

Have you ever doubted the providence and predestining prowess of God?

Why was I born into this family?

Why was I born into this country?

Why was I born into this lineage?

Why was I born into this condition? The whys we ask fate are never ending, and sometimes, unanswerable.

However, one can take solace in the fact that nothing that has happened, that is happening or will happen to one is beyond the foreknowledge of God. The Bible says that we have been ‘predestined according to God’s purpose’ (Ephesians 1:11). That is to say, our birth is not by chance. God specifically chose the geographical location, lineage and family you should be born into. There is no accident in destiny!

The revelation of this fact serves as the foundation for our primary text. Esther, the Jewish queen of Persia, finds herself in a perplexing situation in our text. Her people are on the verge of extinction due to the evil plans of a man named Haman. Esther, despite being a Jew, is flummoxed by the situation and does not act immediately.

This changes when Mordecai, her wise old uncle, approaches her and tells her the truth. One of the things he said to her stands out and is crucial in the context of this admonition. ‘And who knows whether thou art [not] come to the kingdom for such a time as this,’ he says.

Probably Esther had thought her enthronement as queen was a mere reward for her hard-work and beauty. Mordecai’s statement opened her eyes to see that her enthronement was actually a part of God’s plan to deliver the people of Israel.

She had no idea about this when she enrolled in the beauty pageantry. She had no idea about this when she was chosen to become the queen. It was at this moment that she realized that all this while, her steps from the streets to the palace had been ordained by God for the deliverance of her people.

This is a wonderful lesson and source of comfort for you as a believer. You may not get the desired answers to all of the whys you ask fate right now, but if you remain faithful to God, you will someday come to full understanding of it.

The story of Joseph exemplifies this. At the age of seventeen, the Christian icon was sold into slavery. When his friends were enjoying the warmth and comfort of their homes, he was working as a slave in the home of a foreigner. His situation deteriorated from slavery to imprisonment. Joseph, on the other hand, maintained his faith in God.

He had no complete understanding of God’s plan. Nonetheless, he was aware that God was in command. He walked by faith rather than sight. God eventually promoted him from the lowest level of Egypt’s prison to the highest office in the Egyptian political administration.

After revealing his identity to his brothers, they were sore afraid. However, he said to them, ‘God brought me here for this situation’.

You, like Joseph and Esther, were chosen for a time like this. You were purposefully brought into this world. You were born into your country and family at the perfect time.

If it was plagued with poverty, you were born there to be the bringer of wealth. If it is plagued with unbelief, you were born there to be the light to their darkened hearts. God chose you for this particular age!

That is why you are endowed with some of the skills you have! There are several pointers to the fact that there is a purpose for your existence in this time!

Therefore, like Mordecai admonished Esther, I admonish you to rise! To rise above complaining! To rise above complacency! To rise above asking the whys! I implore you to embrace the peculiarity of your purpose, to seek to know more about it. To trust in the Lord and let Him lead you into the fullness of your calling.  

You were chosen for a time as this!

This article was written by Nwodo Divine

Faith

What can we learn from the Euro 2020 penalty shootout

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For the first time in many years, England advanced to the finals of the World Euro Cup. After what appeared to be a curse of international football upsets, they appeared to be on the verge of victory; however, they fell short.

Sterling, Harry Kane, Saka, and Pickford’s names rang out across England as they progressed from the group stage to the round of 16, quarter finals, semi-finals, and finals.

However, this changed when Sancho, Saka, and Rashford – three African-descent footballers – all missed their individual penalty kicks.

As soon as it happened, certain white people took to the streets to deface Rashford’s images and billboards, as well as post derogatory comments about him on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

What fascinates me about this scenario is that the same way Rashford was celebrated for his dribbles and unusual goals in the English Premier League, these radical, racist individuals slandered him for missing a single penalty.


It teaches us how quickly humans forget a person’s great deeds because of a single error. It teaches me, in particular, how the average human thrives on exalting people’s mistakes over their triumphs.

It’s amazing how quickly people forget how Rashford spent millions of Euros to ensure that children don’t go to bed hungry. We seem to have forgotten how Rashford was able to overturn a British Parliament bill and secure free school meals for children.


However, this is not the main issue. The crux of the issue is what we aspirants for greatness and national recognition should take away from this situation.

1. Every day will not be a victory day

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. – Winston Churchill.

The truth is that there is no successful striker in world’s history that has not missed more than one penalty shootout in his career. Yet, what makes them great and successful is their ability to move on from their mistakes and continue in the journey to greatness.

Likewise, there is no great businessman, entrepreneur, preacher or leader who has not made a miss in life before. No one gets to the top without scars. But we are carried away by their flashy cars and sparkling suits that we fail to discern the scars and welts behind those suits.

David was a very great man in the Bible. He had a lot of victories and political success. But one day, David was driven away from his own throne by his very son. And as he was running, he came across one who was supposed to be his subject. Unfortunately, his very subject who paid obeisance to him insulted him and mocked at him.

I believe it must have been a very traumatic experience for David. But even as he seemed to fall from the palace to the bush, David’s faith remained in God and in the course of time, he returned to his throne even more powerful than he was before.

Therefore, do not be dismayed if you seemed to have missed a mark in your shots for greatness. Do not be dismayed if your kick seems to be out of the mark. The failures and shortcomings are all a part of the travails through you will birth a miracle!

Move on! Do not despise your shortcomings! Do not weep over your past miss when you still have hundreds of opportunities in the future. If you continue to cry over the past, you will be so blinded by your tears that walking into the future greatness God has for you will be nearly impossible.

Therefore, when you make mistakes, learn your lesson, but do not dwell on it. Recompense your past by striving for a better future and an improved performance in the next opportunity that comes your way.

2. Focus on the love from those who matter in your life.

Not everyone will like you – especially when you are Christian. But if you truly stay focused in living for Christ, God will definitely bring people along your way who will show you love and ensure you stay strong even in your darkest times.

These are people you should stay with. People who you know genuinely care for you. People who rebuke in love and encourage in goodwill. Take your mind off the haters and envious critics and bask in the love of these gems.

3. Be moved by neither the extravagant praises of people or their ridicule

I think a lot of public speakers teach us not to listen to the ridicule of people, but very few actually teach that one must not also be moved by the praises of people.

If your heart is lifted when people praise you, share your posts on social media and speak very well of you, your heart will be downcast when they ridicule and mock you.

Jesus understood this very well. He distanced Himself from men several times because of it. He knew their hearts – that those same men who praised him would someday betray him.

Thus, if you will develop strength against criticisms, you must be your own motivator. You must be your number one fan. You must be your own secret admirer. You must develop love for yourself. Correct yourself when you’re wrong and give yourself a high-five when you achieve giant strides.

Do not ever look to people for fulfilment. Look unto God. Your joy must be in fulfilling your purpose and God’s commands, not in the praises of people.

This, folks, is an art we must develop on the road to success. Do not get carried away by their extravagant praises or ridicule. Stay focused and glued on the goal!

Finally, remember that whether you win or lose is not what matters, what matters is the courage to keep going and the determination to keep shooting your shots until you get your goal!

Faith, videos

CBN: From Porn to the Pulpit

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This is the story of how God transformed a 38 year old man named Joshua Broome from a pornstar into a preacher of the Gospel.

In his testimony, we see why Paul described the Gospel as the power of God unto salvation. Nothing else could save Broome from homosexual pornography other than the power of God released through the Gospel.

The Gospel did not only bring Broome into repentance, it brought him into favour with God.

Today, Broome is happily married with kids as well as a blossoming ministry that is blessing lives around the world.

Here’s his story;

Source: CBN YouTube Channel
Faith

Bigger than disabilities

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“A bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn.” – Helen Keller.

Nicholas James Vujicic is a Christian evangelist and motivational speaker from Australia who was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of arms and legs.

He was born with incomplete limbs. According to his autobiography, his mother refused to see or hold him when the nurse held him in front of her, and she and her husband vomited after seeing their son with no limbs, but they eventually accepted the condition and saw it as “God’s plan for their son.”

None of these stopped him from pursuing his activities as an exemplary preacher and writer. Today, Nick is one of the most inspiration preachers in the world. His books has blessed the lives of many. He bags a Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy and Financial Planning in Griffith University. He won Best Actor in a Short Film at the 2010 Method Fest Independent Film Festival for his starring role as We ll.

Stephen Hawking’s experience reveals many things that anyone who is disabled should be aware of;

– Your accomplishments are more a function of your mindset than of your current state or circumstance.

– What your surroundings or the world say about you will only have an impact on you if you allow it.

Physical disabilities do not necessarily define who you are, nor do they define who God created you to be. It is essential that you begin to see yourself as great as God sees you and refuse to focus on your current limitations.

You are perfect, capable, great, exceptional, and valuable – this is who you are! The key to your success and fulfillment is hidden deep within you. You have everything you need to live life to the fullest if you set your mind to it and concentrate on the things you can do. You are God’s image, and He took his time in creating you to be perfect and wonderful (Psalms 139:14).

No disability or circumstance can make you less than perfect; the only thing that can make you less than perfect is you.

God is still in charge and cares about your life and success; the world still needs the great star in you – so don’t settle for anything less. It makes no difference whether you can walk on your own legs or not; the world is looking for men and women with developed minds, not men and women with developed bodies. Avoid negative thoughts that make you feel less than others! You are just as perfect as God says you are His very image.

Finally, I want you to read this,

Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”

You may have believed that God had abandoned you because of your disabilities; however, God knew you before you were born or were diagnosed with that disability. 

God was aware of your physical stature. 

There is nothing that you are going through presently that is a surprise to Him.

In spite of your disabilities, God still chose you. He won’t discard His plan for your life because of a mere physical disability. He has a purpose for you.

In Jeremiah 29:11, God says that the thoughts He has for you are thoughts of good and not of evil. God has wonderful plans for your life, beloved, so do not count yourself out!

Instead, seek solace and comfort in the fatherhood of God. Choose now to believe in yourself! Start investing in yourself. Seek for classes to take, good books to read, opportunities to bless people even as one who is disabled. Be an inspiration and a blessing to your world like Nick Vujicic.

We at Koinonia Art love you and we believe in you!

Faith

YOU ARE PERFECT

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When I was a kid, I never got to experience the full range of childhood exploration. This was due to the fact that I had extremely low self-esteem. I was embarrassed about myself, my family, and my body.

As a child, I was short and lanky, and my peers thought I was a nerd. One thing people always noticed about me was my lanky stature.

As a result, I was ridiculed and even threatened. As a result, I ceased public performance. I no longer attend parties or other public gatherings. I felt self-conscious every time I walked across the street.

People’s negative words infiltrated my mind and became a stronghold there for many years, until I began to experience a spiritual reawakening and turnaround.

I became interested in my Bible, and as I studied it, I discovered that I had believed a lie all these years.

The things I saw in the Bible about myself were the polar opposite of what I had been told as a child. I began to see myself in a whole new light.

This viewpoint was initially difficult for me to accept because my mind was already programmed to believe negativity.

It had become so accustomed to negativity that it dismissed and filtered out any positive statement that came its way.

However, as I began to study my Bible and learn more about God’s love for me, this stronghold of negativity began to crumble.

Today, I am living up to my full potential. I am a bold preacher of the Gospel; I am a leader in my organization, and there is no trace of timidity in me.

Your current situation may be similar to mine. Perhaps you’ve been told that you’re not beautiful enough.

That you’re not beautiful enough; that you’re not holy enough; and you’ve been living in the shadow of those voices. It’s time to toss them aside and listen to what God has to say to you.

You are God’s design. You are His child, and He adores you.


See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him. (1 John 3:1)

I recall talking with a friend who had adopted a child from an orphanage. I asked her why they chose the young lad out of all the kids. ‘I don’t know,’ she replied. I saw him and I fell in love with him.’

This is the type of love God has for us. He adores us without condition. He loves us despite our flaws and weaknesses, both physical and spiritual.

Everything changes the moment you realize and accept this truth. It changes your perspective and mindset. All that matters is that God loves you.

He regards you as Holy and beloved. Height has nothing to do with one’s ability and innate quality, whether you’re slim or fat, tall or short.

One can have a large stature and be hollow on the inside, or a very large stature and be full of massive potentials.

Whatever your situation is, learn to accept yourself. Accept your body for what it is. You would never have had that kind of body if it didn’t look great on you.

Put a stop to the intimidation. Satan will always try to use those voices to make us fearful and prevent us from reaching for success.

When everyone else is speaking with this voice, however, look within and listen to the voice of God within you.

Speak positive thoughts to yourself. Speak up for yourself! It makes no difference what your physical disability is – success is determined by what one has within, not by the shape of one’s body.

So don’t bother with plastic and cosmetic surgeries to alter your body. You are ideal just the way you are!

Put a stop to the timid voices! They will always be there for you! People will make fun of you if you are thin. People will make fun of you if you gain weight.

People will make fun of you if you are short. People will still make fun of you if you grow tall. So don’t let other people’s perceptions of you shape your own!

Turn their stones of mockery into a push for success as they hurl them at you. Never go back to respond to them! Maintain your focus on the task that God has assigned you, and complete it with joy.

Finally, live a positive and optimistic life. Fall in love with yourself on a daily basis – look in the mirror every morning and speak genuine words of affirmation to yourself.

Allow positivity to serve as your filter, allowing it to filter out negative thoughts and voices in your head.

You’re perfect!

Written by Nwodo Divine

Faith

The Returning Bride {Hosea 2:7}

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Hosea 2:7: “Then she will say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, For then it was better for me than now”

God used the metaphor of a husband and wife relationship to speak to Israel in the preceding passage. They had abandoned God in favor of idols and carnal desires, and they were on the verge of facing severe punishment for their sins.

When a believer abandons God’s work to do the work of the flesh and the enemy, that believer is like a bride who has abandoned her husband for another. Jesus referred to Himself as “Our Love,” (Revelation 2:4) and we are referred to as “His Bride” in the book of Ephesians.

Since we are His Bride and in a mystical union with Him we must ask ourselves if we are faithful to this marriage with Jesus. It is critical that the believer performs a constant heart check to determine whether he is conscious and faithful of his union with Christ.

Just as when a lady gets married, her groom places a ring in her middle finger as a reminder that she is married no matter where she goes, when Christ married us in faith, He gave us His Holy Spirit as a sign in our hearts to remind us that we are married to Jesus and that our lives must be lived for Him alone.

Some believers, however, have grieved the Holy Spirit and have lost this consciousness. Instead of living in devotion to Christ, they have joined forces with sin and demons. They have abandoned their first love because they were deceived by another, who poses as a true lover.

However, the Bible teaches that Christ is the only true Love. He not only loves us, but He is Love Himself. Jesus embodies all of love. Love is the essence of His Being and the driving force behind His nature and actions. Only Jesus can truly love us, bless us, and give us the kind of future we desire.

If you have not been faithful to Jesus, in your fellowship with Him, in your obedience to His commands; if you have not been faithful with Jesus, now is the time to return to Him, repent of your unfaithfulness, and renounce any ungodly union you have had with the world or with the voice of the flesh.

Every unfaithful Christian, like the prodigal son and this unfaithful bride, will eventually realize that Christ is the better husband. Some, like the prodigal son, will realize this here on Earth. Some, however, may not have the opportunity to repent here and will only come to that realization in hell.

Nonetheless, it is not God’s will for anyone to perish. He desires that we repent and serve Him in true love and faithfulness. So let us return to the Lord. Let us repent of our disobedient actions and recognize that only Christ can truly love and bless us.

The next verse is also of utmost priority;

Hosea 2:8
She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold– which they used for Baal. (NIV)

The starting point of spiritual complacency is in the failure to acknowledge God for the blessings He has bestowed on us. Archbishop Trench says,

‘How prone are we all to ascribe to chance or fortune those gifts and blessings which indeed come directly from God–to build altars to Fortune rather than to Him who is the author of every good thing which we have gotten. And this faith of men, that their blessings, even their highest, come to them by a blind chance, they have incorporated in a word; for “happy” and “happiness” are connected with “hap,” which is chance; how unworthy, then, to express any true felicity, whose very essence is that it excludes hap or chance, that the world neither gave nor can take it away.’

The unfaithful bride used the gifts given to her by God to serve idols. We must not be like the bride, who failed to recognize God as the source of all her talents and gifts.

Let us make it a habit to acknowledge God as the source of all blessings in our lives, both rare and common, even the breath in our nostrils.

This is what God expects of us: fidelity to our relationship with Him. Keeping His commands in the face of pressure and temptation to disobey. Let us walk this path of faithfulness so that, in the end, we will be known as the Lord’s faithful bride.

Faith, Holiness and Grace

God has your back!

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Some time ago, I was burdened under the load of guilt and condemnation. I felt horrible at myself. I felt that I had failed God and that God had rejected me.

This thought severely harmed my spirituality and dwindled my devotion to God. I continued to live in this false sense of condemnation until one day I discovered in the scripture that I had been wrong all along.

I came across Isaiah 41 and felt as if God was speaking directly to me as I read it. It opened my eyes to the fact that I had been deceived by Satan all along. His weapon against me was to make me too sinful to do good, not too guilty to do good.

But, ever since God opened my eyes and instilled in me the Gospel of Grace, I’ve been living and thriving in the awareness of God’s Love for me.


Have you been living under the same condemnation I endured years ago? This sermon is for you.


Isaiah 41:9: I have called you back from the ends of the earth so you can serve me. For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.


God has chosen you and He will not throw you away. No matter your mistakes; or your shortcomings, He will never discard you.


God is not like an intolerant employer that fires his staffers for any little mistake made. Unlike the employer, God did not call you because He needed a special favour from you.

There’s nothing you’re doing for God that God cannot do for Himself. He has thousands of angels in heaven waiting for the word of His command.

God called you because He wants to bless and perfect you. He called you out of absolute love for you.


The employer asks for a certificate before employing, but all God asks from us is simple faith in Him. The employer accepts a staff based on qualifications, God accepts us because of the finished works of Jesus.

Before He chose you, He knew who you were. He knew you were capable of evil before He chose you. Despite all of your sinister tendencies, He chose you to do His will and be His vessel.



So don’t ever feel unqualified to work for God. Don’t ever feel like you have to do anything to qualify for God’s calling. Because even when you knew nothing about Him, He chose you to serve Him and work for His Kingdom.


You’ve been searching for who will carry the ‘mantle’ of the exiting fathers and lead the next generation of Christians into Kingdom service, God is saying, look no more, ‘I choose you!’

Isaiah 49:15 “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!

God, like a nursing mother, never abandons His children. God still loves you as much as He did when He died for you, no matter what mistakes you’ve made in the past. Why, then, live in guilt when you can live in His Love?



Isaiah 41:10 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”



My son had a sprinting contest to participate in. It was a marathon sprint and every team consisted of father/guardian and son.


My son was visibly tense and afraid that he would lose. But when I reiterated to him that I would be running in the race with him, he suddenly became bold.


Similarly, God wants us to be bold in whatever task we want to do. Whether it is an exam to write, a topic to study, whatever the case may be, God wants you to do it with boldness and confidence that He’s with you, moving your hands to act excellently and influencing your mind to think in a godly manner.


Do not be afraid of anything. God has promised to strengthen you in the face of difficulty and tough trials.

Sometimes, God allows us to go through these trials not to punish us, but to bring us to a point where we rely only on His strength.


He will strengthen your body. He will strengthen your mind. He will strengthen your spirit.

I pray for you this morning that you receive the strength of God into your being. That every burden of guilt and shame be removed from you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Are you going through any challenge that needs prayer? We’d love to pray with you and trust the Lord of Grace to help you. Send your prayers to nwododivine82@gmail.com 😊

Faith

Youth Corner: A Cedar in the Desert

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Isaiah 41:19: “I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, [and] the pine, and the box tree together:” (KJV)

The desert is a place of aridity, scarcity, and pain. The desert has little to no moisture. It is a place devoid of all attractiveness and comeliness. Nobody goes on vacation to the desert. It is regarded as a truly dreadful location.

The most important fact about the desert, however, is that trees do not grow there. It is devoid of plants, flowers, and so on. It is only made up of a large expanse of sand, making it a notorious location.                           

In the preceding text, God promised to do the unthinkable: plant a cedar and oil tree in the desert. Even in today’s society, these trees are uncommon. They are more valuable, rare, and useful than other trees.

The cedar is well-known for its large shades, which can provide shelter to both humans and animals seeking to avoid the scorching sun. The Oil tree, on the other hand, is well known for its enormous size. It frequently grows to be quite tall.

Given the peculiar nature of these trees, one has to wonder how God intends to plant them in a desert. That appears to be impossibility, but it goes on to demonstrate that there is nothing God cannot do.

  YOU ARE THE CEDAR IN THE DESERT

Source: Unsplash

 God has no intention of going to the desert and becoming a husbandman or gardener there. He was referring to His Church in the preceding text; He was referring to you as a member of the Church.

When I was a kid, I used to wonder why God didn’t make me in a developed country like the United States of America or the United Kingdom, but now I understand better.

In deserts, God plants cedars. Perhaps your country can be compared to a desert; nothing appealing about it, a deterrent to foreign investors and tourists; God has planted you here as a special cedar in this desert..

            

Perhaps your family can be compared to this desert. No great man has ever risen from it for ages; it is full of financial constraints here and there, and every day, like Job, you curse the day you were born into that family, be strengthened by the fact that God plants cedars in deserts.

Even if your country or family is a desert, God has placed you there to bring beauty and comeliness. God will transform the desert into a lovely garden through you.

This means that even if your family is poor and devoid of wealthy members, God purposefully placed you there to cause you to break the cycle of poverty and emerge as the wealthy man in that family.

It also means that, even though your country is notorious for suppressing the dreams of youth your age, and is declining financially on a daily basis, God purposefully made you a part of the country so that you will be the change that it requires.

            As a result, rather than asking, “Why was I born here?” begin by asking, “How can I change here?” God has given you everything you need to transform your desert-like family or nation into one that is revered and celebrated by others.

It is now time for you to accept that fact. Your birth was not a fluke; it was not a case of bad luck. There’s nothing like bad luck in the life of a believer. “And who knoweth whether thou art come… for such a time as this?” – Esther 4:14

                

In His planning, God makes no mistakes. He placed you in your family, state, or nation with one goal in mind: to make it a better place than you found it. He brought you there to become the desert cedar.

Amazingly, the structure of the cedar allows anyone to come beneath it to be protected from the sun’s scorching rays. As a result, God has positioned you in your family and nation to be like a cedar to which everyone in need of assistance and protection comes.                    

 

This cedar was exemplified by Joseph. In a time of famine, he became Prime Minister of Egypt and led them through it. People from other families and nations would seek financial assistance from Joseph (Genesis 47).

God wants to do the same for you – and He will if you align yourself with His purpose. God wants to make you so great that not only your family will benefit from you, but people in your community, country, and the world as a whole will be influenced by your greatness. Therefore, no matter what is going on in your family now, remember that you are the cedar in the desert.

A GOOD THING CAN ARISE FROM NAZARETH!

John 1:46: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

 

Nazareth was a place of notoriety and very ordinary living in the Bible. It was so bad that both its occupants and its neighbours came to the conclusion that nothing good could ever come from it. But Jesus disproved them!

God chose Nazareth out of all the glorious cities in Israel to be the birthplace of Christ. It seemed too good to be true that the world’s saviour would come from a place as humble as Nazareth. Nonetheless, it occurred. God caused something good to come from Nazareth.        

Dear youth, you are the good thing that God has made to come from this country. Even if people ask, “Can anything good come from this country?” or “Can anything good come from that family?” God has placed you there to disprove their negative conclusions.

As a result, accept the responsibility that has been assigned to you. Do not bemoan the forces of life compelling you to be mature beyond your years; this is the force of destiny. Will you answer the call of destiny?

                

Change your mindset from a complainer to a problem solver starting today. Instead of complaining about problems, consider how you will solve them. Imagine yourself breaking your family’s poverty line by becoming extremely wealthy.

Imagine yourself transforming your family from an uneducated one to one filled with the brightest minds. Consider sponsoring the education of children in your community. Be inspired by this vision!

Work hard, study hard, and challenge your mind to always come up with creative and paranormal solutions! Greatness awaits you!

About the author

Nwodo Divine is the founder of Koinonia Art as well as host of popular Facebook series, ‘Interview with the Tagged’. A student, blogger by night, he is a B.A student of English Language and Literature in the University of Benin. Nwodo Divine is equally a content editor, freelance writer and teacher.