A broomstick used to be something that everybody, rich or poor used to have in their house here in Africa. Times are changing now sha. It’s slowly being replaced by brushes and vacuum cleaners.
However, the old-fashioned and archaic broom that lies unused in the corners of our houses can teach us a very important life lesson.
Pick up a broom. Observe the sticks carefully. Are they all equal? Definitely not. Does the inequality make the shorter ones useless? Of course not! Dare to remove the short sticks and see how useless your broom will become.
This teaches us that everyone is important and matter in making the world a better place. The sweepers who make our streets clean matter. The women who sell food items matters. That elderly woman that fries akara daily matters. In the University, the lecturers alone do not make it successful. The security officers matter. The admission officers matter. Those who sell in kiosks matter. Every arm of the society matters.
So don’t belittle yourself if you are a sweeper, akara maker or micro trader today. You can thrive right there. You might not have billions of dollars like Elon Musk or a multi-million naira business like Tony Elumelu. It does not define your worth. You are important!
Without the short sticks of broom, the long ones cannot function. Our society will be dysfunctional if everybody suddenly becomes a CEO or business owner. Therefore, wherever you find yourself, be content. Work hard, aim for the best there and use it as an opportunity to help others.
See, life is in phases. So don’t look down on anyone. The cleaner today can be a rich businessman tomorrow. The junior lecturer today can be a professor tomorrow. Life itself has its way of directing our outcomes, especially if you are a devout Christian.
One of the Bible verses I love so much is Psalm 37:23:
Psalm 37:23: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly.“
It is the foundation of my faith. It’s why I am not pressured no matter how materialistic today’s society is; make it yours too.
Things might not be how you want them to be but know you that God is directing your life, guiding your steps and leading you to your destiny!
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.
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.
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.
Written by
Nwodo Divine
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The visit of the Magi is, in my opinion, one of the most significant events surrounding Jesus’ birth. The Magi were described as Eastern wise men. According to historians, they were astrologers who read the stars and zodiac signs.
This means that these men were not born Jews and had no relationship with Jesus. It is intriguing, however, that men who had no relationship with God were the first to present their gifts to the king, while Jews were completely unaware of what was going on.
Here are two profound lessons that the Holy Spirit wishes His church to grab from this event:
Jesus came to bring God closer to man and man closer to God
Prior to the birth of Jesus, man, Jews and Gentiles alike had no access into the presence of God. The sin of man was a barrier to man’s relationship with God (Isaiah 59:2). Man had no intimate knowledge of God and fellowship with God was enjoyed by only a few persons.
Since man could not come to God’s presence, God became man and came to man. God through Christ Jesus initiated the reconciliation process and as a result of this, we all have access into the presence and covenant of God.
The wise men were not believers. Probably they were idolaters because they were practitioners of the Eastern religion. In spite of these, the star appeared to them.
What does this star symbolize in Christianity?
The star is symbolic of light, illumination, and enlightenment. They received a revelation that a king had been born. They followed the star, which led them to the Savior’s home, where they bowed in reverence.
Do you know that under the old covenant, these men would have no access to God? They would not even be able to approach God’s presence without being killed by His wrath for their sins! But, at the birth of Jesus, they did not just approach God; they fell to their knees and worshiped Him.
This is the reason for Jesus’ birth. It is the reason for the celebration of Christmas. It is the reason we celebrate Christmas on December 25th. It reminds us that God became man over two thousand years ago in order for man to be closer to God.
And we who are not originally Jewish can worship Him because of His birth, death, and resurrection. We can get down on our knees and pray, and our prayers will be answered.
As Gentiles, we had none of these until Jesus came to bridge the gap!
Because of His incarnation, a Samaritan woman became an evangelist. An adulteress condemned to die was set free. A harlot named Mary Magdalene became a sponsor of His ministry. A Canaanite woman received healing for her daughter and three Easterners worshipped Him.
It is for this reason that we celebrate His birth! God became man and brought even the Gentiles that were far away unto Himself!
2. GOD WANTS OUR WORSHIP
There is another amazing revelation in this story! When the wise men came to Jesus, they bowed and worshipped Him. Many emphasize more on the material treasures they gave to Jesus.
However, in spite of the material value and the prophetic significance of the gold, frankincense and myrrh they presented to Jesus, they first presented a gift that far outweighs the material things.
This is the greatest gift that we can give to the God. I believe the Matthew was right in describing the Magi as wise; because they presented the greatest gift first before giving Jesus their treasures. Here’s what Matthew reports;
“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” Matthew 2:11.
Historians tell us that to fall down at someone’s feet is a symbol of obeisance and reverence. The wise men showed their reverence and submission to God first before presenting their gifts.
This Christmas, though it is good one shows love for God by bringing our material gifts, tithes and offerings to Him, the greatest and most important gift God is after is the gift of our reverence and our worship.
God wants you and me to submit our lives to Him. To live for Him daily and to honor Him in everything we do. He wants our lives to be an acceptable worship to Him.
This Christmas, let us reflect on how we lived our lives this year. Did your life and your decisions honor God? Was God worshipped in your actions?
Let this Christmas be one with a difference. I have decided to give the gift of my worship and my submission to God. That in honor of what He did for me, I will give Him all of my honor and reverence.
I believe this is what God wants from His children; a life of worship and consecration. Is it possible? Hell yeah… lol! It’s more than possible. All you have to do is make the decision and trust in the Holy Spirit that lives in you to help you do it.
On social media, renowned secular artiste David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, requested funds to clear his Rolls Royce from the Port.
The soliciting, which began as a joke, quickly became a phenomenon, as he was able to raise more than 150 million naira. This phenomenon elicited a wide range of reactions on social media.
Below are some reactions:
“Yeah, he’s congratulated. No problem. But if it’s a pastor, you’ll see experts in analogy, exegesis, economic analysis and poverty advocacy.” – Sunny Dickson
‘100 Million donated by Nigerians under an hour for Davido’s birthday. But a mother whose child needs 300k for heart surgery will nearly submit her private part to the public before she can get 150k… I’m not against Davido getting his fun donations, but how much money doesn’t flow this fast on social media when a child from a poor home needs a little change….’ an anonymous follower remarked.
After Obi Cubana, Femi Otedola, and a slew of other business titans made large donations to the music star’s account, a 300-level student at the University of Abuja pleaded with them to assist in paying ‘ASUU’s’ salaries in order to avoid a strike. ‘Strikes have an impact on the social and economic conditions of countries,’ he said. Approximately 70% of Nigerian students have paid their school fees. The funds should be donated to these causes.’
Meanwhile, debates over the ‘correctness’ of Davido’s actions erupted on Facebook’s Christian Community. Several Christian Facebook influencers took advantage of the opportunity to highlight how people find it easy to give to secularism and support the world, but become enraged when the Church requests donations.
‘Davido posted his account number and got donations in millions…. If it’s a pastor, you will be angry. When you have issues, meet Davido to solve it for you. Let Davido heal the sick for you…’ Wesley Kayode Luther commented; Wesley Kayode comments.
His remark, however, drew harsh criticism from some members of the Christian community. Some claimed that Davido’s ability to amass such wealth was due to the ‘value’ attached to him.
One person, Praise Alege, even stated that God was the source of the numerous donations to Davido’s account, saying, ‘No one can receive what God hasn’t given…’
Some Christians also claimed Davido was reaping the benefits of his “good deeds.”
Good deeds which I believe include promoting promiscuity, immoral cultural and family values as well as fighting in public places and exchanging banters with other secular singers.
The trend continues as Nigerians, both Christians and non-Christians, marvel at how a man can raise more than a hundred million naira in a matter of hours and express their thoughts and opinions on it.
The Bible tells us that, ‘there are many vessels in a great man’s house.’ It then emphasizes vessels of honor. Gift Ugochi Christopher, also known as G U C, is a vessel of honor in the Body of Christ today, in my opinion.
His songs have greatly enriched people’s lives both within and outside the borders of this country. Most importantly, they have progressed from being ordinary songs to being channels of revival and healing in people’s lives.
His songs, from ‘All That Matters’ to ‘God of Vengeance’ and his most recent release, ‘Obinigwe,’ all have a dominant theme of consecration, devotion, and absolute reverence to God. Indeed, this man has provided a fresh perspective on the importance of music ministry and music ministers in God’s work.
I was particularly stunned by the testimonies I found on his Facebook page this morning.
14 YEARS OF CANCER DISAPPEARED! After three days of listening to his song, this cancer patient testified that the cancer was gone and the wound was healing naturally!
“My neighbor has been down for three days now,” said someone who identified as Favour. “I downloaded your latest song, Obinigwe, and as I played it near him in the hospital, his fingers started to move,” he added. The testimony, however, does not end there. ‘When I stopped the song, he (my friend) passed out again,’ says Favour. So I played the song again, and he started moving. ‘His eyes have opened!’
One of the most moving testimonies I heard was from a fellow whose brother died this morning. However, as the person pondered what to do, the song ‘Obinigwe’ came to mind. The song was downloaded and played in front of the lifeless brother, who immediately came back to life.
The testimonies are numerous and continue to pour in. I believe in GUC’s abundance of God’s grace, but I also believe he is a man who has taken music beyond songwriting and song release. The calibre of testimonies received by a song; raising the dead, healing cancer, saving lost souls, and so on, speaks volumes about the intense spiritual preparations made prior to its release. Despite being released on his YouTube channel, the song has been uploaded on several blogs.
I believe that God is using these testimonies to send a message to aspiring and up and coming music ministers. This is the impact the Holy Spirit wishes to make through Gospel music! Through your music, he wishes to heal, bless, and impart souls. He desires spiritual songs that will minister to the souls of those who hear them. Make it your goal to walk with the Holy Spirit all the way to this point.
Finally, the Bible tells us that God is fair to everyone. He can do for one what He can do for the other. Do you have any need? Healing, deliverance, and so on? God has the ability to minister to you. Download and get lost in the song’s worship of God and trust God for your miracle!
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!
“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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
We have numerous definitions for prayer. Whatever the case may be, God requires us to be more devoted than at any other time in recent memory. We pray to know the Will of God. We pray to know how to carry out the will of God.
We also pray to surrender ourselves to the desires of the kingdom for us. There are several definitions of prayer. Some see it as petitioning, while others see it as communing with God, and so on.. Prayer is what the Church really needs at this point.
When God’s move begins, it begins with His children’s prayers. This intercession ensures that God’s work is carried out precisely and without interference from the forces of darkness. Why do we have to pray? This is because we can only gain insight and understanding into what God is going to do through prayer.
According to Colossians 2:3, “all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ,” and it is through prayer that these treasures are revealed to us.
THE HEART MATTERS
This is a photograph of possessive
James 4:3 (New International Version)
“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
Any prayer prayed for the wrong reasons will be rendered ineffective. Prayer is a sacred duty that must be carried out with the purest of intentions. In the Church, selfishness is the slayer of prayer. It causes God to stifle the much-needed answer.
Prayer for the sake of one’s own selfish interests is a waste of time. According to Proverbs 21, God weighs a man’s heart. He weighs His saints’ hearts; He measures the quality of prayer by the quality of the heart rather than the quantity of words.
If a saint’s motives are not pure, he may say thousands of words before God and leave empty-handed; however, another saint may speak only a few words and leave with the Grace he seeks as a result of pure motives.
Proverbs 15:11: “Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord, How much more the hearts of men!”
We deceive ourselves when we believe God is unaware of the true reason for some of our petitions. God sees our hearts; He hears our thoughts as well as our words. Therefore, before we pray, we must examine our hearts and ensure that our motives are pure. In our prayer, there must be no trace of self or carnality.
FOR HIS GLORY
When we pray, whether in public or privately, the only thing that matters is that God receives the glory. In the place of prayer, His glory and will must be at the center of our desires. In the Kingdom, we are only rewarded for actions that bring glory to God.
HIS BATTLE-AXE
The pure saint must see himself as a battle-axe in the master’s hands, or as a pencil in the creator’s hands. When he prays or fasts, he must remember that it is God who is doing the work through him.
Conclusively, ministers, intercessors, and all members of the Body must keep this in mind. We must not allow the spirit of competition to infiltrate our organization. We must be wary of praying for the sake of showing off.
KOINONIA ART 