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GENERAL, POETRY

UNBROKEN

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Tear me down for I will not bend,
Persecute me for I will not curse,
Stone me for I will pray for you.

Stand against me for I will walk away,
Take me to death for I will not be afraid,
Take me into the dungeon, for I will still preach.

Bind me in chains, I will still write,
Smash me in my face, I will still sing,
Take away my possession, I have peace of mind.

Crucify me , my redeemer liveth,
Afflict me with pains and tribulations I will rise again;

Chase after me , the lord is my safety,
Throw me into the furnace of fire I will live again…!

Greenhills Emmanuel Amarayahweh

GENERAL, POETRY

REASON FOR OUR MERRIMENT

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His birth birthed celebration-
In Him we found Jubilation.
Kill the question, ignite action
All has qualified, no audition.
His birth replied our petition-
Even our unanswered questions.

Be merry in this merry feast-
Eat your fried chicken at least.
Wise men did theirs at the East.
Even the evangelist and priest.
Sing till your voice crest summit-
Be merry in this merry feast
   
Mehhhhh… Sounding with solo,
Joy everywhere; singing with alto.
Hail our master, bravo!
We are happy, let’s call on alonso.
Dance to the allegro,
Saviour is the commando.
     
Because the world is tattered
Ruthless and it’s scattered
The lamb was slaughtered
For hope that has been shattered
Its skin, used to cover the uncovered
He restored hope that was shattered
        
The year has been tough
Full of falls, thorns and rough.
But His love was ever enough.
In life’s prison we were in handcuff
But He ransomed us in His love.
Thank you Lord, for your Love
       
The tale was not by sight,
Neither was it by might
It was the light twice as bright;
At the new born’s sight.
Let’s merry in His only light
For the blind has seen the light.

Collective Poem by    © JUDAISKY®
, ©AWOKORY®,  © STANDARD_INK® ,    ©NKEMJOY® And  © NAIJALILY®

GENERAL

LIVING IN INTERNAL TRANQUILITY

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Matthew 14 vs 32 ;
“And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased”

The disciples of Jesus were out one night in the middle of the sea and suddenly, a great wind arose which was going contrary to them. Take note of the word, ‘CONTRARY.’

Also note that at that time, they lacked Jesus in the ship because Jesus was out somewhere praying at that time.

I believe Jesus’ disciples did have tried everything they could to restore balance to the ship.

Probably, they had adjusted the ship, or throw some goods into the sea. All of these were done in order to prevent the ship from sinking.

But when Jesus came into the boat in verse 32 above, we’re told in scriptures “And when they were come into the ship(JESUS alongside Peter), the wind ceased”, the storm became calm, the trouble left and Peace was restored.


John tells us, in his account of this story that “they (referring to Jesus’disciples) WILLINGLY received him into the ship…… ”,

After seeing they could not help themselves, they WILLINGLY received him. After trying their best to bring peace, they WILLINGLY received Him who is ‘THE PRINCE OF PEACE’ into their boat and immediately, peace came into their lives both externally and internally.

That ship represents our lives as Christians. In the midst of the storm, it is trying its best to escape the storm, to find peace and inner tranquility.

We earnestly search for it with all our might. Yet, because of storms like this pandemic, we live in panic, in fear, and in despair

This is because in our quest for true peace, we have left out The PRINCE OF PEACE, JESUS CHRIST.

We have totally left him out of our troubles thinking we could solve it ourselves, when the Bible actually tells us in Proverbs 3 that we should lean not on our own understanding, but trust in him and acknowledge him in everything we do including our troubles!

If He could not give us peace, He wouldn’t have told us in 1st PETER 5 vs 7 to cast all our cares(troubles, needs, problems) upon Him.


He knew we would face challenges and that was why He made Himself available, to hear our cries and save us, giving us peace both within and without.

God really wants you to take your hands off the wheels and allow him take control.

He wants you to stop being in charge of your life and let him handle it. He really wants to help, if only we could let him take over.

How can I invite Jesus into my life?


It’s very simple. You invite Him by first accepting him into your life.

With the first step done, know that He has stepped in already.

Though He’s in their lives, yet, many Christians today, fail to acknowledge the Presence of God that dwells with and in them.

Be fully convinced that God is with you even in the midst of that storm. Though, the storm might be so frightening that it’s difficult to feel Him working in the midst of it, do not be despaired.

We rely on God by continuous studying of His Word. Our Bible doesn’t exist merely to show we are Christians, it is there to help us to build up our faith in God!

The Bible has a solution for every kind of problem the world is facing today.

The problem with many-a-christian is that when challenges come and their inner peace is gone, instead of turning to God, they blame him. If you can’t blame a barber for you having a bushy hair, then you shouldn’t blame God for your problems!

We live in a world full of troubles bound to take away our peace but if we can just turn to God through constant studying of the bible, prayers and trusting in him, trust me we will be at peace even if all around us seems to be going contrary because we know God never fails.

Lastly,

Proverbs 3vs 1&2,
“My Son, forget not my law but let thine heart keep my commandments
For length of days and long life and PEACE shall they add unto thee ”

See up their, it brings peace, God’s law and commandments brings peace. As a matter of fact, whatever you let your heart get used to will rule you, so if you let your heart rely in God’s word(commandments) through studying the Bible, prayer and trusting in him, Your heart will gradually get inclined to Peace which only the Lord gives both inward and outward.

Let Jesus take control of your life today, take your hands off the wheels and let him take over. SHALOM

Tolu-Taiwo Victor

GENERAL

GOODNESS

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Goodness

The ends of everything I have reached,
To many paths I have crossed searching,
The love of God has been preached to my ears,
His love I have come to embrace.

The pains of my existence has been seen,
The knowledge of my living is very thin,
The experience of His love is not slim,
The Goodness of Him is more than a team.

Dust for dust I have heard them say,
Love for love is what my master taught,
Eye for eye was what men taught me,
Grace for grace is what He showed me.

His love transcend all human understanding,
My mind limited me to my own understanding,
His goodness showed me my standing place,
He came and took me to his place of abode.

GreenHills Emmanuel

GENERAL

The Promise with a Commandment

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Joshua 1:9 “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Bible is filled with numerous promises of God even to the present day saint. Promises of God’s ever abiding protection and provisions are spread abroad that golden book.

These Promises are real, even more real than the words of man. God ensured they were penned, so generation to Generation would behold it and be strengthened to serve God.

Yet, a saint who just began his journey of faith, might look upon these Promises and even fall into doubt. The same promise which were supposed to produce faith in man, can produce the thickest of confusions in the same.

For the same Lord, who declared that His Saints are surrounded by Angels, can also permit His Saints to be slain by evil forces.

The same Lord who promised to give us everything we ever needed, sometimes, permit us to spend nights with empty stomach.

The same Lord who promises that none among His children shall be barren, for children are His heritage, that same God can also shut the womb of even a devout Hannah.

It is the paradox of the Gospel. That God’s promises of the best, are actually to strengthen us to endure the worst.

Peter called it the testing of our Faith.

In the aforementioned Bible verse, God appears to the servant boy, Joshua, to officially commission Him to serve as a leader.

Among the things that God promised Joshua, are,
i. His ever-abiding presence
ii. Absolute victory

One might imagine, that these promises would spur Joshua to laziness and laxity. Why fret over the battle when it is the Lord’s? Why train for war, when it shall be fought by the Lord’s Angels?

The Promises are too good to be true. The Almighty God has promised to always be with Joshua. The Servant of Moses must have cast his mind back to his master, and the exploits he beheld his master perform.

From the parting of the red Sea, to the manna from heaven, his master wrought so much amongst the Israelites, with only one secret; The Lord was with him.

This same secret what was The Lord was giving to Joshua.

Yet, amidst these enthralling promises, The Lord issues a command.

Be strong and courageous.

What was the need of strength from Joshua, when The Lord had promised to be His strength.

Has the Lord promised you greatness? Has He promised you dominion?
Has He promised you great wealth?
Has He promised you the territories of locality and beyond?

Glory to Him.
But I would that you also know that the Promises of God also come with a command to be strong and courageous.

This strength isn’t that gotten from hours in the gym. It refers to mental and Spiritual strength. It is the inner fortitude required to possess that which the Lord has promised.

This strength is faith. Though God has promised you, you will be the one to do the fighting.

Man fights, God grants the victory.
Though God has promised, you must wage the war.
You must wield the sword of the spirit, and shoot the arrows of prayers towards the camp of the enemy.

Again, I ask. Has God promised you something?

That Promise will never be fulfilled without a brave fight from you.

He promised the Israelites the land of Canaan, but it was already occupied by Giants. It took a brave fight from the Israelites to enter into God’s promise.

Strength is required, to not just fight for your promised Land, but to stand on the word of the Lord.

Strength is required when the Lord has promised you the best, yet, all you see is the worse.

At that moment, if your faith is weak, believing God for the fulfilment of His word will be difficult.

Patience is a form of strength. Patience is very much needed in working with God.

God answers prayers, but He does not answer it at our timing. Sometimes, all it takes is one battle to conquer the land, sometimes, it would take seven days of marching under the scorching sun, around a very wide City wall to conquer it.

Patience is needed to resist the scorning of Penninah and stay pious until the Lord gives the promised Samuel.

It takes strength to stay patient.

I shall proceed to the next command God gave.

Be Courageous, He commanded Joshua.

Courage is needed when facing a visible adversary in the name of an invisible God.

Courage is needed to live comfortably, in spite of the deadly pandemic.

Courage is needed to hold fast unto your faith, even when faced with persecution and threat of death.

Courage is needed to confront Goliath with a sling and a few stones.
Courage is needed to say no, to the carnal desires of the wife of one as great as Potiphar.
Courage is needed to stand for what God has given you.
Divine Health. Prosperity. The Salvation of your Children.

Courage is needed to keep seeking for an answer to these things.

Dearly Beloved Reader, as much as we pray for God’s promises, and His promises alone to come your way, we would be dispensing only a half truth, if we fail to tell you, that the promise of God requires Strength and Courage.

No matter what you are going through, take strength in the awareness of God being with you.

But how come He’s with me and He allowed this sickness to come my way? You might ask.

I do not have a specific answer for that question, but the ways of God are unsearchable and mysterious.

But from scriptures, we can see that there are several men, who faced what you’re facing, even while God was with them.

God was with Joseph when he was thrown into the dry pit and thereafter sold as a slave.
God was with the children of Israel when they were suffering for over 430 years in Egypt.
God was with David when he lived in severe hunger to the point of going to beg for assistance from a rich fool named Nabal.

God was with Daniel when he was being thrown into the Lion’s den.

God was with Jesus when he was being beaten to a pulp in the public.

God was with Stephen when he was being stoned to death.

God was with Paul when he was being flogged for delivering the possessed slave.

The Presence of God does not subtract us from trials, but it strengthens us in the face of it, and guides us through it, into our promised Land, both here, and in Heaven.

I wrap this up with an admonition to you, as the Lord admonished Joshua, be strong. Be strong in the face of these battles.

Hold onto the Promises of God.
Be Courageous. Fear not! No Pandemic shall end your life!

Believe the word of the Lord!

We are praying greatly for you, and we trust that God will surround you with His protection.

Again, I say unto you,

Be Strong.

Amen

GENERAL

God’s Building Materials

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1 Corinthians 3:12
If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,

1 Corinthians 3:13 Their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.

It is weight that counts. Wood, hay, stubble are cheap, light, temporary; gold silver, precious stones are costly, weighty, eternal.

Here is the key to value.

The heavy metals, the gold of the divine character and glory, the silver of His redemptive work: these are the materials He prizes.

Not merely what we preach, please note, but what we are, weighs with God; not doctrine, but the character of Christ wrought out in us by God’s orderings, by God’s testings, by the Spirit’s patient workings.

Work that is of God is work that has been to the Cross. When our work has been that way, we can rest assured that it will in the end survive the fire.

Not, “Where is the need most evident? What ideas and resources have I got? How much can I do? How soon can I put that doctrine into practice?” but, “Where is God moving? What is there of Him here? How far does He will for me to go? What is the mind of the Spirit on this?”—these are the questions of the truly crucified servant. He recognizes God’s “Go” and His “Speak,” but also His “Wait,” and His “Go,” but say only so much. Aware of his own weakness and emptiness, the greatest lesson he has to learn is to commit his way to God and wait to see Him move.

The problem lies in our failure to understand that, in God’s work, man in himself is of no use. Wood, hay, stubble, these suggest what is essentially of man and of the flesh.

They imply what is common, ordinary, easily and cheaply acquired—and of course perishable. Grass today may clothe the earth with beauty, but where is it tomorrow?

Human intellect may give us a grasp of Scripture; natural eloquence may have the power to attract; emotion may carry us along; feelings may seem to supply a guiding sense—but to what? God looks for more solid values than these.

Many of us can preach well and accurately enough, but we are wrong. We talk of the flesh but don’t know its perils; we talk of the Spirit, but would we recognize Him were He really to move us?

Too much of our work for God depends not on His will and purpose, but on our feelings—or even, God forgive us! on the weather. Like chaff and stubble, it is carried away by the wind. Given the right mood we may accomplish a lot, but just as easily, in adverse conditions, we may give up entirely. No, as the fire will one day prove, work that is dependent on feelings or on the wind of revival is of little use to God. When God commands, feelings or no feelings, we must learn to do.

The God-prized values are costly. Those unwilling to pay the price will never come by them. Grace is free, but this isn’t. Only a high price buys costly stones.

Many a time we shall want to cry out “This is costing too much!” Yet the things wrought by God through the lessons we learn under His hand, though we be long in learning them—these are the really worthwhile things.

Time is an element in this. In the light of God, some things perish of themselves; there is no need to wait for the fire. It is in what remains, in what has stood God’s test of time, that true worth lies. Here are found the precious stones, formed in what

God graciously gives us of sorrow and trouble, as He puts us “through fire and water” to bring us to His wealthy place. Man sees the outward appearance; God sees the inward cost. Do not wonder that you experience all sorts of trials. Accepted from His hand they are the sure way to a life that is precious to Him.

May God have mercy on the clever people who pass on merely what they have read or received from another. Not even speaking for God can be done without cost.

It is all a question of whether the person’s life is light or weighty, for weight shows the quality of the material. Two men may use the same words, but in the one you meet something you cannot get past; in the other— nothing.

The difference is in the man. You always know when you are in the presence of spiritual worth. No amount of theorizing about the Lord’s return, for example, will take the place of a life that has been daily lived looking for Him.

There is no escaping this difference, and no substitute for the real thing. Alas, some of us are so unlike our words that it might be better if we said less about spiritual things.

Do not wonder, then, at God’s concern for the materials of His house. Imitation jewelry may have a certain beauty, but what woman who has once possessed the real thing would give it another thought?

The apostle Paul leaves us in no doubt of his own valuation. Ten coolie-loads of stubble can never approach the price of one single gemstone.

All flesh, all mere feelings, all that is essentially of man, is grass and must vanish away. What is of Christ, the gold, the silver, the costly stones, these alone are eternal, incorruptible, imperishable.

It is this lasting character of God’s Church that must now claim our attention.



Watchman Nee

GENERAL

Imitators of Christ’s Love

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St. John 8:3
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group

St. John 8:4
And said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

St. John 8:5
In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

St. John 8:6
They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.

St. John 8:7
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

St. John 8:8
Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

St. John 8:9
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.

St. John 8:10:
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

St. John 8:11
“No one, sir,” she said.“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

It was never really about adultery.
It was beyond immorality.
It was bigger than sin and iniquity.
It was actually a domicile nature.
A state of the heart, the posture of the soul.

Caught in the very act of adultery, she was humiliated, dragged into the public to be stoned, facing shame in the sight of all, but it was much more than falling into a sin.

But her accusers could not see beyond her act. They condemned her from the outside, not knowing that a fruit is only an offspring of the tree.

We have some clergymen who do the same thing today. In their attempt to preach against sin, they address the act, point to the fruit, but neglect the inward cause of it

St. John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

In John 8:12, Jesus revealed to us, that the root cause of the sinfulness of mankind was the darkened state of their hearts.

Hence, in order to save them, we must turn on the light, we must do as Jesus did, pretend not to see reasons to condemn the accused, look away from the darkness, search for light, and then rise up to dispel, expel and send darkness into extinction.

So when we preach to sinners, we do not dwell on their sins, rather, we partner with Christ and trust Him to flood their darkened hearts with His divine light.

Once their hearts receives the Light, their acts will reflect the same.

Thus, we ought not to be among the crowd to accuse the woman caught in the very act of adultery. Rather, we imitate the love of Christ, who refused to condemn her, and gave her a chance to live rightly.


Jesus said to her,

GO AND SIN NO MORE.

This was a certification that her nature had been changed, from adultery with men, to adoption with God. She became born again. She became the living testimony of ll Corinthians 5:17.

‘Go and sin no more,’
That was a powerful charge. It was a command, verdict and a law. An inscription upon her soul.

Friends, that woman represent every sinner around each and every one of us, they need help, they need Christ, they know they are wrong but they are confused as to what to do.

Beloved, would you help them?

Doo something before they’re ‘stoned to death,’ I mean the second death, eternal damnation.

Defend them and reveal Christ to them.
(John 8:1-12)

Let us pray.

© Shadrach Iyere

Spirituality

Crucified with Christ

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“I am crucified with Christ.”
Galatians 2:20



The Lord Jesus Christ acted in what he did as a great public representative person, and his dying upon the cross was the virtual dying of all his people.

Then all his saints rendered unto justice what was due, and made an expiation to divine vengeance for all their sins.

The apostle of the Gentiles delighted to think that as one of Christ’s chosen people, he died upon the cross in Christ. He did more than believe this doctrinally, he accepted it confidently, resting his hope upon it.

He believed that by virtue of Christ’s death, he had satisfied divine justice, and found reconciliation with God.

Beloved, what a blessed thing it is when the soul can, as it were, stretch itself upon the cross of Christ, and feel, “I am dead; the law has slain me, and I am therefore free from its power, because in my Surety I have borne the curse, and in the person of my Substitute the whole that the law could do, by way of condemnation, has been executed upon me, for I am crucified with Christ.”

But Paul meant even more than this. He not only believed in Christ’s death, and trusted in it, but he actually felt its power in himself in causing the crucifixion of his old corrupt nature.

When he saw the pleasures of sin, he said, “I cannot enjoy these: I am dead to them.”

Such is the experience of every true Christian. Having received Christ, he is to this world as one who is utterly dead.

Yet, while conscious of death to the world, he can, at the same time, exclaim with the apostle, “Nevertheless I live.” He is fully alive unto God. The Christian’s life is a matchless riddle.

No worldling can comprehend it; even the believer himself cannot understand it. Dead, yet alive! crucified with Christ, and yet at the same time risen with Christ in newness of life!

Union with the suffering, bleeding Saviour, and death to the world and sin, are soul-cheering things. O for more enjoyment of them!

Source: Charles Spurgeon Gems

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Faith Video: Are You Building by Faith or by Fear?

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1 John 5:4 “Every God-begotten person conquers the world’s ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. The person who wins out over the world’s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God.” MSG

We believe this excerpt from Bishop TD Jakes sermon will bless you richly, this morning.

Source: TD Jakes Ministries Fb Page