Tag Archives: Christ

GENERAL

Nigerian Christian Community react to Davido’s fundraising

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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.

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

Spirituality, STORIES

A story of God’s salvation in an unusual way!

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At times it looks like God doesn’t answer us and leaves us to our own fate when we need His answer most. I once felt that way as well.


I went for a program in a place far away from home. I was to minister in songs and yes I did minister.



It was awesome. The spirits of many were lifted and the barriers in people’s heart were broken down. Many were totally broken and completely surrendered to God.



It was an evening program and the weather was looking bright and normal.



After the singing and praising, it was time for the word to be preached. There was so much being said to us. God was expressly speaking to us through the Pastor.



Closing prayers were about to be concluded when the weather suddenly changed and it began to rain heavily.




We ignored it thinking that it will soon stop. We finished the prayers and did other needed things but the heavy rain continued.


Those whose houses were close and or umbrellas with them left for home while I and a few persons were stuck.


“Pray and command the rain to stop,” one of them said to me. I just stared at the person and didn’t say anything. I had to pray because I had done something similar before and the night was already catching up with us. I did everything I could think of, but the rain didn’t stop.


At this point, we had to get our things inside a waterproof material and began to journey home under the rain since there was no transport close by.



We all felt bad and bitter. But we learnt later that God used the rain to save many of us who might have been victims from kidnappers that operated that evening.



When we knew about it, we thanked the Lord – fully understanding this scripture;



Romans 8:28
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

I learnt a vital lesson from this experience; that no matter how inconvenient the circumstances you find yourself in might be, God is using it to work out His will!

You might not see it – and you don’t need to, for we walk by faith and not by sight. Thus, all you have to do is keep believing that everything you’re going through – the heavy downpour, the tempestuous storm, will eventually work out God’s glorious plan in your life!

Amen!

Spirituality, videos

Insightful counsel from Joshua Selman

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Apostle Joshua Selman is a Nigerian televangelist, instrumentalist, and chemical engineer. He is the founder and Senior Pastor of the Eternity Network International (ENI).

The (ENI) has a gospel fellowship called Koinonia, which meets regularly in Samaru, Zaria, Kaduna State, and Abuja, Nigeria.

Source: Salvation Hub
GENERAL

WHAT PROPHECY IS AND WHAT IT IS NOT!

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The word ‘Prophecy’ Biblically speaking refers to an inspired message given to God’s people. It is a word of exhortation, admonition or promise of a future occurrence from God to His people.

2 Peter 1:21: “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

 ‘Prophesied’ in the Greek word of the aforementioned scripture {propheteuo} confirms this as it means the foretelling of future events as well as speaking under divine inspiration. Propheteuo is gotten from two words; Pro and Phemi.

Phemi means to reveal one’s thoughts. It also means to bring one’s secret thoughts to light – while Pro to speak ahead of time or beforehand. When these two words are brought together; Pro-Phemi they give us the meaning of revealing God’s secret thoughts before they manifest.

Prophecy is a gift and an activity that is not limited to believers; even unbelievers prophesy. Diviners and spiritualists equally prophecy; they give predictions of the future and also give inspired messages – however, these messages are not from God, but from the devil.

  • Balaam prophesied using sorcery (Numbers 24:1).
  • The prophets in Jeremiah’s days prophesied by Baal {Jer. 2:8}

Our concern as believers should not be with the prophecies that come from these folks, but with the one that comes from God’s own prophets. However, even genuine prophets, especially those who only have the gift of prophecy without productive training and mentorship from a genuine senior prophet, can give inaccurate prophecies or prophecies from the wrong source.

This is the reason a believer must properly understand what a prophecy is and what it is not, so that he/she can be able to discern which prophecy to accept and the one to reject.

Biblical Prophecy is for Edification, Comfort and Exhortation

1 Corinthians 14:3: “But [on the other hand], the one who prophesies [who interprets the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching] speaks to men for their upbuilding and constructive spiritual progress and encouragement and consolation.” (AMP)

Whatever prophecy that God is gives to His Church or the members of the Church is not to make them moody or dampen their faith. It is only evil prophecies inspired by Satan or concocted by man that aim at weakening the faith of believers.

True prophecy stirs up faith and enflames the dimming light in the heart of a believer. When a believer is downcast or is in a tight corner, God can speak to that believer through His word {the Bible} or through the pastor of that believer – that is prophecy.

When God brings a scripture to your heart during your darkest moments, that Bible verse is a word of prophecy to uphold and strengthen your faith. However, when during your dark moments, all you get are predictions of your downfall, scary tales and scary dreams, you must know how to rebuke and reject them. They are not from God! God-inspired prophecies are meant to comfort us and to also edify us.

Furthermore, prophecy is also meant to EXHORT. The word ‘exhortation’ signifies a call for an action. It could be a call to repentance, prayer etc. A lot of times, God’s prophecy does not only come to comfort or edify us, it also comes to correct us. It comes to admonish us and show us the right path.

God used the likes of Isaiah, Jeremiah and a host of other prophets to fulfil this in the Old Testament. However, a concise study in the Books will reveal that though they contained some negative prophecies about Israel, they always ended with a word of comfort and solace. And in some instances, God did this to bring them to repentance. Thus, God also uses prophecy to warn us of the consequences of wrongdoing.

The purpose of prophecy revolves around this.

WHAT HOLY SPIRIT-INSPIRED PROPHECY IS NOT.

  • Revealing of one’s past mistakes.
  • Revealing irrelevant facts about a person.
  • An evil foretelling meant to create fear or swindle a person

Nwodo Divine sums it up here;

“God reveals his definition of prophecy in the book of 1st Peter. 2 Peter 1:19 says ‘We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts’. 2 Peter 1:20 says ‘Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.’ 2 Peter 1:21 says ‘For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’ Note the following,

  • Word of Prophecy
  • Prophecy of Scripture
  • Moved by the Holy Spirit

Prophecy is speaking forth the word of God by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is declaring the counsel of God towards a particular situation – and it is founded upon the already existing sure prophecy – God’s word.

Now, based on this definition, will you define prophecy as telling a person facts about his past and would you define a prophet as one who can tell you the colour of your father’s house and the sins of your granny.

Where is the counsel of God in that?
Where and how is the will of God in that?

God bless you – it is a prophecy.
So and so has been happening, but the Lord is turning it around – such is a prophecy
There’s doom in the air, but if we repent, we will be saved – such is prophecy.

Bible is the Book full of prophecies of what God has/will do for His church and the world in general.

Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the WORDS of THIS PROPHECY, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Thus we see that Biblical perspective of Prophecy is giving God’s counsel.

What to do with Prophecy? Click on this…

Spirituality

What to do with God’s Promises?

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Have you ever received a prophecy?


Have you ever been told of a miracle coming your way but after a long time, you saw no miracle?


Have you ever wondered why despite the fact that the preacher was genuine and inspired, the prophecy was never fulfilled?



“Or was he lying? ” you might have asked within yourself.



Well, he was not lying 😊


Romans 3 vs 4 says, “Let God be true but every man a liar ”.


Those prophecies were totally true. Why didn’t they happen? You ask.


Truth is, certain prophecies are not assurances that a certain thing will happen in your life! They are not.




What do I mean?



Take for example, a high ranking official in the government promises to give you a job, a well paying job.



Knowing how genuine this man is, you immediately become rest assured that the job is now yours.



Though he has promised you the job, you still have your part to play in getting it. You have to prepare and submit your CV and prove to be competent in an interview. The job will only be yours when these procedures have been followed.



Getting blissful prophecies to manifest in our lives is similar to this.


Prophecy has two major purposes,


1. Faith


2. Alignment


Prophecy strengthens our faith in God. It gives us the assurance of a better future in spite of the difficulties we may be experiencing.


Prophecy is also released to put us in alignment with God’s will.


However, that a good promise has been prophesied to us does not mean it will automatically come true.


It is not magic. You have a part to play in its fulfilment.


1 Timothy 1:18
“This charge I commit to you…. according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare”


In the aforementioned verse, Paul admonishes is that the prophecies and promises that God has made to us aren’t just released to make us feel good.


They are given to us to equip us for spiritual warfare. In the text, Paul charges us to wage a good warfare with the prophecies.

This is because there exist several powers and forces that will fight against us in our Christian journey.


This is further revealed in Ephesians 6:12;


“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”


These principalities and powers are working daily to bring obstacles and hindrances our way. Their mission is to ensure we do not achieve our God-given purpose.



It is with God’s revealed promises and prophecies that we pray and stop their activities. So when you see poverty in your life even when God has promised you great wealth, do not relax thinking it will come true.


The Prophecy did not come to make you relax, it came to equip you to fight for its fulfilment. Go to God in prayer and constantly remind Him of His Promise to you.

Keep declaring it in your life. Even when everything around you seems to contradict the promise, keep declaring it and praying for its fulfilment.


When we do this, we nurture the seed of Prophecy to germinate and become a reality in our lives.


What is that promise that God has given you? What positive prophecy have you received that has not come into manifestation yet?


Now is the time to go to God and remind Him of the promise and demand for its fulfilment!


Whether it is long life or business opportunities or a prosperous future, keep praying with it and expecting its fulfilment in your life.


WRITTEN BY TOLU-TAIWO VICTOR

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

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.

Spirituality

Heart Matters: Can your dream withstand the falls?

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No one is ever born a winner. Winners are groomed and developed from average humans into who the winners they are.

In fact, the Bible says that the only thing in the mind of a child at birth is ‘foolishness’. No child is born wise, neither is any child is born a winner.

Every individual has the choice to be a winner or loser. This choice is seen and expressed in the kind of habits that dominate our life. The loser has a habit that causes him to lose repeatedly and the winner has certain habits that cause him to live in constant victory.

But it is imperative to iterate that no winner truly wins every time. Anyone can make mistakes, anyone can fall, but a winner will rise again no matter how many times he falls.

Anyone can fail an exam, but a winner will put in more effort to rewrite and get a better grade.

Winners are not people who never fail but who never quit.

Winners have certain qualities and habits that make them who they are.

These things are innate and intrinsic within them. They have a deep-seated dream, desire and passion for victory and conquest in every of their endeavours. This dream must be more than mere wish; it must be a driving force founded upon a just and selfless cause.


CAN YOUR DREAM WITHSTAND THE FALLS?

Genesis 39:20: “And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners [were] bound: and he was there in the prison.” (KJV)


Joseph had the dream to be a ruler. This dream was deep-seated in his heart that he couldn’t help but tell his brothers and his father about it.

Joseph eventually became a ruler in Egypt, but not without having to withstand some of the toughest upsets a person can ever face in life. Joseph was sold into slavery by his very own brothers!



Genesis 39:18-20: “When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 19 “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20 “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”


“We’ll see what happens with his dreams,” they said. What fascinates me about this statement is that it was made by Joseph’s own brothers, not by a stranger or a sworn enemy of Jacob’s family.

Isn’t it amazing how the people who don’t want you to achieve the big goals God has given you aren’t always distant enemies, but people you call your friends and family?

Those you look up to for support, but instead of encouraging you, they discourage you and send you to an uncomfortable place to be groomed in something you never dreamed of.

This was Joseph’s situation. He was sold into slavery by his own brothers – what a paradox that the prophesied ruler would be sold as a slave.

That could be described as a fall, a transition from greatness to something less than what you expected. But Joseph was tenacious!

Despite the fact that he appeared to have fallen out of favour and would never rise again, he kept the dream alive within himself.

Joseph did not give up his dream despite the fact that he had lost his family, his coat of many colours, and the comfort of his father. He held it close to his heart. His dream withstood his fall.

Because Joseph believed in his dream, he excelled in Potiphar’s house. I imagine Joseph brought into the house and thinking within himself, ‘This could be the place where my dreams will be fulfilled’.

So he worked doggedly with all diligence knowing Potiphar’s house could be the place where his dreams become reality. Indeed, his diligence paid off.


Genesis 35:4: “Joseph found favour in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.”


Joseph became the chief administrator of Potiphar’s household. That was an elevation and a promotion. Potiphar was a very wealthy man and had lots of servants; for Joseph to be in charge of Potiphar’s household means that Joseph was the leader of all the servants and staff of Potiphar’s house.

What other honour could one ask for?

But while this was happening, Joseph had no idea that soon his dream might be put to test with another fall. Potiphar’s wife suddenly began to develop feelings for the young lad.

Genesis 39:7: “And after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” (NIV)

The young man refused to heed to the temptation! Let’s pause here for a while! The temptation to become his master’s favourite was very luring and attractive, but Joseph stayed faithful to his faith in God.

If Joseph had slept with his master’s wife, there might have been no immediate consequences, but it would have led to a diversion from Joseph’s journey to success – he would never have been able to achieve his purpose.

In this event, we learn the importance of making right decisions. There are certain decisions you make now as a teenager that will give you temporal pleasure but lead to a permanent diversion from your calling.

You must be disciplined enough to say no to these things. Do not make decisions based on how they appear, appearances can be very deceiving.

Instead, look within at what the Spirit of God is saying in regards to it. If He is against such decision, you should yield to His counsel to you.

Joseph’s decision to remain chaste even in Egypt led to him being taken to prison (Genesis 39:20). He was not imprisoned for lying or for being dishonest; he was imprisoned for choosing the path of chastity.

From being the ruler of Potiphar’s household, he fell to become an inmate in a king’s prison. Again, Joseph experienced another fall. But in the prison, instead of being depressed, Joseph chose to be happy.

He chose to care for the other inmates – it wasn’t a choice made on impulse, it was the voice of his dream speaking – the voice of a dream that had withstand a fall. He kept his dream of being a leader alive and eventually became the leader of other inmates in the prison.


We know the rest of the story – Joseph was called up to Pharaoh’s palace one day, and he became the governor of Egypt. He is a living proof that dreams come true.

Winners do not lose hope no matter what they face. They believe in their dreams – they have a strong conviction that the vision that God has given them will come true.

Do you have this kind of dream? Do you have a vision that propels you to pray, fast and study your Bible? Do you have a vision that drives you to stay awake at night studying your books? Do you have a vision that propels you to work at the best level possible in whatever work you’re learning?

Can your dream withstand the loss of your mother? Can it withstand the loss of your father? Can your dream withstand the COVID and economic crisis?


Before that dream can come true, there will be lots of obstacles that will try to deter you from purpose. You will encounter a lot of ups and downs, rise and falls. But in the midst of this, keep your dream alive within. Be strong!

Let your dream withstand the fall! Turn your mistakes into miracles, your graves into gardens and your falls into an elevation towards greatness!

Written by Nwodo Divine

GENERAL, Student's Corner

The Mind

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According to Genesis, after God created man, he blessed him and commanded him to subdue and dominate the Earth and all that is within it.

I find it perplexing that man, who appears to be a frail and fragile creature, should be given dominion over animals with fierce strength like the Lion, Tiger, and so on, as well as planetary bodies with paranormal intensity like the sun and stars.

What did God give man that makes Him superior to God’s other creations?

  • A creative mind


Your mind is a key to an infinite number of possibilities, depending on how well you have challenged and exercised it. The mind is more than a machine; it is greater than any computer program. Thousands of bots and robots have been developed in an attempt to mimic humans, but none have been able to match the intelligence of the human mind.


YOUR MIND IS YOUR GREATEST RESOURCE

Everything God created man with was for his benefit, including the mind. When God created man and gave him the dominion charge, He did not give him a gun or a missile, the only thing He left man with was the Mind.

The Mind is the greatest resource that God has given to man. It is probably one of the greatest blessings that God has bestowed upon us.

Take a look at this;


“And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and knowledge, and all manner of workmanship; And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and silver, and brass, And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.” – Exodus 35: 30-34.


Bezaleel was given special abilities to do very special work in God’s sanctuary, and God provided him with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding for these tasks. Whatever Bezaleel and Aholiab did was simply a result of the divine wisdom God had bestowed upon them.


God has blessed many of us with gifted minds, such as Bezaleel. The same Spirit that quickened Bezaleel’s mind is the Spirit we received the moment we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Moreover, the Bible equally says we have the mind of Christ.


THE MIND IS A SOIL

The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. Psalms 37:31.
 

The mind is like a soil, whatever you sow and nurture in it eventually becomes your reality. Thus, we must be careful the things we sow in our minds because they have the ability to grow to influence our lives.



Sow God’s word into your mind. Your mind was created by God so that you can be able to meditate and ponder on the word of God. When this duty is done diligently, God’s word becomes a strong influence and deciding factor in our minds.

It speaks when we’ve done wrong. It cautions us when we ere. It guides us when we’re trapped in a crossroad.

When God’s word is planted in our minds, living righteously becomes an easy thing.
 

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: Hebrews 8:10.

THE MIND IS A WEAPON

The mind is a weapon given to man to overcome every circumstance of life. It is like a quiver full of weapons. But what will fill your quiver and make it strong is the content you have in it. The absence of quality content in the minds of young folks is what makes them despair in the face of opposition.

Thus, it is imperative that one feeds his mind with information relevant to the age and system we are in presently.