Tag Archives: Christianity

GENERAL

The Most Important Lessons I Learned From My Broomstick.

Leave a comment

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!

Faith

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

Leave a comment

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.
Unsplash

Do you know how it feels? To have visible spots on your character, health or mind that you refuse to wash away. And because they are visible, no one wants to be with you. You are left alone!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Leper asked for healing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Written by

Nwodo Divine

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

Faith

Here are five things to do to make 2022 a success

4 Comments

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

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

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

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

  1. Go on a retreat before New year’s day.
crosswalk.com

Did you go through battles this year? Academic battles. Financial battles. Marital and family battles. Health battles. Moral battles. Spiritual battles. We all had a battle to fight. Even the struggle to survive in the midst of the virus was a tough battle.

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

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

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

B. Correct whatever needs to be corrected.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Short-term goals also help.

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

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

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

Here are two more;

3. HABITS ARE EVERYTHING

Unsplash.com

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

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

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

5. MAKE QUALITY FRIENDS!!!

Christianity Today

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 5 out of 5.
Christmas

Two oustanding Lessons to Learn from the Magi’s visit

Leave a comment

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:

  1. 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.

Merry Christmas!

GENERAL

Nigerian Christian Community react to Davido’s fundraising

Leave a comment

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.

GENERAL

‘obinigwe’; what we ought to learn from guc’s song releases

Leave a comment

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!
Health and Lifestyle, Spirituality

Here’s why you must avoid Pride!

Leave a comment



If there’s one thing God hates so much, it’s pride.


So many great men have fallen down the ladder of success due to this. Pride is a disease that slowly eats one up without knowing.


Take Satan for example, He was once called Lucifer, one of the highest ranking angels then in God’s kingdom but then, pride set in.



Isaiah 14 vs 13;
For thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north”


Going to verse 15, we see what God did to him.
“Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit ”.


When pride sets in, God is moved to bring such a person down so as to make such person realize that he or she is actually nothing.



James 4 vs 6 says;

But he giveth more Grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grave unto the humble.



This shows us the extent to which God detests pride. People who are proud are hard to deal with. They feel above everyone and feel they are way too big to be corrected. They feel they know everything and therefore need not to learn from anyone, not even God.



Everyone has the tendency to be proud especially when something big happens in our life, like a major achievement or something. That proud instinct kicks and when such happens, that’s the Devil knocking on the doors of our heart.



The Bible says, resist the devil and he will flee. So as he keeps knocking, you keep resisting him but how do you resist him?



James 4 vs 7 says;

“ Submit yourself therefore to the Lord. Resist the devil and he will flee from you”.



God has given us a code there to fighting off pride.


To fight off pride, we must submit ourselves unto God, place your self, your ego, your will under him. Tell him to lead the easy while you follow.


Seeing this, God gives us the Grace needed to resist the devil until he flees.



Pride is a matter of the heart. Always place your heart on a constant check.
Only God knows the true intents of our hearts. Always ask him to look into your heart and if there be any wicked thoughts there, ask him to purge you of it.


Never allow pride to set in. No matter how big and influential you might be, always be humble.


Remember Nebuchadnezzar?

No matter how high you think you are, God is always capable of humbling you.



Pride goes before a fall.


Written by Tolu-Taiwo Victor

Faith

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

8 Comments

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

GENERAL

is the bible silent about abortion

14 Comments

One of the trending issues of the 21st century is abortion – the intentional termination of a pregnancy. In time past, this term was considered illegal and a taboo. Even mentioning the word used to be seen as a desecration of humanity.

However, towards the ending of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, the world began to experience a ‘reawakening’. A revolution similar to the Renaissance revolution of humanism was birthed. Things previously seen as abomination were seen as human rights.

Things worsened when the U.S Supreme Court made a precedent and ruling that abortion was a human right. Defenders of this ruling usually say that a woman has a right to her body.

Unfortunately, this movement is slowly sneaking into the church. Our girls are losing sense of the consequence of premarital sex and the sacredness of carrying a baby in the womb, because the foetus can be flushed out at her will.

Nonetheless, God’s word on abortion stands true!

But there’s no mention of abortion in the Bible?

Although, there’s no explicit mention of abortion in the Bible, several places in the Bible show that God recognizes the foetus in a woman’s womb as a separate living entity.

1. Psalm 139:13: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (NIV)

Though a man and woman need to conjugate in order for a fetus to be produced, God is the supreme maker of even that foetus. The physical features may be inherited from the man and woman, but the soul that makes the foetus a living being comes from God.

Therefore, it is not the mother’s property. Her body might be her property, but not the baby in it. The baby belongs to God! She is only a carriage or an incubator for the baby. Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…”(NIV)

2. Psalm 139:16: Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (NIV)

Some believe God doesn’t care for unborn children – that isn’t true. God cares for the unborn children as much as he cares for the birthed ones. There is no child in a woman’s womb without a destiny ordained by God. Even while they’re in the belly of their mother, dependent on her for nutrition, the Lord has already ordained their purpose and destiny in life.

3. Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (NIV)

As previously stated, God has a destiny for every child, born or unborn. They are set apart for His special purpose. That an unborn child is unwanted by his parents does not mean he is not wanted by God.

From these three profound scriptures, we see that God fully recognizes what we call ‘foetus’ as humans. Therefore, if they are humans, why would we describe terminating their lives as ‘women right’.

Why infringe one’s right to exercise your right? I think it is very ironic that we see abortion as women right, yet, we see the killing of children as murder. It only points to her confused and misguided this generation is.

Thus, the church must not be silent on an issue like this. Men and women alike must be taught to face the consequences of their decisions. If we keep silent on an issue like abortion, the left-winged media will keep deceiving ignorant girls on the streets and putting them through a process that God gravely condemns.

Spirituality

To every Nigerian out there…

Leave a comment



October 1st is the day every Nigerian, young or old, remembers the heroic efforts of their forefathers in securing the nation’s independence.


It is day in which Nigeria was officially declared a free nation. On this day in 1960, thousands of Nigerians flocked their streets, their voices rejoicing at the news that the colonial and slave masters were gone.

Smiles and songs of triumphs were heard on this day. Everyone, even the worse witch, prophesied great things about the newly decolonized nation.

Little did we know that freedom from the colonial masters would only be the first part of the battles we would fight.


For sixty-one years of our existence as an independent nation, we have been in different turmoil. From coups to inflation, to insecurity, to corruption, Nigeria has found herself in the very depths of hell.

In the midst of these, an average Nigerian like me is tempted to be disinterested towards the independence day celebration. Moreover, what independence are we actually celebrating? The ideology of Nigeria’s independence is only an irony. Till date, we are still dependent on imports from other countries.

The thought of this as well as other sad happenings in this nation makes one to really wonder if this was the kind of country our forefathers fought for. It has a way of turning an independence day celebration into a day of mourning.

However, the last thing Nigerians ought to do is to relent.

History has repeatedly shown us that the greatest nations have fought the toughest battles. It has shown us that the superpowers of today were once deserted lands in the past.


Dubai was once a deserted desert before it became a tourist attraction. Russia experienced several bloody revolutions before it gained economic stability and military supremacy; the same with France. America fought one of the most intense battles in history known as the cold war before it became the center of unity and love. The great Israeli nation was suffered what is known as ‘Holocaust’ – a mass execution of several millions of Jews.


There is no great nation today without a terrible yesterday. There is no powerful nation today that arose out of nowhere. The journey to power was intense. Blood was shed. Tears were shed. People were incarcerated. The economy suffered severely. However, in the midst of these, light shone. They survived! They recovered and now, they are doing well.



This is also going to be the story of Nigeria! We are in a season of travail! A season of pain, agony and suffering. We are groaning both spiritually and physically as a result of the terrible hardship of this nation. However, it is only for a season.


There will be a purgation of evil from the land. Nigeria will be great again and her greatness shall astonish many. So, don’t lose hope on this nation! Don’t speak bad about the nation! Keep hope alive. This country is destined for great things!

All over the world, Nigerians are doing mighty things. In Education, Military and Business, Nigerians are succeeding individually.

This is because every Nigerian is born for greatness! The instinct of greatness and impact is inherent in every one of us.

Though some might not seem like it due to our present leadership, it is only a matter of time before a mighty flood shall sweep this nation of its problems and usher in a new season of greatness!

Therefore, as we anticipate the birthing of a greener Nigeria, let us ensure we contribute our quota in Nigeria’s affairs. Vote when you have to. Contest when you have to. Protest when you have to. Pray when you have to. Give Nigeria your best!


Nigeria will surely be great again!


This article was written by The Reverend Nwodo Divine