Nicholas James Vujicic is a Christian evangelist and motivational speaker from Australia who was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence of arms and legs.
He was born with incomplete limbs. According to his autobiography, his mother refused to see or hold him when the nurse held him in front of her, and she and her husband vomited after seeing their son with no limbs, but they eventually accepted the condition and saw it as “God’s plan for their son.”
None of these stopped him from pursuing his activities as an exemplary preacher and writer. Today, Nick is one of the most inspiration preachers in the world. His books has blessed the lives of many. He bags a Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy and Financial Planning in Griffith University. He won Best Actor in a Short Film at the 2010 Method Fest Independent Film Festival for his starring role as We ll.
Stephen Hawking’s experience reveals many things that anyone who is disabled should be aware of;
– Your accomplishments are more a function of your mindset than of your current state or circumstance.
Physical disabilities do not necessarily define who you are, nor do they define who God created you to be. It is essential that you begin to see yourself as great as God sees you and refuse to focus on your current limitations.
You are perfect, capable, great, exceptional, and valuable – this is who you are! The key to your success and fulfillment is hidden deep within you. You have everything you need to live life to the fullest if you set your mind to it and concentrate on the things you can do. You are God’s image, and He took his time in creating you to be perfect and wonderful (Psalms 139:14).
No disability or circumstance can make you less than perfect; the only thing that can make you less than perfect is you.
God is still in charge and cares about your life and success; the world still needs the great star in you – so don’t settle for anything less. It makes no difference whether you can walk on your own legs or not; the world is looking for men and women with developed minds, not men and women with developed bodies. Avoid negative thoughts that make you feel less than others! You are just as perfect as God says you are His very image.
Finally, I want you to read this,
Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
You may have believed that God had abandoned you because of your disabilities; however, God knew you before you were born or were diagnosed with that disability.
God was aware of your physical stature.
There is nothing that you are going through presently that is a surprise to Him.
In spite of your disabilities, God still chose you. He won’t discard His plan for your life because of a mere physical disability. He has a purpose for you.
In Jeremiah 29:11, God says that the thoughts He has for you are thoughts of good and not of evil. God has wonderful plans for your life, beloved, so do not count yourself out!
Instead, seek solace and comfort in the fatherhood of God. Choose now to believe in yourself! Start investing in yourself. Seek for classes to take, good books to read, opportunities to bless people even as one who is disabled. Be an inspiration and a blessing to your world like Nick Vujicic.
We at Koinonia Art love you and we believe in you!
In the old testament, the Israelites often received immediate punishment whenever they transgressed the law.
God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for homosexuality; Achan was stoned to death for stealing, witches were killed, Zechariah was struck with dumbness when he doubted etc.
However, Jesus came to put a stop to this and introduce a new system in which our sins can be forgiven.
He not only became the sacrifice for our past sins, but also our defender for any sin we may commit in the future.
1 John 2:1: “But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (NIV)
Thus, the believer can be rest assured that sin is no longer a problem. It is no longer a hedge between him and God. God no longer punishes us whenever we sin because of the blood of Jesus.
However, this truth can be taken beyond the divine intention by an immature believer – one who is still carnally minded.
Since the Blood of Jesus cleanses us of all our sins, why can’t we cast off all restrains and live a life of sensuality.
Here are scriptures that admonish us against such;
1. Ecclesiastes 10:8 “… whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” (KJV)
Even though we have been free from the obligations and demands of the old testament law, we are still subject to the commands of Christ in the New Testament as well as the instructions of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.
There are sins which a believer must never engage in. Engaging in these sins, especially intentionally, will expose such believer to the attack of the enemy.
There is no protection for the rebellious or the disobedient.
Smokers will always have lung problems no matter how much of Christ’s blood was shed for them.
A fornicator will always be prone to STDs and HIV; a liar will definitely have a lot of business losses; a believer who delves into homosexuality and transgenderism will definitely experience a lot of regrets at the end of his life.
When a believer wilfully decides to live in sin, he has rebelled against the commands of God and will be prone to the assault and abuse of Satan.
Thus, we must learn to live in obedience to the Spirit of God and His commands in scriptures. They are not meant to keep us in bondage, but to liberate us.
They are not meant to make our lives boring, but to keep us within the reach of God’s mercy, away from Satan’s territory.
2. Hebrews 12:1: “… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” (KJV)
The Christian life is like a race run till eternity. However, to prevent us from reaching the finished line, Satan distracts by getting them entangled in their fleshly desires. No believer can make true progress in piety while living in sin.
Living in sin makes one lose focus on God. It brings guilt and shame upon the soul of a believer; making it difficult for such believer to sense the presence of God.
Thus, the Bible admonishes us to mortify our flesh and flee lusts, because these things have very negative consequences on even our faith.
The beginning of apostasy is wilful sinfulness. So we must avoid it at all cost.
3. 1 John 2:5 “But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him.”
The truth is that one cannot claim to love God while living in disobedience to God’s word.
Love and disobedience do not go hand in hand. Instead, true love for God will inspire awe in our hearts and cause us to live holy lives.
A child who claims to love and respect his parents will definitely not do whatever will offend his parents or taint their honour.
The evidence that we really love God and honour the sacrifices He made for us on the cross is that we present our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice and live holy lives.
One who lives in sin willfully has no love for God, and those that do not love God have no place in His kingdom.
Therefore, dear believers, let us abstain from sin and carnality. Though it seems pleasurable, it’s only poison hidden underneath ecstasy. Stay within the boundaries of God’s moral law.
However, God isn’t a wicked God. He isn’t a God without mercy and pity on those who sincerely want to be free from their carnal desires.
And that is why He has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us and help us live holy life.
A true believer desires freedom from sin and not freedom to sin.
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.
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.
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!
We frequently make the mistake of attempting to improve our society without first improving ourselves.
Most of the time, we put forth our best effort to please others while overlooking the importance of improving ourselves. Many people live and act solely to meet the demands of others. However, this is risky because it can cause a loss of self-awareness and vision.
IMPROVE YOUR SENSE OF WORTH
“But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows” – Luke 12:7.
Isn’t it lovely that in the preceding passage, Jesus revealed to us how much God values us more than even the animals he created? God loves you so much that he came and died for us in order for us to be saved, live, and bask in his glory. Have you ever considered how highly God regards you? He knows that without you, establishing his Kingdom on Earth will be impossible, and he even knows the number of hairs on your head. Isn’t that fantastic? Never think of yourself as a disappointment or a failure. Things may not go as planned, but remember everything works together for those who love the Lord.
So, how do you develop values that will transform your life?
Self Evaluation
‘An unexamined life is not worth living,’ said Aristotle. To live at the pinnacle of our faith, we must cultivate a culture of evaluating and accessing our paths. It holds you accountable to yourself. It is only through self-evaluation that one can identify the Christian values that are lacking in his life and resolve to cultivate them.
2.Renew your mind with the Word of God
God desires that you meditate on the scriptures day and night because when you meditate on them, you will begin to exhibit Godly values that will result in a Christ-like lifestyle. The revelation from God’s word that you have pondered is what gives you godly value.
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.” Psalm 119:9.
Until believers make the word of God their priority, godly values and character will be absent amongst us. The book of James describes God’s word as a mirror which we behold in order to know who God has made us to be. When a lying Christian reads God’s word diligently, He sees that as a Saint, he isn’t supposed to lie and he adopts the value of honesty and truthfulness. When a homosexual reads God’s word and sees that homosexuality is immoral, he renounces it and adopts God’s principles of holiness.
God’s word renews our mind and our thinking. When our thinking is renewed, our actions will be renewed. And when we continue living with these renewed actions, they become habits and eventually morph into a part of our being – our character.
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.
Isaiah 41:19: “I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, [and] the pine, and the box tree together:” (KJV)
The desert is a place of aridity, scarcity, and pain. The desert has little to no moisture. It is a place devoid of all attractiveness and comeliness. Nobody goes on vacation to the desert. It is regarded as a truly dreadful location.
The most important fact about the desert, however, is that trees do not grow there. It is devoid of plants, flowers, and so on. It is only made up of a large expanse of sand, making it a notorious location.
In the preceding text, God promised to do the unthinkable: plant a cedar and oil tree in the desert. Even in today’s society, these trees are uncommon. They are more valuable, rare, and useful than other trees.
The cedar is well-known for its large shades, which can provide shelter to both humans and animals seeking to avoid the scorching sun. The Oil tree, on the other hand, is well known for its enormous size. It frequently grows to be quite tall.
Given the peculiar nature of these trees, one has to wonder how God intends to plant them in a desert. That appears to be impossibility, but it goes on to demonstrate that there is nothing God cannot do.
YOU ARE THE CEDAR IN THE DESERT
Source: Unsplash
God has no intention of going to the desert and becoming a husbandman or gardener there. He was referring to His Church in the preceding text; He was referring to you as a member of the Church.
When I was a kid, I used to wonder why God didn’t make me in a developed country like the United States of America or the United Kingdom, but now I understand better.
In deserts, God plants cedars. Perhaps your country can be compared to a desert; nothing appealing about it, a deterrent to foreign investors and tourists; God has planted you here as a special cedar in this desert..
Perhaps your family can be compared to this desert. No great man has ever risen from it for ages; it is full of financial constraints here and there, and every day, like Job, you curse the day you were born into that family, be strengthened by the fact that God plants cedars in deserts.
Even if your country or family is a desert, God has placed you there to bring beauty and comeliness. God will transform the desert into a lovely garden through you.
This means that even if your family is poor and devoid of wealthy members, God purposefully placed you there to cause you to break the cycle of poverty and emerge as the wealthy man in that family.
It also means that, even though your country is notorious for suppressing the dreams of youth your age, and is declining financially on a daily basis, God purposefully made you a part of the country so that you will be the change that it requires.
As a result, rather than asking, “Why was I born here?” begin by asking, “How can I change here?” God has given you everything you need to transform your desert-like family or nation into one that is revered and celebrated by others.
It is now time for you to accept that fact. Your birth was not a fluke; it was not a case of bad luck. There’s nothing like bad luck in the life of a believer. “And who knoweth whether thou art come… for such a time as this?” – Esther 4:14
In His planning, God makes no mistakes. He placed you in your family, state, or nation with one goal in mind: to make it a better place than you found it. He brought you there to become the desert cedar.
Amazingly, the structure of the cedar allows anyone to come beneath it to be protected from the sun’s scorching rays. As a result, God has positioned you in your family and nation to be like a cedar to which everyone in need of assistance and protection comes.
This cedar was exemplified by Joseph. In a time of famine, he became Prime Minister of Egypt and led them through it. People from other families and nations would seek financial assistance from Joseph (Genesis 47).
God wants to do the same for you – and He will if you align yourself with His purpose. God wants to make you so great that not only your family will benefit from you, but people in your community, country, and the world as a whole will be influenced by your greatness. Therefore, no matter what is going on in your family now, remember that you are the cedar in the desert.
A GOOD THING CAN ARISE FROM NAZARETH!
John 1:46: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
Nazareth was a place of notoriety and very ordinary living in the Bible. It was so bad that both its occupants and its neighbours came to the conclusion that nothing good could ever come from it. But Jesus disproved them!
God chose Nazareth out of all the glorious cities in Israel to be the birthplace of Christ. It seemed too good to be true that the world’s saviour would come from a place as humble as Nazareth. Nonetheless, it occurred. God caused something good to come from Nazareth.
Dear youth, you are the good thing that God has made to come from this country. Even if people ask, “Can anything good come from this country?” or “Can anything good come from that family?” God has placed you there to disprove their negative conclusions.
As a result, accept the responsibility that has been assigned to you. Do not bemoan the forces of life compelling you to be mature beyond your years; this is the force of destiny. Will you answer the call of destiny?
Change your mindset from a complainer to a problem solver starting today. Instead of complaining about problems, consider how you will solve them. Imagine yourself breaking your family’s poverty line by becoming extremely wealthy.
Imagine yourself transforming your family from an uneducated one to one filled with the brightest minds. Consider sponsoring the education of children in your community. Be inspired by this vision!
Work hard, study hard, and challenge your mind to always come up with creative and paranormal solutions! Greatness awaits you!
About the author
Nwodo Divine is the founder of Koinonia Art as well as host of popular Facebook series, ‘Interview with the Tagged’. A student, blogger by night, he is a B.A student of English Language and Literature in the University of Benin. Nwodo Divine is equally a content editor, freelance writer and teacher.
Words are creative tools. They have the ability to shape the life we want for ourselves. They make man’s realities. Depending on how they are used, they can destroy or repair, crush or build.
Success and failure are determined by the power of words. A wise man once said, ‘Whether you say you can or you say you can’t, you’re right.’ These words aren’t limited to the usual things we say to one another.
What we say to ourselves and within ourselves is also important. The little voice within us that either encourages or discourages us from doing things is a powerful force that we must learn to control for our own good.
Sometimes we can say something positive on the outside, but our inner voice contradicts what we say on the outside.
As a result, it is critical that we, as believers, learn to control this voice and speak only positive things in order to generate the energy and faith required to succeed.
Revelation 12:11: “And they triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives unto death.”
According to the above scripture, the secret of believers’ triumph is in the word of their testimony.
The word of testimony proclaims Christ’s victory over Satan’s works and that we are the recipients of His finished works.
This word of testimony is our weapon for triumphing over Satan’s works, such as poverty, sickness, and death.
OUR WORLDS ARE FRAME-WORKED BY WORDS.
Hebrews 11:3: “… the worlds were framed by the word of God”
Just unseen and visible realms were framed by God’s words, we too can frame our world with our words. We might not be able to change the world at large, but we can create positivity and yield productivity in our environment.
APPLICATION
Here are two things to do in order to experience this;
Make a list of what God’s word says about you.
Meditate daily on that list.
Declare it over your life daily.
This will necessitate regular Bible study in order for you to understand what God’s word says about you.
Conclusively, let this a daily habit for you. Speak from God’s word, not from negative experiences.
“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” – Matthew 12:24
Have you ever wondered why monks and sages are so wise? I have too. What makes them so wise? Don’t they have the same brain and eyes that we have? They do.
What makes monks, sages and wealthy men wise is a heart matter. Wisdom is not a mental condition, it is a heart condition. It is a state of the heart.
Wisdom can be received and enhanced in the heart. Thus we can describe the heart as the storage tank of wisdom. It stores up wisdom and insight for excellent living.
This is why Jesus spoke of ‘the abundance of the heart’. Even as the heart can store up wisdom, it can also store folly, or it can be empty and void of wisdom. It all depends on how much development you give to it.
Here are two ways to enhance inner wisdom;
1. Get connected with God.
God in us – The Holy Spirit is our source of wisdom. Any believer who is rooted in God will never run out of practical wisdom for daily living. Building a strong connection with God requires prayer, meditation, fasting etc. Find out more here.
Acknowledge God
Proverbs 3:6: “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (KJV)
Here’s what Matthew Henry says about this verse:
“…. We must not only in our judgment believe that there is an over-ruling hand of God ordering and disposing of us and all our affairs, but we must solemnly own it, and address ourselves to him accordingly. We must ask his leave, and not design anything but what we are sure is lawful. We must ask his advice and beg direction from him, not only when the case is difficult… but in every case, be it ever so plain, we must ask success of him, as those who know the race is not to the swift.
We must refer ourselves to him as one from whom our judgment proceeds, and patiently, and with a holy indifference, wait his award. In all our ways that prove direct, and fair, and pleasant, in which we gain our point to our satisfaction, we must acknowledge God with thankfulness. In all our ways that prove cross and uncomfortable, and that are hedged up with thorns, we must acknowledge God with submission.”
Although there are men with natural wisdom, a look at world history reveals that it takes more than natural wisdom to survive in this world. Furthermore, no matter how smart you are, you will never know what the person next to you is thinking. You can never see into the future, no matter how clever you are; you can never predict the next war, bomb blast, tension, etc.
C. Bridges explains this better,
‘Take one step at a time, every step under divine warrant and direction. Ever plan for yourself in simple dependence on God. It is nothing less than self-idolatry to conceive that we can carry on even the ordinary matters of the day without His counsel. He loves to be consulted. Therefore, take all thy difficulties to be resolved by Him. Be in the habit of going to Him in the first piece- before self-will… self-wisdom, human friends, convenience (and) expediency. Before any of these have been consulted, go to God at once!’
Here’s an exercise for this;
Consider a decision you must make soon. It could be a job, an admission, a course selection, a spouse, or something else. Remove your emotions and preferences from the decision and speak to God – who dwells in your heart. Ask Him to guide you in making the right decision. You can even ask Him for a sign, as Gideon did, and if your heart is sincere, God may work a sign to lead you. But the most important thing is that you acknowledge God before taking any action.
Read your Bible
The Bible is God’s letter to man; it is God’s eternal counsel written down. God is very interested in the Bible because it is His very own work, and how much attention we as His children pay to it. I remember writing my first story and giving it to a close friend to read. I sat there watching him read it with bated breath until he was finished. I did this because it was my book, and it made me very happy to see someone else reading what I had written. Similarly, God loves it when we pay attention to His word.
His word contains life-changing wisdom. We see deep mysteries hidden for us in the life stories of David, Abraham, and others, as well as the proverbs of Solomon, the psalms of David, the teachings of Jesus, and the doctrines of the Apostles.
Therefore, let us give attention to the reading of God’s word for our own profiting.
Read it.
Meditate on it.
Study it.
Pray with it
Practice it
Keep reading it
What if I can’t understand what is written in it?
1 Corinthians 2:9-11: “…Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine– these are the many things God has in store forthem that love Him.
10 But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit.[c] Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things.
11 After all, who can really see into a person’s heart and know his hidden impulses except for that person’s spirit? So it is with God. His thoughts and secrets are only fully understood by his Spirit, the Spirit of God.”
The Bible can never be fully comprehended by the human intellect; it requires the revelation of the Holy Spirit to fully comprehend the wisdom hidden in God’s word. As a result, before reading the Bible, we must pray to the Lord for understanding and insight into His word.
Read the Bible with an open heart in order to receive instruction from the Holy Spirit; as if God is speaking to you through it, read it. Don’t just skim through it. The butterfly can only get nectar from its flower by sucking it; similarly, we can only gain insight from God’s word by studying it meditatively.
2. INQUISITIVENESS
Wisdom is acquired through a combination of inquisitiveness for information and a desire to learn. This quality is common among the world’s renowned scientists and researchers. It is a heart matter and goes beyond being a mere over-thinker or curious person.
Inquisitiveness is the desire to learn, to know more about people, things. It is founded from the habit of observation. If you want to fill your heart with wisdom, observe and ask questions. Ask vital questions to yourself, God, elders around you and even to nature.
A wise man once said, “He who knows how to ask, will never get lost”. If you develop this inquisitive quality and you live by it, by the time you’re old your mind will be an accumulation of years of wisdom and answers to life’s toughest questions.
Here’s a practical for you;
Get a book and tag it ‘Wisdom Book’.
Write down the pivotal questions in your life that you need answers to.
Go to the Bible or get lessons from trusted counselors on those questions and write them down in your wisdom book.
Have a ‘learning goal’ each day. This goal should be the things you want to learn for that day. At the end of the day, write down the things you’ve learnt in your ‘Wisdom Book’.
Be observant and write down occurrences with significant meaning in your life.
BE CONSISTENT
Again, this must be done continuously in order to see the desired results.
Were you blessed by this post? We’ll love to hear from you in the comment section.
We have a physical heart as well as a spiritual heart. This is evident in the case of the tangible ears and the ears that exist within these ears, as well as our brain and mind. This intangible heart is the essence of man’s being. It is the center of our existence.
The heart is the link between the spiritual realm and the physical realm. Through the heart, we connect to/with people around us, as well as to God.
“…. discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12. The heart is the epicenter of our thoughts and our motives for whatever we do.
This spiritual force is the most powerful of all the structures that comprise man’s metaphysical realm. All inventions, innovations, and ideas originate in the heart. It is the inner proving ground for human innovation.
Throughout this series, we will learn how to train our hearts and increase their capacity to generate creative, superhuman ideas and innovations. But this post is about the most important thing we need to learn as Christians: how to engage God with our hearts.
James 4:8: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”
When the Bible tells us to draw near to God, it does not mean that we should do so literally. This is due to the fact that none of us can be physically close to God.
God cannot be seen in our physical world unless He opens the spiritual eyes of men to see Him on rare occasions. God, on the other hand, is very close to us, even closer than we expect. James’ admonition to the Church to draw near to God is motivated by God’s proximity to us.
However, many of us are unaware of this, which explains why humans, including believers, frequently experience feelings of fear, abandonment, and despair.
The Heart is God’s House within us
We can reach out to God through our hearts. Nothing can frighten you when you develop this close heart-to-heart connection with God. You gain the courage of a lion. This intimacy with God is what gives hope for a better future even in difficult times.
This intimacy has an impact on our emotions as well; it causes us to rejoice and live in joy because we can feel God no matter where we go. Jesus had a heart-to-heart connection with God. It was so strong that it inspired and influenced everything He did.
He wept in grief when He lost this connection on the cross because it was His main source of strength and fortitude. There are three steps towards enjoying this strong, unbreakable connection with God;
1. Awareness:
The Church needs to go beyond looking for the Presence of God to being aware of the presence of God. The Presence of God is not locked up somewhere in Heaven as many think. His Presence is within us – our heart is the tabernacle of God’s glory and presence. But due to either ignorance or being busy, very few believers enjoy this presence.
Moreover, it is almost impossible to be aware of God’s presence almost twenty-four hours with the kind of turmoil we’re experiencing, but awareness of God is like an art that can be developed and mastered.
– See God both inside and outside of yourself.
Psalm 23:4: “….For You are with me…”
We pray because we are aware of God’s indwelling presence. It inspires us to worship. Furthermore, God is said to ‘fill the universe’ in the Bible (Ephesians 1:23). God, as the creator of the universe, has left His imprint on all of His creations.
In fact, everything God created is intended to bear witness to Him and reflect His attributes.
Therefore, let us see God’s glory in the brightness of the sun; let us see God’s grace in the raindrops, His beauty in the lilies, and His creativity in the mountains.
It is very simple and practical to accomplish this feat. Prepare your daily schedule and set aside an hour, thirty minutes, or even fifteen minutes to focus all of your heart energies on being conscious of God’s presence.
When you’re in trouble or confused, instead of trying to mask your feelings by drinking or having a good time, be still and know that God is with you. Although this state will not solve the problem, it will bring peace and joy to your soul.
You’ll have a strong sense that God is working out something good for you. You’ll even get the strength and faith you need to bring the issue to God in prayer.
This is something I do a lot when I’m too tired to continue my studies due to financial constraints. It works!
Worship creates awareness
I don’t think there’s anything that awakens the awareness of God’s presence like music. Playing cool worship songs and meditating on the song lyrics can help you feel God’s presence both inside and outside your home.
Allow the lyrics to reach the depths of your soul. Don’t just listen with your ears; listen with your heart as well. Connect to the music’s words; they are the wings that carry the soul to God and the antenna that connects the heart to God.
Being aware of God is one level of engagement; being able to relate to Him as God is an entirely different level, and it is one that every Saint must achieve. Why not talk to God while He is with you?
Being aware of God without attempting to engage Him in conversation is akin to knowing your mother is sitting next to you but ignoring her as if she were a stranger. You will never benefit from God’s wisdom if you do not communicate with Him.
Unfortunately, many believers wait to hear God’s voice before responding to God; however, this is not how it works.
Remember how James stated that when we draw near to God (through our hearts), God draws near to us. Thus, we will begin to recognize God’s voice when we choose to converse with Him as our Father and Friend.
How do I start?
This is the question that many Christians ask when they are told to pray to God. There is no definite way to communicate with God. But it is best to begin by praising Him, thanking Him, and admiring His glorious works.
Here’s an exercise for you:
Visualize God sitting beside you. This requires a lot of inner effort, but it strengthens the heart’s spiritual muscles. After that, begin to thank Him in the same way you would thank a sponsor or a helper who has done something good for you.
Remember to keep your mind on the fact that God is present with you. After thanking Him, go ahead and pour out your heart to Him. Talk to Him about everything you can think of.
This is one of the most effective ways to pray; however, communicating with God can also be done informally, particularly by those who have mastered the art. Here’s one more:
– Begin practicing whatever you see here as you read this post on your device. Simply tell God how much you appreciate Him.
This is one of the most effective ways to pray; however, communicating with God can also be done informally, particularly for those who have mastered the art.
Here’s another exercise: while reading this post on your device, start practicing whatever you see here. Simply tell God how much you love Him, how much you want to be close to Him, and so on. Keep doing this; it will strengthen your flow with God.
3. DO WHAT HE SAYS
Our relationship with God is harmed by disobedience. It is the highest type of dishonor, though ignorant defiance is far more dangerous. The majority of us are unconsciously disobedient. When you ignore a leading to preach to others, enter a trade, make friends with someone, or do something else, you are simply disobeying the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Probably you’ve been feeling an inner pull leading you towards a certain decision, and you are fully convinced that this is not your mere emotions playing a trick on you.
You can seek counsel from spiritual leaders in your Church, and if you remain convinced that it is God’s leading, go ahead and do it!
The more we do what God says, the more we know what God says. Likewise, the more we do what God wants, the more we know what God wants.
Every morning, we’ve been taught to tell God how we want our day to go, but we’ve never been taught to ask God how HE wants our day to go.
The latter is the way of absolute surrender. It is the highest form of worship, and it is what makes God to take abode in everything we do.
It takes more than a trial to develop heart-heart relationship with God. These activities must be done intentionally and must become an integral part of our daily lives. If you practice them daily, you will be in awe at how real your fellowship with God will become.
KOINONIA ART 