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Faith

Here are five things to do to make 2022 a success

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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.
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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

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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.
Faith

Here’s why you shouldn’t be ashamed of your little beginning.

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When I was starting out as a freelance writer, I suffered greatly from discouragement arising from being underappreciated. I envied those freelance writers who were making bucks from doing what I could also do.

These discouraging thoughts flooded my mind and hampered my creativity. For a long while, I found it difficult to write or do anything creative. I was desperate to be at the top, yet, I was too myopic to see that the way to the top started from the bottom.

My discouragement ended when I came across a very powerful Bible verse that has been my anchor ever since I read it;

Zechariah 4:10: “Do not despise these small beginnings”

In the context of the scripture, the people of Israel who had just returned from captivity were rebuilding their destroyed temple. Zerubbabel was the one who led this rebuilding. However, it was quite difficult as the resources and manpower required to build a temple as magnificent as Solomon’s own were not available.

This reality hampered the faith of the Jews, particularly Zerubbabel. The beginning of the project was rocked with several difficulties.

However, God encouraged to Zerubbabel through his prophet. The encouragement God gave to Zerubbabel is the same He is giving you right now through this post.

When people begin to envy the success of great men and make comparisons between those men and themselves, they begin to despise their little beginnings.

Moreover, every great man was once irrelevant. Every famous man was once unknown. Every wealthy man was once poor. Every revered man was once disregarded. Every expert was once a beginner.

Those at the top once lived at the bottom of human existence. It was their beginning, but it didn’t deter them from achieving their goals and becoming great men and women in society.

So don’t feel sad that you post sermons and no one views them. Don’t feel sad that you organize classes and only a few register. Don’t be sad that you write a good story and only a few share it.

You’re in the days of your beginning. This is only a phase that will propel you into the greatness God has predestined for you.

Therefore, do not despise this beginning. Give it your best. Blossom and grow. Remain faithful even in your little – your little fan base, your little sales, your little church, your little brand etc, no matter what your little is, be faithful in it. God’s gonna lift you up to sit with Kings!

Meanwhile, the little building Zerubbabel started eventually became a magnificent temple of worship. It started as a little building, but it became a great temple.

Your business, family or occupation might be little now, do not be discouraged, God will make something magnificent out of it!

Type an Amen in the comments if you believe!

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GENERAL

Tame your Anger

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Being a teacher exposes one to different flavors of people – both children and adults. Having taught in over five schools in my lifetime, I have experienced these unique characters even among my co-workers.


I have seen how talented teachers fell simply because of the lack of character and self control. I almost became a victim of this years ago.

I was teaching in Primary 3 class – a class I’ll describe as my least favorite class. It was my least favorite class because it comprised mainly pupils who had very little academic intelligence and interests.

Only a few were interested in learning. However, I do not hold the kids responsible for this; it’s common situation amongst African homes.
I normally checked their notes on Fridays.

On one of the Fridays, I came across the notebooks of one of my pupils there. It looked very rough and scanty. This only meant that the boy hadn’t been following in class works.

At this realization, anger flared up within me. Anger at the fact that despite all the topics I had laboured to teach on, this kid made no effort to put them in his notebook.

In my anger, I put a slap across his face. Ignoring his pale look and pleas that he was ill, I proceeded to flog him severely.

That little boy eventually suffered a convulsion in class that same day. It took the quick and expertise attention of the teachers to resuscitate him and bring him back to order.

As I recall the event, I ask myself ‘What if the boy could not be resuscitated. What would have been my fate?’ was the question that haunted me for the following few days.

It was only then I understood why the Bible admonishes us to keep our tempers under control {Eccl. 7:9}.

Just as I was with kids who had some annoying proclivities, one might be surrounded by folks who intentionally want to get on one’s nerves. But one must be mature enough to tame his anger.

Until a believer learns how to tame his anger, he will remain an easy tool in the hands of Satan. His anger will become a weakness; and it will be very easy for the enemy to influence his actions.

Furthermore, the consequences of acting on anger can be see from the life of Moses. Just when he was on the verge of entering the promised land, he was angered by the murmurings of the Jews; he acted by impulse and faced the consequences.

From Moses’ story, we learn that though we have no control on how we are spoken to, we bear full responsibility for how we respond.

Therefore, as mature believers and members of the society, let us follow the 2 Don’ts of Anger;

– Don’t speak

– Don’t act

It was Jefferson who said that ‘anything done in anger will end in shame’ Bierce added his, ‘Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you can ever regret’.

Though this seems to be hard and unnatural, especially to those who have inherent anger propensities.

However, through determination and the help of the Holy Spirit, everything in possible.

What do I do when I’m angry?

1. When you are at the verge of acting in rage, speak and project calmness to your soul. David did this whenever he was anxious {Psalm 42:11}.

2. Don’t act yet.

3. Cool off.

4. Identify the root cause of the anger.

5. Analyse the situation from a neutral perspective.

6. Express your anger only when you’re calm.

As the Bible says, be angry but don’t sin.

GENERAL

Lessons from Samson’s conception

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The story of Samson’s miraculous conception is one that will forever be known in Christian history. It is a story that reminds us of how a barren old woman with a withering womb gave birth to one of the most powerful Jewish leaders in history.

However, there is more to the story of Samson’s conception than many realize – this more is what I intend to reveal through this lesson.

Firstly, let us study the background of the text. Israel is in a state of turmoil, confusion and oppression. She has abandoned her Creator and has gone back to her evil ways. The nation is void of light as well as life, and there is no one to deliver them.

Israel is left to the wishes of her enemies – the Philistines. They oppress and torment them until they begin to cry to God for help once again.


Somehow, I find a connection between the state of Israel in the text and the state of Nigeria presently.

We are in a state of turmoil and confusion. We are in a season of weeping and Groaning. Oppression has become the norm. Banditry has become the order of the day. The destiny of the nation has been hijacked by the men in power. There is no light – both physically and in the context of development and wealth.

We are in dire need of a saviour, just like Israel was in need of a saviour.
Israel was in need of someone who would stand up for their rights and ensure a better future for them.

Who would this person be?


In Judges 13, the narrator takes a detour from describing the general state of Israel to telling us about a family – a family that consisted of the old, frail voice of the father and the loving voice of the wife but no cries and excited screams of children. It wasn’t because their children were asleep, it was because they had no children.



The narrator says they were barren. Manoah’s wife was barren and was incapable of having a child. That was what everyone called her – barren.

However, a twist occurs in the plot. An angel appears to her and tells her that her barren womb will soon become an incubator for Israel’s future judge.


The significance of the woman’s encounter with the angel is that though she was called barren, her ‘barren’ womb became the incubator of what would save Israel.


Dear Nigerian, American, Ghanaian, whatever your country may be, you are the incubator of the seed that will deliver your nation.


It doesn’t matter the label men might have placed on you – poor, broke, wretched, useless etc. The Bible tells us that we are born of an incorruptible seed, this seed of Christ in you if allowed to nurture can blossom into a light for the world.

Have they called you foolish? The Bible says God uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.

Have they called you ‘nothing’ – the Bible tells us God creates big things from nothing.


It does not matter the label they’ve given to you, God has chosen you to be the source of hope and light to this generation.


As Manoah’s wife’s womb seemed incapable of producing something valuable, you might have been described as incapable of being the light your nation needs. Do not despair! Barren women still give birth and good things still come from Nazareth!


How can I be so sure of this?
God’s Word says so. In the days of Manoah, there was no Bible, so God had to use angels. But God has made his word available to us to make us realize that we are useful.


But what puzzles me further about our text is not that Manoah’s wife gets a revelation of the potential seed in her womb, but that she also gets specific instructions on how to nurture her seed and ensure it thrives {Judges 13:3-5}


Proverbs 4:4

“Take my words to heart. Follow my instructions and you will live.”


Proverbs 4:13

“Carry out my instructions; don’t forsake them. Guard them, for they will lead you to a fulfilled life.”


Be aware that we are in the midst of a society that is against Christianity and all it has to offer. We are under a government that is similar to that of Herod who sought to kill the light of the world.

In times like this, we must be careful to hear what God is saying, because it’s only in the instruction of God that can be protected.


Joseph was able to save and nurture his baby into maturity by the instruction of the angel.


In order for the dream that you’re pregnant with to become a reality, you must be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Him alone can lead you to the place of safety.


It is in the instructions of God to us that we discover the uniqueness of our calling. Even as the Manoahs were banned from feeding Samson with ‘forbidden food’, there are things the peculiarity of our calling prohibits.


Thus, like Manoah, we must continually ask God ‘for instructions about this’ dream that He has given to us.


Conclusively, there is no nation so dark that God cannot light up. There’s no race so low that God cannot lift. But He works with men. And that’s why He had chosen to use you for your nation.

You carry in you the seed for national exploits. Discover it and harness it.

Faith

What can we learn from the Euro 2020 penalty shootout

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For the first time in many years, England advanced to the finals of the World Euro Cup. After what appeared to be a curse of international football upsets, they appeared to be on the verge of victory; however, they fell short.

Sterling, Harry Kane, Saka, and Pickford’s names rang out across England as they progressed from the group stage to the round of 16, quarter finals, semi-finals, and finals.

However, this changed when Sancho, Saka, and Rashford – three African-descent footballers – all missed their individual penalty kicks.

As soon as it happened, certain white people took to the streets to deface Rashford’s images and billboards, as well as post derogatory comments about him on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

What fascinates me about this scenario is that the same way Rashford was celebrated for his dribbles and unusual goals in the English Premier League, these radical, racist individuals slandered him for missing a single penalty.


It teaches us how quickly humans forget a person’s great deeds because of a single error. It teaches me, in particular, how the average human thrives on exalting people’s mistakes over their triumphs.

It’s amazing how quickly people forget how Rashford spent millions of Euros to ensure that children don’t go to bed hungry. We seem to have forgotten how Rashford was able to overturn a British Parliament bill and secure free school meals for children.


However, this is not the main issue. The crux of the issue is what we aspirants for greatness and national recognition should take away from this situation.

1. Every day will not be a victory day

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. – Winston Churchill.

The truth is that there is no successful striker in world’s history that has not missed more than one penalty shootout in his career. Yet, what makes them great and successful is their ability to move on from their mistakes and continue in the journey to greatness.

Likewise, there is no great businessman, entrepreneur, preacher or leader who has not made a miss in life before. No one gets to the top without scars. But we are carried away by their flashy cars and sparkling suits that we fail to discern the scars and welts behind those suits.

David was a very great man in the Bible. He had a lot of victories and political success. But one day, David was driven away from his own throne by his very son. And as he was running, he came across one who was supposed to be his subject. Unfortunately, his very subject who paid obeisance to him insulted him and mocked at him.

I believe it must have been a very traumatic experience for David. But even as he seemed to fall from the palace to the bush, David’s faith remained in God and in the course of time, he returned to his throne even more powerful than he was before.

Therefore, do not be dismayed if you seemed to have missed a mark in your shots for greatness. Do not be dismayed if your kick seems to be out of the mark. The failures and shortcomings are all a part of the travails through you will birth a miracle!

Move on! Do not despise your shortcomings! Do not weep over your past miss when you still have hundreds of opportunities in the future. If you continue to cry over the past, you will be so blinded by your tears that walking into the future greatness God has for you will be nearly impossible.

Therefore, when you make mistakes, learn your lesson, but do not dwell on it. Recompense your past by striving for a better future and an improved performance in the next opportunity that comes your way.

2. Focus on the love from those who matter in your life.

Not everyone will like you – especially when you are Christian. But if you truly stay focused in living for Christ, God will definitely bring people along your way who will show you love and ensure you stay strong even in your darkest times.

These are people you should stay with. People who you know genuinely care for you. People who rebuke in love and encourage in goodwill. Take your mind off the haters and envious critics and bask in the love of these gems.

3. Be moved by neither the extravagant praises of people or their ridicule

I think a lot of public speakers teach us not to listen to the ridicule of people, but very few actually teach that one must not also be moved by the praises of people.

If your heart is lifted when people praise you, share your posts on social media and speak very well of you, your heart will be downcast when they ridicule and mock you.

Jesus understood this very well. He distanced Himself from men several times because of it. He knew their hearts – that those same men who praised him would someday betray him.

Thus, if you will develop strength against criticisms, you must be your own motivator. You must be your number one fan. You must be your own secret admirer. You must develop love for yourself. Correct yourself when you’re wrong and give yourself a high-five when you achieve giant strides.

Do not ever look to people for fulfilment. Look unto God. Your joy must be in fulfilling your purpose and God’s commands, not in the praises of people.

This, folks, is an art we must develop on the road to success. Do not get carried away by their extravagant praises or ridicule. Stay focused and glued on the goal!

Finally, remember that whether you win or lose is not what matters, what matters is the courage to keep going and the determination to keep shooting your shots until you get your goal!

Faith, videos

CBN: From Porn to the Pulpit

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This is the story of how God transformed a 38 year old man named Joshua Broome from a pornstar into a preacher of the Gospel.

In his testimony, we see why Paul described the Gospel as the power of God unto salvation. Nothing else could save Broome from homosexual pornography other than the power of God released through the Gospel.

The Gospel did not only bring Broome into repentance, it brought him into favour with God.

Today, Broome is happily married with kids as well as a blossoming ministry that is blessing lives around the world.

Here’s his story;

Source: CBN YouTube Channel
Faith

YOU ARE PERFECT

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When I was a kid, I never got to experience the full range of childhood exploration. This was due to the fact that I had extremely low self-esteem. I was embarrassed about myself, my family, and my body.

As a child, I was short and lanky, and my peers thought I was a nerd. One thing people always noticed about me was my lanky stature.

As a result, I was ridiculed and even threatened. As a result, I ceased public performance. I no longer attend parties or other public gatherings. I felt self-conscious every time I walked across the street.

People’s negative words infiltrated my mind and became a stronghold there for many years, until I began to experience a spiritual reawakening and turnaround.

I became interested in my Bible, and as I studied it, I discovered that I had believed a lie all these years.

The things I saw in the Bible about myself were the polar opposite of what I had been told as a child. I began to see myself in a whole new light.

This viewpoint was initially difficult for me to accept because my mind was already programmed to believe negativity.

It had become so accustomed to negativity that it dismissed and filtered out any positive statement that came its way.

However, as I began to study my Bible and learn more about God’s love for me, this stronghold of negativity began to crumble.

Today, I am living up to my full potential. I am a bold preacher of the Gospel; I am a leader in my organization, and there is no trace of timidity in me.

Your current situation may be similar to mine. Perhaps you’ve been told that you’re not beautiful enough.

That you’re not beautiful enough; that you’re not holy enough; and you’ve been living in the shadow of those voices. It’s time to toss them aside and listen to what God has to say to you.

You are God’s design. You are His child, and He adores you.


See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him. (1 John 3:1)

I recall talking with a friend who had adopted a child from an orphanage. I asked her why they chose the young lad out of all the kids. ‘I don’t know,’ she replied. I saw him and I fell in love with him.’

This is the type of love God has for us. He adores us without condition. He loves us despite our flaws and weaknesses, both physical and spiritual.

Everything changes the moment you realize and accept this truth. It changes your perspective and mindset. All that matters is that God loves you.

He regards you as Holy and beloved. Height has nothing to do with one’s ability and innate quality, whether you’re slim or fat, tall or short.

One can have a large stature and be hollow on the inside, or a very large stature and be full of massive potentials.

Whatever your situation is, learn to accept yourself. Accept your body for what it is. You would never have had that kind of body if it didn’t look great on you.

Put a stop to the intimidation. Satan will always try to use those voices to make us fearful and prevent us from reaching for success.

When everyone else is speaking with this voice, however, look within and listen to the voice of God within you.

Speak positive thoughts to yourself. Speak up for yourself! It makes no difference what your physical disability is – success is determined by what one has within, not by the shape of one’s body.

So don’t bother with plastic and cosmetic surgeries to alter your body. You are ideal just the way you are!

Put a stop to the timid voices! They will always be there for you! People will make fun of you if you are thin. People will make fun of you if you gain weight.

People will make fun of you if you are short. People will still make fun of you if you grow tall. So don’t let other people’s perceptions of you shape your own!

Turn their stones of mockery into a push for success as they hurl them at you. Never go back to respond to them! Maintain your focus on the task that God has assigned you, and complete it with joy.

Finally, live a positive and optimistic life. Fall in love with yourself on a daily basis – look in the mirror every morning and speak genuine words of affirmation to yourself.

Allow positivity to serve as your filter, allowing it to filter out negative thoughts and voices in your head.

You’re perfect!

Written by Nwodo Divine