Tag Archives: life

Christmas

Two oustanding Lessons to Learn from the Magi’s visit

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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

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On social media, renowned secular artiste David Adedeji Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, requested funds to clear his Rolls Royce from the Port.

The soliciting, which began as a joke, quickly became a phenomenon, as he was able to raise more than 150 million naira. This phenomenon elicited a wide range of reactions on social media.

Below are some reactions:

“Yeah, he’s congratulated. No problem. But if it’s a pastor, you’ll see experts in analogy, exegesis, economic analysis and poverty advocacy.” – Sunny Dickson

‘100 Million donated by Nigerians under an hour for Davido’s birthday. But a mother whose child needs 300k for heart surgery will nearly submit her private part to the public before she can get 150k… I’m not against Davido getting his fun donations, but how much money doesn’t flow this fast on social media when a child from a poor home needs a little change….’ an anonymous follower remarked.

After Obi Cubana, Femi Otedola, and a slew of other business titans made large donations to the music star’s account, a 300-level student at the University of Abuja pleaded with them to assist in paying ‘ASUU’s’ salaries in order to avoid a strike. ‘Strikes have an impact on the social and economic conditions of countries,’ he said. Approximately 70% of Nigerian students have paid their school fees. The funds should be donated to these causes.’

Meanwhile, debates over the ‘correctness’ of Davido’s actions erupted on Facebook’s Christian Community. Several Christian Facebook influencers took advantage of the opportunity to highlight how people find it easy to give to secularism and support the world, but become enraged when the Church requests donations.

‘Davido posted his account number and got donations in millions…. If it’s a pastor, you will be angry. When you have issues, meet Davido to solve it for you. Let Davido heal the sick for you…’ Wesley Kayode Luther commented; Wesley Kayode comments.

His remark, however, drew harsh criticism from some members of the Christian community. Some claimed that Davido’s ability to amass such wealth was due to the ‘value’ attached to him.

One person, Praise Alege, even stated that God was the source of the numerous donations to Davido’s account, saying, ‘No one can receive what God hasn’t given…’

Some Christians also claimed Davido was reaping the benefits of his “good deeds.”

Good deeds which I believe include promoting promiscuity, immoral cultural and family values as well as fighting in public places and exchanging banters with other secular singers.

The trend continues as Nigerians, both Christians and non-Christians, marvel at how a man can raise more than a hundred million naira in a matter of hours and express their thoughts and opinions on it.

GENERAL

TD Jakes: Don’t follow the culture!

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Romans 12:1 tells us not to be conformed to the ways of the world. The strength of the Church is in her uniqueness. Our victory is in the peculiarity of our faith and not in our conformity to worldly standards.

We might adopt their technology. We might use their gadgets. But we must be careful not to conform to their culture. Our words must not be like theirs – ours must be seasoned with the Grace of God that dwells in us.

Our lifestyles must be unique from theirs. We must be consecrated unto God. Until the Church restores her culture of uniqueness, she will remain powerless.

TD Jakes speaks more on this in the video below;

Source: @bishop_jakes

Faith

Bigger than disabilities

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“A bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn.” – Helen Keller.

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.

– What your surroundings or the world say about you will only have an impact on you if you allow it.

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!

Faith

The Returning Bride {Hosea 2:7}

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Hosea 2:7: “Then she will say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, For then it was better for me than now”

God used the metaphor of a husband and wife relationship to speak to Israel in the preceding passage. They had abandoned God in favor of idols and carnal desires, and they were on the verge of facing severe punishment for their sins.

When a believer abandons God’s work to do the work of the flesh and the enemy, that believer is like a bride who has abandoned her husband for another. Jesus referred to Himself as “Our Love,” (Revelation 2:4) and we are referred to as “His Bride” in the book of Ephesians.

Since we are His Bride and in a mystical union with Him we must ask ourselves if we are faithful to this marriage with Jesus. It is critical that the believer performs a constant heart check to determine whether he is conscious and faithful of his union with Christ.

Just as when a lady gets married, her groom places a ring in her middle finger as a reminder that she is married no matter where she goes, when Christ married us in faith, He gave us His Holy Spirit as a sign in our hearts to remind us that we are married to Jesus and that our lives must be lived for Him alone.

Some believers, however, have grieved the Holy Spirit and have lost this consciousness. Instead of living in devotion to Christ, they have joined forces with sin and demons. They have abandoned their first love because they were deceived by another, who poses as a true lover.

However, the Bible teaches that Christ is the only true Love. He not only loves us, but He is Love Himself. Jesus embodies all of love. Love is the essence of His Being and the driving force behind His nature and actions. Only Jesus can truly love us, bless us, and give us the kind of future we desire.

If you have not been faithful to Jesus, in your fellowship with Him, in your obedience to His commands; if you have not been faithful with Jesus, now is the time to return to Him, repent of your unfaithfulness, and renounce any ungodly union you have had with the world or with the voice of the flesh.

Every unfaithful Christian, like the prodigal son and this unfaithful bride, will eventually realize that Christ is the better husband. Some, like the prodigal son, will realize this here on Earth. Some, however, may not have the opportunity to repent here and will only come to that realization in hell.

Nonetheless, it is not God’s will for anyone to perish. He desires that we repent and serve Him in true love and faithfulness. So let us return to the Lord. Let us repent of our disobedient actions and recognize that only Christ can truly love and bless us.

The next verse is also of utmost priority;

Hosea 2:8
She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold– which they used for Baal. (NIV)

The starting point of spiritual complacency is in the failure to acknowledge God for the blessings He has bestowed on us. Archbishop Trench says,

‘How prone are we all to ascribe to chance or fortune those gifts and blessings which indeed come directly from God–to build altars to Fortune rather than to Him who is the author of every good thing which we have gotten. And this faith of men, that their blessings, even their highest, come to them by a blind chance, they have incorporated in a word; for “happy” and “happiness” are connected with “hap,” which is chance; how unworthy, then, to express any true felicity, whose very essence is that it excludes hap or chance, that the world neither gave nor can take it away.’

The unfaithful bride used the gifts given to her by God to serve idols. We must not be like the bride, who failed to recognize God as the source of all her talents and gifts.

Let us make it a habit to acknowledge God as the source of all blessings in our lives, both rare and common, even the breath in our nostrils.

This is what God expects of us: fidelity to our relationship with Him. Keeping His commands in the face of pressure and temptation to disobey. Let us walk this path of faithfulness so that, in the end, we will be known as the Lord’s faithful bride.

Faith

Youth Corner: A Cedar in the Desert

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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.
GENERAL

Using your words to change your Life

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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;

  1. Make a list of what God’s word says about you.
  2. Meditate daily on that list.
  3. 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.

Joel 3:10: “let the weak say, I am strong.”

GENERAL

10 Lessons from the Life of Esther

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The Esther Generation is a community of women who have offered themselves on the altar of sacrifice to God to bring God’s reason and advice to a generation and those save those who are under the slavery of the devil into complete freedom by subscribing to the path of the kingdom Esther lived a life of selflessness, loyalty, submission, divine intervention, and favor.

Despite her unfavorable circumstances, she remained a virtuous lady. Because Esther followed Hegi the Keeper’s instructions, she was given the best place to stay and everything she needed to be crowned queen.

Esther is a role model for Christian women to follow. Here are ten major life lessons we can take from her life:

1. A woman’s beauty lies not in her possessions, but in the virtues and values, she has cultivated. There were more beautiful women in the pageantry to choose the king’s wife, but Esther’s obedience to Hegi, coupled with God’s favor, made her the chosen one.

2. Every successful person has a destiny-helper. A destiny-helper is someone sent by God to guide and assist you in reaching your destiny and fulfilling your purpose. Mordecai was Esther’s destiny-helper. He remained her counselor even when she became queen. Have you identified your destiny-helper? Are you giving honouring him/her?

3. The level of honor you give determines the extent of God’s favor in your life.

4. Even in times of crisis, it is critical to seek God’s face rather than rely on our political/financial positions.

5. To lead God’s people, a sacrifice-minded heart is required. Esther was a very selfless woman. She fasted for three days in order to secure God’s favor for her people. She put her life in danger to ensure the safety of her people. Let us be like Esther and be willing to give up our possessions for the sake of our fellow believers.

6. Esther was a woman of great faith; only women of faith can make a difference in a generation.

7. Esther was a woman of wisdom; she was not in a hurry to kill her enemies, and she waited until the right time before speaking against Haman. Proverbs 13:3 says, “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life“; Esther preserved both her life and the lives of the Jews by her temperance.

8. Esther was highly favoured by God and man because she was submissive to her mentor Mordecai.

9. Esther was a problem solver and solution provider for the Jews, and she was adept at guiding them in the right direction. Only people who solve problems are celebrated. The world is in need of people who will solve their problems and not create new ones for them.

10. Esthers are God’s help system in ridding the church of the evil that was proposed in men’s hearts.

These are some of the things we should learn from the life of Esther.

GENERAL

Living in Victory

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Man was created to win over every condition of life! He was created with the mandate of dominion. This is seen in the account of man’s creation recorded in Genesis 1.

If man was created with the innate ability to explore and have dominion over the circumstances of life, how come we see believers living in misery?

The main reason for this is that we haven’t come into full understanding of the incredible tools God has given us to live this life of victory.

Today, we will be exploring these tools. I call them ‘The Provisions for Victorious Living’.

1. The Mind: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” Proverbs 23:7.

Have you ever wondered what makes man superior to other animals?

We do not have the speed of the Cheetah, so it certainly has nothing to do with athleticism. We do not have the strength of an Elephant or the ferocity of a lion; yet, we are described as superior to these animals. The superior factor is the mind. We have a mind full of unlimited creativity.

Furthermore, If you think on God you will get more of God. As far your mind can think you can get there, as far as your eyes can see you can possess it.

In Romans 12:2, Paul admonishes us to renew our mind as in it lies our transformation. If a Saint will be shifted from a life of mediocrity and misery to a life of victory, such a saint must be continually improve on the quality of his mind daily. This can be achieved by studying your Bible, listening to inspirational tapes etc.

In order for us to live victoriously, let us be resolute in getting rid of mediocre thinking. Excellent prospects and perspectives must be embraced. Positivity must become the order of our minds.

2. The Scriptures:

Every inventor has a manual for instructing the users of his product on how to make best use of his product. The Bible is God’s manual to us on how to apply the finished works of Christ into our lives. Also, through the Bible, we get what is known in the military as ‘Intelligence briefings’.- the warfare strategies of the Kingdom are revealed to us.

Any believer who wants to live in victory must be a diligent student of God’s word as it is the word that teaches us how to win.

Besides if consistent study of academic work will make a child brilliant, how about constant learning from God’s word. The word of God is the source of spiritual intelligence.

Through its ageless instructions, it moulds, remoulds and enhances our character. It reshapes our perspectives and imparts us with the wisdom needed for victorious living.

3. Prayer:

Prayer is a path that cannot be ignored if one desires to live in victory. This is because prayer strengthens our spirit and puts us in a disposition to boldly face the challenges of life.

Any believer who doesn’t know how to pray will always be destabilized when he faces turmoil. But a believer who has mastered the art of prayer will always experience the peace of God no matter how bad things may seem to be.

Do you want to live in victory?

The secret is in having a habitual prayer life. Folks, this is where our victory is – in prayer. A wise man once said, ‘The more you spend time on your knees in prayer, the more God takes you higher’.

DON’T JUST HEAR, DO!

James 1:22 admonishes not to be mere hearers of God’s word, but to also practice it. Thus, use these provisions for victory daily. Constantly improve on the quality of your thinking; be a student of God’s word and be consistent in the place of prayer. God bless you!

GENERAL

Starting your day in the Presence of God

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      What is the best way to start the morning?

     

This is a hard-hitting question that many seem to ignore. In a busy world like this, the first thing that comes to the mind of many the moment they’re awake is preparing for business, taking care of the kids or checking for updates on their social media page. This explains the reason why many believers complain of having a terrible day, and live life in emotional stress.

Fortunately, as soon as you’re doing reading this, the stress and depression syndrome will end.

START YOUR DAY IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

     

There’s no greater way to begin the day than to begin it in God’s presence. Spending time worshiping and praying in the morning has a lot of impact on our inner stability throughout the day. This is the reason why even the Saints of the Bible days were known for early morning devotion.

Jesus prayed in the morning {Mark 1:35}. David prayed in the morning as well. Here are some incredible benefits gained in habitual morning devotional life.

1. It is a sign of gratitude: Psalm 3:5: “I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the LORD sustains me.” (HCSB) Having fellowship with God as your first activity in the morning, expresses your thankfulness for His preserving power. It shows you acknowledge Him as the one who sustained you and your family throughout the night.

Psalm 91:5 talks of the ‘arrow that flies at night’; these are spiritual attacks sent from the enemy’s gathering while we sleep to harm us or our families. The fact that in spite of arrows sent by the enemy we wake up hale and hearty shows that it is God who preserves us. Thus, as grateful saints, we must express our gratitude to the creator and life-preserver of the universe.

2. We seek and receive the guidance of God for the day: Though natural wisdom demands one makes logical, sequential and organized plans for one’s day, the truth remains that life is very unpredictable. Anything can come up during the day – a tough decision to make, a temptation very hard to resist, an accident or unexpected incident etc; spending time praying in God’s presence equips us for these things. The Holy Spirit can forewarn us of certain dangers in the day if we’d spend time in His presence. Through praying in the spirit, we can even be inspired to pray against certain traps which the enemy has set for us as we go on our daily endeavors.

3. It helps build a strong spirit: The reason people wish the day would never break is that they lack the fortitude and enthusiastic strength to face the day and its challenges. Praying and meditating on God’s word in the morning has the same effect on our spirit as charging your phone has on its battery. When you pray in the morning, your spirit is charged up and strengthened to be able to bear all that the day will bring.

A Christian with a strong spirit will always experience inner stability. Such Christian can fight even the toughest of battles and stay joyful; because he derives his joy from his fortified spirit. If you want to have a mature spirit, have devotional time with God every morning. A  Christian, who keeps spending time only on his secular engagements without spending time with God, will wear out terribly.

Isaiah 40:31: “But those who wait upon GOD get fresh strength.” (MSG) We receive strength when we dwell in God’s presence.

4. We experience the peace of God:

Meditating on God’s word eases our stress levels and calms our soul. The Bible says that when we pray, ‘the peace of God that passes all understanding will flood our soul; this divine peace is the supreme antidepressant.

It is the antidote for high blood pressure, the cure for migraine and the klopin for stress. It is a conviction of God’s faithfulness that settles all the doubts in our minds.

Meditating on God’s word puts our soul at rest. The Psalms are full of inspiring verses for meditation; feed on them every morning – you will find peace and incomprehensible tranquility in them.

5. Inspiration:

Job 32:8: “But [there is] a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.” (KJV)

Inspiration is an inner stimulation to do something creative. It is a feeling of enthusiasm which prompts creative ideas and innovation. Inspiration is what gives us reason to keep succeeding. In spite of the lockdown, pandemic and economic crisis, if believers can stay inspired, there’s no limit to what they can achieve.

But we won’t be able to receive inspiration for creative living if we are too busy to have a devotional time with God. Inspiration is best received in solitude – when we spend time in God’s divine presence. Spending the morning in God’s presence inspires our hope and creativity for the whole day.

We hope you have been blessed by this post. We want to hear from you; do drop a like and comment for us. God bless you. Stay safe!

Student's Corner

Student’s Corner: Qualities of an Excellent Student – Determination

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Albert Einstein, one of the greatest of genius who ever walked the surface of the earth had learning difficulties when he was young. He suffered from what is known as Asperger’s syndrome which made him socially unfit.


Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the world’s greatest artist in his childhood suffered from dyslexia, a condition that made him write backwards from right to left in a mirror image. This condition also made him use incorrect spellings.



Agatha Christie, one of the greatest mystery authors was unable to write legibly. Christie suffered from dysgraphia – a learning disorder that affects penmanship, spelling and arithmetic. Due to her poor handwriting, she had to dictate her mysteries and romance novels to someone who would write them down.

Agatha Christie


There’s one more nab, Thomas Edison – the man who invented the light bulb.
Thomas’s teacher said he was too stupid to know anything. Thomas got fired from his first two jobs because he was “unproductive ”. He ventured into inventing and from there, he created one of the world’s greatest inventions till date. He made 10, 000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb before he finally succeeded.



He made a statement which blew me off. He said “I have not failed, I have only found 10,000 ways that won’t work” – powerful words there!


Now why did I bring up these great guys?


I want you, dear student, to see that there was something common to all of them;



– DETERMINATION!


They were all determined to make a difference and excel in their different fields.



They all had tangible and adequate reasons to quit and give up, but they chose not to.



None of them was born a genius! They all had disabilities but they determined to excel despite the odds that were stacked against them.

WHAT IS DETERMINATION? 👨‍🏫


1. Determination is willingness to stand firm no matter the circumstances.


2. It is a situation where strong desire to achieve something can not be shaken by anyone or anything no matter how hard they try.


3. It is a situation wherby you are resolute something no matter how long or how hard it takes.



It is a factor you must develop if you truly want to excel in the academic world and in any other sphere of human existence.





Daniel 1 vs 8;
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king`s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.


Daniel was determined to separate himself from the king’s meat. He and his friends decided to take just pulse and water for THREE GOOD YEARS!

Who does that? 😲🤔



You might not know what pulse is but let me help you. Pulse are edible seed crops from the legume family such as beans.


Now imagine feeding on beans and water for three years!

But that is the sign of true determination.


A determined person must be ready to let go of certain things no matter how attractive they may be.


Let’s run through verse 17 of the same chapter.


Daniel 1 vs 17;
As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.


You see that up there?
God himself blessed them above their counterparts.

The twentieth verse says;

“And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.”


TEN TIMES BETTER!






That’s how far and how high determination can take you.


A determined person can never be put to shame. It may take years, you may get ridiculed, it may look impossible but as long as the determination is there, you will surely excel in your studies.



You are no dullard! All you need is a determined spirit – a spirit that is ready to keep studying until you get the result you desire.





If Albert Einstein, who was born with severe and incurable diseases could become a world renowned scientist, you too can become the genius student you aspire to be.

No one is born an excellent student; excellent students are made.

Tolu-Taiwo Victor

This article was written by Tolu-Taiwo Victor