Tag Archives: Religion

Faith

Enduring Faith!

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There is always an interval between the Promise and the fulfilment of the promise in the relationship between God and His children. That interval sometimes is long and full of several trials and challenges.


Could it be that the crisis believers are experiencing is only the interval between the Promise and the fulfilment of The Promise?


When David was anointed by Samuel in 1 Samuel 16, one would have thought David would become king the very next day, just like Saul.

Paradoxically, David ended up a wanderer in the wilderness, leading a pack of wild men for almost fourteen years before he finally ascended the Throne.



But even in those hard times running from Saul and living in the toughest of weather and geographical conditions, David stayed glued to God’s Promise that he would one day, ascend the throne of Israel, and surely, that day came.



There are certain challenges that God might not remove from our paths, but He has given us His Promise in His Word to sustain us even in these moments of trials and hardships.


Abraham is another example of a man who had to wait for years before seeing the fulfilment of The Promise.

At 75, Abraham had no son to call his own, yet, God promised Him a seed as well as fatherhood over nations. God usually gives us mind-blowing promises even in our distress in order to test us and stir up our faith.


Abraham was old, so was his wife. Neither of them could get pleasure from one another; neither had the capacity to create a seed; this was the difficult condition Abraham found himself in.



Does this sound similar to what you’re going through presently?


Probably you have a deadened business – a business already dried up by the harsh circumstances of life, with no income from it. God’s word is saying,


Psalms 92:12 “The righteous thrive like a palm tree, And grow like a cedar tree in Lebanon.”


God is giving you His Promise of fruitfulness the same way He promised Abraham a seed. Though all may seem hopeless, your job is to cling unto the word of God, and keep hoping on Him until the time of fulfilment.


Hebrews 6:15: “After waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise.”


Abraham definitely obtained the promise, but God’s Word told us that he had to wait patiently. Faith alone doesn’t obtain the Promise; a faith that cannot endure pain and suffering will never be able to obtain the Promise. Patience is needed.

Source: depositphotos


Patience is needed because The Promise is like a destination, faith makes us expectant of it, but only Patience will keep us expectant. Only patience will keep driving us towards our destination.


Patience is needed because on the journey to the promise, a lot of challenges will arise – persecutions, pandemics, plagues etc; God will permit these things to come your way to prove your Faith not just to Himself, but to the enemy and generations to come who will read your story.


The faith of the saint is not proven when the Saint has finally received The Promise, the faith is proven and seen in the road to attaining the promise.

Faith is in the Saint’s ability to withstand the pressures of life and keep serving God in expectation of an unseen promise.

Nwodo Divine



Romans 4:17 “As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. He believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.”


Here, we see a revelation of the intensity of Abraham’s faith. Paul, under the inspiration of The Holy Spirit, explains to us that though his organs were as good as dead,

Abraham believed God had the ability to enliven whatever is dead, and though there was probably no possibility of getting a baby from Sarah’s womb, God had the ability to call it forth into existence.


Such a powerful faith!


Isaiah 51:1 “Look unto Abraham…”

Source: Vectorstocks


Let us look unto Abraham and imitate his faith. Let the troubled Saint believe that God can revive his business; let the sick Saint believe that God can restore life to his body; let the depressed Saint believe that God can call forth great and mighty things into his life.


Romans 4:18 ”He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be.”



The Bible was careful to state that Abraham’s situation was not just of a man hoping in God it was a hope Against Hope – meaning, even when every reason to hope was gone,

Abraham never stopped hoping. Even when there was no reason to have faith, Abraham held unto The Promise.



Romans 4:20 “He did not waver in unbelief at God’s promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God


Romans 4:21 because he was fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.


Even in the uncertainty of the future, Abraham kept giving glory to God – He kept praising the most High. This means this man was never depressed about His childless state; he continued giving glory to God.


In this we learn that one of the evidence that have faith in God is that we believe God even when things seem not to be okay.

Thanksgiving is an evidence of faith in the ability of God to transform our situation.

Conclusively, beloved Saint, in your journey towards the Promise, make faith your fuel, patience your driver and Thanksgiving your music.

We hope you were blessed by this, we’d love to hear from and interact with you 😊. Do drop a like and comment. God Bless you, fam 😘💞💖

Faith

The Use of Faith

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A tool is something useful;

it is a thing available to serve a specific purpose. Its level of importance is determined by how much value it has.


We can consider faith a tool; an instrument that is useful in diverse ways.



One may wonder what the uses are, not to worry, they are explained below:




1. Faith is A CURRENCY


Just like one accesses physical commodities with money, faith is used to accessing whatever is supernatural. Faith determines our response to things about God and His kingdom.



It is attached to everything we do in God’s Kingdom; our works and responsibility towards the purposes of God must be mingled with faith, else they will amount to naught.


2. It is an instrument used for GAINING ALIGNMENT


We tread the path of alignment on the strength of our faith in Christ. By faith, we believe in the finished work of Christ. Also, it always prone believers to action. When there’s faith, there are works, so faith validates our work and makes it pleasing unto God.



3. Faith serves as A PARAMETER


God has standards in his kingdom, and for them to be met, there are kingdom parameters that are used to measure our duties. One of these criteria is faith.

He checks not only our heart posture (the intents and purity-state of our heart) but also whether we are faithless.



A pure heart is not enough, God demands faith when we carry out actions. Apostle Paul understood this and so he exhorted the brethren in Rome, thus:



‘‘He that doubteth is damned if he eats because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin’’ Romans 14:23.


His teaching labels the‘ absence of faith’ as a sin. A faithless Christian is vulnerable to sin and attacks from the devil.

His deeds are questionable, not because he is not holy, but because his actions did not take a stance from faith.

Satan easily conquers such a Christian during trials because he does not believe in the word of God.


4. Faith is the FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIANITY


Salvation and holiness are gained only by faith. Salvation begins with complete faith towards the finished work of Christ (they include His crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension).



Christ sustains our salvation through our constant unwavering FAITH in Him.

Although sinful activities in the world make piety tough for the children of God, we can remain exceptional from the patterns of the world when our faith in Christ is consistent.

This is where we give due diligence in responding to the salvation we once received.


2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.



Walking by faith is a deliberate action, it is a conscious response to our new nature by carrying out the responsibility that is befitting of a born again.

It is on this basis that we grow in grace and the Knowledge of God’s word.

Our faith sets us on the advantage of becoming approved of God, both in words and deeds.


2 Peter 1:5-7: “And beside this, giving all diligence, ADD TO YOUR FAITH virtue; and virtue knowledge. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity’’


Brethren, it all begins with our faith, we gain all these virtues as a bonus for exploring faith.



That’s amazing! The usefulness of faith has proved to be all-encompassing–just like have been stated earlier in the first series of this subject.


Stay with me as we unveil more sequels that faith holds for us.


God bless you, abundantly.




David Chikwado Caleb

GENERAL

The Paradox of the Prophecy

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Text References: Genesis 37:3-9; 39:20; Chp. 41

The story of Joseph is one which is very common among us today – the story of how he was sold into slavery by his very own brothers, how his case deteriorated from slavery even into imprisonment, and how it finally ended with Joseph being on the throne.

We are very familiar with this story; but one thing many Christians do not realize is that they are actually having a re-experience of what Joseph experienced – that is, they are playing out the plot of Joseph’s story.

Joseph had a great dream of becoming a King. He was destined for greatness; he was destined for kingship and royalty. Joseph was a royal by destiny.

Like we do today, Joseph in his days had a dream of leading nations. In one of his dreams, he saw himself being the leader of ‘stars’.

In other words, Joseph was destined to be the leader of leaders and not mere men. This is the destiny of every child of God. You are born for nowhere else but the top.

The Cedar

Psalm 92:12 “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” (NKJV)

            

The Palm tree is a tree which is known for its strong and solid roots, bark as well as productivity.

When the Bible tells us that the righteous will flourish like it, it simply reveals to us that as believers, whether you are a Child, teenager, youth or adult, in every of your engagements, fruitfulness and productivity will be the output.

It means that things will only keep getting better in our lives and in our engagements. It means that as a believer, in your academics, you will be among the best. In the skill you’re acquiring or the trade you are doing, you will achieve immense success. This is the prophetic destiny of every child of God!
          

But what you must also know dear saint, is that there will be a time when what you see in your life seems to contradict what you see in God’s word; I call this ‘The Paradox of the Prophecy’. It is a season that every Saint who ever became great in life passed through.

          

God promised to make Abraham the father of many nations, yet, for many years Abraham never had even a child.

Isaac blessed Jacob with the blessing for greatness, yet, for more than 14 years Jacob lived as a poor servant serving a shrewd master and receiving very little money as his wage.

God anointed David through Samuel to be king over Israel, yet, for many years David wandered from wilderness to wilderness leading a pack of wild and hungry men.

God promised to take the children of Israel to a land flowing with milk and honey, yet, for many years they walked in the wilderness eating only a kind of food daily.

                

The list is innumerable. The reason you must know this is that success and greatness comes in seasons and phases; if you are in what seems to be a tough season now, do not write off your dreams!

           

This paradoxical season comes in many forms – in Joseph’s life, it came in the form of slavery and imprisonment.

How could the one who had the stars in the galaxies bowing before him become a servant boy in the house of Potiphar?

How could the one who had the prophecy of worldwide greatness become a prisoner dwelling in a prison with criminals, thieves, and strumpets?

I was thinking since he was destined for greatness, God would make queens his nursing mothers and the palace his playground; but we see the exact opposite.

This young teenager lost his mother at an early age and suffered severe antagonism and antipathy from his brothers.

Wasn’t he the royal one? Wasn’t he supposed to be loved and pampered since he had the brightest future? – but we see the exact opposite. Joseph grew up in the toughest of environments.

           What does this reveal?

           

You are not alone! You are not the only one who is going through pain, intimidation and hardship inflicted by our nation’s system of education and economy.

Joseph also grew up knowing this pain; he also grew up receiving scorns and mockery from his older brothers. But the climax of the story is that he still became the noble that God destined him to be!

          

Look unto Joseph and be strengthened. He lived for years in a dungeon – an underground prison full of darkness and the most evil of criminals.

In the dungeon, you do not get good food; you do not wear good clothes; you do not get any encouragement or motivation; no one visits you in the dungeon – it is a place where you are left alone.

Does that sound like the condition you are in? Maybe you wish you were born in a very wealthy family; but you are living in a house or street full of dirt, immorality and ungodliness, do not despair, it’s only a paradoxical phase!

It is only a juxtaposition of the prophecy and the present. Or maybe all you’ve ever gotten is criticism even from your trusted ones; maybe you have no one to give you the love, acceptance and recognition that you crave for, look unto Joseph and be strengthened, he once went through the phase you’re going through today.

Great men are always alone, and great men are men who at adolescence or even childhood, were compelled to take responsibility for their lives and future by the harsh circumstances and battles of life.

Joseph was taken away from the comfort of his parents like many Christian youths these days are compelled to leave their families to learn a trade and fend for themselves due to lack.

But Joseph did not allow his circumstance to affect his grip on his prophecy. Even in the prison, Joseph saw himself as a leader and acted as one. Do not allow what you are going through affect your mood, rationality and self-esteem!

Be bold and confident of yourself! Be respectful and always look for a way to help those in your society!

Do not be intimidated by your peers who seem to have everything they wish for handed to them on a platter of gold! Neither should you be discouraged to think that your life will remain as it is now.

Hebrews 3:6: “….    Hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (KJV)

Don’t lose Hope!

God is saying to you, hold unto the hope of a great end. Hold unto the promise of God in the scriptures that you will be the head and not the tail, above and not beneath.

Do not lose your confidence and courage! Keep serving God and devoting your time to Kingdom work, rejoice in hope that surely, you will sit on the throne that belongs to you.

GENERAL, Spirituality

How to profit from The Bible

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The Bible is God’s tool for building His Saints. It must not be approached as an ordinary book.


The Bible is a spiritual book that can only be understood by spiritual men.


THE REVEALER OF TRUTH


“But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [complete truth]. For He will not speak on His initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future].” John 16:13 (AMP).


The mysteries in the scriptures are subtly hidden from the knowledge of a carnal man. It takes the revelation of the Holy Spirit to unveil that which is hidden in God’s Word.


Anyone can read the Bible and to an extent, understand its message. But to be able to relate with the scripture and profit from its richness, we need the help of the Holy Spirit.



APPROACH TO STUDYING THE BIBLE

1. Meekness:

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which can save your souls.” James 1:21.




In order to be properly taught by The Word, the Saint must be ready to let go of his/her preconceptions and previous mind-set. He must come to God’s Word with an open heart, willing to accept its reproof and obey its instruction.


The Saint must approach the word as a student approaches his teacher. He must acknowledge that he knows nothing and he is capable of knowing nothing outside what The Spirit of Truth teaches him.



2. Consistency:

Spiritual Growth happens not in the quantity of time we spend in God’s Word alone, but also in how consistent we are in studying God’s word.



The Saint must not be lazy and sluggish in his approach to the Bible. It must be a daily habit and necessity. It must be cherished like the material food and must be mused on morning, noon and night.



Psalms 1:2: “….. on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.”

If the hardest of mathematical equations and formulas written by men cannot be fully understood in inconsistent and unserious studying, how much more a book written from the inspiration of God?

The Saint who will profit from the Word must be habitual student of it. He must be willing to devote at least an hour of the day and night to studying the scriptures.



MEDITATE ON IT

Source: Crosswalk

In order to apprehend the knowledge of The Divine, our minds must be conditioned into silent meditation.

It is in meditation that illumination is received. This great principle remains the secret of the wisest of men who have received the revelation of Christ.

In meditation, we ponder upon what we see in God’s word; we make it ours – we personalise it and apply it to our lives. Knowledge is processed from mental knowledge into conviction through meditation.

Meditation gives us insight into a knowledge. It opens us to a practical and real experience of Truth.

Meditate on God’s promises towards you. Ponder on His instructions;. Meditate on His wondrous works recorded in scriptures. The more you do this, the more God’s word becomes real to you.

PRAY-READ THE SCRIPTURES

Accompany your study of God’s word with prayers. Prayer deepens our understanding of the word and solidifies our faith to expect what the Word has promised us.

There are promises we come across in scriptures that we are to pray about and declare over our lives. When you come across such while studying God’s word, do not hesitate to instantly begin to declare it over your life and your family.

Conclusively, ensure you study your Bible with a pen and jotter, and desire to practice everything you’re learning from the scripture.

GENERAL, Ministry

More than a Book

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Some see this prized asset as a mere collection of scripts and scrolls written by men; but the Bible is more than a collection of scripts, it is a collection of divine mysteries. It is a treasury of vast heavenly wisdom. 

Though it was written through the hands of men, the Bible was written by God Himself. It is an outflow of God’s divine wisdom and power.

One of my favorite verses about the Bible remains;

‘Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.’ – Psalms 119:160.

God’s Word is eternally true and relevant. The Bible remains the same. It doesn’t improve; neither is it progressive! What the Bible called sin thousands of years ago, remains sin till date – including homosexuality and fornication.

Some Facts about the Bible

1. It is the Book of God’s Kingdom: 

Every kingdom or state has a book(s) called a constitution. The Constitution contains not only the rules and regulations guiding the state, but the rights of the citizens in that state. The Bible tells us that our conversation is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and that we have been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of God (Colossians 1:13).

The Bible is the constitution of our Kingdom. It reveals to us who we are in Christ, our responsibilities as well as our rights in Christ. The Bible reveals to us our identity as sons of God.

It is in God’s word that we discover that by the stripes of Jesus, we are healed (Isaiah 53). It is in His Word that we discover that we through the redemptive work of Christ, we have been made a royal priesthood, holy and acceptable unto God (1 Peter 2:9).

2. The Book of the Supernatural

The Bible is not a mere storybook! It is a book which presents to us the workings of God’s power in the days of men of old. Any Saint who devotes his time to studying this book with an open heart, will surely walk in the supernatural.

There is a measure of faith that is released into our spirits each time we read of the incredible acts of God. God did not record those acts so that we can read them for leisure or mere knowledge. He wrote them so we would read and be strengthened and ‘faithened’ to command the same.

WHY IS THE BIBLE VERY IMPORTANT?

The importance and significance of God’s word in living a life of victory can never be overemphasized. Here are a few reasons why God’s word must be treated with sacredness and studied with fervency and devotion;

1) All Scriptures are Profitable:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” – 2 Timothy 3: 16-17. 

There is profit in studying the scriptures. Profit means gain, benefits, income etc; in other words, we get great gain when we devote our time and concentration to studying the Bible. We gain spiritual knowledge; we gain faith; we gain hope and inspiration to keep moving in the quest for greatness.

Until a believer begins to profit from God’s word, He can never be a profitable and productive servant of God. God’s word is also profitable for reproof, correction and instruction.

In God’s Word, we are instructed on how to conduct our lives on Earth as Christians. How then can a believer live in confusion when such an all-encompassing treasure as the Bible exists?

2) The Foundation of Our Faith:  

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4. 

Solid faith grows by steady intake of God’s word. One of my mentors Nwodo Divine would always say, “Just as when we eat rice, it becomes carbohydrate in our body, and when we eat beans, it becomes protein in our body; when we eat the word, it becomes faith in our spirits”. Our faith can only stand strong when it is founded on God’s word.

So the scriptures were written to build and grow our faith. For faith to grow, there must learning and unlearning. A believer can’t grow in faith if he chooses to stick to the superstitious and mythical beliefs he had as an unbeliever or Christian infant.

Look at the word whatsoever that was written in the scripture was to form our faith, it is written to show us the pattern of living in God’s kingdom. It is only those who stay with scripture that will always produce what is in the scriptures.

The Scripture discloses the norms, ethics, habits and behavior of believers. It is because many do not know the scriptures that they conform easily to the world.

Until we go back to intense study of the scripture, we will always err and give the wrong counsel and direction to our young ones. 

3) The Revelation of His Will:

And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? Luke 24:32.

Until the scriptures are opened to our understanding through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, our eyes will continually be blind to the things that God is trying to show us. 

The scripture uncovers God’s will and counsel for our life. The Scripture is very important because it captures God’s purpose for individual, Family, nation and generations to come.

BIBLE OVER DARWIN

The scripture also shows our root. We may be created with material bodies, yet, God’s word reveals to us that man in his true form, is a spirit (Job 32:8). In God’s Word, we discover that man came from God (Genesis 1:27) and not from apes – a frivolous assertion made by a scientist whose mind had been darkened by Satan.

The Bible shows us that man didn’t evolve from any pre-existing being, but we were rather created from God.

Folks, it’s time we start paying attention to the Word as it is the manual that God has given us to guide us unto success.

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Spirituality

The Enemy’s Wiles

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What analogy can be best suited to describe a Christian warrior who is in constant opposition to Satan?


Here is one:


A boxer has a higher chance of winning when he understands every move of his opponent. He is calculative enough to know beforehand the next action of his foe and the best way to counter it.

Once he understands his opponent’s inclinations, he can take defensive techniques to avoid getting hit with the blows and then launch his attack.


Swiftness is what it is, an athlete needs to be quicker than his opponent.



The opposition with the devil has been from time immemorial. It is a war and only a witty Christian can outmanoeuvre the attacks of Satan.


If we are innocent of the enemy’s schemes, then we will not recognize his handiwork and he will use us for his ends. If we are cognizant of his tactics, then we will know when he is at work and deal with him.


1 Cor 12:1
“Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant.”



Below are the commonest schemes and means by which the enemy attacks:



å Thoughts:

The mind is a powerful channel to send opinions to a man. Satan works subtly. It takes wittiness to discern him when he comes through the channel of the mind.



Take for instance, a Christian who got offended by a cab driver, he tries to ignore the offense and stay cool. While at it the devil gives him reasons why he must retaliate to the provocation.


Wisdom is the application of knowledge. A wise Christian will not be taken advantage of because he quickly takes notice when strange thoughts creep into his mind and he can identify them as Satan’s ploy.


2Cor 2:11
“…that no advantage may be gained over us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”


å Incitement:

This could come from anyone, most often from peers. Here is another common instance of how it works:

_A Christian girl who is clear-minded and has zero interest in romantic dates, however, gets her clear-mindedness all infused with inordinate fantasies. This is after her peers incessantly share loved-up and sensual stories about their lovers, more so encouraging her to get into romantic relationships._


Incitement comes in a form of advice, encouragement, or a call to action, often to do wrong things.


While these and more are the likely schemes by Satan, it is 100% possible to outwit him.



Wisdom and discernment are the virtues needed to understand the tactics of the devil. Not only understanding his tactics but also knowing when he is at work.


These virtues are not utopian, they are given to us by God through prayers.



James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.


James 1:6
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.



Finally, brethren, discernment is a gift of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 12:10) which should be desired by every Christian, just as St. Paul admonished.


God who gives freely is able to give us all that we ask for; every good thing comes from Him.

Health and Lifestyle

Rejoicing in Grief

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Apart from the fact that depression eats its prey silently, it a way of subtly camouflaging itself as a seemingly peaceful state of mind, which is in reality, the exact opposite.



Romans 8:1 says ‘There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’




Depression is not deep thinking, but meditating on the mistakes, ill-luck and unfortunate things that happened to one; not to spur one to positive response, but to bound such a one’s mind with the mind-set that he was born to fail.



Depression is a negative force. Like a magnet, it doesn’t come alone, it attracts negative results, output and circumstances to itself.



The way out?


Philippians 4:4

“Rejoice in the Lord Always. Again, I will say, Rejoice”


Finding a reason to appreciate God is a sure way to escape from the fangs of depression. Depression cannot dwell in the heart of a grateful soul.


Instead of regretting and feeling like a failure, give thanks to God in faith and hope that things will get better.



2 Samuel 12:15: “After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord made Bathsheba’s baby deathly ill.”


2 Samuel 12:16: “David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground.”


2 Samuel 12:17: “The leaders of the nation pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.”


2 Samuel 12:18: Then on the seventh day the baby died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He was so broken up about the baby being sick,” they said. “What will he do to himself when we tell him the child is dead?”



David committed adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife, and as a punishment, God struck the child of their cohabitation with a deadly sickness.



David wept, fasted and prayed for the healing of his child. He prayed that God would preserve the life of his child. Still, the child died.


Such an occurrence is capable of destabilising even the most hardened of hearts. David lost his precious baby to the sickness.



But my interest in this study isn’t that David lost his baby, but what David did after the loss.



2 Samuel 12:20 Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. Then he went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and ate.


Instead of weeping and cursing God for a child that was gone, David worshipped God and put on the garments of devotion to the sovereignty of God.


Thus, we learn that we might not be able to control everything that happens in our lives, but we can always determine our response to that situation.

There are certain things that our prayer might not have been able to prevent, such as the casualties from the Covid, or the Lockdown, but we can decide that in the midst of all these, we will remain grateful saints.


David never went into prolonged depression despite the loss of his child. Thereafter, God gave him another child who became richest and one of the wisest Kings of Israel.


Beloved, don’t be dismayed, because God will surely give you double of what you lost.



Instead of regretting, rise up, believe those wonderful things He has promised you and hold unto them.





Give thanks, rejoice, sing songs of worship and change your atmosphere from one of mourning, to one of rejoicing.

Featured Image: DepositPhotos

Spirituality

What do I do when my love for God has waxed cold

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We live in a world full of uncertainties and wickedness.



It takes a man whose love is not set on the things of the world, to survive the wickedness that has been planted in it. Only a man who has overcome selfishness will be able to live above the greed found amongst men in this world.



Unfortunately, the love of God – which is above selfishness, is waxing very cold among even the saints.



Many false prophets will arise and lead multitudes astray and because of the prevalent disregard of God’s law the love of the great majority will grow cold – Matthew 24:12 {Weymouth}


God’s desire is that as His children, we should live in obedience to His precepts and commandments. He desires that we fill our hearts with His love, and allow our feet to be governed by this love.



False Teaching

We live in a time where false prophets and teachers are at a rise. A believer has to be very discreet in choosing a church to belong to and a pastor to listen to.


The false teachings these days have been masked such that only a discerning Christian will be able to identify it.



We now have Churches that have been turned into business centres. Places of worship are being turned into vaccination centres.

Pastors are turning the Gospel into a more motivational speech, and saints are being deprived of the right nourishment of the Gospel.


This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9–11).


What do I do when my love for God grows cold?

1. Identify the cause and repent of it:

What made God’s love in you to go cold? Friends? Offence? Sin? Search your heart and identify the root of it. Take it to God in repentant prayer. Let go of it at the altar of repentance.

St. Matthew 5:30: “And if your hand—even if it is your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”


2. Associate with Kingdom-Minded Friends:

Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron…”

Identify with believers who are full of fervency for the things of God. One cannot stay close to fire and not be warm. Separate yourself from intimate friendship with unbelievers. The love of God flows unto us when we join a community of true believers.

3. Revive it with the true knowledge of Christ.

Open your heart to God’s Word and The Holy Spirit. Get sermons that will stir up your love and passion for God.



Is your love for God frosty? Repent and be transformed.


Written by Greenhills Emmanuel Amarayahweh

GENERAL

What does it cost to be unique?

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Image Credit: Niall Keenan



The population of people in the world is about 7.1 billion. The mystery here is that no two persons are the same.

Even if they seem to be, their fingerprints would never be! That is the amazingness of God’s creation.

Different faces with different fingerprints. Uniqueness is what it is!


God is known for diversity. He created even the animals, each one in a way that is very different from the other.


To further show his diversified nature, God divided the ministry of Jesus into five folds. The aim was for the uniqueness of each ministry to be recognized and to create a synergy that would bring maturity and equipping to the body of Christ.



To everyone, there is usually an ability that makes them distinctive from others.


Never look down at yourself for you are special, and significant. Be sure that your existence is as important to God as it is to man.



Uniqueness makes people go after you because you are the one in the right position to offer something that they need.


You cannot be gifted and not needed. No!


Joseph and Daniel in the Bible were made phenomenal through the spirit of Wisdom. Their uniqueness emanated from the wisdom that they had and they became greatly sought after for their services.



Most times, it takes the spirit of Wisdom to open one up to his distinctiveness.



Do you want to be unique? Here are some tips:



1. Be Skillful: To be skillful is beyond learning about a business or a vocation.

It is investing your time into the appropriate knowledge needed to make you an expert in a chosen field or career.



There are many problems in various fields that need to be tackled and it is only skilled men that can bring solutions to these problems.


“One skilled in business discovers prosperity, but the one who trusts in God is blessed beyond belief!” Proverbs 16:20.


One surest way to be unique is to invest in quality knowledge that will expand your scope and build you to a place of influence.


2. Values and Virtues: Success doesn’t come only by being skillful. There must be personal core values you must imbibe into you to be outstanding, and remarkable.


Most organizations look for people who are not only skillful but are reliable and committed.


Besides, as true believers, we must imbibe in us the values of the kingdom. This is the only way we can manifest God.



3. Wisdom: Wisdom is a gift given liberally by God. Even, He is the hub of wisdom.


“For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” {NLT} – Proverbs 2:6


Divine wisdom effortlessly generates uniqueness. Solomon was a perfect example! His wisdom induced his uniqueness and gave way to his relevance.


However, wisdom is beyond what we want to show, it is what God wants to show through us. That through our life, God is put on display.


Albeit wisdom attracts people to you, it is still the character that keeps them. Pray for wisdom alongside a decent character.


4. Mindset: One of the greatest strongholds of a man is his mindset.


The mind is the channel by which God brings every spiritual reality to expression.


Until it is transformed you can’t think fair of yourself. Who you are, determines what you have seen with the eyes of your mind.


Change the perception of what you think you are and see yourself in the light of God’s definition.



Alleluia!



Greenhills Emmanuel Amarayahweh

Spirituality

Paradoxical Success

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Studying Arts, Literature particularly, has increased my love for history.

When I study the works of pacesetters and geniuses of poetry, I am in awe at what human minds could produce even in centuries that were void of easy access to information and education as our age.


But inasmuch as I admire their talents and works, I also study their personal lives to see what lessons I can learn them.



One of the poets who fascinate me most is Edgar Allen Poe. Edgar is among the pioneers of detective fiction, cosmological poetry and short story telling. His works received several positive reviews and awards during his lifetime.


Amongst other poets, why did I choose to mention Edgar Allen Poe in this brief diary entry. Keep reading, and you’ll discover why.


Despite his popularity, fame and literary success, Edgar had a horrible personal life. He was an Alcoholic, and lacked self-control.

Edgar’s addiction to alcohol made him drunk, publicly on several occasions. It also contributed to his collapsed marriage. The death of his wife worsened it.



Edgar became a radical Alcoholic. And some time later, he passed away from complications which could be traced to his Alcoholic addiction.


He had a successful career, but a horrible life. He was a great author, yet, a miserable Alcoholic . He was an incredible public figure, yet a terrible person. His weakness did not stop his success, but it definitely cut it short.


Like Edgar, you might be very talented and professional in your specialty.

It could be poetry, education, storytelling, music etc. You might be an incredible craftsman, renowned and celebrated by all who come across your works, yet, in the midst of all these, you find yourself having a weakness, a hidden one, which keeps rising up when you’re away from the crowd and public admiration.


That weakness could be anger, a sexual sin, drunkenness etc. No one knows about it, and it seems pleasurable to your darkened mind. So you’ve decided to submit to the weakness secretly, and continue your journey to fame publicly.

That would be the greatest mistake of your life. Because that weakness, that negative addiction, when the whole world knows your name, will be used by Satan to tarnish your image and give you a miserable end.


He’s watching silently, crouching at the door of your heart, like a little puppy. He’s waiting for the time when the whole world knows your name, and then he will take hold of your weakness and use it to make you take a detour into your downfall.

Don’t tolerate that secret sin!


Samson was a successful warrior. He was recorded among the list of the greatest of Jewish judges.



Yet, after he had done a public exploit, he would go to Delilah, an agent of the enemy, and take pleasure in her soothing laps.


He never identified with her publicly, but behind closed doors, he submitted his head- his authority and his will, to her hands.


He never envisaged his downfall. But Satan did. And when the time was right, Samson fell miserably. His eyes were gorged out. The great warrior became the blind spectacle.


Behold how the mighty falls and learn!


Mark 9:43: “And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.”



Subdue that weakness before it subdues you.


GENERAL

PATIENCE

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Lots of people desire deep fellowship in their walk with God but only few have the patience needed in building such an fellowship.



Walking with God can be likened to baking a big wedding cake. It consists of steps which require patience.


When you want to bake a cake the first thing you do is to get the ingredients such as flour, eggs, sugar and so on.



Sometimes, the ingredients might not be available in a nearby store, so you have to get it in the market or a shopping mall in town.



Now after going through the stress of getting the ingredients, you don’t just sit there and watch the cake make itself. Instead, you patiently take your time to mix the ingredients together till they become fluffy.


Now mixing is not as easy as it sounds, especially when you are making a giant wedding cake. It requires strength and patience.


After mixing, you put the mixture in a baking pan and then you place it in an oven to bake. This could take minutes or hours depending on hour big the cake is.



Finally, after waiting patiently, your cake is ready but that’s not all.



Remember, you haven’t iced the cake yet and icing is another tasking process which requires perfection and to be perfect, you must be patient.


Baking a perfect cake requires lots of patience; likewise building a strong relationship with God.

The Bible says, “Seek and ye shall find”.


Seek there means patiently searching out and uncovering the things of God.
God doesn’t take short cuts in revealing things to and empowering his people. He honours and walks by processes; processes only a patient man can observe.



Your level of patience in your walk with God is directly proportional to how intimate you get with him.


You can’t expect the same quality of cake from someone who took quality time out to bake and someone who simply baked what he or she could bake.



Likewise, you can’t expect the same quality of the move of God from a man who patiently waits upon the Lord and a man who only has time for God when he or she has nothing to attend to.



There are mysteries in the kingdom. The Bible calls those mysteries “THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD”.


Those mysteries and secrets can only be uncovered by a man who has the patience to seek God’s face no matter how long it takes.


It is just like mining out Gold. You can’t find gold on the surface, you find it buried deep down the surface of the earth.


Many want these secrets but only few are ready to pay the price of patiently waiting on God.


Many want these powers but only few are patient enough to seek them.


You won’t always get revelations from the Bible every time you study but God says “Continue studying for the light is coming”.


We must learn to be patient enough if we really desire intimacy with God.


The question now is “ARE YOU PATIENT ENOUGH? ”



Written by Tolu-Taiwo Victor