Still Plugged In?
I was doing some ironing and I had finished with quite a few, okay not that much, just one trouser, I was Ironing my shirt and after a while noticed that the creases weren't coming off as fast as they were only moments ago, I continued, but it wasn't just getting straight sha. I checked that round thing you turn on the iron to make it hotter, that turns round and round .....(English students help me here) ehen...thermostat, yes........ but it was already on the highest/hottest setting (Linen..permenent setting for 98% of my clothes). The orange/red light thingy on the iron that lets you know when it is on was off, and had bin for longer than normal, even though the iron was still hot (i touched it ....ouch) but it was getting colder by the minute. I looked down to check if it was still plugged in to the wall socket...Aha! it wasn't, i guess in my vigorous attempt to look crisp and sharp I had pulled the plug out of the socket.
The lesson I learned from that was "
Stay Plugged in." Stay connected to the source of power to be able to function to your full capacity. Like that iron, sometimes we get disconnected from our source of Power, Healing, Wealth, Wisdom etc and even though initially, there may not be any immediate sign, 'cos everything still keeps functioning the way it was before, but over a period of time, the disconnect will show, either in our words or actions.
I have experienced this several times and even quite recently, when I jump out of bed and rush of to work without spending time with My Heavenly Father (My office is 50m away from my room... so what's the rush? the excuse, i slept late because I was reading a zillion blogs....mehn.. blogville peeps are talented o! LOL) I noticed gradually that work became just a little bit harder, i was getting slightly more irritated over little things, I wasn't quite as "Sharp" as i should be in certain areas of my life, I had disconnected myself from the source of wisdom and was running on "old glory".
We may go on with life for a while without the divine connection, but when we get 'cold' we find ourselves in situations that we never expected, just like the iron couldn't perform it's designed function when it got disconnected, so also is it with us in our unplugged state.
My question to you today is... who/what/where is your source? stay connected to it at all times, even though somedays it may not feel like you are 'on' but like the iron that is plugged in, it has a thermostat which regulates the power intake and the heat output efficiency (Omo, dat one na for physics/engineering people ..... How i take become engineer sef...another mystery :-) You are never alone when you are plugged in to the Most high, you have all it takes to acheive all you have been designed to be. My prayer for today is that we all remember to stay connected and plugged in to the one who gives all that pertains to life and godliness.
Have a great day people
God's IF Statement
Let me begin by saying that God's love for us is unconditional. This means that there is no "IF" attached to it. In Philosophy we were taught that in life there is logic, if this then that, else something else... ok I've lost myself too, philosophy can do that to you...LOL. Computer Programmers also use the "IF" function to solve a lot of complex problems that realate to choice, if a user clicks on a button, a particular function attached to that button will be executed, but even programming is way above my thinking right now, I like things simple, and all i have to ask is "what does this button do...." (Dexter's Lab) I know I know, too much TV!
God loves us without an IF, He definitely proved it by coming to earth to experience being human, feel our pain, interact with us on a human level, and then ultimately sacrificing his Son to pay all our debts. I don't know how unconditional that can get. Today's focus though is on God's blessings.........ahh, blessings, everyone wants them, to be healthy, live a fulfilled life, have food, money, clothes, purpose, etc. So who wants to be blessed let me see your hands up? see all of you, don't you know that there is a simple Binary choice for that? IF you do A, you will be blessed, but if you do B, you will not be blessed, infact you will be cursed, so it means that there are only two choices, Yes or No ....... easy isn't it?
Lets see what the good book says :
“Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy. “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 30:15-19 (NLT)
Sounds simple but....... I pray that we all will make the right choice today. Yes or No? If yes, then..... else if No, then .....
Lesson 1. An Illustration of Prayer
Hi people, it's been a long while and I guess I've been guilty of not updating the blog, i would love to give a million excuses, but they'll only just be that - excuses, there really shouldn't be any excuse as to why I haven't been writing for y'all, but I guess you will forgive me. Thanks.
Enjoy and happy reading........
Prayer : How to -
A man had two sons, one was 16 yrs old and the other was 12yrs. The man was away on a job in a far away country and was in communication with them via telephone. A few days to his return home, the father asked his 2 sons what they would like him to get for them. The following conversation was what took place
Father : Hi kids, what do you want me to get for you guys.
Son 1: Hey Dad, I would really love to have a chess set, with wooden pieces. (Now this son knew how much his dad loved to play chess, and felt that his dad would like him to learn to play someday so that they could play together in the future until they were old and grey)
Father : Wow! That’s great son, I’d go find it immediately, I didn’t know you were interested in chess, I’m sure we’ll have such a great time playing together.
Son 2: Dad, I would like to have a gun ……
Father : Sure son, I’ll get you a toy pistol if you like, but aren’t you a bit too old for that? ….
Son 2 : No dad, I don’t want a toy, I want a real gun with real bullets!
Father : Stunned silence!! Thinking to himself, he can’t be serious, no way! He must be pulling my legs, I’m sure he meant a toy gun, like a water pistol or something! Confused and scratching his head at this time….Okay now son, you know you can’t have a real gun, because you are too young to handle such a dangerous weapon, and it’s not a good thing to desire because guns are used for destruction, so maybe when you grow up and join the army, we could discuss about you having one, but until then, I can’t grant your request.
Son 2 : Throwing a tantrum.. Ahhhh no, no no , all I want is a gun!! All I want is a gun dad, it’s a gun or nothing, I don’t want anything else.
Father : son, you know I love you and I don’t want to hurt you, but what you are asking for is not a good thing, and even if I wanted to grant you this, I couldn’t because you are too young to understand how it works and how to use it safely.
Son 2 : I thought you said I should ask you for anything, you said you’ll give me everything I ask for, now I’m asking for this
Father: I’m sorry son, but I can’t give you this, cos i know it’s not good for you, trust me on this, you don’t know what you are asking for. What else would you like me to get for you?
Son 2 : No dad, I don’t want anything else .
The Lesson.
God will give us what we ask for - if and only if we ask in accordance to his will
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. - Matthew 7:7
"......Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure." James 4:2-3
What is that thing that you want? what lurks deep in your heart? what is the desire burning in you? if you want anything, there are steps to take to get it.
1. Determine what it is you want from God. Be very specific. (Let's use this as an illustration: A woman has been married for sometime and she wants a child, the doctors say there's no hope, that she's has issues with her fertility bla bla bla.....)
2. Find out if it is talked about in the bible -God's Word. You really have no business asking for what isn't in God's will, the answer would be a resounding NO! For the Illustration of the woman above, she will have to look for the following passages and others;
"You must serve only the Lord your God. If you do, I will bless you with food and water, and I will protect you from illness. There will be no miscarriages or infertility in your land, and I will give you long, full lives." Exo 23:25-26
“The Lord will give you prosperity in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, blessing you with many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops." Deut 28:11
"He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals." Deut 7:13)
3. Ask God for what you want after you have determined that it is indeed talked about in the bible and God has promised to give to you. ("......I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." John 16:23-24)
4. Believe that God has heard and answered your prayer and you will recieve what you have asked for. ("I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours." Mark 11:24
"But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!" John 15:7)
Have a lovely day people and May God grant you the desires of your heart. Amen!
Only the WORD
Written by Oma Okwara"And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing; nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net" (Luke 5:5)"My son, attend to my words, incline thine ear unto my sayings... for they are life to those that find them, and health to all their flesh" (Prov 4:20-22)
"....... but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed" (Matthew 8:8)The words we speak are very powerful and have in them the ability to effect changes. Little wonder the bible says; life and death are in the power of the tongue, and whosoever loves it shall eat the fruit thereof. If our own words can be this powerful and transforming, how much more then the words of God, by whom we came into existence.
God's word is infallible (Is. 55:10-11). It has the ability to give life no matter the deadness of the situation to which it is sent to. It was all that was needed to bring Jairus daughter back to life (Mark 5:41). The dry bones received life by the word. Even fig tree withered only by the words spoken by Jesus.
"He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions"
The word cannot be limited. For his mouth has given the order, and his spirit will gather them together (Is 34:16). No wonder the centurion asked Jesus to speak the word only, which was all the servant needed to be healed.
If you receive and appropriate God's word for your life, it can alter every other report, every other judgement and every other decision of man cos the witness of God is greater than that of man (1 John 5:9).
How to appropriate God's word in your life:
FAITH: For he that believes, there shall be a performance of that which is said concerning him.
PAY ATTENTION TO GOD'S WORD (Prov 4:20). Don't attend to your dreams, rumours, or even the doctor's report.Be rest assured that it is only the council of the Lord that shall stand.
HOLD UNTO THE WORD TENACIOUSLY . Never trade it for anything whatsoever, cos it's even more precious than gold.
ENGAGE IN THE WORD THERAPY. Massage your system with the word. Don't stop saying it. For God will do exactly as he hears you say.
KEEP THE WORD IN YOUR HEART (Ps. 119:11) Let it go beyond your mouth, for your heart is the ground wherein the word will become fruitful.
BEHAVE THE WORD. Let it become your lifestyle.
His word is able to keep us and give us an inheritance among the saints. Never give yourself an option to his word. If he has said it, then it must surely come to pass for he watches over his word to perform it.
Come as Little Children
I just love this man ....
Why are children so adorable ...... (okay not when you have to change thier nappies, or when they cry at night waking you up from sleep, even though they were just fed a few minutes ago...) not those times, but generally they are so innocent and lovable (a lot of mischief is hidden in their hearts so don't be decieved :-0) . A smile from a child is worth a million photos, and you can't help but love them back.
When a child asks his mother a question (no matter how silly it sounds to a grown up) she knows that the child is curious and really wants to know, and beleive me, children can ask some really earth shattering questions. I heard someone make a statement, he said " a child is a child, and can only be expected to think and act like a child, and until that child grows up and makes his own decisions, he/she is still a child"
Just as children are innocent, curious, adorable and true, that's the way God want's for us to approach him. He wants us to come to him just as we are, without pretense, as real as a child, for we are God's children if we believe in His son, Jesus. If you are His child, he loves and accepts you just the way you are.
"... He said to them, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children" (Mark 10:14) .
I encourage you today to come to God like a child, children beleive their parents when they say "Don't worry, mommy will buy you sweet/ice-cream/biscuit ....... " (fill in the blanks! .... yeah... I know, I believed and I was expectant everytime I heard those words, it's funny now that as I got older, I don't expect that anymore, hmm...... food for thought dont you think?)
This is what God, who created everything, who is the best father anyone could wish for says;
"Come to me with your ears wide open, Listen and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all unfailing love I promised to David" (Isaiah 55:3)
"Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)
There are many more invitations from God the most High, I pray that you hear his call today and answer like a child .... "Yes dad, I'm coming ........."
All Things Are Yours
Written by Oma Okwara"And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ" Romans 8 :17
"Fear not, little flock, for it is the father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" Luke 12:32
"He has given unto us all things that pertain to life and to godliness" 2 Peter 1:3
" ..... Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God." 1 Cor 3: 22-23
Ever imagined a son walk into his mother's kitchen, seeing all the well prepared dishes ready to
be taken by anybody who cares but still goes hungry for not having food to eat? Or a prince, whose father is very wealthy and influential, with many servants at his service all having whatever they want whenever they want and even some extras to give out to some friends, yet this prince cannot in his father's house have his needs met (a prodigal son, you may say). Error! The preacher calls it. Princes on foot and slaves on horses back. Eccl 10:5-7
God has given you everything you need.Scripture says that you are an heir of God and joint-heir with Christ. In other words, you have the same priviledges as Christ, you share equally in his
inheritance. A man may have the key to a house without knowing it and he therefore remains outside. He is bound to remain there for as much as he is ignorant of his access into the house. It is the knowledge of who you are in Christ that breaks every limitation in your environment. Understand your place in Christ, everything you need, no matter what it is, has been made
available to you. Christ was made poor so that you through his poverty will become rich. You are complete in him. God calls forth things that are not as though they they were, and you having his nature can also do likewise for you were created in God's Image (
Gen 1: 26 "Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like ourselves...." )
All that's required is that you really believe and don't doubt in your heart. He that did not spare his only son but gave him up for all; how will he not freely give you all things? He has made all things for his pleasure, and also for your own pleasure even as his. Arise therefore and tap into the provisions that are there for you. Begin to reign and live as a king because it's your birthright.
Motives
Why do you do what you do? What is the REAL reason behind what you do? Answer these questions honestly, and you'll be able to tell if you do things to please men or please God.
The online websters dictionary defines motive as;
Mo·tive : (
mō'tĭv)
n. An emotion, desire, physiological need, or similar impulse that acts as an incitement to action.
Why do you pray? why do you go to church? why do you give an offering? I would like to point out that it's not the act itself that matters, it's the reason behind the act. Jesus gave an illustration during one of his teachings' saying;
“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you (Matthew 6: 1-6, 16 - 18. NLT)Simple Illustration to show that your motives determine your reward, if you do things so that people will praise you, Jesus says that's all you will get, but if you do it for God, then God will reward you. I want God's reward, and I'm sure you do too, let the motive for all that you do, be to please God and bring glory to His name.
Remember,
it's not what you do, but why you do it. Do have a lovely day and may all of God's reward for you become yours!
Success
Sorry guys, I've been away for a while now, was away from my computer and the internet for sometime (okay it wasn't that long, but ....... anyways, the important thing is that I'm back ;-) and that's what matters!)This message was sent in by a lovely young lady (Oma Okwara) whom the Lord is using for HIS wonderful work (It's good to know such wonderful people ;-), and I would like to use this medium to say if you have any thoughts, comments, contributions that you think will help someone, somewhere, someday, please feel free to send me a mail and I'll gladly post it up. Enjoy!SuccessGenerally, The world in general measures a man's success by how wealthy he is, number of kids he has, how good his marriage is, etc... But it might be very surprising to know that one can achieve all these things and still be unsuccessful.
" A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15
A pen may serve as a pointer. It may also serve as a ruler while drawing lines (err.... I think that applies only to Bic and Eleganza?), but no matter how perfect it is in these other functions, (as long as the ink is still there) the manufacturer still considers it underutilized, until it is used as a pen. There's a purpose for your creation and the realization of that purpose is what determines your success. Take some time out and find out who you are 'cos there's something beyond what you see in a mirror. The well being of the real you is the purpose of God for you.
"All the families on earth will be blessed through you." Gen 12:3
"And Lot, who went with Abram also had flocks and herds and tents." Gen. 13:5
"If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham." John 8:3
The above quotations imply that as seeds of Abraham, your greatness and achievements can only be reckoned as success when you are a blessing to others. Blessing may not only be financially, you can be a blessing by saying a little prayer for someone in your closet. Even a smile freely given, or a hand stretched out in help can be all the miracle your neighbour needs. Be a river and not a reservoir. Flow into lives, change things, make impact. Stretch yourself to the limit. A rubber band is useless until it is streched, release all you have on the inside while you live. As long as people are there for you to bless, your blessing continues to flow.
Everyone that is born of God has the potential to suceed. Just as salt is not valued by how white or how smooth it is but by how much taste it can provide, so also, your success is not measured by what you have, but by what you become to others or make others become. Go on and succeed, you have it in you.
Let Go, It's over
Your future is designed by the words of your mouth, what you say today, affects what will happen tomorrow. Having said that, what happened yesterday should not determine what will happen tomorrow, ok, so you failed the exam last time, that doesn't mean that you will fail tomorrow, so you fell into sin last week, that doesn't mean that your life will not continue, you made the mistake, yes, get on with it, life doesn't stop for anyone, it's in constant motion until the day you die!
A lot of people are going about living thier lives based on what happened yesterday! It's not over until God says it's over, you haven't lost the battle until you give up, ..... you were abused as a child, that was terrible and it caused you so much pain, but you are all grown up now, don't let that experience determine the course of your life, Jesus paid the ultimate price just to give you everything .... peace, hope, a future, a life!! actually not just a life, but life everlasting (more abundantly too!) Oh how I wish you could see the beautiful plan God has in store for you, if only you'll trust in Him, He promised to forgive you and forget your sins, and God does not lie (actually, He cannot lie) but you have to forgive yourself..... (Now that is very hard for some of us to do!!), learn to see yourself the way God sees you,
Righteous.....
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins (Romans 3:23-24),
Holy ......
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin (1 Corinthians 1:30),
Blameless.......
Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault (Colossians 1:22), yes you are..... yes you!
Let go of your past mistakes, they happened yesterday, don't repeat them today, don't dwell on it. I'll let you in on a little secret, your sins can't change God, all they actually do is hurt you and the people around you, making your life more difficult than it should actually be, similarly, all your good works don't mean much to God, your good works affect those around you and makes thier lives a little better! God is moved only by faith in Him, so all your self pity and self beating about what you did yesterday won't do you any good, just beleive what God said about you, and trust that He means what he says.
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. (Romans 5:1-2)For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)God has forgiven you and forgotten the issue, shouldn't you?! it's over, let it go,
Who do you trust
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. (Psalm 28:7)
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:11)
Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me (Jesus). (John 14:1)
Who do you trust?
All that matters
Today has been a really long day, It's been a terribly hectic night, I wanted to put up a long post, but all I could think of was Jesus is LORD! That's what really matters, Jesus is LORD! again I say Jesus is LORD!
This amazing picture was painted by an extremely gifted vessel of God, she's only 12 and my goodness, what talent she has, I'm so lost for words to describe what i feel, check it out for yourself at
http://www.artakiane.com/
The Watchman
The Watchman's business is to warn sinners of their misery and danger. He must warn the wicked to turn from their way, that they may live. If souls perish through his neglect of duty, he brings guilt upon himself. (Mathew Henry's Bible commentary)
"When I say to the wicked, `O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. "But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life. (Ezekiel 33:8-9)Dear friends, How many of us know loved ones, neighbours, co-workers, etc who are not living right? (ourselves included!), when was the last time we warned them of the danger of their present lifestyle? For everyone you come across, you have been given a special duty by God to let them know about his love and his available mercy before it's too late.
God's will is not that men should perish, but that all may come to know him and partake in his gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
....."Say to them, `As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, `I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, ...........' (Ezekiel 33:11)....."So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish (Matthew 18:14)...."The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.(2 Peter3:9)Do this now! warn your loved ones!!! You are a watchman .......
Relieve that Stress
This Email was sent to me and I thought to share........
Stress
(Author unknown)
A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience, raised aglass of water and asked "How heavy is this glass of water?" Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.
"He continued," And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. " "As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden." "So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can."
So, my friend, Put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while. Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
1. Go to God .....
..."Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
2. Hand the burden/worry/care over to Him .........
...Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you (1 Peter 5:7)
...Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22)
..."Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)
3. Beleive that God cares for you and will take care of it ......
...When the cares of my heart are many, thy consolations cheer my soul. (Psalm 94:19)
...It has been testified somewhere, "What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou carest for him? (Heb 2:6)
Work of Art
Art means different things to different people. Art could come in the form of music, sculpture, paintings, photos (National Geographic here I come!) and a host of other things. Every thing we see in the natural world is a work of art, and the appreciation varies with each individual, I guess it all depends on who the designer is. An Orange tree is a work of art, designed by the grand designer, the Most High God, who sculpted the heavens and the earth, who molded us and designed us just the way we are. We are all wonderfully made, carefuly crafted and expertly finished.
While growing up, I asked a couple of questions, why are some people born with "defects" , blind, lame, deaf etc..... why are some black and some white, I thought we all came from one man and woman? (
Adam was black and Eve was white, Cain, Abel and Seth were half-caste ....... that's my own theory :-) I cannot say that I have all the answers to those questions, but one thing I know is that God is good, and nothing HE does is evil. I will make reference to a simple answer Jesus gave his disciples when they asked him about a man who was born blind,
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. "Rabbi", his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was is because of his own sins or his parents sins?" "It was not because of his sins or his parents sins," Jesus answered, "This happened so that the power of God could be seen in him" (John 9:1 - 3)
And Jesus proceeded to heal the man
Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes. He told him, "Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "sent"). So the man went and washed and came back seeing! (John 9:6-7)
This passage proves to me that God has his reasons for allowing things to happen, and shows us his goodness and his will for us as humans, that we might be whole, complete, a beauty to behold, just the way he originally designed us to be. (Adam and Eve were definitely not blind or deaf or lame etc, the evil all happened after the exit of man from the garden of eden, but that's another day's story.
When you create a work of art for example a painting, and you truly love your work, what would you do if it got damaged, stained, torn, worn etc? ....... This is what God says about his work of art;
Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you." And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! ......... (Isaiah 35:4-6)
Take a look again in the mirror (or pool of water ;-) and say to yourself,
" I am God's creation, and I am HIS work of Art, He came to save me and restore me to my original state" I leave you with this thought. -- You are God's greatest work of art, a reflection of Him, just as if God was looking at a mirror while painting --
All in a seed
What you sow, you shall reap ...... very popular statement, and very natural too. If you plant tomato seeds, you shall get a tomato fruit. (Now is tomato a vegetable or a fruit? that one has always eluded me!! If you know, please tell me so that I can solve that puzzle once and for all), if you plant corn/maize, you will get corn. Now there are many lessons one can learn from this natural law, for example what you put in the ground is what you'll get out of it, another lesson is that you will always get more than what you put in the ground, In the tomato (fruit or vegetable ..... okay i won't dwell on this anymore), you'll get a lot of seeds, same with the corn, or any other seed you plant.
This principle applies also to everyday human interactions, have you ever had a little child smile at you? What was your response? I can bet that you smiled back. That is called "the seed of a smile", the little child sowed a smile and got it right back and most likely got more in the form of being carried or asked how are you? what is your name? etc ...
My question to you today is "What are you sowing?" in your daily interactions with people, whether at work or in school, wherever, what are you giving out? What does your smile (or lack of it) say? What responses are you getting? if you don't like what you are receiving, try changing what you're giving. Give a smile today, a word of praise, a word of encouragement, show kindness, care, and love, and i can assure you that you will get all that and more because it's all in a seed.
Don't worry, I won't talk about money, because that is another story for another day, but I just want you to remember one thing, the principle applies to every area of our lives. The perfect example of a seed from the perfect sower is Jesus, God gave his best, his only son because of his great love, he loves us so much that he sent his son Jesus to die for our sins and to reconcile us to him,
- John 3:16 - "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not be lost but should have eternal life", and by that seed, he has gotten more than one son back. God now has many sons, and as many as are willing to acknowledge and receive Jesus's sacrifice, they also become God's sons. I can't tell you how awesome it is to be the son of God, you will have to experience it for yourself, and as I plant this seed of these words in your heart, I know that it will grow into an understanding of God's love and goodness and sacrifice.
Have a wonderful day y'all and remember if you want something, give it!!
Who are you? What is in a Name?
Hi y'all, I had a long break there, Had loads of stuff to do and catch up on, but i guess I'm back now, so enjoy today's message and feel free to leave your comments, i really do appreciate the phone calls and emails, It's an encouragement for me to keep up the "good" (as some of you have called it) work.
Today's question.... Who are you? usually gets a response that goes something like .... "My name is ........." This implies that a person is identified first by name, which brings me to the second question, what's in a name? What does your name mean? How does it affect/determine your life? Do you know that who you are is linked directly to what your name is?
In the bible we find that names meant a lot. A few examples will illustrate this;
Jacob became Israel, Abram > Abraham, Sarai > Sarah, Saul > Paul etc......
How important were these name changes? Do you think it had any effect on thier lives? The stories in the bible tell us that infact the name changes had a "turn-around" effect in thier lives, the childless bore children (Natural and faith children), the anti-Jesus man became the most effective disciple of Jesus! Amazing transformations if you ask me. How many of us would love to have life-changing events? Ask yourself, what is your name? what does it mean? I know of men who have changed thier names in this great nation of ours and have seen positive things take place in thier lives, now i'm not advocating that everyone go about changing thier names every 2 days or something like that, but I'm definitely saying that if your name means something that is not progressive/sad/evil/negative, I suggest you change it ... and quickly too!
The origin of names you ask? Well let's go back to the beginning, Adam was the first man, and he named everything on the earth, Trees, animals even his wife Eve, that must mean there's a lot of meaning to a name since it was the very first task that God gave Adam. For the perfect illustration, when Jesus was to come to earth, the angel Gabriel (Even angels have names!! isnt' that something to meditate on?) told Mary to name her child "Jesus" (Luke 1:31 and Realization in Luke 2: 21)) ...... Now that name is a Name that is above every name (Phillipians 2:10), Wonderful things happen at the mention of that name "Jesus" , Healings, answered prayers, Salvation, name it ... (sounds funny ...... "name it" :-), t'was not planned sha)
So you tell me, what's in a name? and who are you? I'd love to know your take on this interesting topic......
Looking for a job?
When a man wants a job, he usually goes out and gets it. How he goes about it is usually in the follwing manner, he prepares his CV, files an application, and then follows through with all the necessary interviews. If he is succesful, he gets the job otherwise he starts the process all over again. Now lets apply that method to other things, and you'll find out a pattern, a question comes to mind, how many of us search for a job in God? How do you prepare your CV, how do you fill out an application, what interviews are necessary, how can you become succesful in your search? ......... meditate on that for a while and let it sink in.
Let's start from the preparation part. Your CV, which is a history of your past and current position (wherever that may be). God says come as you are, just as you are now, you dont have to backdate your age (or is it forward-date?), you dont have to lie about where you did your IT, you don't need all that, just come as you are, don't worry about not being qualified, for HE has already qualified you.
How do you attend the interviews? what do you need to rehearse, what do you find out about the company .... Look around you, the sun, the moon, the trees, animals .... (seeing anything yet?) The creator of the universe made all these things, and HIS character (beauty, order, etc) can be seen from the things around you.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? No need to answer that, HE already knows, actually, HE knows all about you, so it's not really an interview per se, it's more like "
do you accept to work for me? These are the benefits and these are the challenges you will face, what say ye?"This is the first part of this message ......... I'll keep you posted
Living For Today!
Anyone familiar with the thoughts "When I get married I'll be ok/happy/relaxed", "When I get a job I'll be content/happy/comfortable", "When I get the promotion ...........", "When I buy the car ....." "When I ......." The list goes on and on and on. Truth of the matter is that we have all been given the same currency by God, and that currency is time, and the time you and I both have is NOW, not yesterday, not tomorrow, not 5 hours from now, not even a few minutes from now.
A lot can happen in the next second, Jesus Christ may return, the stock market may collapse, the price of fuel may go up, you might win the lottery..... so many unpredictable events can occur in just a few seconds from now. The question really is "What are you doing with NOW? Are you happy with NOW? Are you full of joy this very moment, or are you waiting for something to happen before you become happy/content/etc?" Practice carrying the presence of GOD, for it is written, in HIS presence, there is fullness of joy! (Psalm 16:11 ....) God lives in you if you believe in HIS son Jesus, if you don't, you can experience this joy by simply accepting that Jesus paid the price for the world's sins so that you and me can come into the presence of GOD and experience fullness of joy. And you need to do this now, for that's the only time you have at your disposal, the next "second/minute/hour" belongs to God, and until it is given to you, enjoy the "second" you currently have!!
Live for today - Please don't get me wrong, it doesnt mean we don't plan for tomorrow, but live as if you don't have tomorrow, live life to the full, express joy, love and peace to the full this moment....... be excited about life, enjoy HIS mercy and goodness and thank HIM for this moment, and even if you don't get to see the next second, you would have lived a full life! God's grace and mercy be to unto you this very moment!
Wisdom
In all your getting get wisdom ............ Wisdom is the principal thing....... heard that before?
Recently I realised that I needed to make certain decisions concerning my life (career, life partner, where to live .....etc) so many decisions, but how can you be sure that the decisions you make are the right one? How sure are you that you are following God's will for that moment?
Tough questions if you ask me, and tough decisions too, but the WORD of God is true and is filled with a lot of statements that makes us realise that all the answers are there, which emphasises the importance of reading the WORD daily.
Let me share with you what I found out to be the key thing to search for in order to make you decisions less mentally challenging :-)
Proverbs 9:10 "
The fear of the LORD is the begining of wisdom"
Proverbs 2:6 "
The LORD grants wisdom, from HIS mouth come knowledge and understanding" (NLT)
James 1:5 "
If you need wisdom - if you want to know what God wants you to do - ask him and HE will gladly tell you. HE will not resent your asking (NLT)
Benefits of Wisdom (all scripture is from NLT)-
It will fill you with Joy (prov 2:10)
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It will save you from evil people (Prov 2:12)
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It will save you from adultery and fornication (Prov 2:16)
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You will know how to find the right course of action everytime (Prov 2:9)
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You will gain knowledge of God (Prov 2:5)
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It will multiply your days and add years to your life (Prov 9:11)
So much more, but i'll let you digest this for now, for you to get wisdom, simply ask GOD and HE will gladly give it to you! So I suggest that you read the book of proverbs daily, it contains 31 chapters, one chapter for each day of the month, at the end of one month you'll definitely be wiser, and be able to make decisions easier and knw for sure that you made a "wise" descision.
Till I come your way again, hold on to wisdom, never let "her" out of your sight!
Another Sunrise!
What a lovely day it is, what can I say? It's a day that the LORD has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. Take out time today to give GOD thanks for seeing another day, there's a reason for you being here today, find purpose in your life, and you'll be filled with joy.
Enjoy God's gift to you, a statement of purpose saying
"
My son, here's another day for you to reach out to the rest of humanity, another day to show forth my glory, another day to reflect my character so that men may see and give praise to me" My gift to you -The sunrise!
This time the photo was taken by me (not wanting to be outdone by Ben :-), maybe I'll put in this entry for photo of the month! what do you guys think?
If Jesus Came Back Today...
I received this wonderful peom and it rang so true, So brothers and sistas, what would you do?
Culled from Laugh and Lift (
www.laughandlift.com)
Author (Unknown)
If Jesus Came Back Today...
Would you have to change your clothes Before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines, and put The Bible where they'd been?
Would you hide your worldly music And put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right in, Or would you rush about?
And I wonder...if the Savior Spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing The things you always do?
Would you go right on saying The things you always say?
Or would life for you continue As it does from day to day?
Would you take Jesus with you Everywhere you go?
Or would you maybe change your Plans for just a day or so?
Would you be glad to have Him Meet your closest friends?
Or would you hope they stay away Until His visit ends?
Would you be glad to have Him Stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief When he at last was gone?
It might be interesting to know, The things that you would do,
If Jesus came in person, To spend some time with you.
Nature's Gift
Nature,
a perfect reflection of the almighty one,
GOD the most high, Elohim, El ELyon,
His character can be seen in the things that were created,
you cannot help but give HIM praise and worship,
for HE deserves all the glory and honour and power.
Take out time today to give thanks for the little things
and for the big things too.
God loves you, may HIS peace be with you all through this day.
This photo was taken by Benedict Akinyamoju at Ibewa, a little town in the Niger-Delta in Rivers State (On the rig site where we earn a living) I think this photo deserves an award, Hey Ben, National Geographic needs you son :-)
Just hangin'
Wat an interesting day it's bin........ more on that later, for now, just let me be. i nid to get some lunch!!
First Day Post
Okay People,
This is what you've all been waiting for, the day that John decides to write!
What can I say? I have no idea what to write about, nor what to discuss, what was I thinking?! I guess I thought this would be real easy, now I'm finding out that it is actually :-)
For those joining this site, this is the first post and it's an introduction to the life and times of yours truly.
God bless naija and God bless you all. Let me go and sleep, it's been a long day.
The lesson I learned from that was "Stay Plugged in." Stay connected to the source of power to be able to function to your full capacity. Like that iron, sometimes we get disconnected from our source of Power, Healing, Wealth, Wisdom etc and even though initially, there may not be any immediate sign, 'cos everything still keeps functioning the way it was before, but over a period of time, the disconnect will show, either in our words or actions. 
