Bible Reading: John 1:43-51
Most great visions were at one time or the other ridiculed by someone. It is natural for some men to assess you based on how you look now. That is why when they hear about your ideas, they consider it a joke. They cannot just imagine that you can excel where others have settled for mediocrity. They find it difficult to fathom how what is in the world today can transform into what you see in your mind. But if only you will hold on to your dream; if only you will run with the vision; if only you will give it all it requires; sooner than you think, we will see in the world what you currently see in your mind.
Let me share two striking quotes with you, and I hope you learn from it:
“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication.” —Western Union memo, 1876
“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” — Ken Olson,President of Digital Equipment Corp. 1977
Surprising!!! The telephone and computer that nearly everyone uses today was once seen as impossibility. The computers at that time were manufactured in limited quantities for professionals; their size was massive. So it would not make sense then if someone said that the massive structure would be reduced to the size of a palm. Remember Ken was not a layman. But you know as much as I do that the ideas in the minds of some have made it a norm to have computers in our homes.
I read in Bible that when Phillip told Nathaniel about the presence of Jesus Christ inNazareth, his response was “can anything good come out of Nazareth?” That is why I’m not moved when some ‘men of God’ tell me that I am too ambitious after they just get a glimpse of some of our ministry plans. Sometimes I even say to them that ‘if only you knew my father in heaven, you will realize that what you call ambitious may be obnoxious when compared to his standard. If God has not set a limitation on us, why should we do ourselves a disservice by placing limits around our vision? If God has not said ‘it is not possible’, why should we follow the voice of men who say so?
You are a person of unlimited abilities. If nobody in the world believes in you, I do. That is why we constantly send messages to let you know the level God wants you to operate. We believe you have a great future. Where you are now has less significance when compared to the dreams you are conceiving; the direction you are facing; and the destination you are heading. Do not let men shape you up. Let God mould you. Do not be tossed hither thither by what others feel. Reach out consistently for your God-given goals. “He can who thinks he can. He can’t who thinks he can’t”. The ball is in your court. Value the instructions of your coach (God) more than objections of the spectators.
tope aladenusi
I live in a part of Africa and the world where basic necessities of life like food and clothing are luxuries. Many of us were born into nothing. Our days were continuously marked with the anxiety of where the next meal will come from. We woke up many mornings to no food. We had no idea where the next meal will come from. In my part of the world new cloths were only for festive periods and were celebrated with much happiness.
I know the fear and certainty of having nothing to eat. I know the shame of old and tattered cloths. I know the humiliation of staying outside the school gates because my fees have not been paid.
But more than that I know the certainty of Gods provision.
I know many still live in those same conditions – Parents who are unhappy because they can’t meet the needs of their children; Unhappy marriages whose only problem is that they cannot afford the basics of life; Children who can’t go to school or receive medical attention because the funds are not just available; I mean a whole lot of people if the statistics of those living below $1 per day is anything to go by.
I bring you good news. You can be absolutely sure of Gods provision. Beloved it is an insult on creation and a greater insult on redemption for us to worry about these things.
Matt 6:25: Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Matt 6:26: Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Matt 6:30: Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Matt 6:31: Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Never doubt that God will come through for you always. God fed the Israelites himself for 40yrs. He made ravens feed Elijah. He fed 5000 people with manna from heaven. God was displaying his utmost commitment to your welfare. Beloved God as our father is directly responsible for us.
God will supply all your needs according to heavens supply. In the midst of that want trust him for your daily bread. When the bills are due look to no one but him, when you are not sure how to make ends meet, trust him to do exceedingly and abundantly above your present need. God woke men many times to bring us food. Many traveled distance just to heed the call of God for my fees. Our every frame is so precious to our Father. If He feeds the birds and cloths the grasses, He will do much more for His children. Glory to God. He made provisions for our every need ages before we were formed. We cannot lack. We cannot be stranded.
Look beyond your basic needs. Plan for plenty.
– emmanuel aladenusi
Once upon a long time, man did not need to worry about being naked or not, he was innocent, without the knowledge of good or evil until he ate the fruit and his innocence was gone. Today we fight to live beyond the consequence of an act that took place several ages before we came.
This week we will look at one battle, peculiar to all at one time or the other, be it before or after marriage.
Sometime ago I was reading an article about a woman struggling to remain chaste for God. I was glad someone could open up about her struggles unlike many of us who keep quiet, while dying in silence and carry the image of a saint about until God in His mercy delivers us. If God opens our eyes to see the challenge many of us Christians face in our sexual life we would be surprised. Surprised to find out first that you are not alone, secondly that such issues can exist in the life of a Christian.
I was at a meeting years back where a married man confessed to having flash backs of past relationships (premarital ones I mean) while he was with his wife.
Today the challenges have increased; the devil has strategically positioned himself and even positioned us too for attack. Everything around us is trying to preach sex. The music, the dance steps, the films, the billboards, the girl or boy next door, the clothes in the market place, the internet etc all preaching one message, the devils message Sexuality!
- How did we get here?
- How do we get out?
- How can we live above these challenges?
I have found out that Christians in relationships (whether pre-marital or marital) are often more susceptible to sexual sins.
There is a need for us to reposition ourselves for this great challenge. Could there be something we are not doing right? How can we help one another? Many have made a mistake of saying scripture says if you are pressed get married but sincere people know it does not go away. It only comes back in another more complicated form called Adultery!
Just as I was writing this a scripture comes to mind, confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed (James 5:16 KJV). This is a very powerful scripture that we do not practice and I really don’t blame us because of the quality of Christians around, I must tell you I have practiced this scripture and it works.
Christians in pre-marital or marital relationship should be able to confess this part of their lives with one another prayerfully with the mind of helping each other to remain pure.
I am a strong believer in the word of God being able to save us from all life’s issues. Bible tells us we will grow after we have tasted of God’s grace (1Peter 2:2-3).
Here are some scripture that have renewed my mind in this regards.
The right attitude
‘Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, all you soul and all your mind ’ (Matt 22:37).
The way to live Clean
How shall a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your word. Ps119:9 (MSG)
Grace to Live above sin
‘….where sin abounded, grace did much more abound’ Rom 5:20
“Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” Rom6:1b
Some years ago, someone made an illustration relating sex to fire, that I will never forget, let me share what she said with you. She said sex within marriage is like lighting a stove with fire and then sex outside legal marriage is like throwing a lighted match stick into a keg of Petrol. Are you starting a wild fire?
God has put in so much for our restoration; we need to tap into these resources at our disposal everyday to remain above.
My prayer this week is that we will start a journey that will transform the life of our readers.
Love God!
– omolola ezeifeoma
Bible Reading: Matthew 5
“Ye are the light of the world: a city situated on the top of a mountain cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but upon the lamp-stand, and it shines for all who are in the house”. Mat 5:14-15
God has configured you to shine. No matter how hard men try, they can never stop you from shinning. Only you can stop you from shinning. People may facilitate your move from one position to another or one location to another, but they cannot move the illumination in you. Jesus Christ says ‘no man lights a lamp and put it under a bushel’. So why do some think that God has lighted our hearts and it may not be his will that we shine? Why do we think he wants us to shine only at a particular season? Why do we think that he is comfortable with the world seeing us as sinners, paupers and ‘sicklers’. No. Never! ‘You are the light of the world, you cannot be hid”. In order words, you are the light of the world and you should be in limelight. Anywhere you are, your lifestyle and success should command attention. Mediocrity has no place in Christianity.
I now appreciate Matthew 5:16 like never before –
Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works,and glorify your Father who is in the heavens
First, it is your responsibility to let your light shine. No one can shine it on your behalf and no one can stop you from shinning it.
Second, let your light shine before men. Many times I hear Christians say things like “well, I may not look righteous before you, but I know God sees me that way. I may not look like an ambassador of Christ, but God sees my heart. I may be so poor and wretched, but I am rich in the Spirit. I may fall sick every now and then, but I have health on my inside”. My brothers and sisters, come out of that. God already knows your inner state and he acknowledged that several times. But he did not say “let your light so shine before ME, but before MEN. In order words, let others see on the outside what God sees on your inside. Let them look at you and see holiness, success, good health, prosperity, generosity. So that they can glorify your father who is in heaven
Are you only shinning before God? Beloved, His commandment is clear – Shine before men. Hallelujah!
– tope aladenusi
Now then WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, as though God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
II Cor5:20
Traditional Christianity teaches that we are poor citizens of the earth hoping to someday somehow qualify to become esteemed citizens of heaven. It paints the Christian race as a hurried escape from a sinful world to a holy heaven and it doesn’t matter how beaten and battered you are along the way, as long as you make it to heaven, that’s O.K.
Brothers and sisters, THAT’S NOT O.K! Its not O.K. for Satan to come dump some cancer on you to speed up your journey to heaven. It’s not O.K. for him to inflict you with Tuberculosis, Liver Cirrhosis, and Diabetes or immobilize you with a stroke. Jesus died and paid not only for your sins but also for your sicknesses. So if it’s not O.K. to sin, then it’s not O.K. to be sick either.
True Christianity does not paint us as the poor citizens of earth trying to make our way to heaven. True Christianity presents us as the esteemed citizens of heaven who have been sent by God to establish his kingdom upon the earth as his ambassadors.
It therefore follows that only spiritually lazy Christians are in a hurry to escape to heaven. Those who know who they are and why they are here are busy establishing the Kingdom of God upon the earth in the hearts and lives of men all around.
What kind of Kingdom is it? It is a kingdom of Righteousness , Health, Prosperity, Divine Security, Peace, Joy and all-round Wholeness. When you begin to take your place as an ambassador of this Kingdom, not only will you experience it in your life, but through you many more people will come into the glorious experience of the Kingdom of God in their own lives as well. Hallelujah!
Dr dan oyebamiji
| Someone once said that if you fail to plan then you are planning to fail. A game plan is very important in every affair of life. It tells where you are, what you hope to achieve, the resources available at your disposal and the time available for you to play.
When it comes to finances, knowing the expected end is very important. You must determine where you are now and your expected end. Christians live to fulfill PURPOSE. Purpose is the reason for you. The expected end is the actualization of purpose. I want to be rich is no cry. No target. How rich do you want to be? How rich? When do you hope to be that rich? Where are you now? What is in your hand now? And what time do you have left? These questions must form the nucleus of a solid investment plan targeted towards bringing you to the expected end.
Hab: 2:2:3 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak,
Very importantly “every vision is for an appointed time”. So it must be written down clearly. It must be made plain. Putting words to paper is very crucial. Don’t just assume you have a financial plan. Write it down clearly. This is where I ought to be … want to be. This is where I am. This is how long I have left. Then these are the steps I will take to achieve this purpose. Doing this releases power. Now notice that Habakkuk says that “he might run that readeth it”. Reading your vision/game plan releases power for the journey ahead. It gives focus and opportunity for redress. If you can’t see your expected end you might never get there. God told Abraham Gen 13:14: And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. Hallelujah. Friends look from the place where you are to the place where you want to be. Look father than your today. Plan bigger than your today because you will be given as far as you can see. Why? Because we are not sufficient of ourselves but our sufficiency is of God. Know the expected end. Write it down. Make it plain. Strength will be released for the journey.
– emmanuel aladenusi |
Bible Reading: Colossians 1:16-27
I will never forget the story of the balloon sales man in New York. He advertised his balloons by filling them with gases and releasing them into the skies. These balloons had different beautiful colours – blue, pink, green etc. Suddenly, a young boy came to the balloon salesman and asked – if you throw up a black balloon, will it also go up? The balloon salesman looked at the young boy and with a grin on his face he said – it is not the colour of the balloons that make them go up. It is what is inside of them that make them rise high.
Many of us today still have the mentality of this young boy. It is pretty sad that some Christians think that their advancement and success in life is based on the colour of their skins. Some even consider their external look as a bait or hindrance to success. This dogma has been popularized all over the world and it is now believed by many. Despite this, God’s standpoint on this issue has remained the same over the ages and across borders. Do you know what it is?
Colossians 1:27 – God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, the hope of glory.
Yes! It does not matter what the world seems to say to you. Make up your mind to believe the conclusion of God – Christ in you, the hope of glory; the hope of prosperity; the hope of advancement; the hope of creativity; the hope of greatness. Oh my God, I wish I could say it loud and let everyone on earth hear it at once — Christ in you, the hope of success.
– tope aladenusi
The first man is of the earth, earth: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is THE EARTHY, SUCH ARE THEY ALSO THAT ARE EARTHY: and AS IS THE HEAVENLY, such are they also that are heavenly.
1 Cor15:47-48
There are two races of men on the face of the earth today:
- The Earthy race.
- The Heavenly race.
These two races of men have two different origins, two different destinations and two different sets of principles for living.
The Earthy race originates from the first man, the fallen Adam. They haveSatan as their father, the lake of fire as their destination and living by the senses as their principle for living. You will hear such people say things like: ‘I live my life the way I FEEL’ or ‘I can’t believe anything that I cannot SEE.’ They are slaves of their senses.
The Heavenly race originates from the second man: the risen Christ. They have God Almighty as their father, the new heaven, the new earth and the New Jerusalem as their destination and walking by faith in every word that comes out of the mouth of God as their principle for living.
The question now is: ‘which of these two races do you belong to?’ ‘The Earthly’ or ‘the Heavenly?’ If you belong to the Heavenly, then live like the one whom you resemble. Walk by the heavenly principles of faith and stop being a slave to the testimony of your senses.
When faith sees sickness, faith does not look at what it is; faith declares what it should be and it is so! Walk by faith and live a life above sickness and disease.
Dr dan oyebamiji
When I was pregnant with my first baby I subscribed to a pregnancy newsletter, one of the newsletters encouraged that its never to late to start eating right and in fact you can always start all over again – don’t give up. This helped a lot.
And this is the word for someone reading this article today. Have you made some silly mistakes in the past and you’re wondering if you can ever make up for them? Are you so afraid of making a mistake that you have refused to take steps? Is the fear of making a mistake causing you mess things up? God is talking to you today.
God makes ALL things work together for the good of people that are working towards fulfilling His purpose Romans8:28. Unlike men who look at outward acts, God searches the heart for the sincerity of purpose – I Samuel 16:7. I have made mistakes in handling my marriage from time to time but my mistakes have made me wiser. The mistakes made me wiser because of my attitude towards them. Every time I reflect on my marriage I decide to do better and sometimes start all over again.
There is no marriage counselor with a formula that works for every marriage, but God has given us Jesus as the Way to Life John 14:6-7. Jesus has left us with the Holy Spirit too, who will guide us into all truth and keep us from falling away, teaching us how to pray when we face terrible situations, revealing the truth of the word to us, telling us how to react to different situations John14:16-18.
I wish I could give a super formula that takes care of every issue in relationships but the truth it there is no other way than the one who was, who is and is to come.
God wants to walk with us through the valleys and the mountains. He knows the way; He alone has been through it before. Even if you have made a mistake before, go back and try again. Imagine if you refused to try walking again because you fell during your first attempt, you’ll never have known the joy of walking and running which you know today. Take your strides again. Rise up and try again. Keep Trying.
Good words to Remember –
- I’ve learned . . . that being kind is more important than being right.
- I’ve learned . . . that when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
- I’ve learned . . . that one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow you may have to eat them.
- I’ve learned . . . that I can’t choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do.
Have a Blessed Week!
– omolola ezeifeoma
When You Must Quit
Bible Reading: Philippians 3:3-11
No matter how far you have travelled on a wrong road, once you notice it, turn back. This can be very painful but also very helpful.
If your office is located in South London and you mistakenly boarded a train to North London, you don’t just decide to bump into any office and start working when you get to North London. You immediately try to trace the right route again. We should apply a similar approach when reaching for our goals.
I know someone who realized he was moving in a wrong direction but kept on exercising ‘Staying Power’ just because he said – I hate to quit. Winners never quit. Good! But you will agree that if they were on the wrong road, they would never have been labelled winners in the first place.
Have a regular evaluation of your career, relationships, devotion, projects etc and always be willing to make a U-turn when you realized you are on the wrong route. Even if you are unable to go back and have a brand new start, you can start from where you are and have a brand new end. Apostle Paul took such a step at one point in his life and today he is highly esteemed among Christians. Here is his confession … – All the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant–dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ. Phil 3:8 (MSG)
– tope aladenusi