| In recent times God has blessed me with the opportunity of nurturing a child. I have been opportune to watch him grow from one stage to another. As I watch him transform before my eyes, I learn truths about life.
These truths have changed my perspective to life; they have helped me become a better person in recent times.
I have learnt…. I have learnt my marriage will not achieve some expected milestones at same time with others but we will eventually get there. I have learnt that, it’s not about the rate of growth but the quality of growth. I have learnt that the rating of the health of a marriage is not superficial. I have learnt that the more time I give to my marriage/relationship the better the quality. Every stage is but for a moment, enjoy it while it last. For every stage in life there is a challenge which will help you achieve a milestone. Each Milestone achieved will be useful in the next stage to come. God will not give you anything just because you want them but because you need them.
My Resolve I have decided to see my relationship with my husband as a child I am nurturing. I have decided to see our high and low moments as precious moments to be relished because once that moment is gone, it might never come back like that again.
Childhood is a period of life that comes with lots of privileges, pampering and all. Adulthood takes away a lot of privileges, pampering and replaces them with responsibilities, it demands the use of skills gathered along the way. Every stage in life is temporal, it is a moment that will pass, be careful how you handle it.
Interesting statements about marriage I’ve learnt to overlook many things, correct as many as I can, and fix what is left myself.
– omolola ezeifeoma |
HE THAT COMETH FROM ABOVE IS ABOVE ALL: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. John 3:31 (KJV)
Where do we come from? Wherein lays our root? Who are we and how does that knowledge affect our lives today?
Scripturally speaking, there are only 2 races of men on the face of the earth today.
1. Those who come from above i.e. the citizens of heaven.
2. Those who come from beneath i.e. the citizens of the earth.
Where you come from will determine how you live and the principles by which you live your life. Put an American in any city on the face of the earth and within a short time without announcing himself he’ll betray the fact that he is an American. How? By the way he thinks, by the way he talks, by the way he dresses, by what he eats and so on. Every action of his betrays his origin. So also ought it to be with the citizens of heaven. The way we live our lives must betray who we are and where we come from.
One trait that the above quoted scripture presents as a mark of those who come from above is that THEY ARE ABOVE ALL!
This is the supernatural life of the believer. This is what Jesus brought to us: ‘A life that is ABOVE ALL.’ A life above sickness, Disease, pain, weakness and even death. A life above everything that has a knee and everything that has a name. Embrace this life today and begin to live ABOVE ALL. It’s your life, live it!
– Dr deji oyebamiji
| Some years back during the valentine season, my sister watched a very interesting couple on TV, being very impressed by their lives; she decided to tape the program. Last Saturday she came to my house with some interesting news – the beautiful couple were going through a divorce!
No! This is too much, some weeks ago it was two ministers of God that were in a wife batter situation and now this! I am actually short of words. I was going to talk about one of these two incidents last week but I chose to be mute about it and just ask close friends to pray about the situation.
With the turn of things and how it affected me, I know its time to bring it on and talk about it through this medium.
It is really sad to find that two couples who have talked about marriage extensively are going to end their marriage but you know what, the beauty of God’s word is that it is settled; it needs no human validation or test. The fact that these couple are going for divorce the second time in their lives does not mean the Gospel is not true. No, it remains TRUE! But it sure tells all we book lovers to go back to the scriptures to find answers rather than go through book shelves looking for answers. I know it has gotten so bad these days that we Christians no longer read their Bibles because there’s a book on every topic on the book shelf. This is a wake up call to all ye book lovers to take a chill pill and go back to the Book of books. It gives instructions for the perfecting of the saints.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable fordoctrine, 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
Doctrine Follow link to get definition of the word.
Reproof Strong Concordance describes it as to tell a fault, rebuke, reprove.
Correction Strong Concordance describes it as a straightening up again, rectification. Instruction Strong Concordance describes it as tutorage, that is, education or training; by implication disciplinary correction: – chastening, chastisement, instruction, nurture. Perfect, Strong Concordance describes it as Fresh, that is, (by implication) complete. Thoroughly furnished Strong Concordance describes it as to finish out (time); figuratively to equip fully (a teacher.
I purposely left out any form of explanation; I want to encourage us to take time out to figure what this passage is saying and how it applies to your life especially your marriage. Have a great time finding God’s Purpose. God Bless You
Love Omolola |
| Maintaining focus in the face of oppositions
Bible Reading: II Corinthians 12:1-10
One of the greatest lessons I have learnt from the game of football is that the goal posts are fixed in particular position and for over 90 minutes, the focus of the players are on the goal posts. Imagine if there was no specific duration for a football match and the position of the goal post is changed after every 10 minutes, we won’t be surprised if players give up playing even during the match. Likewise, many believers lack staying power because they are always changing their goal posts.
A friend once came to me and told me he wanted to get a new Bachelor’s degree. Three months later, he said he needed some money to establish a secondary school. After some months, he said he has decided to be a military man. Not too long ago, he said he is thinking of focusing his entire life on playing musical instruments. You know what? He is yet to hit any of these targets. When we change goal posts like this, it will be difficult to score goals and quitting will become a habit.
Let’s examine another common way we change our goal posts. In I Corinthians 16:9 (KJV), Paul said “for a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries”. Hmn! Great achievement comes with great adversaries. New level generates new ‘devils’. But most times when the achievements come, we shift our focus from them to the adversaries, and in the process, we hinder our progress.
Your lovely spouse is a great achievement to you, but the wrong he/she did some months ago is what you think about everyday. Your focus is now on the adversaries! The clash you had with your lecturer made you dislike that course to the point that you failed it. You simply lost focus! Those days, when you pray for one hour, you spend over 50 minutes giving thanks to God, and 10 minutes making supplication. But because of your present challenge, you spend 5 minutes thanking God and 55 minutes talking to and about Satan. You have changed the goal post!
But what do you do when there are oppositions to your position? For Paul, he first went to God and told him to take away the adversaries i.e. the Jews which he called ‘thorn in his flesh’ (2Cor12:7), but God’s response was “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak”. What was Paul’s reaction? He explained in 2 Cor 12:9 (MSG) “…Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift”. Jesus Christ did the same thing: He chose to focus on the joy of having you and I, and that helped him to endure the pain of the cross (Hebrews 12:2). No wonder Jesus and Paul remain steadfast with their purpose.
Beloved, make a choice to keep focusing on your goal. Fix your eyes on the achievement and do not be distracted by the adversaries. Learn to focus on the joy that is set before you and not the toys the adversaries are throwing at you. Remain committed to your God-given desires.
– tope aladenusi |
When I spoke on access sometime and I wanted to just quickly remind us that the access you and I have to God does not presuppose that we may at other times not be in union with God.
In simple terms you and I are not accessing God. Rather we have been given access. There is a whole lot of difference between I am entering occasionally into a place and when I have entered or rather I am in a place.
Therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God by whom also we have access by faith into this Grace that we now stand in. Rom 5:1
This brings me also to a very important fact. Do you realize you are a carrier of the presence God? I know God may have been designated to various locations or coordinates and you may have even been taught various means of trying to get to God. But scriptures reveal that the man who is born again is the dwelling place of God.
Consider for a moment 1st Corinthians 2:11 – 12: For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God’s Spirit.
But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.
Sometime ago I rushed to get to church. I couldn’t wait to get inside those four walls and start praying. I was rushing to leave my house and get off to church where I could start praying till it struck me. God does not dwell in temples made by human hands (Acts 7:48, Acts 17:24). I am the carrier of the presence of God.
Till it struck me how could I not have realized that I am the temple of God and God’s spirit indwells me? (1st Cor. 3:16, 1st Cor. 6:19)
Till it struck me … neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father. But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers. And I am that circumcision that worships God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. (John 4:22 – 24, Phil 3:3)
Till it struck me, it is in God that I live move and have my being. Acts 17:28
Till it struck me, His spirit is not here for a while but is abiding forever in me. John 14:16 – 18
Friends, the man born again who is you and I if you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ have been sealed with the Spirit of God (Eph 1:13). God’s spirit indwells us now. We have all been made to drink into this same spirit of God.
When I hear people refer to a national carrier as the plane or ship that is of the official vessel country (Bearing the countries logo, etc). I marvel at the awesome wonder of God in making the Christian a carrier; not of a logo, but of the presence of God.
And in the last day of the great feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, if anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (But He spoke this about the Spirit, which they who believed on Him should receive……) John 7:37 – 39b
Have you believed? You have received this spirit.
Dr bolaji akanni
How are leaders developed? Some argue that leaders are born while others assert that leaders are made. In my view, leaders are both born and made. Study a few kids in the playground and you will see that in-built in some of them are qualities of leadership. They just lead and others follow. This may be proof that leaders are born that way…. however this is not a doctrine. It is just a truth. And the Church today has the challenge of ensuring that we do not relegate our young children to the backstage but help them develop leadership skills.
In the same way, several people develop leadership qualities as a result of experiences of failures, war, other challenges and childhood events. However, the key to leadership development lies not in these experiences whether good or bad but in people’s responses to those experiences.
Today, it will be rewarding to study how God develops leadership qualities in His people. A Fuller Seminary Professor, Robert Clinton in “The Making of a Leader” enumerated six stages of leadership development from God’s methodology as revealed in scriptures. I kind of agree with his theory. In this study we will look at his theory and my personal meditations on leadership development.
The six foundations include: 1) Sovereign Foundations, 2) Inner Life Growth, 3) Ministry Maturing, 4) Life Maturing 5) Convergence and 6) Celebration or Afterglow.
The first phase of leadership development recognizes the sovereignty of God in our affairs. There is really not much any of us can do about where we were born, our nationality and the financial status of our parents. God in His awesome way sorts all these out Himself. This is very influential on the way we perceive and manifest leadership skills. Like the Psalmist said, “Yet You are He Who took me out of the womb; You made me hope {and} trust when I was on my mother’s breasts” Ps 22:9 Amp.
This is a stage we can do nothing about. But it is great to know that the Lord has plans for us to do us good. His thoughts are always of good and not evil to give us a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11.
Keep trust in Him. He will make you the leader worth emulating.
– david sanda
http://www.davidsanda.org/cyberword/
Reasons trail most actions in the world, except for few ones in which case the person in question is suspected for insanity, though I feel that an insane person believes there are reasons for his actions despite his mental derailment. When we take a closer look at what our friends, relations, acquaintances etc do and their actions seems to interest us we often decide to act likewise. To emulate someone’s character or lifestyle is not bad but we rarely determine in our heart to weigh and assess properly the pros and cons of their actions. It is not uncommon to see someone act like a friend just did. For example, somebody just decided to reduce the time spent praying due to tight schedules or present challenges, and after being observed by a friend sometime later, such an attitude becomes the status quo for that friend also.
There is a similar instruction in bible that encourages us to give room for external influence but it is with a caution note; Gal 4:18 “But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you”. I understand that bible definition of ‘a good thing’ is quite different from that of so many of us. Notwithstanding, let God be true and all men be liars (Romans 3: 4). Neither relenting on our efforts can be called ‘good’; nor can acting contrary to our initial conviction in God’s scriptural truth be called ‘good’. For instance, telling of lies instead of the truth is slanderously called ‘holy lie’, while stealing as of today is referred to pilfering.
No matter how we beautify and justify our decaying spiritual retrogression, it is still wrong in the sight of God. Faithfulness in God is not supposed to be for a while but till we are done with our assignment here on earth.
Awake from that SLUMBER and SLOTHFULNESS, stand upright and PRAY. Remember 2Co 10:12 “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise”.
– adeyiga awomuti
The challenges of a new success
Bible Reading: Philippians 1:25-30
“New level, new devil”! Every level of success you attain comes with its own sets of responsibilities and challenges. We are always eager to attain a new level, but are we also mentally prepared for the challenges in that level?
Let’s consider a life illustration for getting to a new level. If a woman is married for years without any child, her major prayer point may be to have a child. If she eventually puts to bed, there will be so much jubilation in the family. But soon after that, she is faced with some sets of tribulations and challenges. Some people may envy her; her sleeping hours will change; she starts a breastfeeding and bottle-feeding cycle; her purse feels the presence of the child, etc.
Likewise when you are pregnant with a success, you should know that the birth of that success will also birth some new sets of challenges in your life. In fact, anytime you get to a new level, after giving glory to God, it should be normal for you to ask yourself … So what are the ‘devils’ associated with this level? And be confident that you have what it takes to conquer them. I Cor. 10:13 (GNB) tells us that “… God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out”. Yes! For every level you attain and no matter the ‘devils’ it contains, God releases staying power to sustain you so that you remain steadfast.
Joseph was his father’s favorite, and that generated envy and hatred in his brothers. Apostle Paul was given mandate to preach to the gentiles, the Jews immediately became a thorn in his flesh. The father of Jesus was so privileged to have the first son of God come through his family, but that made King Herod hunt after their lives. What is your new level? What about the ‘devils’ in that level?
When the ‘devils’ of your new level appear, it is not a time to grumble or give up. It’s not time to get distracted by thinking you have bad luck. Rather it is time to rejoice, because it is an indication that you are progressing or about to have another breakthrough. James 1:2 (MSG) reads “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides”. Because they have come to make you better and not bitter; to drive you from your slack zone into your destiny zone; to step you from your old level into a new level, though that new level will also come with its own sets of …………… (You know what I mean).
– tope aladenusi
…for he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD in him. II Cor5:21
There is hardly any other subject so misunderstood in the body of Christ today as the subject of Righteousness. I have been a Christian for a while and in my own opinion the subject of Righteousness seems to be the least popular subject on most of our pulpits.
Of course our preachers do talk about Righteousness in a thousand and one ways but what I’m referring to is that Righteousness which was purchased for us at the expense of the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God.I’m not talking about the Righteousness which is simply the gross total of a man’s goody-goody works. No! I’m talking about that Righteousness which is made available by grace and received through faith. Knowledge or ignorance of this Righteousness WILL AFFECT every area of your Christian life. I recommend an in dept study of Rom3:19–28 for a better understanding of this Righteousness.
Why am I talking about Righteousness? Because of what it entails.Righteousness means TO HAVE RIGHTS WITH GOD. It entails the Right to stand in the presence of God without a sense of shame, guilt or inferiority. It also entails the Right to receive from God by faith whatever he has made available through grace. That includes healing!
So if you do not know that by the shed blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son you have Rights with God, then you’ll keep having problems receiving your healing. Butwhen you know you have Rights with God then all you need to do is EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT! How? By Faith! Open your mouth and proclaim: I receive my healing now in the name of Jesus and don’t wait for your senses to comply, begin to act out your faith and things will change. Hallelujah!
Dr deji oyebamiji
The Beginning of the Church
It is difficult to set a date for the beginning of the church though we know it arose out of the ministry of Jesus and became a universal witness to Him at Pentecost.
In his ministry, Jesus Christ predicted the spread of the gospel, but He did not, before His death, set forth a programme of evangelism (Mat 281: 8-.20). The conviction and power to witness was given at Pentecost. At Pentecost fundamental changes took place in the character and structure of the people of God.
- The NT universal church replaced the strictly Israelite congregation.
- The people of God ceased to be a national people and become an international universal community.
- The preacher replaced the priest and the sacrifice of Christ replaced the ceremonial sacrifice of animals.
The Spread of the Church
The Christian differed from the Jews in that he held that God had sent His Son Jesus Christ (John 3 16). The Messiah revealed Himself and saved them and they invited anyone to join them irrespective of their language or creed. This aroused the rabid opposition and grating persecution of the Jews against the Christians, in so much that many of them had to flee Jerusalem. But wherever they went, they preached the gospel, and this became an avenue for spreading the good news. When the imperial army of Rome besieged Jerusalem in 10 AD, they were dispersed further still. St Paul carried it through Asia Minor to Greece and Arabia; Mark to Alexandria and James to Spain.
The Persecution of the Church
The Roman Empire that ruled the world in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD was so large that it could remain united only if it recognised the local customs, tribal laws and religions convictions and practices of the many people it governed. With the enthronement of Emperor Augustus, this policy began to change. Romans began to see their emperor as a god to whom they sacrificed in their temple. The refusal of Christians to make sacrifice to the emperor therefore caused the government to regard Christianity as unlawful religion (religio illicita). From then on, Christians risked their goods, their freedom, even their lives to confess the name of Christ. Because of this refusal, Christians were hated, imprisoned, banished, fed to lions as a public spectacle and executed by the sword. This was the situation when Emperor Nero, perhaps the cruelest tyrant of his time, was enthroned. In AD 64, a great fire broke out in Rome, destroying the wooden building of the poorer part of the city. Though it was believe that Nero had started it in order to rebuild the city more splendidly to his own glorification, Christians were accused of having ignited the fire. Christians were further persecuted for this. In addition they were regarded as atheists and haters of mankind. Their refusal to sacrifice to the emperor was said to cause the anger of the gods and this brought calamites to the state. They were accused of immorality in their religious assemblies. They were said to eat human flesh when they met for purpose of prayer at night. In fact, they were persecuted not because of what they did but because of what they were. 1 Pet: 4. 14-16. The Christians buried their dead in underground passages in Rome called catacombs. In AD 156 Polycarp, the heroic bishop of Smyrna met his noble death. . Replying to the proconsul that bade him to revile Christ and burn incense to Caesar, he said, “eighty and six years have I served this Christ and he has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my king who saved me”
The last persecution of the early church took place in the reign of Emperor Decius, but despite all the devices its enemies devised, the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church. In AD 133 during the reign of Emperor Constantine, an edict of tolerance was issued permitting imperial subjects including Christians to worship as they pleased and ordering that all confiscated churches and property should be restored to the owners.
– gabriel ajibade