THE SON IS RECONCILED TO THE FATHER (IS GOD STILL ANGRY WITH ME?, PART 3)

THE SON IS RECONCILED TO THE FATHER
(IS GOD STILL ANGRY WITH ME?, PART 3)

I was as moved as you were, coming from zero to hero. The utterance from a broken spirit, tearing others to repentance invariably, wow,  a mini Azusa revival took place.
Comm'on the Pastor on the mountain almost thought Apostle Ayo Babalola had ressurrected for the revival thirsty congregation.
Real as the day, what I fear most suddenly took the centre stage.

Mr Adegboyega is a renown mathematics teacher who once looked at us in JSS 3 and said; you all have a 50/50 chance of becoming a genius or a crook. These words of wisdom   have fine-tuned my psyche towards setting or breaking records. The fence of which have been broken several times but due to my mental weakness or what you know as inferiority complex, i kept battling recurrent situations.

There are those days that temporary failure had manipulated our perspective towards God, a times we see man as a soccer ball tossed around by the supernatural forces. The God that loves everybody equally often becomes a theory. To me, I have seen those that gave little to life and are on the horse of destiny shinning in thousands stars and some who gave all yet languished in squalor. Horrible reflection though, the dawn of new experience is here.

What should I do now? How would i relate with my troublesome friends? Partial Christianity is what we embraced, they will hate me with passion. Whom we are in Christ can not be hidden, the light, salt of life. The struggle and noise in my mind rose high as the Trojan wall. In the bus heading to Ibadan, each thought had a vacant room echo even into my eyes. Any body contact send a syringe to my subconscious mind.

Torn between two world, I set out to preach in the bus, not so coherent but pierce everyone around me. A police man on board stared at me many times, i guess fuming at how bad he had being. To a point the driver said Pastor, what should I do, like Philip I sad give your life to Jesus as Lord and saviour.

Many of you are presently looking and guessing but I am a son reconciled by grace.
Finally, the eagle landed and all hailing the bad boy turned S.U. The prettiest of all faces, dangling legs and tempting lips from the gate to the hostel. More beautiful than I ever thought, now my hood gesticulating all slogans, they looked terrible like orphan. Lost in thoughts and words, deforestating the grass with their mouth, like an old volkswagen.
The smoke from the Indian hemp had burnt their heart to the eyes and their thought is darkened.

That night, I preached my first sermon to them, do you know it ended in a bout. Satan came down punching me through them and the Holy Ghost took the batching for me. They said I have gone mad this time. By morning we had gone past almost every scripture in the bible.

Let me, introduce three notorious member of my hood, one is Kampe, who believes in Charms, Jide the Jeed, playful and extremely funny, Skippo, the petty thief. These three are product of the most popular church  in Nigeria.

We need to get back to the class the next morning, silence like Osun river, many people were busy asking if anybody had seen me.  Some even said maybe I have gone to renew the charming charm which had made me the toast of big boys.
The rumble in the class is next and the Ipogo revival lets meet tomorrow.

IS GOD STILL ANGRY WITH ME? SERIES, PRT 2

IS GOD STILL ANGRY WITH ME? part 2

part one: http://www.atjoelministries.blogspot.com/2013/09/is-god-still-angry-with-me.html

By now you might have known a bit about me. The struggle to discover where I might have erred continue throughout my mountain experience. I know God does not answer the prayer of a sinner except he genuinely repents, so i tarried and tarried.

A reflection on my immediate past reveals  a sincere person who desires to be a man of the people whereas the scripture says otherwise. To everyone reading now there is nothing wrong in being popular but not at the detriment of God's commandment, the scripture is clear on this, every friendship with the world is an enmity to God. I wanted a balance  perspective of all things at least to satisfy my contemporaries.
Somewhere inside the ocean of my mind are colony of imaginary sexual partners closely followed by mountains of selfish ambition.

Could all of these make God angry? to remain silence for seven heart shredding days before Him, definitely yes because of an un-remorseful heart.
Merely thinking of ones wrong doing without repentance and conversion will never bring a refreshing time from God (Acts 3:19).

Like Habakkuk waiting, i finally discovered obstinacy rooted in me like an Iroko tree. Thank God, there is more to tell Him.

The cloud wept bitterly that night that the mountain was deserted, everyone went seeking shelter downstairs, close to eight hours the flood still gushing like a doe escaping from an hungry lioness. Though, it never deterred me from praying profusely.

Finally, in 9days a relationship have been re-established. Lighten-like, the network signal came up, peaceful, blissful, pleasant so much that the mighty gentle voice from the throne of grace energized these weakened limbs, a coal alacrityly purified my tongue.  Engulfed with Heavenly blaze; with vigorous, earth shaken utterance far from the moody S.U. brood face that had characterized the former eight days.

On opening my eyes, my first set of congregation have gathered around me, though, i didn't know the prophet spirit have been speaking through me.
Surprised as the people , Pastor, pray for me! Lay your hand on me!, I can't believe you know everything about me! Definitely you are God sent!
This is not real, maybe a vision better still imagination, my God it is real.

A son have been reconciled to the Father and have been re-graced.
What happened next will surprise, lets meet tomorrow.




 

IS GOD STILL ANGRY WITH ME?

                                                  

IS GOD STILL ANGRY WITH ME?
Several years ago, someone came to me, he said God is angry with you. I sighed and burst into satiric laughter, if God is angry with me, my business  will not be flourishing, my connection and academic prowess will be non existent. The popularity i presently enjoyed will be absentia nor anything positive keep its toll in my life.
For months, I saw that man as a false teacher, God can never be angry with me, I go to church, pay tithes and offering, active in School fellowship among many other things.

But there is one thing I didn't mention above 'the Lord have stopped talking to me',  the gift of healing upon me was gradually dwindling.
Charisma was almost replacing my relationship with God.
 Deep inside, I said the end of section examination cum graduation must have been livid for this. The thirst for revival had totally absconded from me. The journey so far have revealed that something is indeed wrong but have been carried away with activities.

Truly, I have wronged my Christian calling, not in the fold anymore, on the mountain that day the tears erupted volcanically and my kneels bruised by the rocky spears.
He is not a false messenger but i had been a prodigal son, I must return to the father.

If you desired to know my name and my experience stay glued to this page, part two coming up soon.

A.T. Joel is a child of God, a battle axe for this endtime, presently the host of YOUTHS ON EXPLOIT. A revivalist by grace and the founder of CLEMI (a gospel vanguard), for counseling and prayer reach Him on 08029052915, 07068991509. Email: atjoel11@gmail.com, talktoatjoel@gmail.com.

NEW WORLD WONDER:HYPOCRISY IN GOD'S HOUSE

Church Members Mistreat Homeless Man in Church Unaware It Is Their Pastor in Disguise

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning.
He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service, only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him.
He asked people for change to buy food – no one in the church gave him change.
He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit in the back.
He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.
As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such.
When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation.
“We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek.” The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation.
The homeless man sitting in the back stood up and started walking down the aisle. The clapping stopped with all eyes on him.
He walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment then he recited,
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
‘The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning. Many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.
He then said, “Today I see a gathering of people, not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples. When will YOU decide to become disciples?”
He then dismissed service until next week.
Following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ should be more than just talk. It ought to be a lifestyle that others around you can love about you and share in.

Seven Distinctive Ways to Have a Happy Marriage

Seven Distinctive Ways to Have a Happy Marriage

Text: Mark 10:6-9; Ephesians 4:18-33.

To identify, memories and apply 7 Basic Keys for a strong and happy marriage and secure children.
A preacher, before marrying a couple, once said, "I'd rather have a funeral than a wedding. When you bury someone it stays done." He was a deeply concerned man. He had seen so many marriage break-ups. He asked, "Are these people committed to make it work - no matter what?"
Note: Divorce has reached epidemic stages in the US and Australia. It has happened during our lifetime, for example:
In 1900 - 1 in 100 marriages ended in divorce.
In 1960 - 14 in 100 marriages ended in divorce.
In 1987 - 40-50 in 100 marriages ended in divorce.

Divorce has tripled since 1900.
In an article, Too Many Divorces, Too Soon, noted anthropologist, Margaret Mead, showed how selfishness and growing irresponsibility destroys half of all marriages - and many of the children they produce. Writing in the February 1974 Redbook magazine, she said:

We no longer deeply believe that two people who have made the choice to marry should necessarily try to weather the storms that shake any vital, intimate relationship. Instead, more and more, our answer to a difficulty in marriage is: try it again with someone else.

All too often the motivation for changing marriage partners in such circumstances is the hope of finding someone who will please me - do things my way - meet my standards. If both husband and wife have this selfish, immature "me-first" attitude, someone is certain to be sadly disappointed.

The arrival of a child often triggers the crisis. Immature young couples who have not really learned how to give themselves to "living for the other" cannot cope with the pressure a baby creates. Margaret Mead writes:

Unprepared for parenthood, two young people who have become very close may see the new baby as an interloper. Or, if they are already restless, the baby may become just one more obstacle to pleasure and freedom. The mother is permanently stuck at home. The father is almost equally confined-or goes out alone.
There is no money now for pleasure and almost nowhere the young couple can go for amusement with the baby. Then our current relief that a speedy divorce is the way out of the dilemma begins to take effect . . . each accuses the other of things they both fear and long for. These being freedom from responsibility, a chance to get away, longing for better opportunities in life and a way out of their unhealthy situation.

Couples who separate end up with deep hurts. When there are children (and there are millions), they suffer the most. In addition to the millions who actually separate, many couples share a house and children but do not actually have a real home and marriage. Children from such families suffer in many of the same ways that children do whose parents actually separate. All these tragedies do not have to happen they can be prevented.

Learning and applying seven basic concepts will enable any couple to build a happy, stable and secure home - a home which cannot be destroyed.

These concepts are:
1. The Bible is God's rulebook and instruction manual for marriage.
2. Marriage is a permanent, unbreakable union.
3. Marriage cannot be a 50-50 proposition. Each partner must fulfill his or her own responsibilities 100% whether the partner does or not.
4. Both the husband and wife must recognize they have distinctive personal needs which can be truly satisfied without guilt only in the marriage relationship.
5. At the same time both partners must be committed to recognizing and meeting their partner's needs which while different from their own are just as real and deeply felt.
6. All differences must be resolved God's way.
7. Recognize that a stable marriage must be based on trust and that a person can be trusted only as he or she is willing to trust another completely.
Let us look at and apply these seven concepts in order to have good marriages ourselves, be able to teach others and prevent problems for them.

1. FOLLOW GOD'S INSTRUCTIONS IN THE BIBLE.
God thought up and instituted marriage. Marriages fail when people try to live together by their own rules rather than by God's rules. The tragic results are:
a) Homes break up.
b) Lives get shattered
c) Loyalties of children become divided.
d) Children get bruises that hurt all their lives.
e) Dreams of the bride and groom become nightmares.
All because a couple ignore the Bible.
When a family regularly attend church together, the divorce rate is 1 in 50 (2%).
When both partners have received Christ as Saviour and Lord, and faithfully follow God's guidelines for life and marriage, the divorce rate is 1 in 1525. Therefore, a Godly Christian has a 700 times better chance of success in marriage than has an unbeliever. WHY?
Because, by following God's instructions in the Bible, we can succeed;
by ignoring God's way, tragedy results.

For success in any area in life, read and follow the instructions.
Therefore, to improve your chances 700-fold:
1. Receive Christ as Saviour now.
2. Get baptized, testifying that your old life and way of doing things died with Christ and is finished, and that you have been raised to a new way of life to do things God's way.
3. Commit yourself personally to doing right.
4. Read your Bible and pray every day with your partner and family.
5. Be active in and attend every service in a Christ-centered, Bible-believing church, WHETHER IT IS CONVENIENT OR NOT. You will hear God's principles for living explained. You will be challenged to apply them.
6. Look for opportunities to serve the Lord together - this makes you others-centered. Stable marriages are successful marriages.

2. REAFFIRM YOUR MARRIAGE AS A PERMANENT COMMITMENT and AN UNBREAKABLE UNION.
In the marriage vows, you promised "for better or worse . . . till death do us part". This is Bible-based. Today, people see this merely as a ritual, but God says, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder". Matthew 19:6. Because people take their commitment very lightly, many marriages break up for immature and silly reasons. Then the unresolved problems, hurts and conflicts from the first marriage often prevent a second marriage from being really successful. God wants to bless your marriage and use you to bless each other, your children and others.

To give stability to your marriage and security to your spouse, commit yourself now to stay married forever, no matter what. Then, tell the children of this commitment if old enough to understand, as it will give them security when they see their friends parents divorcing. It will also build their foundations in the attitude that their marriage is forever as well.

3. MARRIAGE IS NOT A 50/50 PROPOSITION.
(Each partner must fulfill his/her responsibilities 100%, whether the other does or not!)
Vows, if seriously taken, can keep a marriage together, but vows will not build a happy home. A home which is both secure and happy must be built on a real understanding of what makes a marriage successful.

The slogan "marriage is a 50-50 proposition" is heard frequently. It sounds logical. However, the logic behind it can destroy many marriages. The basis of a 50-50 marriage is. "If you will do your part, I will do mine." It leads to tragedy because there are times in every marriage when someone fails. In a 50-50 marriage, this causes the other partner to step back and refuse to do his 50%. Then the battle rages.

The 50-50 marriage is not God's way. The husband and wife who start marriage on a 50-50 basis will always be checking to see if the partner is fulfilling his or her 50%. When one partner falls short, bitterness results in the other. The partner who feels cheated will withhold some of his 50% in an attempt to even the score. Things get worse. Even 90%-10% marriages will not work. The partner who is willing to give 90% will have a tendency to check to see if the partner is really fulfilling his or her 10%.

God's way in marriage is 100%-100%. Each partner is expected to give his or her 100% even if the other partner fails completely. If only one partner in the marriage faithfully gives his 100%, the home cannot be destroyed. God uses right actions and attitudes of the faithful one to straighten out and restore the failing partner.

God's instructions for the 100%-100% marriage are found in Ephesians 5:18-33. Both husband and wife have different instructions and responsibilities assigned to them.

Wife:
a) Submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (Note that it does not add "if he does right and fulfils his responsibilities".)
1. A wife should not nag, complain, lecture or teach her husband. She will win him to Christ by her behavior. I Peter 3:1. When a man fails to be what he should be in marriage, God deals with him. Too often, the man does not hear the Lord or feel the Lord's pressure because he hears his wife too much and feels her pressure too much.


Husband:
a) Head of the home. This does not mean that the wife is inferior, as seen from I Corinthians 11:3, "The head of Christ is God". Being under authority is not a position of inferiority. Jesus is God and is equal with the Father in all ways, yet in coming to earth as a man and dying for us, He submitted Himself to His father in all things.
(Note: in submitting to His Father, He did not become inferior. He did all things because His Father wanted it, and He loved His father. Submission is not a mark of inferiority.)
b) Love your wife enough to die for her. God, after telling wives to submit, severely limits the man's right to do anything that he pleases. God takes away man's right to use his authority irresponsible by telling him, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." Christ loves us as in Romans 5:8: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Seeing Christ's love transform our hearts and brings us to love Him, so too a husband's patient, long-suffering love will finally win the wife's heart and change her behavior. Christ does not cleanse and perfect us by beating on us. He uses His Word. God has no 50/50 marriage arrangements. Each partner is called upon to fulfill his/her own 100%, even if the other does nothing. God is not calling us to a life-long martyrdom, but will use these qualities to change the partner.

1. Be filled with the Spirit and not be drunk with wine (Eph. 5:18). As we are constantly filled with God's power and love, we can be the husband and wife He calls us to be.
What if we have not been giving 100%?
1. Confess failings to the Lord in detail.
2. Ask your spouse for forgiveness for failing to be the kind of mate that God wants.
3. Start submitting sweetly and lovingly.

4. RECOGNIZE THAT EACH HAS DISTINCTIVE PERSONAL NEEDS.
These needs can be truly satisfied without guilt only in the marriage relationship, i.e.. meet each other's needs; if you do not, then the security and stability of the home will be endangered. Both husband and wife have different but real needs.

What is one big reason for marriage break-ups here?
A: When someone else outside the marriage begins to meet the emotional needs of the other. When this happens, the spouse is drawn almost irresistibly to the outsider. Then comes divorce.
Many fine people get caught in this trap without realizing why. They do not understand that the strong attraction they feel for someone other than their partner is just the result of the other person's meeting an emotional need which should be fulfilled by the marriage partner. When two people are meeting one another's basic emotional needs there is a strong and growing desire for a complete physical relationship. Recognizing our basic emotional need and seeing that it can be fulfilled without guilt only within the marriage relationship is vital protection against tragedy.

What are these basic emotional needs of the husband and wife?
A: In Ephesians 5:33, God tells husbands and wives how to meet their partners' needs. "Let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

What does a wife need?
A: a) Love.
b) To hear that she is loved.
c) To receive regular evidence and reassurance of her husband's love, eg the thrill of little gifts, remembering important dates and events, and tokens of love.
d) Security, protection, home maintenance, etc.

What does a husband need?
A: a) To be respected and reverenced.
b) To know that his wife really thinks that he is the greatest.
c) To be assured of her respect, especially when he fails in some way.
d) To know that his wife is dependent on him, just as the church is dependent on Christ.

When the husband and wife do not recognize and work to meet the needs of their partners, grave dangers result. For example, a man who on the job is competent in accomplishing his assignments, and is polite, courteous and appreciative of the help of others, will find a woman (especially if she works for him) respecting him. Because the woman is meeting his need for respect, he will be drawn to her. He will start desiring to meet her needs.

Soon he will compare the respect of the woman on the job with the nagging of his wife. The woman at the office or in the plant does not know that he does not take out the garbage and leaves his dirty socks or underwear on the bathroom floor. The woman on the job will not point out his failings (particularly if he is her boss) as his wife does. The woman on the job is in danger also. She does not realize that this very competent, appreciative man at work has all the shortcomings of her own husband. In the casual relationship at work (or wherever) these two people do not have to share unpaid bills, sick children, the need for a new washer, a second car, etc. Without realizing it, soon they find themselves meeting one another's basic needs.

The man at work will be supplying the attention and kindness the woman needs. She will be giving the man the respect that he desires. Where two people are meeting these very basic needs for love and respect, the desire for a complete physical relationship becomes overpowering. Soon there is another broken marriage.
It is happening all the time.
Recognizing your own basic need for reverence and respect (the men) or love and attention (the woman) is an important safeguard against slipping into a relationship where these needs are met outside of marriage.

5. MAKE IT YOUR LIFE'S GOAL TO MEET YOUR PARTNER'S NEEDS.
These needs are just as real and deeply felt as yours. Husbands cannot know from their own experience how much wives need to be loved. They cannot really understand how wives need regular assurance and evidence of that love. Wives, from their own experience, cannot comprehend how their husbands need reverence and respect.
The only way a husband or wife will ever come to realize that their partner has a real and deeply felt need, is to recognize his or her own personal needs.
The Husband. By seeing and admitting how much he needs respect and reverence from his wife, the husband is then able and prepared to understand that his wife also has a real, but deeply felt need.
The Wife. The only way a wife can really experience, feel or share the great need her husband has to be reverenced and respected, is to recognize her own deep hunger for love and the assurance of it.
When they see their own need, they are prepared to realize that a partner's need, while different, is just as deep and real.

Recognizing our own emotional needs and seeing that our partner also has needs which are just as real and deeply felt as ours, will bring us a willingness to give ourselves to meeting the needs of our partner. As we do so, God will see to it that the partner begins to meet our needs.

The key to blessings in marriage is: Make it your life's goal to meet the needs of your partner.

In doing so, you will see your own needs met by God. "Give, and it shall be given unto you." Luke 6:38.

This verse reminds people of money, but the principle goes much deeper than money. God implies that we will get much more than we give. This principle applies in every area of life:
If we give LOVE........................... we will get LOVE.
If we give HELP............................ we will get HELP.
If we give ENCOURAGEMENT... we will get ENCOURAGEMENT.
If we give FORGIVENESS............ we will get FORGIVENESS.
If we give A SMILE...................... we will get A SMILE.
If we give HATE........................... we will get HATE.
Therefore, when we give ourselves to meeting the needs of others, we will find others meeting our needs. This is especially true in marriage, and also true in Christian work, soul winning and disciple-making. Therefore, when both partners satisfy the other's needs, they become more and more important to each other, every part of the relationship blossoms and becomes fruitful. Problems which brought division will now bring husband and wife closer together. The physical relationship in marriage becomes completely fulfilling, and once other basic needs are met, then a life-long commitment can be made to satisfy the other's longings.

6. RESOLVE DIFFERENCES GOD'S WAY.
God's Word forbids divorce and remarriage. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." Matthew 5:31, 32.

Eight Downward Steps Toward Divorce:
1. Long before a man or woman "puts away" his or her partner in divorce, there is always a "putting away" of the person from real companionship, communication and oneness.
2. When a real closeness and union in marriage is broken, they are forced into a subtle form of adultery. This means that they seek to have their needs for companionship, meaningful conversation, oneness, attention and respect fulfilled by someone other than their marriage partner. This is "adultery" - diluting of marriage. Adultery has a broader meaning than just illicit sex outside marriage. God described Israel's worship of false gods and seeking help from them as adultery.
Adultery (in a broad sense) = seeking to have one's needs met and fulfilled other than through the God-ordained channels method.
Therefore if a man "puts away" his wife from real oneness with himself and she seeks a substitute in soap operas, books, materialism, a job, or other things, he has forced her into a form of adultery. This type of "adultery" always precedes the actual illicit physical union outside marriage.
Such "putting away"..... the breaking of real oneness and communication in marriage ..... results from unresolved differences, unhealed hurts and unforgiving offences. Often the differences are very small. If they are not resolved, however, they will destroy real communication and oneness in marriage. The couple may continue sharing a house, smiling at one another, and having a physical relationship (although it will not really satisfy). However, the real union is ended.
Because some hurt has not been healed, one partner "puts away" the other from the very centre of his life and existence. The "putting away" may be done when the expectations of one partner are dashed again and again.
3. To avoid further hurts, the offended partner withdraws and erects a wall of protection to keep from being hurt again.
4. The hurt person may seek to "get even". This hurts, offends or irritates the other person.
5. He or she then erects a barrier or wall also.
6. Even if divorce does not result (and it does not, in many cases), the marriage relationship becomes a stiff, cold, formal one, without real life, love or meaningful communication.
7. The partner's no longer meet one another's needs.
7. Adultery (physical or emotional) results, as empty people seek fulfillment outside marriage.

What is the solution to this problem?
God recognized the danger. It can happen in marriage or in any relationship between people. In two places in the Gospel of Matthew, the Lord Jesus gives procedures and assigns responsibilities through which all wrongs and hurts can be healed. In Matthew 18:15 the Lord says:
"Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother."

Going to the person who has offended with a proper attitude is the key to seeing the difference resolved. No matter what someone else has done, we have no right to get angry, irritated, or upset. The proper way to approach a person who has offended is to go quietly and say "I need to ask your forgiveness. I got very upset with you because of . . . . . . . . . . . It was wrong for me to react in this way. Will you forgive me?" In ninety-nine cases out of one hundred, the other person will grant forgiveness and also seek forgiveness for his or her own wrongdoing. The offender may or may not acknowledge his own wrongdoing immediately. Therefore, give the Lord time to work on him, once you have confessed your own wrong attitudes or reactions.

Taking the blame in this way, without looking at the wrongs of the other party, is God's way of reconciliation. The Lord Jesus, in seeking to restore fellowship between God and man, took upon Himself everything which separated us from God. He took all of man's sin and shame and guilt. Once He took our sin, we were made free to come back to Him. Our union with Him was renewed. He is to be our pattern. In Ephesians 4:32 we are told to forgive one another as He forgives us. The Bible says:
"And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you?"

How did the Lord forgive?
Christ has done no wrong. Yet he took all of our guilt and blame and shame and punishment. For this reason we were freed to be one with Him again. We should be willing to do the same for others . . and particularly for our marriage partner. When we truly forgive, we must put ourselves in the place where we can be hurt again. This is what the Lord Jesus commanded in the Sermon on the Mount. He said that instead of getting even (an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth) we should turn the other cheek (expose ourselves to getting hurt again).

We have the same obligation when we realize that someone (including our husband or wife) feels wronged by us.

God says that if we realize (or sense) that we have offended someone we should go and get it settled. The surest way to settle any difference is by using God's way of reconciliation. If we ask God, He will show us our fault.

Once forgiveness is granted, the foundation is laid for restoring communication and an openness in marriage. Without it, little differences and hurts erect high walls between two people who are supposed to be one. In effect, one or both partners "puts away" the other. Even if no divorce results (immediately or long-term), one of two things happen. The home may become an 'armed camp' or, where there are few 'open battles', the relationship becomes a distant, formal one without the real oneness and blessings which marriage should produce.

To avoid this tragedy, marriage partners should really commit themselves to resolving differences in God's way, rather than just "getting over them".

7. TRUST ONE ANOTHER COMPLETELY.
A stable marriage must be based on trust. A person can be trusted as he or she can trust the other completely. There must be trust to forgive. There must be trust to go on when the other person has failed.

The alternatives to trust are (a) jealousy, (b) suspicion, or (c) protective walls built to hide behind.

We can give our partner unconditional trust only if we can trust the Lord to keep him right, and straighten him out if he fails. Husband and wife must commit themselves to earning the trust of their partner. This trust is commanded and demanded by the Word of God.

Husbands must be able to trust their wives. Of woman, God says: "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her." Proverbs 31:10,11.

1. Wives must also be able to trust their husbands. Only by trusting can a woman obey the Word of God which says, "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." Ephesians 5:22.
Trusting God or our partner cannot be based on feeling or what is likely to happen.
Trust is the result of a decision which we act upon.

CONCLUSION:
Accepting and consistently applying these seven basic prerequisites will build stable, secure homes. Husbands and wives should study and memories the foundational concepts for a stable marriage. Whenever one partner of the other senses that differences are developing in the home, prayerfully checking the list will show the cause. By faithfully following this practice, either partner in the marriage can be used of God to build a stable, secure home which cannot be destroyed.

A.T. Joel is a Prophet, an Evangelist and presently the presiding Minister at ROSAM CENTRE Headquarter, Lagos, Nigeria. He has being a source of blessing to thousands of souls and highly resourceful in youth evangelism. He is the host of the famous Youth on Exploit(A ministry dedicate to winning young people for God)

For revival, seminar and life coaching section you can reach Him through talktoatjoel@gmail.com, atjoel11@gmail.com, championscorner@yahoo.com and 08029052915, 07068991509

THE GALLOW OF IGNORANCE

Destruction has overtaken my people because they have no knowledge;

because you have given up knowledge, I will give you up..." (Hosea

4:6, Bible in Basic English)

"My people are destroyed because they lack knowledge of me..." (Hosea

4:6, International Standard Version).

Ignorance is powerful, powerful enough to destroy even the very people

of God. All evil that comes into the lives of people must come in

through the door of ignorance. All deception must be powered by the

ignorance of the people who are so deceived. Where ignorance is in

place, the devil is in charge, taking advantage of your lack of

knowledge to inflict needless pain, suffering and all kinds of

affliction. The tenure of such unpleasant experiences is guaranteed

for as long as ignorance continues to reign. Ignorance simply has no

value. However, it is unfortunate that people continue to choose

ignorance and despise knowledge.

But nowhere is ignorance so willful as in the world of religion. Take

for example the problem of deception which is found in every religion.

Typically, willful ignorance or lack of knowledge has always been the

problem with majority of people who are deceived and led into error.

Yet because of modern printing technology, the religious books are

available for all to read. Today, computer and information science has

made knowledge of virtually everything even easier to access. But

people keep on choosing ignorance, thereby preparing the ground for

their own destruction.

When a man attends church but fails to study the word of God and yet

thinks that he would not be deceived, he has already deceived himself

through his ignorance. He has deceived himself because he did not take

personal responsibility for his own spiritual growth - to study the

Bible and to know God for himself. The worst dimension to this matter

is those who have added arrogance to their ignorance. They know

nothing, yet they will not listen to those who know the truth, either

because of wealth, social divide or whatever. But let us note that the

forces of deception and destruction are ten times stronger when there

is a marriage of ignorance and arrogance.

Friends, I want you to terminate every oppression of man and Satan in

your life by seeking the knowledge of God through His word.

Thankfully, the Bible is available in the major languages of the

world, and all peoples could access the truth of God’s word if they so

wish. Thankfully also, the Bible comes with simple diction because God

penned the Holy Scriptures using mostly ordinary people who wrote in

ordinary, everyday language. Finally, I am thankful to God that He

gives the Holy Spirit to all who would ask and by the Holy Spirit, we

all can get enough understanding of the scriptures needed for a

successful and fulfilling life here on earth.

Blessings!

A.T. Joel is a Prophet, an Evangelist and presently the presiding Minister at ROSAM CENTRE Headquarter, Lagos, Nigeria. He has being a source of blessing to thousands of souls and highly resourceful in youth evangelism. He is the host of the famous Youth on Exploit(A ministry dedicate to winning young people for God)

For revival, seminar and life coaching section you can reach Him through talktoatjoel@gmail.com, atjoel11@gmail.com, championscorner@yahoo.com and 08029052915, 07068991509

THEY SAID ONE TO ANOTHER

"And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our
brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us,
and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us"
(Genesis 42:21).

Sometimes, the problems we face, our trials and persecution have been
allowed by God to draw our attention to our failures and points of
negligence. Our challenges are meant to show us the obligations we
have ignored, the responsibilities we have shirked, the mercies we
failed to show, and the God-ordained duties we have abandoned. But
only the thoughtful individuals and those sensitive in the spirit are
able to see beyond the sufferings, injuries and injustices they are
passing through and learn the lessons.

Every trouble comes with a positive lesson, and there is no
persecution without education. God would not allow any pain to come
our way except it will offer us some gain. Even when God punishes, it
is often correctional because He loves us and not merely to make us
suffer for our wrongdoings. Afflictions, therefore, when carefully
handled could produce in us a more effective lifestyle, the blessings
of which will completely swallow the pains created by the affliction.
No wonder David said in Psalms 119:71, that "It is good for me that I
have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes". For him,
affliction became a school that drove him to the word of God, an
action he would not have taken if he had not been afflicted.

Praying that God should deliver us from the problems we are facing is
good and needful. But it might be more helpful to pray to the Lord to
show us what lessons to pick out of the unpalatable situations that He
allowed us to pass through. Joseph's brothers found themselves going
through trying times while attempting to buy grains in Egypt. Rather
than merely bemoaning their afflictions and calling on God to destroy
their enemies, they allowed themselves to be reminded of their failure
to show mercy to their brother several years back. Joseph as governor
of Egypt obviously noticed their remorse and acceptance of guilt and
felt that they should not be punished further, having learnt their
lessons. Many times, it is our inability to learn the necessary
lessons quickly enough that keeps us for long in the school of
affliction.

So, my beloved, may be you need to stop all the binding and losing,
fall-down-and-die prayers for the time being, and start asking God to
show you why things are the way they are with a view to learning
divine lessons. Answers to such inquiries may be more productive.
Rebecca once found herself in a very unpleasant situation when she was
pregnant. Rather than binding and calling down fire upon her enemies,
she went into prayers, inquiring from the Lord why things were the way
they were (see Genesis 25:22-23). She got an answer that gave her
peace for the present and direction for the future.
O that the Lord will make us wise!

THE TRUE SHEPHERD

"All others who came [as such] before Me are thieves and robbers, but
the [true] sheep did not listen to and obey them" (John 10:8,
Amplified).

Deceivers are everywhere in the Body of Christ today. The Bible
already tells us that deception will naturally be on the rise in the
last days. We cannot stop the emerging and proliferation of spiritual
con men in these last days, neither can we stop them from plying their
trade because it is part of the prophetic package for the End Time.
False prophets doing impressive magic tagged signs and wonders must
arise in their numbers. Demonic teachers with amazing so-called
biblical revelations must emerge, gathering large followership after
themselves. Wolves must come into the fold, all dressed up in sheep's
clothing.

All these things are clearly stated in the Bible, many of them
properly emphasised by the Lord Jesus Himself. But whereas we may not
be able to change the prophetic order of the Last Days, we definitely
can stop these spiritual con men from messing with our own lives. When
we do the needful as individuals, we can fortify ourselves and make
our lives a no-go zone for deceivers.

The first thing to do if a man would not fall into the hands of
deceivers is for that man not to deceive himself. When you are
susceptible to being deceived, it is usually an indication that there
is some level of deception within you, for it would take the deceit
within to attract the one without. In other words, when you fall into
the hands of deceivers, it is because you are probably not telling
yourself the truth in some areas of your life. For example, the
business man who fell into the hands of fraudsters must have first
deceived himself that there is nothing wrong with making quick money
that you did not work for.

In today's scripture verse for our meditation, Jesus said all others
who came before Him were thieves and robbers, "but the [true] sheep
did not listen to and obey them". There are several implications that
can be drawn from this statement, but let us concentrate on one of
them today. From the words of Jesus, it is clear that false sheep will
be susceptible to deception. In other words, if you are not a genuine
child of God, if you are not truly saved, if you are among those
playing church, get ready to be deceived because you are a deceiver
yourself.

If you are serving God for your selfish interest, you give offering
just so that you can get something from God, you attend church that
you may be seen of men, you go to particular services or programmes
just to get a marriage partner or make business contacts, you only go
to church to have men prophesy over you and not to worship and hear
the word of God, then you are a fake Christian (and you know it): it
is only a matter of time before you reap deception.

Where does this lead us? Be a Christian indeed. Worship God with
sincerity of heart and in truth. Allow no deception in your heart. Be
plain, honest and straightforward with the Lord God. Never hide
yourself or your weaknesses from Him like Adam did. Remember that God
sees and knows all things. Never play smart with God. Never play games
with Him because those who do eventually become play things in the
hands of the devil and his messengers - the fake prophets and false
teachers. The belt of truth is an indispensable armour for the true
Christian.

It is unquantifiable 'GRACE'

"Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the
LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my
spirit, saith the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6).


The role of the grace of God in our lives cannot be over emphasised.
No doubt, the factors of diligence, competence and resilience are very
important for success in any life, career or endeavour. But
ultimately, every truly outstanding career I know has been the result
of God's grace. Call it luck, or you could say that person was
fortunate; call it providence, or you could say nature smiled on that
person and that circumstances favoured him. All are different
expressions for what is called the grace of God in spiritual parlance.

Broadly speaking, the grace, favour and mercy of the Lord all point in
the same direction of the God factor in human life. Thus many times,
those words are used interchangeably although they have different
meanings. That God factor will always make the difference and when the
grace of God is absent in a man's life, such a life will be devoid of
that touch of 'luck', that winning edge.

Like Apostle Paul, I will tell you that by the grace of God, I am what
I am, for everything good in me and every glorious point of my life
have expressly been the result of God's grace. It is only the grace of
God that can make a great man out of a nonentity. Scripture is replete
with numerous examples of how God’s grace turned people's lives around
and made of them what nothing else could have.

In our scripture verse for meditation today, Zerubbabel was told that
success would not come by might, achievement and attainment of set
goals won't come by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord. Upon further
examination of the context of that scripture, you will discover that
the Spirit referred to was later shown to be the Spirit of grace (see
verse seven and Zechariah 12:10). I counsel that you too should apply
for the grace of God today.
I want to leave with you three main things that will sustain the flow
of God's grace in a man's life. First, God’s grace flows into the life
of a man who loves the presence of God. That is why we are dismissed
with grace whenever we come to church. The grace of God is abundant in
the presence of God. Secondly, because the word of God is referred to
as the word of His grace (Acts 20:32), God’s grace flows towards those
who treasure the word of God, constantly reading, meditating and
listening to it. Notice that virtually every New Testament epistle
opens with a release of grace to the reader. Finally, scriptures tell
us that God gives grace (and more grace) to the humble.
As you give attention to these things, I pray that the grace of God
will flow ceaselessly into your life and make of you more than you
could ever make of yourself.

A.T. Joel is a Prophet, an Evangelist and presently the presiding Minister at ROSAM CENTRE Headquarter, Lagos, Nigeria. He has being a source of blessing to thousands of souls and highly resourceful in youth evangelism. He is the host of the famous Youth on Exploit(A ministry dedicate to winning young people for God)

For revival, seminar and life coaching section you can reach Him through talktoatjoel@gmail.com, atjoel11@gmail.com, championscorner@yahoo.com and 08029052915, 07068991509

CHECK YOUR FOUNDATION AGAIN

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).

Everything has a beginning; everything has a foundation. The beginning
of a thing will tell how it will be sustained and how it will end. If
a marriage relationship, a project or a ministry has a faulty
foundation, the chances are that sustaining that venture would be
tortuous and it may also end badly. The way a thing is begun could
tell what kind of rewards will follow it, and how enduring those
results would be. It is very correct to say that what you put into the
foundation of a thing will determine what that thing will give back to
you. As we take a very brief look at the subject of foundation, we
shall limit ourselves to the first clause in today's scripture verse -
"IN THE BEGINNING, GOD".

It is true that the Bible says "Better is the end of a thing than the
beginning thereof" (Ecclesiastes 7:8). But for that statement to be
realisable, the beginning of that thing must also be good enough to
provide a solid platform for a better ending. For as another Bible
verse implies, if the foundation of a thing is faulty, even the
righteous has very limited options to make a success of that thing -
whatever it is. That is why everyone of us should recheck the
foundations of the various life projects we are engaged in. The good
news is that something can be done about it if we discover we have
faulty foundation.

In the beginning, God.... The question to ask as we seek to reevaluate
our foundations is: In the beginning of whatever you are engaged in,
who or what was there? When you started out on that venture, was God
involved? If God was not involved, then you started wrongly.
Restitution and making things right should be your next lines of
action. If you are going in the wrong direction, you can never end
right except you change direction. That you have gone very far and for
so long a time, that you have invested so much into the process, or
the fact that people will mock you if change direction - all that
would be foolish excuses to continue building on a wrong foundation.
Wisdom says that you should make amend.

There was a young man in the Bible who's conduct best explains what I
am talking about. He had embarked on a journey in which  God was not
involved. When he realised that he had made a terrible mistake, he
took a U-turn and went back to get things right. He did not try to
patch things up as most of us do. He did not explain away his
predicament. He simply did what was needful and got his life back on
track. They call him 'the Prodigal Son', but I think it would be more
appropriate to call him 'the Sensible Son', for the bigger lesson of
his life was not his prodigality, but his ability to come back to his
senses and make amend.

Friends, that is what we should do as well. May the Lord help us to be
sensible. And I say AMEN for myself.

If He plants it, It is real

“…He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, New Living Translation).

In the beginning, God created man in His own image and after His likeness. Because God is eternal, and we are made in His likeness, it follows that there must be something that relates to eternity in man’s make up. As the scriptures say, eternity is actually planted in the human heart. To be mindful of eternal things therefore is to be true to our nature at creation. On the other hand, to be unmindful of eternal things or to make light of eternal truths is to do contrary to man’s original nature. Whichever attitude we have, eternal consequences will follow.

The man who God used to pen the Bible verse we are looking at today had engaged himself in seeking every other thing in this world apart from eternity. He consequently became a very successful individual by every human standard. He was the wealthiest man of his time, a great wise king that other kings ran to for counsel, an unparalleled player in the women game, and of course an outstanding scholar. After a long life of superlative enjoyment, he came to an amazing conclusion, summarized in his famous words – “vanity of vanities; all is vanity”. The sad thing is that thousands of years after, man is yet to hear Solomon, the preacher.

Eternity! It is true that eternity seems so far away but we know that it will come one day. It is also true that we must live and enjoy today first before tomorrow comes, but we must know that eternity is as certain as today. Therefore, every sensible human being ought to be mindful of where he would spend eternity. God wants us to view things from eternal perspective, and use time to prepare for eternity because, as a friend would always say, whatever we do in time echoes in eternity.

And someone might wonder, just how long is eternity? The best illustration I can give is as follows. Scientists speak of the 'googol'. It is figure one, followed by 100 zeros. How many years would that be? The googol is inconceivably large. But then think of the 'googolplex' which we believe is the googol raised to the power of a googol. Any mathematics professor in the house to help us calculate how many years that would be,  and how many googolplexes are conceivable? It is said, that if this number were to be written out, there would not be space on earth to contain the pages required. In fact, they would more than fill our galaxy! But when the so-called 'googolplexes' are ended, we probably would just be finishing the first day of eternity.

You don't want to spend that length of immeasurable time in regrets, sorrow and pain, do you? No, you shouldn't because God has made provision for you to have a blissful eternity. But it's a choice that you must wilfully take. Remember that God "has planted eternity in the human heart". Our responsibility then it is to cultivate and nurture this divine planting so that it will yield for us the fruit of eternal joy, love and peace with God for ever and ever. You go about making that quality choice, first by making Jesus the Lord of your life, and by reordering your priorities in life.
~

Recipes for Godly Home II

A husband should fulfill his obligation to his wife, and a wife should do the same for her husband" (1Corinthians 7:3, International Standard Version).

"The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights (goodwill, kindness, and what is due her as his wife), and likewise the wife to her husband" (1Corinthians 7:3, Amplified).

As I promised some time ago, the marriage blog is back, lets savour this and probably next week we continue from here.

Marriage is about responsibility: I take responsibility for my wife's actions and she takes responsibility for mine as well. Adam did not understand this, and the human race is still suffering the consequences of that indiscretion. With responsibility comes the issue of accountability: I am accountable to my wife as she is to me. If you are not ready to be responsible and accountable, don't bother to get married.

You may not agree with me, but I think that the best place to test how responsible a human being could be is in a marriage situation. That is why I consider every man who is happily married to be a truly responsible person, even if he is thought to be irresponsible elsewhere. The same is what I would like to think of a woman who could hold her home. If you are familiar with the biblical story of Nabal and the meaning of the man's name, you would know that any fool could make money, head a big corporation, and even govern a state. Yes, I admit that it would require some skills and proficiency to achieve all that. However, it will take a lot more to keep a wife (or husband as the case may be), hold a home together and nurture a successful marriage. That is why a married man or woman is traditionally referred to as a responsible person.

Marriage is about giving and sacrificing for the other person. From the point at which a man gets married, he is no longer permitted by the laws of God as shown in the Holy Scriptures, to live for himself. He must thenceforth live for his wife and the family he is bringing to being. The same goes for the wife. The moment a woman gets married, she no longer has a life of her own to live. She must live for her husband and her children. But some people cherish their freedom so much that they cannot submit to that sacrificial lifestyle which God has ordained for marital unions. Such a man or a woman has no business getting hooked up in marriage.

Because of all the above, self centredness is never welcome in marriage. I have often heard people say that the average person is naturally selfish. I consider that selfishness to be the most constant culprit at the heart of every marital crisis at the end of the day. That nature must be dealt with and jettisoned by anyone who wants to have a happy marriage. The day Eve was created (and by implication, the day Adam got married), Adam stopped talking about himself except when it had to do with the woman. When you stop singing of how your spouse hurt you, and you start thinking of how to be a blessing to the other person, most of the problems we have with our relationships will be eliminated.

Whoever claims to love must also show it by being responsible, liberal and self sacrificing for the object of his love. Let us learn from the Lord, our God who took responsibility for the sins of the world, gave up His only begotten Son, and sacrificed Him so that it might be well with mankind - the object of His love.

A.T. Joel is a Prophet, an Evangelist and presently the presiding Minister at ROSAM CENTRE Headquarter, Lagos, Nigeria. He has being a source of blessing to thousands of souls and highly resourceful in youth evangelism. He is the host of the famous Youth on Exploit(A ministry dedicate to winning young people for God)

For revival, seminar and life coaching section you can reach Him through talktoatjoel@gmail.com, atjoel11@gmail.com, championscorner@yahoo.com and 08029052915, 07068991509

~

Comm'on all is well

For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present]

grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly

bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly"

(Psalms 84:11, Amplified).

God has got your life all figured out from the present to the future.

Everything about you and me is all planned for by our heavenly Father.

His objective is to extend to us, out of His bounty, all the good

things we need for a fulfilled life here on earth. Our own duty is to

walk uprightly with Him as well as before Him in our dealings with

fellow men.

The primary dictionary meaning of the word 'upright' is to be vertical

and erect. From this, we get an idea that to walk uprightly, our first

responsibility is to be in a correct vertical relationship with God.

Your spiritual life or your relationship with God is what really

defines your life. If you are nothing in that department, you are

nothing everywhere else, regardless of your achievements in those

other areas of life.

A lot of folks are yet to realise that being correct with God is not

an 'elective' or even a 'required' course. It is a compulsory course,

and if you happen not to have registered for it, your life career is

automatically grounded. The point is that you have failed a compulsory

course and therefore, you cannot graduate even if you got an 'A' in

all other courses. That is why the Bible says we should seek first the

kingdom of God and its righteousness. But don't forget that the other

'courses' in the department of relating appropriately with fellow men

in the sight of God must also be attended to. We will have time to

discuss more on this in subsequent occasions.

Let me conclude by drawing your attention to the fact that what we are

talking about concerns everyone of us who has been admitted into the

University of Life. Remember that our scripture verse for today began

by telling us that the Lord God is a sun and shield. That is a kind of

idiom, implying that for as long as you exist under the sun, you

should listen and apply these words to your life. The Lord help us all

in Jesus' name.

A.T. Joel is a Prophet, an Evangelist and presently the presiding Minister at ROSAM CENTRE Headquarter, Lagos, Nigeria. He has being a source of blessing to thousands of souls and highly resourceful in youth evangelism. He is the host of the famous Youth on Exploit(A ministry dedicate to winning young people for God)

For revival, seminar and life coaching section you can reach Him through talktoatjoel@gmail.com, atjoel11@gmail.com, championscorner@yahoo.com and 08029052915, 07068991509

Morning Dew: All you need is to understand this

"For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome" (Jeremiah 29:11, Amplified).

Today's Bible verse has always been a source of encouragement to many in all generations. Isn't it wonderful indeed to know that the Lord, God almighty has me in His thoughts at all times? For me, as I wade through the challenges of life, it is a huge relief to know that God has plans for my welfare and my peace. It is a welcome reassurance that the God of the universe is constantly rooting for my success and for my good, not for my defeat, failure or evil of any kind. I rejoice in the Lord, my God.

But in order to maximally benefit from this divine privilege, there are a few things that I think you should give your attention to. Let us discuss two of such things.

First, God says that He knows the thoughts that He has towards you. Do you also know those thoughts? How much of God’s plans for your life do you know? You can begin finding out God's thoughts and plan for your overall welfare by doing a diligent study of the Bible. Prayerful meditation in the Scriptures will help you to receive from the Holy Spirit the thoughts of God as they relate to you personally.

It is very important to know and believe God’s plans for your life so that you and God won't work at cross purposes. For example, if God has a plan to make you the best medical doctor in the world, and you are busy trying to become a businessman because you are fascinated by the money in the business world, God’s thoughts of peace and welfare will become irrelevant to your life. Yes, you may be successful in business, but you may have forfeited the peace and presence of God.

Secondly, we must be ready to cooperate with God by not deliberately working against His plans. Rather, we must consciously walk in the direction of His thoughts for our lives. If God has a plan to give you a good home and make you successful in marriage, and you go about committing fornication and adultery, how then would God's plan for you come to pass? It would not matter how well he believes God and how well he prays, a man who keeps beating his wife cannot experience God’s plans for a blissful marriage. Similarly, a woman who is abusive to her husband will definitely miss out on God's plan for a happy home, even if she is the most devoted worshipper in town.

It will be helpful to always keep in view God thoughts for our lives. That way, we will hardly work against His plans. To help you keep God’s thoughts in view, write them down as they are being revealed to you. Don't be so lazy as not to take proper record of God’s dealings with you. Periodically go over them so that they will be fresh in your memory. Then they will come in handy to guide your decisions and actions as you go through life.

A great life lies ahead of you.

A.T. Joel is a Prophet, an Evangelist and presently the presiding Minister at ROSAM CENTRE Headquarter, Lagos, Nigeria. He has being a source of blessing to thousands of souls and highly resourceful in youth evangelism. He is the host of the famous Youth on Exploit(A ministry dedicate to winning young people for God)

For revival, seminar and life coaching section you can reach Him through talktoatjoel@gmail.com, atjoel11@gmail.com, championscorner@yahoo.com and 08029052915, 07068991509

New and fresh Jahdiel releases another Single

• 

New Music: Jahdiel – Obulu Jesu

Remember her! Jahdiel is a gospel artiste famous for her single ‘Heritage.’ She’s back with another hit single “Obulu Jesu’ (Thank You Jesus) produced by Xcel.