IN NEED OF A BODYGUARD?

In Need Of Bodyguards?
Have you ever doubted the power of prayer? Allow me to reshape that doubt, Mr. Thomas. (Ms. Doubtfire...?)
As we often like to begin in fantasy and folklore, 'Once upon a time...'
A missionary on furlough told this story while visiting his home church in Michigan. "While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was usually a two-day trip, which required camping overnight at the halfway point...
On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting, one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about God...
I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident...
Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said to me, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards."
...At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone in that jungle campsite.
But the young man pressed the point, however, and said, "No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone."
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary, asking if he could tell him the exact day this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and time of day, and the man who had interrupted recounted this story: "On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong, I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?" The men who had met together to pray that day all stood up.
The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26 men standing!
If you think this is fantasy, folklore, or, as we say in these parts, 'fabu,' that decision is entirely yours. If however you have faith in the power of making the seemingly incredible to become magically possible, and this story speaks to you from within, all I ask for is that the Spirit of the Lord moves in such mysterious ways to guide and protect you, your loved ones and all who pray with, and for you.
Perhaps you have a friend who needs a prayer at this very moment. Are you willing to be his/her bodyguard? Remember the ultimate words of faith: 'With God all things are possible."
God's guidance, blessings and protection, always.
(Adapted from a story inspired by Doyin Olukoya)

4 REASONS WE FIND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO FORGIVE

There are several reasons why people refuse to release others who have trespassed.

1.  We believe we are in the right and they are in the wrong, and we wait for the other person to get the revelation of the error of their ways, humbling himself or herself before us and confessing he or she was in the wrong. If you wait for the other person, you may go to your grave disappointed.

The second reason we hold back iisthe idea that the other person is so wrong in his attitude that God will judge him fofor his actions,  and thus we leave him alone in hope that God will smite him in some manner to teach him a lesson and bring him crawling back to say, 'I AM SORRY'

THE third reason is we do not understand the importance of forgiveness, that it is not just to release the other person, but forgiving others is actually for us, to prevent our blessings from being restrained and hindered through unforgiveness. 

The fourth reason is a five lettered word called P-R-I-D-E. Our love for self and our personal ego are stronger than our common sense and spiritual motivation. If I am commanded in the word, then I must choose to agree with and follow the command to release the blessings of the covenant. 

God bless you for reading our blog...

THE 9 MOST DANGEROUS ATTITUDE THAT WOULD LEAD TO POVERTY

If you practice these 9 habits you are inches away from a poverty stricken and unpleasant life. If you practice any of the 9 make conscious effort to make a change.

1. Never take responsibility for their      actions but blame others for all their woes including their forebears.

2. They never learn to see failure as a stepping stone to achieving their dreams. Once hit by a problem, they stay down with it.

3. They are master story tellers of how things used to be good for them in the past.

4. Terrific pessimists, they always see the problem in every idea and hold on to it as excuse not to try out any idea.

5. Island of Knowledge, they think highly of themselves and feel they know everything.

6. They have no idea of what they want to make of their lives and follow the wind.

7. They are misers, live with the thought that they do not have enough resources to meet their needs. So they are perpetual receivers

8. Comfort zone specialist. Not willing to change, try out new ways of getting things done

9. They procrastinate the most important tasks and dwell on less important ones.

NOT YET...

"Manoah, of the tribe of Dan, lived in Zorah. His wife could not have children.

The Lord sent an angel to her. He said, ‘You have no children. You thought that you could not have children. But you will have a son" (Judges 13:2-3, Easy English Version). 

Sometimes we get so used to lack that we seem to lose the drive and ability to do something better with life. And we could become so overwhelmed by the challenges of life that we begin to think that we are at the end of the road. But God does not want to use our present limitations to judge our future expectations. No matter what may be going on in your life right now, God wants you to know that there are more positive possibilities in your tomorrow than the picture your today presents. 

Mrs Manoah had no children. She had gotten so used to her barrenness that she actually thought that she could not have children. So the first thing the angel came to do was to change her mindset. You thought that you could not have children, but I am here to announce to you that you will conceive and bear a son. So many of us are like Mrs Manoah. If you are out there thinking that you won't make it in life, I am here to tell you to quit believing such a lie from the pit of hell. 

The God who created you has wired you to make it in this life. Don't let anything you have gone through or are going through make you think that you can't get a job, or you won't get married, have children, build your own house, start your own business, build your career, or accomplish some other great things in life. God says you can and you will. That settles it. Keep your eyes and mind on what God has said. Believe it firmly with your whole heart. Get irreversibly committed to walking in step with the thoughts and words of God over your life, and you are well on your way to fulfilling all your good dreams. 

Finally, don't let any devil tell you that you cannot walk with God and serve Him. In fact, such an idea is an insult to God. You know, He made you to fellowship with Him. To now think that you cannot be what God made you to be insults God's integrity, creativity, ingenuity and perfection. Please don't be part of such nonsense. You can walk with God. If you can't, the all-knowing God won't require it from you. Friends, brace up for a great and exciting time of walking with God and serving Him. With God on your side and willingness in your mind, you will make a good success of your time here on earth.

THY FOOT WILL NOT BE TAKEN

"For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken" (Proverbs 3:26). 

Confidence belongs to the family of courage, boldness and determination. Wherever you see confidence, you will also see sterling endurance and a refusal to give up. Where you find all these things, victory, success and fulfilment are often inevitable. God wants you to approach life with confidence. And we are not just talking about the self assurance that is rooted in mortal man, for that has its limits. Rather we are talking about the confidence that is rooted in God. If you will follow God and obey His words, you will have enough confidence with which to handle life. You will have the confidence that won't fail because it is resting on a divine force. It is the confidence of God. 

Thank God that the believer can have access to this confidence because he has not received the spirit of fear which brings about oppression, torment, defeat and failure (2 Timothy 1:7). Rather, God has given us the Spirit of love, of power and of a sound mind which engenders super confidence. The child of God has confidence to relate with divinity, for we have confidence by the blood of Jesus to come into the presence of the almighty God and call Him Father. That privilege is accessible only to those who have received Jesus Christ into their lives as personal Lord and Saviour. Such have received the Spirit of God, the Spirit of adoption whereby they could call God Father. They are no longer slaves, strangers or aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Consequently, they have the confidence of a dear child in the household of a loving Father. That brings constant victory and good success to life and living. 

The confidence that the Spirit of God produces in you puts you in a good stead to resist the devil. Child of God, I say to you, dare to resist the devil. God's command to those who have submitted to Him is: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Sometimes people have asked me to help them beg the devil to stop oppressing them. My normal response is that I don't do such jobs. I don't beg Satan. He is too small to earn such respect from me or any child of God for that matter. He is such a crap who does not deserve the dignity of your supplication. The one who supplicates God cannot also be begging the devil at the same time. God forbid! So, we resist the devil because that is what the Bible tells us to do. 

The confidence that the Spirit of God produces in you also infuses into you all that you need to confront your challenges. Child of God, I say to you again, dare to confront your challenges. Challenges are part of life and they are meant to be solved. You commence the process of solving your challenges by confronting them and not by running away from them. The challenges of life want you to shift your ground, change your convictions, abandon your dreams and look away from what God has said and settled. But you must dare to stand your ground even if all other grounds around you are shifting and shaking. Here's what I've found, if you run away from challenges, they tend to run after you and overtake you. But if you will defend your lot, you stand to gain a lot in life. 

BLESSINGS IN DISABILITIES JOHNSON OATMAN 'COUNT YOUR BLESSING'

Credit: staugustine.com
Gipsy Smith, a famous evangelist of yesteryear, said of this song, “Men sing it, boys whistle it and women rock their babies to sleep to it.”

Johnson Oatman, Jr., born April 21, 1856, was a citizen of Lumberton, N.J. His dad was a local merchant and just happened to be the best singer in town, with a rich, powerful voice. Young Johnson could not sing as well as his father, yet he grew up wanting to make some musical contributions of his own. However, for a time he worked in the family business, but soon gave up those opportunities and began to study for the ministry. After finishing school and ministering in the Methodist Episcopal churches for a time, Johnson continued to hope that life surely held some other plans for him.

At 36, he realized that he did, without question, have a musical talent after all. He could write songs for other Christians to sing. So, every year some 200 songs flowed from his pen. He eventually had written 5,000 songs and was happy that in his musical compositions he had found a way to “preach the Gospel.”

Of all the songs Oatman wrote. he seemed to claim as his own favorites, “No, Not One” and “Higher Ground.”

However, people everywhere seemed to adopt another of his very special songs, “Count Your Blessings,” written in 1897. Almost immediately it began its meteoric journey.

All too often, in this great land of America, we seem to lapse into a state of ingratitude, taking for granted all of the blessings and comforts we enjoy. We revert into an attitude of self-satisfaction, expecting that peace and bliss will always follow us. During those times we should, with sincerity of heart, count our blessings!

In this story our attention is called to three things: a very special song, a delightful season of the year and a wonderful celebration observed in America. Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday that we celebrate on the fourth Thursday in November. It became an official Federal holiday in 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Oatman died in Norman, Okla. in 1922. Through his songs he continues to minister to millions.

When upon life billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost.

Count your many blessings every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

Chorus:

Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Count your blessings, see what God has done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Count your many blessings see what God has done.

Count Your Blessings was set to music by E. O. Excell, the gentleman who arranged the melody that we use when singing “Amazing Grace.”

In everything give thanks:

for this is the will of God in

Christ Jesus concerning you.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

FROM BEING A PORNO ACTRESS TO CALVARY, The amazing conversion of Brittini Ruiz

Woman shares story on how Jesus delivered her from the porn industry
This is "from porn to purpose" as the lady in this video,

Brittni Ruiz, formerly known as Jenna Presley, shared a story on how Jesus rescued her from the porn industry. Watch the video after the cut...
Brittni Ruiz 

MY SEASON OF REVELATION

"So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him" (Isaiah 59:19). 

I just read a news story, reporting the discovery of a significant deposit of crude oil in Israel. This deposit features a strata of about 350 metres thick, more than ten larger than the world average of 20 to 30 meters. There is so much excitement about the immense wealth this could bring to the Jewish state, which has long yearned for her own resource of the 'black gold'. Someone has called this a potential game changer if this claims are found to be so. Israel would be transformed into a world energy power and a country of greater significance in the international community. It would change the power equation in the Middle East for years to come. 

But with all the technology available to Israel and the American oil company overseeing the geological exploration, I have been wondering why such a huge oil deposit was not discovered until now that Israel is beset with enormous challenges. Israel, as we know, is completely surrounded by enemy nations who earnestly desire the annihilation of the Jewish state. Why is this discovery coming at such a time when Israel definitely needs a psychological boost? 

As I pondered upon this addition to the fortunes of Israel, I came to understand some things about the workings of our God, the Lord God of Israel. He is such a perfect arranger, making all things beautiful in His time. He knows how to reserve the best for the last. He knows how to give your adversary the shock treatment. When the enemy thinks he's got it all wrapped up for your humiliation and hurt, God brings up something new and powerful to catapult you to another level of unparalleled significance. 

I remember Joseph in the prison. You would have thought the young man was going to rot in the prison. But just when you thought Joseph had come to his end, the "oil deposit" in him was revealed (or remembered) and Joseph was lifted to a position of unparalleled significance overnight. Friends, there is an overnight miracle waiting for you. There is a standard that God is raising for you that your enemies know nothing about. 

I also remember Israel in battle against the Philistines. There was that 40-day Goliath challenge. Israel was on the verge of losing out and becoming slaves to the Philistines. The 40th day arrived, and just when you thought everything was over for Israel, the "oil deposit" in Israel was revealed in David. The young man had been reserved for the last moment. He showed up and Goliath became history. 

Friends, God has everything positioned for you to be revealed to your advantage at the appropriate time. It won't be long before God shows up on your behalf to the shame of your enemy but to your joy. Your hour of divine reckoning, revelation, manifestation and justification is coming. I speak to you my beloved: there is massive recovery ahead of you. It is not over for you yet, but the battle will soon be over. Prepare to rejoice! 

WORLD WAR 'LIFE '

"Then the Lord spoke again. 'Do not be afraid. Do not think that you are weak', he said to Joshua. 'Take the whole army with you and go to attack Ai. I will give the king and all his people and the city and its land to you" (Joshua 8:1, Easy English Version). 

Life is full of battles. Indeed, the entire process we call life and living is one long stretch of war. While it is true that you will win some battles and lose some, it is important that you don't lose the war called life. It is also important that you progressively minimize the proportion of battles in which you are vanquished by the enemy, ultimately getting to a point that you don't lose battles anymore. From the words that God spoke to Joshua in our Bible verse for today, we can learn a number of lessons on how to be consistently triumphant in life. 

In winning any war, the first thing to do is to deal with fear. The battle cannot be won until you conquer fear. Thank God that for us as believers in Christ Jesus, God has not given us the spirit of fear. Rather, He has given to us the spirit of love, of power and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). One thing Jesus constantly told His disciples was "fear not" and "be ye not afraid". Fear has torment and could rob you of the victory that is already yours. You can always conquer fear by the word of God and by living free from sin. 

Next, you must nurture a healthy self image in order to win life's battles. Self confidence is key to success in all spheres of life. If you think you are small, it will be difficult for you to achieve big things in life. If you think of yourself as a weakling, strength will definitely fail you when you need it most. You won't make it for as long as you keep thinking that you can't make it. If you are already defeated inside, you will surely meet defeat outside. The Scriptures say that if you will succeed in life and get the best that God has for you, you must learn not to cast away your confidence because it shall be rewarded (Hebrews 10:35). 

Then you must learn to engage the whole of your being in whatever you are doing. The Lord told Joshua to take the whole army into the battle against Ai. The lesson here is that you will always stand a better chance of winning if you put your whole being into a cause. Halfhearted approach to any issue will weaken your focus, divide your effort, drive away potential helpers, and make total victory elusive. But when when you are in a cause spirit, soul and body, you greatly brighten your chances of success in that cause. If you are in a marriage, be there fully. If you work for a company, be fully committed to the organisation. Give yourself fully to the relationships you have signed into, otherwise get out. 

Finally, develop a dynamic partnership with the Almighty God. Partnership with God always win. A right relationship with the Lord puts you in a good stead to gain access into divine strategies for winning the battles of life. God told Joshua what he should do step by step. We must also understand that beyond all our efforts, God is the ultimate power that gives assent to our life endeavours and makes us successful. God told Joshua, "I will give the king and all his people and the city and its land to you". In other words, God assured that He would give the battle to Joshua and cause him to be victorious. He will do same for you if you allow Him full space in your life. 

HE WILL FIX YOU TODAY

"Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry" (Jeremiah 31:4).

No matter what has gone bad in your life, God is able to repair and renew things for you. Your broken life can be fixed. Your broken marriage can be fixed. Your broken business or career can be fixed. Even an entire nation can be fixed. Remember it is God that we are talking about here: the all powerful, all knowing, all wise and the unquestionable God. So don't you ever think, say or believe that anything has gone bad beyond repair in your life.

The broken pieces of your life cannot intimidate God. He is ever able to put them all together and make a decent new piece out of you. Remember that He is the Potter and you are the clay, and He can reform, remold, repair and rebuild you again so that you can conform to the original masterpiece He had in mind. And you know, He has successfully repaired worse situations and rebuilt much more hopeless lives than yours.

The book of Ezekiel contains the accounts of the extraordinary events that took place in the valley of dry bones where the Bible chronicles for us the supernatural works of God in rebuilding destinies. The lives of the individuals here had gotten pretty bad. Death had taken place. Burial and decomposition had followed. Years have passed and the bones of the dead have become dismembered. In the natural, no repair or rebuilding was possible again and all hope was gone. But God showed up and dry bones lived again. Your dry bones shall rise again.

Friends, I am persuaded that God is determined to get through with the job of fixing your life this time around. He said, "I will build you again, and you shall be built". In other words, God is saying that nothing can stop Him from fixing your life. Witches and wizards cannot stop Him. Not even the devil can stop God from rebuilding your life. But you can stop Him if you fail to cooperate with Him. You know, as they, you cannot shave a man's head in his absence. God requires your total cooperation to fix your life, and your most important step in this regard is to yield your life completely to the Lord.

So, go ahead and surrender to Him right now. You have tried working things out by yourself long enough and things haven't quite worked out. Now it is time to put your life back into His mighty hands, your marriage, your career, and everything that needs to be rebuilt. He can only fix what you put in His hands. Tell Him that you are yielding everything right now. He is waiting to take over, and when He takes over, all things shall become new. 

THE INSEPARABLE IDENTICAL TWINS

"To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life" (Romans 2:7). 

There is power in being consistent and being persistent. Consistency and persistency are like identical twins. They both point to the habit of doing something regularly or continuously. Any particular thing you do all or most of the time becomes your character by which you are defined. Our consistent actions or pattern of life puts a label on us, a tag by which people refer to us. There are three things I want you to remember. 

First, I want you to know that you will eventually be well known for whatever you keep doing, in thoughts, words and actions. If you are consistent in well doing, you will soon have a reputation for being a kind and humane person. And if you persists in evil deeds, you will eventually become notorious for being evil. The obvious truth is that each of us can decide what we want to be known for, whether good or bad. The people of Crete must have been so consistent in telling lies that they eventually established a bad reputation for themselves. It became known everywhere that "Cretians are alway liars" (Titus 1:12). But the people of Berea had a reputation for being noble because of their consistent practice of engaging the Holy Scriptures (Acts 17:11). 

Secondly, I want you to know that you will be eventually rewarded for whatever you keep doing. No labour on earth will go unrewarded, especially if you are consistent with it. If you want to get caught and punished for robbery, all you need to do is to keep on stealing. You may be able to get a bailout from the consequences of the wrong you commit accidentally. But when it is time for the full reward of consistent evil deeds, no magic or miracle can set you free. You must reap what you have sown, and that in good quantity. However, the Bible also assures that those who are consistent in well doing should not become weary because in due season, they shall receive a reward (Galatians 6:9). 

Finally, you will be best remembered for whatever you keep doing. Your occasional deeds may be forgotten after a while but your consistent actions or words become engraved on the sand of time. Even long after you have gone, people will refer to you by the things they remember that you do consistently. The bottom line is that whatever you keep doing defines you in the eyes of the people, and will continue to define your posterity. We may forget so many things about David but he will forever be remembered as the sweet Psalmist of Israel. We may forget many things about Thomas, but his consistent doubt about the resurrection of Jesus Christ earned him that permanent sobriquet, "doubting Thomas". Ahab repented before God once, but he is best remembered till today for his unparalleled wickedness. 

Friends, you can choose what you want to be known and remembered for. If you patiently continue in well doing, the Bible says that your end shall be glory and honour, with eternal life as the ultimate reward. May the reverse not be your portion in Jesus Christ's mighty name. 

STRANGE AGENDA: CONFUSED PASTORS, BEWITCHED MEMBERS

"Israel has forgotten his Maker and gotten busy making palaces" (Hosea 8:14, The Message). 

The church today has indeed forgotten her Lord and also forgotten her mandate. It is no wonder that the church is building everything except the lives it was instituted to build. Rather than building the souls of men, helping people to have a meaningful walk with God on this earth, and preparing them for eternity, most of today's pastors want to first build a personal lifestyle of affluence and unnecessary sophistication typified by trendy suits, exotic automobiles, and expensive but needless overseas trips to impress their imaginary onlookers. 

Their members then take a cue from them so that coming to church is no longer for any spiritual purpose but another session of the fashion parade show. The pastors talk to them more about how to make it and succeed in this life, not how to please God - and the people love it so. They are very excited when the pastor talks to them about their ego, but very uninterested when God is the subject matter. Is it not a classic irony of our time that if you talk too much about God in the house of God, the 'people of God' will get angry and leave? 

And then, it seems that our next priority in this generation is to build the physical temple and ignore the spiritual one. While it is important that we have proper and decent meeting houses, we must be careful not to repeat the error of Solomon who built the physical temple but ignored the spiritual development of Israel. The result was that the sins of the people he did not built led to the destruction of the temple that he built. 

After trying to outdo one another in the building of gigantic church structures, auditoria and massive prayer camps, the next line of competition for today's pastors is in bulding of educational institutions, businesses, housing estates and what have you. All these are good, but it is very sad that we are allowing the good to stop us from doing what is right. 

We must start addressing these issues now before the trouble that is staring us in the face breaks in on us. The abominable perversions we see daily in today's world shows that the society is already suffering from the Church's loss of focus. We have just a little time before the judgment of God comes upon the house of God. It is time to repent.

ENOUGH OF THESE NOISES

"And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul" (Acts 16:13-14). 

While talking with the Samaritan woman, Jesus announced that God is seeking genuine worshippers, people who will be willing to worship God in spirit and in truth. He also declared that the hour has come when those who worship God MUST worship Him in spirit and in truth. By statements, Jesus is saying enough of all the noise making we call worship. Away with all the vain worship that uses the styles of the world and principles that exalts man in the presence of the Almighty God. 

Our Bible verses for today reveal that there were many women gathered in that place of prayer. Paul and his company went there in search of those who worshipped God so they could share the word of God with them. But of all the people there, Lydia was the only one they found as a worshipper of God. The congregation was large, no doubt, but the worshippers were few. The singing was perhaps loud, boisterous and melodious, but it never got to God. Does this not look like what we have around us today in the name of religious worship? 

The time has come for us to learn that consistency in church in church services is not equivalent to being a worshipper of God. We have to accept that being an elder or pastor of the church would not turn you into a worshipper. This generation must come to know that trendy music is not what makes true worshippers. Who then is a worshipper? 

The spirit of a true worshipper is alive to God. God is the focus of his worship and he worships God simply for who He is. And because his spirit is ever alive before God, he lives a life of worship both when he is in the house of worship or out of the place of worship. He worships God in spirit and in truth. He is ever attentive to the word of God. He treasures it and his heart is ever open to it, just like it was reported of Lydia. His heart is pliable before the Lord. And then of course, a genuine worshipper has utmost reverence for God and holds God's servants in high honour, not really because of who they are, but because of the Almighty God they represent. 

Finally, true worshippers brings others into true worship. The Samaritan woman is a clear example. Having heard the message on true worship from the Master, her next line of activity was to call on others to come and experience same. She did it so well that her entire city was brought to listen to Jesus. As for Lydia, she made her home available for the ministers of God to contribute her quota to the spread of true worship. 

I pray that the Lord will visit us once again and lead His church in the path of true worship. 

SO RARE YET VERY REAL

"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee" (Jeremiah 31:3). 

Jeremiah the prophet reports here that the Lord God appeared to him and made a declaration concerning the kind of love He has for us. That declaration is absolutely reliable because God never lies. He cannot lie. Indeed the Bible affirms that it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18). He means what He says and says only what He means. Although we are made in His image and after His likeness, we humans have a lot to learn from God about being true and truthful. 

And so God declares that He has loved us with an "everlasting love". When we think about this, we ought to get excited. God’s love for you and me has no end; it endures forever. His love for you predates your birth into this world. He has been lavishing His love on you when you were in your mother's womb and continues to love you after you were born. God’s love is constant, both in season and out of season. The everlasting nature of God's love causes Him to draw us to Himself with lovingkindness from time to time. Our duty is to learn how respond to God’s love. 

But apart from God’s love for us being everlasting, the Bible teaches us about many other attributes of God's love for mankind. For example, God’s love for man is enormous and expansive. It is immeasurably enormous. Or how do you begin to measure the kind of love that could make someone give up his only son as a sacrifice to rescue those who offended him? That is unimaginable in our earthly clime but that's exactly what God did for us. The Bible says that God so loved the world that He sacrificed His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to save or redeem mankind (John 3:16). 

Then we are told that God’s love for us surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:19). We see it anew every day. When you think you have known or understood the love of God, then you see something new of His love again. God does something that really surprises you and you are left to wonder about the depth of His love. I know that God loves me, but just when I think I can capture how He loves me in words, I am visited and showered with another uncommon show of His indescribable love. 

Friends we ought to respond to God’s many-sided love for us, first by being thankful to Him. Our next line of response would be to love Him in return by living for Him and obeying His commands. Obedience is always a strong proof of love. Obedience also keeps us firmly in the ambit of God's love. The beauty of it all is that as we appropriately respond to God’s love, we are positioned to see more and more manifestation of His love. May you continually enjoy the amazing love of God for the rest of your life. 

THE FUNDAMENTAL OF LIFE

"You must follow the Lord your God. You must pray to him and to no one else. Obey his rules and do what he commands you. Work for him and give him pleasure" (Deuteronomy 13:4, Easy English Version). 

Man's relationship with God is fundamental to life on the earth. That relationship has to be dynamic and must be conducted in the right way to get appropriate results. But often times, human beings are not sure how exactly to go about relating right with God. His ways are not our ways and our thoughts are in fact contrary to His. However, the Bible is full of instructions on how to relate right with God. I can assure you that if you will follow the teachings of the Bible with an open and sincere heart, you will have a wonderful experience with the Almighty God. 

Our Scripture verse for today is one of the many pockets of divine instructions for a smooth ride with the Most High God. It tells us first and foremost that to relate with God is to follow Him. That speaks of putting our focus on Him, learning His ways and seeking to do as He does. That is perfectly consistent with God's idea when He made man. Remember that you were made in His image and after His likeness. You were created to follow God. To live another kind of life is to waste your existence. May you not waste yours. 

Next, we are told that relating right with God must involve praying to Him. Prayer simply means communication with God. We all generally do that one way or the other, including those who don't even want to relate with God. But in praying to God, we must do it right. This is why this particular admonition comes with a clear qualification - those who pray to God must pray to no one else. God is absolute and He is in a class of His own. You insult His supremacy when you pray to Him and still pray to someone else. 

The third lesson here is that those who want to have a good relationship with God must "obey His rules and do what He commands". There is no substitute for obedience in walking with God. Obedience is the proof of love, loyalty and submission. The disobedient is not only unfaithful, he is rebellious and deemed to be an idolater. That is why the end of disobedience is separation from God in eternal damnation. Please think about all this whenever you are tempted to disobey God. 

Fourthly, relating right with God must involve working for Him because there can be no genuine relationship without service. The service we are talking about here is real work, not mere attendance of religious meetings. We are to labour in the service of God with all our strength and resources. It is your duty to find out where and how God wants you to labour for Him. Finally, we must give Him pleasure. No one enjoys painful relationships, not even God. But more importantly, you and I were made for His pleasure, and remain alive for same purpose. When we please God, He responds by pleasing us more. It pays, always, to be in a meaningful relationship with God. 

BASIC FOR HUMAN RELATIONSHIP!

If I love, that will never come to an end. But it is different for all those gifts that God has given to us. The time will come when we do not need them any longer. People will stop telling messages from God. They will stop speaking in special languages. The many things that people know will finish" (1 Corinthians 13:8). 

The thirteenth chapter of the book of First Corinthians is an excellent treatise on love. Love is basic to human relationships and existence. For example, no true marriage and family can exist without love. Effective parenting is impossible without love. Friendship at any level won't go far without love. Religion is only meaningful when hinged on love. Workplace productivity is enhanced when people love what they do and the company they work for. And in the sphere of public service and patriotism, responsible leadership and good citizenship will only be found where love for the country is present. 

However, as it is in virtually all things, the average human being has a very poor understanding of what love is. Human definition of love is often faulty, selfish and inadequate. But here, God gives us a complete, objective and finest explanation on what it means to love. And of course, we must accept that God’s perspective is the authentic perspective. Therefore, if you claim to love someone, you will do well to confirm the sincerity of your claims by checking up with the characteristics of love as laid out in the Bible. 

Below are excerpts from First Corinthians chapter Thirteen from verse four to the eighth, taken from the Easy English Version of the Bible. It talks about God’s kind of love which we ought to apply to our relationships. Please think on these things. 

"If I love, I will be very patient. I will be kind. I will not want to be like other people so much that I get angry with them. I will not tell people how good I am. I will not think that I am better than other people.

If I love, I will always be polite. I will think about what other people want. I will not think only about what I myself want. I will not get angry quickly. And I will not always be remembering the wrong things that other people have done to me.

If I love, I will not be happy about bad things. But instead, I will be happy about things that are right and true.

If I really love people, I will never stop loving them. It will not matter what happens. Whatever things may happen, I will still continue to love. If I love, then, during all things, I will still continue to believe. If I love, then, during all things, I will still continue to hope for good things. If I love then, during all things, I will still continue to be patient and strong.

If I love, that will never come to an end". 

Let me say this in closing. Where there is love, true love, you can be sure that God’s will is being honoured and His loving presence will be present. Also, you can be sure that with love in our hearts, we all can win together. Indeed God's kind of love will make our world a better place.

What IS YOUR MESSAGE?

Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" (John 4:29). 

Every true Christian has a message. You were saved to be a messenger of God. Everyone who has truly encountered Jesus must have a message. If there was a contact, there will be a message. And we are not necessarily talking about miracles, signs and wonders here because the essence of Jesus Christ is more than miracles and wonders. Yes, He is Himself 'Wonder', for His name shall be called 'Wonderful' (Isaiah 9:6). But as that Scripture in Isaiah also shows us, Jesus is far much more than wonders. The story of the woman of Samaria confirms this because she was yet to receive any obvious miracle from Jesus. But miracle or no miracle, she had encountered Jesus and she had a message for others. 

Friends, if you don't have a message, if you have nothing to say about Jesus to your friends, family and neighbours, you probably have not had an encounter yet. Andrew encountered Jesus and the first thing he did was to find his own brother Peter. Similarly, Philip encountered Jesus and he went looking for his friend, Nathaniel. Philip, Andrew and the woman of Samaria were yet to receive any miracle or particular blessing from Jesus. They had not attended any Bible study or discipleship class. But they have had a contact with Jesus and that was enough to make them His messengers. You know what? These people just destroyed all our excuses for not sharing the message about Jesus with others. 

The story of the woman of Samaria teaches further that you only need to say what you know. No one is asking you to tell others what you don't know. You are not required to formulate ideas and messages. You are only obliged to say what you know. What you know may not be much; just say it with a sincere mind. God knows how to use the little you say to accomplish much for His own purpose. This woman's message was short and simple: "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?"  That was enough to draw out the entire city to come unto Jesus. 

Finally, please remember that though you speak, it is God who converts. None of us have the power to convert anybody. It is the Spirit of God that convicts and converts people. In sharing the message of Christ, our primary task is to give God raw materials with which He works on the heart of those who have heard our words. When Peter spoke on the Day of Pentecost, God used his words to prick the hearts of his hearers, conviction followed, and conversion took place. The words of the woman of Samaria neither convicted nor converted the people. But her words brought them to Jesus, and at the end of the day, the people told the woman, "Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world" (John 4:42). 

The salvation of the entire city of Samaria began with the testimony of this unnamed woman because she was willing to say the little she knew. What if she had refused to speak? I shudder at the implication and eternal consequences of such negligence. I tremble at the thought of the blood of multitudes being on the neck of just one person. O that believers would know how many eternal destinies are hanging upon our testimonies. O Lord our God, help us that we may not fail you.