Monday, 10 July 2017

Sunday, 9 July 2017

Thursday, 29 June 2017

ENHANCING YOUR USEFULNESS by Bishop Abioye

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In this kingdom, usefulness is enhanced by consecration.

Cleanliness proceeds usefulness.

While you require just faith to be saved, you require holiness to serve.

It makes no sense praying to God to use you – just prepare yourself to become fit for His use.

God determines your call but you determine your usefulness.

The requirement is simple – purge yourself to make yourself fit for any and every occasion. Ps.4:3; Is.52:11; Jer.15:19-21; II Tim.2:20-22; Zech.3:1-5-9

Thursday, 22 June 2017

Horatio Spafford, our modern day Job.

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The author of hymn "It is well", Horatio G. Spafford (1828-1888), was a Presbyterian layman from Chicago. He had established a very successful legal practice as a young businessman and was also a devout Christian. Among his close friends were several evangelists including the famous Dwight L. Moody, also from Chicago. 


Spafford’s fortune evaporated in the wake of the great Chicago Fire of 1871. Having invested heavily in real estate along Lake Michigan’s shoreline, he lost everything overnight. In a saga reminiscent of Job, his son died a short time before his financial disaster. But the worst was yet to come. 

Hymnologist Kenneth Osbeck tells the story: “Desiring a rest for his wife and four daughters as well as wishing to join and assist Moody and [his musician Ira] Sankey in one of their campaigns in Great Britain, Spafford planned a European trip for his family in 1873. In November of that year, due to unexpected last-minute business developments, he had to remain in Chicago, but sent his wife and four daughters on ahead as scheduled on the S.S. Ville du Havre. He expected to follow in a few days.
“On November 22 the ship was struck by the Lochearn, an English vessel, and sank in twelve minutes. Several days later the survivors were finally landed at Cardiff, Wales, and Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, ‘Saved alone.’” 

Spafford left immediately to join his wife. This hymn is said to have been penned as he approached the area of the ocean thought to be where the ship carrying his daughters had sunk. 

Another daughter, Bertha, was born in 1878 as well as a son, Horatio, in 1880, though he later died of scarlet fever. After the birth of daughter Grace in 1881, Spafford and his wife moved to Jerusalem out of a deep interest in the Holy Land. There they established the American Colony, a Christian utopian society engaged in philanthropic activities among Jews, Muslims and Christians. 

After decades of benevolent activities, the Colony ceased to be a communal society in the 1950s, though it continued in a second life as the American Colony Hotel, the first home of the talks between Palestine and Israel that eventually led to the 1983 Oslo Peace Accords.
On a personal note, this was a hymn often sung on Sunday evenings in my congregation as I was growing up. Its somber and peaceful music, written by gospel songwriter Philip Bliss (1838-1876) and named after the ship that carried Spafford’s daughters to their death, was spellbinding to a young boy. Yet I had difficulties identifying with the text in many ways. 

The hymn came to life for me in the summer of 1981. I had taken a group of youth to Chicago to work in an inner-city church that housed several congregations of immigrant groups. I chose to attend the Vietnamese service, which I was told consisted of refugees from the Vietnam War—the famous Boat People who had fled Vietnam after the fall of Saigon in 1975. 

I hadn’t been back to the Chicago area since I had graduated from a college in a nearby suburb in 1970. During my time in college, the draft was reinstated, protests of the Vietnam War were numerous and the riots surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention in the city were infamous. Returning to Chicago 11 years later, the memories of the Vietnam War were fresh on my mind. 

As the Vietnamese congregation gathered to worship, they sang the same song every Sunday to begin their worship, “It Is Well with My Soul.” I didn’t need the words in English as I had memorized them as a boy. I was amazed at how closely this text, written over 100 years earlier, coincided with the struggles of these immigrants as they fled a hostile Vietnam in frail ships, miraculously arriving in Australia and other places. 

As the Vietnamese congregation, now residing in Spafford’s hometown of Chicago, sang the final stanza, I understood the power of a hymn to transcend time and culture to address human tragedy with assurance. Though the hymn begins with loss, it ends in eschatological hope for the day when “faith shall be sight.”

Tuesday, 20 June 2017

Handling awkward conversations about love and money

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Whether you are seeing someone, are in a serious committed relationship, married, or remarried, money is one topic that will keep coming up either in conversation or certainly in your minds. Have you ever chatted about money, even occasionally? At a certain point in a relationship, it is clear that things are getting serious, and that your decisions are starting to really affect each other; this is the time to spend some time talking about money matters and your financial goals.

Money conversations don’t have to be awkward. There is so much to talk about. Of course, it will be very odd to ask about money on a first date or even the second or third, but there are important questions to ask and signs to look out for once a relationship seems to be going somewhere. Money matters are a fundamental part of a relationship and having some alignment in this area will help you build a future together. Here are some issues to consider:

Who pays for what?

Societal expectations appear to want to keep chivalry alive. With the man being expected to
pay regardless of how much he has, should the man always settle the bill or should his date pay
her way? Should she offer to pay at least sometimes? Who pays, who insists on paying, who offers to pay and who goes to the restroom once the bill appears, says a lot about their attitude to money!

Talk about your future aspirations 

This appears to be harmless, yet it is a revealing question. Knowing your partner’s aspirations and dreams for the future can be an indication of how much they expect to be earning in future or at least it gives you some indications of where they see themselves. Where they expect to live, the kind of education they plan for their children, these are all fairly strong indicators of aspirations. Remember, though, that aspirations remain no more than dreams, if the dreamer has no clear smart goals and a detailed plan to achieve them.



Talk about your money personalities

Is your partner an extravagant spender? Being a miser can be just as bad, so watch out for both extremes. Do you spend all that you have? Does she save at all? There are tell-tale signs that show you how your partner deals with money. Does she insist on travelling only business class even when she is in debt? Does he live in an awful slum, but is paying a hefty lease payment for a car that makes him “look the part” but that he absolutely cannot afford? Are you the type of person who makes a budget and sticks to it? Some red flags might range from being completely at odds about how much the wedding should cost, to the man insisting that the woman must give up her career immediately and stay at home to look after the kids. Are you risk averse and have carefully built your emergency fund, with security being a major priority for you, while he would risk everything to participate in a ponzi scheme like MMM or other deals that pay 30 per cent a month!

Talk about your financial obligations

This is an area that can cause much friction. Are either or both of you in debt? It is useful to know how much is owed; what is the status on car loans, mortgage loans etc. Usually, a person is responsible only for his or her own debts, so if you did not sign the contract or loan agreements for your spouse’s debt, you usually should not be liable for that debt. In reality, however, things can be very different and debt collectors have been known to arrive at the family home to cart away personal effects including the car and furniture or even seal up the house! What are your responsibilities towards the extended family including aging parents and siblings? Will they move in to live with you? Is there regular child support and alimony to be paid from previous relationships, if any? 


Talk about your financial roles

Decide how you are going to share financial responsibilities, such as paying monthly bills and monitoring spending habits. Will you operate joint accounts, separate accounts or a combination of the two? Will you create a budget together or is it going to be “every man for himself?” Observe both your reactions when the money conversations come up. How are you going to split household costs? Is it going to be fifty-fifty or pro-rated and based on income? As a woman, will it bother you if you are the primary earner?

Money matters are often cited as being a leading cause of friction, separation and divorce as
matters are left to fester until irreconcilable differences set in. If you are planning to get married, discuss money matters early. Try and get a full understanding of each other’s money personality and financial situation. This will help you navigate your financial lives and help you avoid future disagreements about money. Outward appearances can be very deceptive; find out all you can before you tie the knot. There will still be surprises, but at least you can try to limit them.



Culled from Punch Newspaper Online

Monday, 19 June 2017

Spiritual Classes of Food

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6 Classes of Spiritual Food


Living healthy requires we eat balanced diets from the 6 food groups in the same vein spiritual health needs to be balanced on spiritual diets also. It is important we do not focus on one food group or our favourite. We need to take a look at the spiritual diets and see if it’s balanced.

Below are 6 classes of spiritual food that will really help you grow well in life:

1) CARBOHYDRATE/Prayer and Fasting 



For Spiritual Energy. The energy needed for victories Christian living is gotten in the place of prayer. The life of a Christian is seen as race in Eph 9:24-27. Runners need energy to race the race to victory, this energy to our Spiritual life is Prayers and Fastings. They provide us with Spiritual Energy.

2) Protein/The Word Of God

For Spiritual growth we need to feed on the word of God. If in a day we cannot afford to eat our regular food it also behooves on us to feed on the word daily. Our growth in Christ is The Word dependent. 1Peter2:2 says “as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow”.

3) Vitamins…. The fruit of the Spirit (builds you spiritual antibodies).



4) FATS and OIL…. The anointing .More on your HEAD, less in your BODY. Too much of it in your stomach causes cholesterol which is pride.


5 VEGETABLES… Worship, keeps you spiritually fresh



6) Water … The HolySpirit. (Aids digestion of the word)


Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Wednesday, 17 May 2017

Prayer lessons from Gideon

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Our questions of faith often remain unanswered or confusing. Like our questions about prayer.

We are fully aware of some bits about prayer that are crystal clear.

Will I get everything I ask for? No.
Will I get anything I ask for? Sometimes.
Why, then, should I bother?

This is where things fall apart, and we’re only on question three. Prayer is somewhat a mystery, but there are still plenty of things we can know for sure about prayer. I’m especially grateful for what the story of Gideon (found in Judges) is currently teaching me about prayer.

1. Prayer Engages Someone Who is Already with You.

We know what it feels like when someone is with us, and a lot of the time God’s involvement in our lives can feel…unpredictable. But prayer reminds us that God is already an always with us.

Gideon hit the Bible scene after the Israelites had been freed from Egypt (with the help of God), survived a stiff-necked wandering in the desert (with the help of God), dispossessed the bad guys and finally scored the Promised Land (with the help of God), and enjoyed years of peace, glorious peace (thanks to God)!

Then they blew off God.

Of course, their world came crashing in, and it was during that crushingly oppressive and lonely time that God visited Gideon. We read in Judges that an angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said to him, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior” (Judges 6).

And Gideon, in one of the most under-excited-to-see-God moments in Bible history, wondered aloud: God? Where have you been?

2. Prayer is All about Honesty – Not Just Saying What We Think God Wants to Hear

Gideon takes some hits in church circles for this seemingly whiny response. I mean, God’s here! Buck up and be glad! Who wouldn’t respond that way?

Um, God.

God did not treat Gideon that way at all. Here was a man who had heard stories about God’s benevolent leadership and love, but where had God been all this time when Gideon needed him?

Seemingly absent. Gideon was wrong, of course, but God didn’t hold that against him.

If you have read the backstory, you know it was not that God left the Israelites, but the Israelites who had left God. After all God had done to build a relationship with his children, they still had turned away from God. God said, “You have not listened to me” (Judges 6:10).

Leaders like it when you listen to them. And really, we should, if we want to win.

In Gideon’s case, he didn’t know how to win. He had heard about God; now he was seeing something he thought might be God. But life had been rough. He did not trust what was right in front of him.

God could have justifiably gotten smoking mad at Gideon with an accusing “You’re not listening to me!” However, it’s one thing to be obstinate, but another thing altogether to be unsure.

This is a God who cares about that difference.

Gideon was hearing God say great things, but Gideon did not know if God would actually do the greatest thing of all.

3. Prayer Teaches Us to Have Eyes that See God

God has a much greater mission than demonstrating his greatness. His mission is demonstrating his love. His greatest challenge was getting his people to receive that from him.

In Gideon’s case, that was about to change.

“Don’t go away…” Gideon said to God. “And the Lord said, ‘I will stay here until you return’” (Judges 6:18).

And then God did a lot more than that.

So commenced a bit of fire that lit up a little meat and unleavened bread. There was later a bit of fleece and then later a big barley loaf in the middle of someone else’s dream.

Over and over, God reinforced how much he loved and cared about Gideon and the Israelites.

If the Israelites hadn’t listened before, Gideon was listening now. Intently. What transpired was a monumentally triumphant turn of events for Gideon and his people. And Gideon came to believe that the hiding placeof God’s word was a place he could trust.

Prayer is based on trust, which is a funny thing. It is a fleeting thing. It is fragile, unimaginably personal.

Pray.

Expect that God is already waiting for you to spend time with Him. Be honest. Ask that your eyes be open to what God is trying to show you and remind your kiddo (are we really talking about the kids still?) that you are engaging a God who made you, longs for you, loves you and has told people from page one to page 700 plus in the Bible not to fear for one reason: I am with you.

Revisit the Gideon story and others like it. Your experiences may not be the same, your feelings may not be the same, but this God does not promise that sameness.

He promises: personal.

Source: ecclezzia.com

Tuesday, 9 May 2017

Steps to Strengthen Prayer

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Steps to Strengthen Prayer

My struggles with prayer run deep. The spiritual deserts in my life have always been accompanied by a parched prayer life. Eventually, I came to realize this was not only a symptom, but a cause. I was neglecting the very thing that would satisfy my weary, thirsty soul. I was ignoring the path that would not only lead me out of the desert, but keep me out of the wilderness in the first place.
I often fall short of my good intentions when I fail to view prayer as a discipline that needs to be learned and practiced and developed. We speak frequently of the importance of prayer, but often don’t know (or forget) the “hows” of prayer. Even Jesus’ own disciples had to ask Jesus how to pray (Luke 11:1). They saw something in the way he prayed so fervently and intimately to his Father that made them long to do the same. Lord, teach us to pray!
While it won’t be the same for everyone, seven specific actions have really helped me in my battle against a weak prayer life.

Preparing to Pray

1. Set prayer apart. The more we pray, the more we want to pray. To do this, you need to build it into the rhythm of your day any way you can: set alarms, leave notes, put it in your day planner. Prayer is a practice that requires discipline and perseverance, and we should own the cost. Prayer is the greatest act of our day, and we must fight for it. And not just in times of need. It matters how we train and prepare for the battle.

2. Learn to withdraw. Pull away from distractions—the phone, the computer, the TV, the constant noise of modern life—and find a way to separate yourself so you can be and feel “shut in with God.” It can be a challenge when you work away from home for long hours or are sharing your house from dawn-to-dusk with a bunch of loud and energetic children, but make it a priority. Your car on lunch break, a quiet corner in the office, a closet in between meals or feedings or naptimes, or simply the quiet of your heart if that’s all you can muster. But find solitude, and pray (Luke 4:42; 5:16; 22:41).
3. Have a posture of prayer. Do what you need to do to help you focus on what it is that you’re doing. Kneel, stand, close your eyes, look to the heavens—when your body is focused, it’s often easier for your soul to follow. If able, pray out loud. I’ve found that just softly whispering during my private prayer time is quiet enough that it doesn’t inhibit the flow of my praying, but loud enough that it keeps my mind from wandering. As C.S. Lewis observes, “The body ought to pray as well as the soul. Body and soul are both better for it.”

Practicing Prayer

4. Pray Scripture. This is a great way to start. What joy it brings to a father to know his children hear his words, cherish them, believe them to be true and then speak them back to him. So much of my prayers are “plagiarized” Scripture. Without even realizing it, they become the vocabulary of my prayers, sometimes because the beautiful promises make my heart sing, and sometimes because all I can do is desperately cling to his words.

Tuesday, 2 May 2017

Stone Tablets Found Confirming The Existence of Tower of Babel

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Compelling evidence has emerged that the Tower of Babel actually existed, and that the story is more than just a symbolic tale of man’s hubris.


A stone tablet from the private collection of a Norwegian businessman Martin Schøyen includes the clearest image ever found of the Great Ziggurat of Babylon, according to Andrew George, Professor of Babylonian history at the University of London.
The tablet, which has been captured on film for the first time by Smithsonian Magazine, shows an illustration of a pyramid-like structure, with a depiction of King Nebuchadnezzar II, who ruled Babylon from 605-562 BC, standing next to it.

First built around the time of Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC), the ziggurat in Babylon was in a serious state of disrepair by the time Alexander I the Great came along, and was taken down in 331 BC.
With no evidence to tell us what it actually looked like, until now we have only had, in the words of the Schøyen Collection’s catalog, “a long series of fanciful paintings to rely on.”
This tablet, for the first time, gives us a contemporary illustration of the tower; along with an inscription giving us an account of Nebuchadnezzar II’s building plans and the restoration process.
The Schøyen Collection has documented the translation of the inscription on the tablet, noting that it contains a helpful caption identifying the drawing as:
ETEMENANKI: ZIKKURAT BABIBLI: “THE HOUSE, THE FOUNDATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, ZIGGURAT IN BABYLON”
The inscription goes on to describe the restoration process:
“NEBUCHADNEZZAR, KING OF BABYLON AM I – IN ORDER TO COMPLETE E-TEMEN-ANKI AND E-UR-ME-IMIN-ANKI I MOBILIZED ALL COUNTRIES EVERYWHERE, EACH AND EVERY RULER WHO HAD BEEN RAISED TO PROMINENCE OVER ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD – THE BASE I FILLED IN TO MAKE A HIGH TERRACE. I BUILT THEIR STRUCTURES WITH BITUMEN AND BAKED BRICK THROUGHOUT. I COMPLETED IT RAISING ITS TOP TO THE HEAVEN, MAKING IT GLEAM BRIGHT AS THE SUN”
The illustration of Nebuchadnezzar II shows him
“with his royal conical hat, holding a staff in his left hand and a scroll with the rebuilding plans of the Tower (or a foundation nail) in his outstretched right hand.”

Monday, 1 May 2017

Finding Hope in Any Situation

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A couple of years ago, I found myself struggling. I found my faith and trust in God decrease and increase hugely within a 24-hour time period. It seemed like all of a sudden I went from believing in God and His Word to a strong sense of hopelessness. Everything I’d built my life on moved from feeling very close to very far away.
I guess it’s fair to say I’m a church kid. I love the Church, I love community and I love God. I’ve been part of the Church my life, but my Christian faith has been through phases and seasons.
If you’ve been around Christian culture long, you know we have language for this: mountaintops and valleys. We all know that’s just the way it is. Much of life is out of our control, and these seasons come and go. We all have these stages with God that shape our faith and who we are today.
But somehow we still try to control everything, especially when it comes to parts of life that involve struggles and trials. I’m learning more and more that my reactions toward trials become some of the most shaping experience in life.
Most of us run away when trouble comes because we haven’t prepared to react to this with hope and strength. And that’s because it’s hard to prepare for trials when you’re in the middle of them. But it’s a whole other thing to prepare for it beforehand.
If you’re like me, you tend to let your feelings and experiences dictate how you react to trials in your lives, and that’s a dangerous thing. But if we choose to let our “good” times shape who we are in the “hard” times, we will form a much stronger foundation to build our lives upon. Jesus is so much bigger than whatever we’re feeling and so we need to let our faith be shaped by who He is—and not how we feel.

Three ways to find hope in the midst of trials

1. Even Jesus saw beyond Himself.

Jesus knew His “why” behind all of His actions and He was determined to do the will of His Father and nothing else. Why did Jesus, the Savior Himself, have to endure pain? He could’ve just sent a fire, a flood or something else to save Him, but He didn’t. Why is that? Because Jesus knew that this was ultimately not about Him. It was and still is about the Father and His will.
I believe this is the same mindset that we need today. If you believe that your life is all about how YOU can advance, how YOU can take the next step etc. then I believe you need to reshape that perspective. Obviously God wants you to dream and develop your strengths and skills but in the end it’s all about doing His will. The only reason that Jesus could endure the horrific pain before and during the crucifixion was because He saw beyond Himself even in the midst of terrible trials.
Joel Houston, worship leader and co-pastor of Hillsong NYC, puts it like this: “God wants the inadequate you, the one who doesn’t measure up, the one who’s been hurt and abused, the one who doesn’t know what he’s doing in life, the one who’s dying on the inside, the one who’s dying on the outside—because it’s all about HIM and not about YOU.” I love this.

2. You’re not alone.

As cliché as it might sound, you’re not alone in this. I honestly believe that’s an important fact to realize. We live in a more and more individualistic world where it’s all about “me, me, me” and being as exclusive as we possibly can, but we as Christians are not called to be selfish and individualistic but instead to be of community. And in that community, we are to share with one another. The fellowship of the believers in Acts 2 sets an honest example of how we are to have fellowship today.
Of course, you can have a movie night with your friends, go on a picnic with your classmates or go swimming with your best bud, but the essential part is not what you’re doing in fellowship rather the authenticity behind it. Authenticity is everything when it comes to relationships and community. Find people who are behind you—on mountaintops and through valleys. They’re important. 1 Samuel 14:14 talks about how important it is to have people behind you no matter what. Read it.

3. Declare the resurrection of Jesus over your life every single day.

The Bible talks about persevering under trial, as this is one of the greatest and most powerful declarations of your love for Jesus. As we’ve already talked about this is hard to do when you’re in the midst of trials, which means you have to build that foundation before these trials occur.
This is always a lot easier said than done, I know, but if we don’t tell ourselves to actually prepare for the trials, how are we supposed to remain faithful in the midst of it? Have confidence in the resurrection and the hope that’s within it. The resurrection is always stronger than whatever you’re facing.
Timothy Keller puts it like this: “It doesn’t matter how dark your life is right now—because of the resurrection, light will come.” It’s not in your hands to control the trials of tomorrow but you can always choose to declare truth over yourself today. Jesus never said it would be easy to follow Him—in fact, He actually said the opposite. He promised, however, that He would never leave us. 
So hey, I don’t even care if you’re approaching this through Bible studies, worship sessions, prayer or whatever—I’m just here to tell you it’s important that you do.

Source: Simon Lionel

Thursday, 27 April 2017

When God Moves You to Something Better

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Here are four signs that God is pushing you into something much better.


Correction
When things start falling apart, possibly because you and I are doing something contrary to God’s will, He will gently nudge us with a bit of correction. The correction might come in the form of a job loss, a pay cut, or some unforeseen circumstances that nearly breaks your bank, however God isn’t going to leave you or forsake you (Heb 13:5), but He does discipline every son or daughter He loves (Heb 12:6). This correction could bring you into a different direction…and a much better one at that.

Direction

His Word as it acts as a light in the darkness to keep from stumbling (Psalm 119:105). If you abide in Christ and in His Word, you can ask for anything within God’s will (John 15:4-5, 7). When God corrects you, He also directs you, and directs you into something better. We know that God works all things together, good and bad, for our very best (Rom 8:28).


Inspection

The Bible teaches us to examine ourselves to see if we’re really in the faith (2nd Cor 13:5). A little self-examination never hurt anybody. The interesting thing is, when you examine the Word of God, the Word of God examines you, and if you’re like me, you are found wanting. If God is giving you a greater hunger for the Word of God, and it’s like you can’t get enough of it, He may be pushing you into some sort of teaching ministry. That hunger and thirst for God’s Word is not from a human source, because none of us seek God on our own (Rom 3:11); it is God Who seeks us (John 6:44), so if you want to inspect yourself, inspect the Word of God because it will inspect you. Perhaps it will reveal something better that God desires for your life.

Protection

If God sees that you’re about to hurt yourself, then He might move things around in your life to get you out of that situation, whether it’s a job or in a relationship. God may be pushing you, or prompting you, by His Sprit, to change things. The Spirit of God knows what is best for us, better than we do ourselves, so try to listen to the Spirit’s prompting of His telling you to do something or to stop doing something. God may be pushing you out of or into a situation for your own benefit. That’s certainly something better and certainly something to think about.

Conclusion

God can use correction, direction, inspection, to bring protection, because God knows the future. Only He can see around the blind corners of time. What He does in our lives may not always feel “better,” but we know that God doesn’t make mistakes. All we can do is obey His Word, trust in God, and then leave everything else up to Him.


May God richly bless you


Source:Pastor Jack Wellman

Saturday, 22 April 2017

Thursday, 20 April 2017

Life Lessons from ATM

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A LESSON FROM ATM MACHINE

Yesterday I was at the ATM to get some cash because I dearly needed money.

As I started to transact, the ATM showed me an inscription which said; Please insert your card.

I did

And then another message popped up- Please enter your pin code

I did

And then another message came ...select the amount,

I did that too

After I had done all this...the ATM showed me a message in BOLD letters

YOUR TRANSACTION IS BEING PROCESSED, PLEASE WAIT !

Allow me to say..when you have done all the things you can, you have prayed, you have fasted, you have even asked others to pray with you and for you but it seems as if nothing is happening in your life, wait patiently don't give up, don't move because your request is being processed.

WAIT!

Let me tell you ..What made me wait is because my card was already in the ATM, I had already entered my pin code.

If I give up now and walk away..Lord have Mercy... The next person will get all that I had requested.

Not because your messages aren't heard, not because your prayers are irrelevant, not because your fasting is meaningless..but because

YOUR TRANSACTION IS BEING PROCESSED

Wait and murmur not. Do not think you were born to suffer..
Your prayers are being processed so Wait upon the Lord🙏🏾

I Know it's not easy but I encourage you ..WAIT!!!...As it is in Isaiah 40:31- but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

YOUR TRANSACTION IS BEING PROCESSED. PLEASE WAIT

Source:WhatsApp chat

Deadly Pornography

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The Deadly Pornography, Are You A Victim?

The world today is invaded by the destructive pornography being appealing in disguise. The word “pornography” refers to sexually explicit materials that are designed to arouse the viewer, listener or reader. It can include pictures as well as video-games, televisions, smart phones, mobile devices, websites and online photo sharing services.
Pornography has taken its roll on humans thereby eating deep into the entire human race in rapid succession because modern statistics reveal that is prominent feature of popular culture as more people in more places are embracing and consuming more pornography than at any other rate in human history.
SHOCKING FACTS ABOUT PORNOGRAPHY
  • Every Second– Nearly 40,000 persons view pornography websites worldwide.
  • Every Minute– Internet users send more than 3.9 million emails all over the world.
  • Every Hour– 980 Hardcore pornographic videos are released worldwide.
  • Every Day– An average of more than 740 million movies are rented worldwide
  • Every Month– Nearly 3 out of the 6 billion world population view pornography worldwide.
  • Every Year– The Global pornography industry generates an estimated 100 billion dollars.
Bottom Line: According to Psalm 119:37  “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your way”Pornography enslaves and destroys its victims
Effects Of Pornography
Pornography leads to the following:
  • Fornication
  • Masturbation
  • Premarital sex
  • Sexual harrassment
Steps You Make Take To Break Free
  • Prepare your mind
  • Do away with “all” related materials
  • Watch watchful of messages or items that pops up when exploring the internet, Tv, Video-games, magazine, conversations  etc.-Mathew 5:20
  • Pray to God always,expressing your sincere willingness to break free.
  • Get help from mature adults (parents, pastor, elders, prophets etc.)
  • Make friends with people who live by God’s high moral standards.


Tobiloba Hicks

Thursday, 13 April 2017

Respect and Courtesy, a Necessary Ingredient in Relationships

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Back in my university days, I lived in the hostel. You shared a room with different people , from different backgrounds ,that liked different things , and somehow we were all respectful and considerate of each other's needs.
You turn down the volume of your radio to accommodate the person that wants to sleep. You go to the reading room to study at night because others want the light off. We all did things recognizing the fact that other people shared that space with us.
Now where am I going with this time travel ?My good friend younger brother ,who has been married for less than one year,had a huge fight with his wife recently. Umunna are currently involved. Why? Because according to bros , madam is always on the phone. Madam sometimes , while she is in bed with bros , her ex boyfriends will call , sometimes as late as 10:00 pm. Madam will not only pick up , she will start a full blown late night gist with them.
On that particular day of the fight, bros came back from work, madam did not even greet him, she was on the phone talking for so long that he had to physically snatched the phone from her.
Madam went ballistic. She was like how dare you ! Who are you to tell me who to talk on the phone. I have my right ! It is my right ! You want to control me . You can't control me and bla bla ! Madam ended up with kitchen knife, and Bros to defend himself , in turn , carried cutlass. Imagine if she killed her husband? For what ? One stupid phone call ? Her Right ? A stupid ex who did not even find her desirable to marry in the first place?
The purpose of this post , is not to analyze this couple; but to make a point to women. In this above case ,could the couple have handled things differently?Maybe yes. But the main issue here is that this woman in question does not understand the concept of respect in a relationship; she can not differentiate between control and respect.

Sadly , she is not alone on this crazy mindset. These days , so many Nigerian women confuse and misunderstand this whole equality and Right fight. So many of them go into relationship with unrealistic expectations and mindset . They go into relationships battle ready . A man will tell his wife , "please honey , this is how I want us to do this thing, she will turn around and scream my right" Control ! So many men can not even have a conversation with their wives because they are scared that the 'my Right' card will be played . Even when they are not necessary or related to the issue !
Every relationship needs respect. Respect reflects maturity. What a lot of women don't know is that they can still exercise their right in relationship while respecting the other person.
As a single lady , you can pick up your bag and decide to travel to Ibadan just now . You might not need to even explain yourself to anybody; but once the equation changes to married ; well ,the thing and truth is that , you can still go to the Ibadan , but in a different way and approach. And if you are married woman , and does not understand this simple concept , this simple diplomacy, then you don't have any business being married in the first place.

I don't care what anybody says , but immediately a person gets married , there are some certain life changes they must make ! You don't make these changes because you are scared of the other person , but because it's no longer about you. You are now two people.

You adjust yourself to fit into this new two involved role. 
For instance, unless you are dying , or you have an understanding or relationship, there are times you absolutely should not call people, especially when they married. It is simple courtesy. It is respect . It is being considerate.

It's 2:10 am , and here I am , typing this post , with the light on my phone on dim mode. And why? Because the person beside me is sleeping. I had to dim the light on my phone to accommodate him. Its called respect and not fear ! 

If I want to listen to music now ,as my circadian rhythm is messed up after working few night shifts , I will use my headphones, because I don't want my music to wake him up. Because I am being considerate of him and not afraid of him.

I discharge whoever I am on the phone with whenever my husband comes home after a long day; not because I am afraid of him .But because I want to simply acknowledge his return. To make small talks , to at least ask him how his day was .I do these little things because, that's exactly how I want to be treated. And that's the concept of respect .
Just like we women love to be respected , loved and pampered, don't like to be ignored , don't like to be taken for granted , love to be and feel like the number one in our man's life; sisters ,men crave for the same thing too.
There are certain respect you must accord to whoever you are in a relationship with, it is not control and it is non-negotiable.



Culled from Ifeanyi Emmanuel Ifebi's wall