And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us,( and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)
full of grace and truth. John I : 14.

" I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly".
John 10:10.

Jesus is The Son of God.

Jesus said unto him , " Dost thou believe on the Son of God ?"
He answered and said, "Who is he , Lord, that I might believe on him?"
And Jesus said unto him, "Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee." John 9: 35-37

"I am come...."

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might , the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of of his loins , and faithfulness the girdle of his reins". Isaiah 11: 1-5.

And Jesus said , For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. John 9:39.

A White Christmas ?

Woke up this morning to see snow falling!
It was the first snow of winter in London and more snow is expected, says the weather forecast. These are pictures of sections of my front and back gardens after today's snow.
Some of us have been praying for a White Christmas in London.
My son called today's snowfall "an apology of a snow; baby snow"."Mom I know what you wanna see is the mother of all snow storms at Christmas! "
There is hope for that this year. So keep praying!
Every Christmas, I get gorgeous photos of a perfect White Christmas from friends and family in Leicester and Nottingham in North England.
The nearest we've got to a White Christmas in London in recent times was a near-miss ; heavy snow fell on Boxing day, 2000. Since then nothing at Christmas.
I know lots of people who would like a pretty scene like this below, at Christmas.
So let it snow!

Bringing in the Sheaves

"When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen ,
The Lord hath done great things for them." Psalm 126:1-3.

Today was the end-of-year Thanksgiving Sunday in our church.
For everyone present, it was a day for rapturous praise and of worship .
We brought in our sheaves, our "harvest" for being partakers of his goodness and faithfulness, through 2009.
For me and my family, it was a special occasion indeed!
We had a lot to thank God for this year, for it was our year of the Seven -Fold increase, as promised us by the Lord Jesus at the beginning of the year.
Words alone are not enough to express our gratitude to our dear Father, for all he has done for us!
The Lord is Faithful and he is good indeed!
Blessed be his holy name.

Tiger Woods - Getting On With It.

Tiger Woods' decision to take an indefinite break from golf and spend more time with his wife and children is the one wise decision he has made in recent weeks.
Relocating from the "Crime Scene" for an extended period of time is just what Tiger, his aggrieved wife and their two children need , right now.
A change of scene; going to a distant location, on holiday with his family, away from prying eyes would , definitely, go a long away in healing their frayed nerves.
I pray God would grant them the grace to receive Christ's peace and love into their lives so that they would be healed and they would recover every lost ground!

So far, Tiger has not managed this crisis very well.
Immediately after his car crash , he could have clammed up or come clean; instead of making ambiguous statements about "transgressions".
Then, two days ago , he got a court order , gagging the British press from reporting on his affairs. Wrong move , again!
When you gag news hounds, especially the British Press, they smell blood and then they begin to gig deeper into the story you are trying to keep the press from.

I have this gut feeling about this Tiger Wood's sad story, that there are more revelations to be uncovered and more termites to emerge from the woodwork!
Now that all sorts of " waitresses, models and escorts" , who had never seen or held even $3,000 in their hands in their entire lives; know that there is at least $300,000 to be made from selling their stories to newspapers and magazines , from TV appearances and from writing books about "My Sizzling Romp With Tiger Woods!"; this unfortunate story would snowball and get bigger and juicer. These women would milk the situation to the last drop!
Until the public tires of the story or when another celebrity sex scandal erupts.
It is very funny that one of Tiger's mistresses has said she was sorry for the hurt she has caused Tiger's wife. Sorry? Oh yeah!
But not "sorry" for the TV interviews and magazines cover shoots which she has been gaining from , gleefully?

As for Tiger Woods , what on earth was he thinking ; knowing that such behaviour is unacceptable to God and unacceptable in the society Tiger lives in?
It is not as if Tiger thought he was living in a society where men could do anything they wanted ; societies where women's feelings and opinions count for nothing and where it is acceptable for women to be trampled upon , used and discarded , anyhow and any time, by men.
In certain areas of the world ,celebrities' extramarital frolics are not newsworthy.
In fact people would laugh and dismiss such stories with a " so what?" and a wave of hand !
In such societies, successful and affluent men eat, drink and swim in adultery, with impunity!
So, in such lawless societies, their men , even the poor ones , are encouraged to do as they please; while their women folk are admonished to accept their positions as "good women", that is, they are " home -builders who should patiently and prayerfully bear all grievances against their men , stoically".

Not surprised that people are calling for Tiger's head because of his "transgression" and unacceptable behaviour.
In recent news, celebrities and even members of the public, have expressed "surprise and disgust" that Tiger Woods "could do a thing like that".
Ironically, the most vocal condemnation have come from men.
These men are alarmed because they know that it is sheer foolhardiness and insanity for any man in Tiger's income bracket to allow himself to be caught in adultery!
Of course , it is obvious that demands for " action against Tiger Woods" have also, come from those who, for various reasons ,were unhappy about his success.
In life, when you tear down the hedge around you , don't blame your enemies for moving in and attacking you. Ecclesiastes 10:8.
As for Tiger's critics, they should let Tiger be!
People can condemn others because they have not been caught , yet.
Tiger is not the first to be caught in a sex scandal. Who is next ?
But for the grace of God , they would have been in Tiger Wood's messy position today.
Tiger sinned against God by breaking his marital vows.
God is merciful and eager to forgive when we confess and forsake our sins.
Therefore he should be left in peace to make amend with his God and to put his life and his home in order.

What is the furore about all these revelations ? Is Tiger, the only married man or the only celebrity who is involved in extra-marital affairs , even as we speak?
No , he is not.
The shocking aspect in this case is Tiger Wood's incredible NAIVETY.
It is common knowledge that men and women who cheat on their spouses or partners , usually go the extra mile to cover their tracks.
Some of them have succeeded in playing the perfect wives and husbands; so well so that the truth about their secret lives was not known until after their funerals!
The one law which most philandering men(and women!) keep religiously is; their very own Eleventh Commandment :
"Thou shall not be caught!"
But celebrities don't live in the real world . So Tiger and other celebrities like him , who have been caught, are not street-wise enough to see through people or to know how "commoners" navigate the murky waters of relationships with the opposite sex.
Tiger's well paid aides could have counselled or shielded him from committing these serious blunders which are now threatening to destroy every thing he has ever worked for. This media circus will continue for sometime because the story of how careless Tiger has been , even to the extent of been caught red-handed , does sell newspapers.

Everyone knows that there are girls, boys, men and women , out there who would give their eyeballs to get their hands on ANY celebrity .
They would want this because they know they would get INSTANT fame and a mint of cash by offering for sale to the highest bidder, their "kiss and tell" story.
So , it is indeed, the height of naivety, for Tiger to have engaged in such affairs ,openly ,so close to his home and with voice messages as evidence!
Also , it is suicidal to give any body evidence to use against you in future!
Especially , non-achieving people who have nothing to lose by "kissing and telling".
For goodness sake , Tiger! Everybody knows that spouses and partners keep a tab on each other by , regularly checking out their other half's phone records and text messages .
Checking and monitoring for all it is worth!
Veterans in the game of infidelity would laugh up their sleeves, at these futile checks and counter- checks! .
Love cheats would always ensure that their other halves see only those stuff which they want them to see.
This entails not keeping phone records and any other incriminating documents lying around for spouses and partners to see!
To escape detection , what these cheats do is to keep a secret mobile phone which they use to conduct their affairs. These mobile phones are NEVER brought into the couple's home or left carelessly lying around!

Tiger's wife has decided to keep their marriage "for the sake of our children".
Recently , some other wronged celebrity wives , have decided to stand by their men and get on with their marital lives, despite everything.
But would Tiger Woods or any man forgive an adulterous wife who has slept with several men?
Even for the sakes of their children?

This decision to "get on with it", to make an effort to repair their marriages, despite being hurt and humiliated, is a new and welcome trend among celebrities .
Being public figures, when their marriages or relationships break down, their pain and humiliation becomes public and well reported.
Recently, there have been numerous such cases of unfaithful husbands and wives; star footballers, actors, actresses, politicians and other star figures getting unusual forgiveness and second chances from their aggrieved spouses.
Some people have sneered at decisions not to seek divorce as self-serving decisions by wronged spouses who stand to gain more by remaining married to their guilty spouses.
Indeed, decisions to overlook wrongs become easier if the erring partner, like Tiger Woods earns a basic income of $100,000,000, per annum ; apart from incomes from adverts and endorsements.

In any relationship , there could be low points like this Tiger story.
What to do? Storm out of the marriage or relationship in anger; shoot someone or head for the divorce courts?
That would be playing into the hands of intruders, "strange women or men" who set out, deliberately, to break up couples by seducing one of them.
In the long run, one would realise that there is no perfect husband or wife on earth. And no perfect marriage exists, either.
Getting on with it is the better option to divorce,especially in a Christian marriage, when it becomes easier for the couple to make the Word of God their guide , in resolving irritating issues.
Forgiving and forgetting wrongs become easier to do , especially in cases where the erring partner has shown remorse, has confessed his or her sin to the other half and asked for forgiveness as Tiger Woods has done.
This is the basis of the couples' resolve to pick up the pieces of their broken relationship and get on with it on a clean slate.
Forgiving one another even as God has forgiven us is the best solution to infidelity.
But this is easier said than done. It does entail a lot of payer and resolve by both parties, to succeed in keeping their union intact.
It takes the resolve of two persons to build any relationship.
What if the erring partner is not sorry, refuses to apologise or to give up his/her affairs and does not support or desire a reconciliation?
Well! That is another topic entirely.

Happy Birthday , Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, General Overseer of Believers' Loveworld and God's Precious Gift to all nations , is a year older today.
As Pastor Chris would say, man is ageless in the spirit.
Quite true , sir! May you remain ageless .
We wish you many more years of your glorious service to our God and to all men.
We give thanks today and always for the diverse ways God has been using you, beloved Pastor Chris , to touch our lives and millions of lives worldwide.
Here is our song for you:
Words are not enough to express how valuable you are to us
A city set upon the hill, that's who you are; you cannot hide!
If God were to make a choice one thousand times over ;
He'll choose you over and over, again and again.
Happy Birthday to you , our dear Pastor Chris!
Many Blessed Returns of the day !

Having Done All , Stand ! ( 2 )

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word ;
That they all may be one; as thou ,Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. John 17:20-21.
In this 17th chapter of the gospel of John, the Lord Jesus Christ blessed and prayed for his disciples and gave them his recognition as the fore-runners of his Church , which was birthed on the day of Pentecost by the Holy Spirit.
The Husband of the Church made a clear statement as to who will be members of His Church ; and what and how the Church will be like.
The Lord's desire was and is that :
His Church will be one. This meant that Christ knew that there will be diverse expressions and ministrations of the message of the same Gospel by different sections of His Church.
Christ prayed that even as the Trinity is made of three distinct personalities who are one ; so also, the Church with all its diversity would be one Church , sanctified by the Word.
United in the same mission and in the unity of purpose that is found in Christ alone.
Now there is the Church and there is the church.
The Church is the True Vine and consists of the true Believers, who gather in various groups (churches) to worship God and to carry out the mandate in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Believers are the Branches of the Vine and are found in the different churches which make up the Church.
Each Believer is a cell and is a replica of the Church .
They can be likened to the millions of cells which make up the human body; in this case , cells in the Body of Christ.
Just as an individual cell cannot exist outside the body , so the Believer cannot survive outside the Body of Christ.
Therein is the Life-Source of the Christian.
In the Church is the Word which cleanses and sanctifies the Believer. John 15:3.
The Church , not the individual bears the mandate from Christ.
Like the arms or legs cannot exist or move outside the body ; so also a Believer , however gifted or talented , cannot operate without the Church.
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
As thou hast sent me into the world , even so have I also sent them into the world.
And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. John 17:17-19.

The Church is universal; made up of peoples from different nations on earth.
Though in different nations , tribes and tongues, the Church is united by one Lord, Jesus Christ, one faith and one baptism . Ephesians 4: 1-6
Wherever and whenever the church gathers, the Lord Jesus is there in their midst because the church gathers in his name and because His Church is inside the church.(Matthew 18:20)

Therefore , the church is a mixed multitude ; made up of Believers and others. Others , such as church-goers, spectators and all sorts of people who come into the church with their own unique and different reasons and agenda for coming to church.
The Church is united by Faith and sanctified by the Word of God.
It is made of people who bear the Seal of Membership, not of any church; but of the universal Church of the Body the Lamb of God that was slain and who is alive forever more.
While all churches are congregations of mixed multitudes , the Church cannot be of a mixed multitude.
The Church must remain "without spot or wrinkle"; glorious and presentable to the Lord. Ephesians 5: 26-27.
Rarely would one find any church wherein EVERYONE is a Believer or any church where you find the "others" only.
Just as there are little foxes which spoil and disturb the Vine so there are "strangers" in any church; mingling with the True Believers.
"The Lord knoweth them that are his...
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver , but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour and some to dishonour. 2 Timothy 2:19 and 20.

The crux of this matter of church and Church , is that many people in and outside the Church do not not know the significance of the Church.
Church attendance and church membership are not enough proof that a person is a born again Christian.
Bearing Christian names like Mary , Martha, James or John and wearing a crucifix do not transform one into a Christian.
A person could be an active member or leader of a church ; preaching , singing , giving their time and money, generously; speaking Christianese, speaking in tongues , praying long and loud prayers , disturbing the neighbours with loud prayers and praise-singing and doing all other "churchy" stuff; but yet he or she has ceased to abide in Christ, long ago!
Outwards signs of piety from lives devoid of love for God and for man, according to Christ's words, are signs from empty vessels ; lives already severed from His Body. John 15:4-10.
Such people, though they are members of a church, have ceased to be members of the Church .

Like many Christians have, when doing the work of an evangelist; I have met people who say:
" Yes, I believe what you have said , I love Jesus Christ, I believe in Him and I accept Him as my Lord and Saviour. But I am sorry, I don't go to church because I was there for some time and I left. I know I don't like what happens in church.
I will not attend any church because of people's attitudes and I don't want to have anything to do with "church people" ,ever again!
I would rather watch Christian channels or listen to preachers on the Internet and then send my tithes and offerings to whichever man of God whose ministrations I like.
Over the years,I have heard of and read series of complaints and accusations ,levied against the leadership and the laity (congregation) of some churches.
These condemnation about what goes on in churches today, come from not only people outside the church, but also , from Christians within the Church.
Some of these accusations are true while some are malicious rumours meant to discredit the Church , some church leaders and their ministries.
Events in the Church and in the lives of Christians are not for discussion here.
For me, personally, such topics are " My Family Discussion"; not for public airing.
And so, on this blog , my stand is :" Tell it not in Gath , publish it not in the streets of Askelon .... ;lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph !" 2 Samuel 1:20.

The will of God for our lives is that we abide in the Vine; so that we be made clean by the word which he has spoken to us. John 15: 1-5.
His will shall surely come to pass in His Church.
We shall bear more fruit and our fruit shall remain.
However , one could choose to go outside God's will and cease to bear fruit; by quiting the Church.
If you are grieved by what someone has done or said in any church to the extent of quitting the Faith , then you have not believed and accepted that the Church IS NOT about any man or group of men .
The Church is the place of expression of the fullness of the Holy Spirit through the Believer . It is the place of strength and power for the Christian .
The Church is all about who Jesus Christ is and what He has done , is doing today and about what He will do.

Are you fed up and thinking " I can't do this , can't bear this anymore " and you are about to give up and quit?
May be you have not really quit ; but you are still attending church regularly , for appearances sake.
But you have decided to keep to yourself because you are disgusted with everyone and everything in church?
That means you have thrown away or you are about to throw away the baby with the dirty bath water!
The Bible cautions Believers about this weapon of Satan against the Church .
When certain unpleasant attitudes are prevalent in any group or church, we should be aware of the devices of the enemy against that group!
" Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learnt and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ,but their own belly;
and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple". Romans 16:17,18.

We could avoid persons who peddle non-Christian attitudes in a church by either IGNORING such attitudes or by leaving that church for another church .
It is better to do this than to quit the Faith and the Church because of anyone or for any reason.
Maybe , you are reading this and you don't care two hoots about who comes in or leaves the church. After all , you reason, there will always be others, hundreds of them, coming in to replace those who leave.
You say, "If "rebels , sinners and rolling stones" depart , let them depart!"
More grease to your elbow. Be prepared . Soon, you will give an account to the God who died for those "rebels and sinners" and called them into His Church.
You will receive your full reward from God , for polluting the church with your disgusting attitude .

You , the Believer, are God's child; precious in his sight.
Decide to remain on God's side because you are not an enemy of God!
You CAN DO this and you will not quit because Faithful is he that has called you.
The Church including you ,has been equipped and given power and gifts to carry out the purpose of Christ for all mankind. The Church is marching on and cannot be stopped in her march towards achieving the goals and the mandate she has received from her Lord and Master.
At the end of the march, there is a crown , a warm embrace and a commendation waiting for us from Christ at the finishing line.
Let no man or devil derail us from finishing the race and claiming our crown. Amen.
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course , I have kept the faith;
Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge , shall give me at that day: and not to me only , but unto all them also that love his appearing".
2 Timothy 4:7,8.
Amen.

The bi-annual London Festival of Life , Europe's largest gathering of Christians, will take place today , Friday 27th November .
The event will be hosted , as usual, by the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God , Pastor E.A. Adeboye.
At least 14,000 people from over 70 churches are expected to attend.
Festival Theme is "LET GOD ARISE ! "
Venue : Excel Exhibition Centre, Victoria Docklands, London E16 1XL.
Time : 8.30 p.m to 5.30 a.m

Having Done All , Stand ! (1 )

And Jesus said unto him , No man , having put his hand to the plough , and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62 .
A day after our front hedge was trimmed, I noticed that a small branch in it which had been cut had not been removed from the hedge. It was still fresh and green then , and it blended with the hedge . Only with a closer look would anyone have noticed that the branch was no longer a part of the hedge.
I made a mental note to remove the branch and any other dead branches and leaves which remained there.
I forgot to do this until a week later when the branch caught my eye again.
This time ,it was no longer green and fresh ; but dark brown and completely dried up.
Although it was still hanging on the hedge ,it was out of place there, bearing no resemblance to our beautiful , trim ,flower hedge.But not too long before then, it was alive and vibrant; an intergral part of the hedge.
Now, it had no business being among the other branches.
It had to go ,into the trash can or better still ,into the fire.
Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Hebrews 10:38.

The Church is the Body of Christ made of the Believers.
This is the Vine and the Branches,( John 15:1-27) as I shared in my previous blog, "Abide in the Vine".
When there are little foxes in the Vine , they disturb and spoil the branches.
These strangers in the vine cause a shaking and a tearing down of the weak branches in the vine by playing, fighting, running up and down, in and out amongst the branches. They build dens inside the Vine , like uninvited squatters.
What makes some branches remain strong while others succumb to the onslaught of the enemy?
Firstly , we need to know who we are in Christ and how equipped we are to survive the fury of the enemy.
God has given us his Son , his Spirit and everything thing we would ever need to remain successful and to complete the Faith Race.
We have a role to play in the matter. We cannot sit back and believe that "his grace would abound" and then fold our arms and do nothing.
"Abiding and standing in Christ" goes further and deeper than being an active leader or active member of a church or “playing church”. It means being grafted into the True Vine and remaining firmly attached to the Body of Christ, the Church.
To become a part of the Vine, a person must be born-again and to remain a part of the Vine , a person must remain born again , for as long as he or she is a living soul.
Being born again is about accepting "Lordship"; that means consenting to REMAIN IN the relationship where Jesus Christ is YOUR PERSONAL Lord and Saviour.
It means recognising the presence and the indispensable ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life.
The Holy Spirit is the strength of the Believer .
He is our Staying Power which enables our steadfastness in the Faith.
The Word is our shield against the enemy and the Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Word. So get the Holy Spirit and you get the Word .
Then when you do and speak the Word, you are firmly secured in the Vine.

Foxes , which spoil the vine , manifest their destructions in diverse ways.
To remain rooted in the Vine , the Christian and the Church should recognise these"strangers" and uproot them before they cause havoc in peoples' lives.
The enemy is desperately seeking whom to devour. He can use anybody or anything or situation in our lives to launch attacks to weaken and derail our resolve to stand in the Faith .
People who are very close to us , such as a our families , husbands, wives ,children, friends and colleagues could be used as the enemy's willing tools against us.
Given half the chance, Satan would use a Believer to wage war against himself!
Some people are the enemy of their own souls by the making self-defeatist decisions and entering destructive liaisons and relationships; even after they had professed to be born again .

To stand firm in the Faith , the following destructive snares must be avoided:
*A shabby or non-existent prayer-life. Failure to spend time reading and studying the Holy Bible, regularly . This life-style results in a disconnection from the Holy Spirit .
*Harbouring doubts concerning our salvation and deliverance .
* Pride
*Discouragement and impatience due to unanswered prayers regarding long -term afflictions and unrealised aspirations.
* "Going back to Egypt" or looking back at our former lives and lusting after “the flesh-pots of Egypt”.Exodus 16:3
*Unwillingness to pay the cost of commitment to the Lord Jesus by not forsaking the "world". 1 John 2:15 -17 .
* Sitting on the fence ; double-mindedness. James 1:5-8
* Envying unrighteous people and emulating the life-styles of the unsaved .
*Blatant disobedience of the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit; especially in the area of close associations with unbelievers and marriage to non Christians. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

A backslider or reprobate is one falls into sin and quits the race. He remains down and out.
Some backsliders and reprobates even remain in the church and continue to operate as Christians ; deceiving themselves!Galatians4:9
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition ; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:39.
It is not the wish of God to tempt us and make us become weary and discouraged .
The enemy of our souls does that.
If and when we fall , we must GET UP, shake off the dust from us and continue the Race! Never, ever give up. Never quit !
" Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief". Proverbs 24:15:16.
We have a Friend and Advocate ;the Holy Spirit, who is ever-ready to assist us.
Faithful is our God who has called us into his marvelous light.
The Three-in-one God is on our side . The hosts of heaven are cheering us on as we race towards the finishing line.
We shall complete the race , gloriously. Amen.

* There is the church and there is the Church. The two co-exist as one.
In "Having Done All Stand (2),I will share why we cannot exist as Christians in isolation and why we should stand as members of the Body of Christ, till the very end. .

The Insanity Plea

Recently, I witnessed an accused person leaving court with an acquittal from a charge of causing GBH (Grievous Bodily Harm).
I was in court on a different official matter. I felt sad for both the accused person and the victims of his crime.
As I glanced at the family and friends of the victim , huddled together, heads bowed, my heart sank.
Their faces clearly showed their pain , bitterness and disgust at the outcome of months of court appearances.
The victim survived the vicious attack , but with disabilities for life.
He sat in a wheel chair speechless and looked very shocked.
I could only imagine how those people felt ; especially when the accused walked free; with a swagger and with a broad grin, like that of the cat that got the cream!
He walked free amidst cheers and back slapping for him from his supporters!
The accused person was acquitted by reason of insanity.
He was "free", sort of ; free to be taken away to a secured unit. Escorted by social workers and securities operatives who whisked him away, quickly, from the scene.
He had his day in court and the laws of the land had found him unfit to be held culpable for his actions. So be it.
Apart from the legal considerations, it is morally wrong and unfair to convict an insane person of crimes committed by him or her during the period he/she is adjudged "Criminally Insane ".
But where do we draw the line? Who qualifies for the Insanity Plea?
There are numerous cases of people committing murder or causing GBH because the culprit felt the victim had shown him "disrespect".
In another of such cases of GBH, this person who had committed similar offences twice before, re-offended. Since he was registered as suffering from "Severe Clinical Depression", he had been let off the previous charges and placed on a course of treatment and rehabilitation.
However, this time around,things were not that easy for him.
He had to be placed in a far-away secure unit, for his own good. With a complete change of identity !
The reason being that after weeks in hospital, his victim survived the stabbing by a hair-breadth and identified him!
This latest victim had two brothers who themselves were suspected to have undiagnosed serious mental problems. They had been on observation by the authorities for months for severe antisocial behaviour patterns ,even before their brother was stabbed.
They have vowed revenge. Nobody in their neighbour hood who knew what they were capable of doing ,disbelieved them!
If the brothers succeed in carrying out their threat and they are charged to court, what would their pleas be? "Insanity" or "Disrespect"?

Someone said every human being suffers, usually unnoticed ,brief mental derailment of about five minutes , daily.
Wouldn't it be just , simply wonderful to be able to exploit our perceived insane moments ? To do all those evil things which we would love to do ; but for the law and fear of reprisals which restrain us? Then plead insanity after being caught!
I mean, the list is endless. We could, all, decide to have a field day with this "Insanity" thing.
Every one knows someone who they would like to encircle that person's throat with their hands and squeeze hard.
Or we could decide to pay "courtesy visits" to the shops filled with all those luxury goods and gadgets which have caught our fancy.
We could take our pick of all the goods on offer and make our exit, quietly, with the loot!
And just in case , any overzealous store detective apprehends us at the store exit, just look at him , grin sweetly and plead insanity!
There was a case of a man who pleaded insanity when caught pants down with another woman , by his wife!

The Insanity Plea is not for persons with violent and ungovernable tempers or persons who have no regard for law and order,or for peaceful co-existence with others.
It is not for those who have no qualms about breaking the law but they think they are too "posh for prison"!

After every crime,the lives of both the culprits and the victims are shattered. Nobody is ever "free" or remains the same after shedding human blood , stealing or hurting people's feelings.
The freedom which can be gotten by a plea of insanity is only for those who , of a truth , are incapable of being aware of their actions.
If ignorance is bliss, then the schizophrenic mind is, indeed, seated on a throne in Cuckooland, completely oblivious and at peace in his world.
Pretenders to this "throne" plead feigned "insanity" in order to escape conviction.
They could escape conviction; many of them have done so , through the services of brilliant defence teams and by faulty judgments but they are never free because , for the rest of their lives , they have murdered their own sleep.
"...the VOICE of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the ground.
And now thou art cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand"; Genesis 4: 10,11.

Abide In The Vine

When we accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour ,we become a part of the Body of Christ with the ability to be Christ-like .
In John 15: 1-17, Jesus likens Himself to the Vine and the Believers as the branches which bear the fruit of the vine .
He states here that the branches would bear fruits , as long as they remain attached to Him, the Vine . If they are cut or broken off from the Vine , their life-source , they wither,they die and become of no value but as twigs for the fire.
"I am the vine ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing". John 15: 5.
This is similar to a river and its rivulets or tributaries. Dam the flow of water from the river into its tributaries and they dry up.
A dried-up river ceases to bear life and is unable to give sustenance to anyone.
The worldly value system says: “Nothing goes for anything”. If you are a “nobody” and you bring nothing into a deal; then your receive nothing .
No one would , knowingly, invest in a transaction with someone who has NOTHING of equal or even greater value to offer in return to complete their own side of the deal.
But not so with our merciful God, who gave and gives generously and unconditionally.
"He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ?" Romans 8 :32
The branches have nothing and are nothing without the Vine. Yet, they remain robust, sturdy and full of life when they abide in the Vine because they receive tender care from the Father, the Husbandman.
Everything the branches would ever need are found in the Vine.
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loaded us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." Psalm 68:19.

Thousands of people become born-again, daily , world-wide. The will of God is that every one of them would remain in the Faith , grow to maturity and bear fruits meet for the New Life.
However , while some Christians remain steadfast in the Faith for decades and for life , some others ,become "detached " from the Vine ,they give it up and quit!
What makes the difference between the Faithful and the Unfaithful?
Why are there quitters and losers and then Finishers and Winners in the race of the Kingdom Life?
It would be irresponsible and unfair to give the new-comer to the Faith the impression that once you are saved , then everything in life becomes "honky dory"; that is, easy and smooth-sailing just by believing and confessing that it is so!
Satan doesn't give up the fight to weaken and derail Christians.
Sometimes, the Faith Run does become tough and many who are in the Faith today , almost gave up , at a point in their lives.
But glory be to God that when the going gets tough , the strong gets going!
There are devices of the enemy which he uses to attack the branches , to weaken them and to separate them from the Vine.
The Bible calls these Satanic tools and agents "little foxes that spoil the vine" (Songs of Solomon 2:15)
These Satanic agents are very destructive. They are are not supposed to be among the branches but they are present all the same .
They " nibble" at the branches , gradually , until they destroy them and effect total detachment of some of the branches from the Vine.
However , Satan cannot do much damage in the life of the Believer; unless he or she gives room to the enemy to operate freely. Quitters are losers. They never win.
"And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work , and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom : to whom be glory forever and ever ". 2 Timothy 4 :18.

In my next blog , "Having Done All, Stand !", I shall write on these weapons of the enemy and how to overcome them.
* I have written "Complete In Him " and "Abide In The Vine " as Bible tracts.
They are available , FREE , in major translations.

The Countdown to Christmas Begins !

Christmas Lights on Regents Street ,London.


Oxford Street - A glittering Sight!

I saw my first Christmas lights and decorations for the year, three weeks ago( mid October) on my neighbourhood High Street Gifts Store.
As I went round the store, I heard one of the shoppers asking Imran , a non Christian why he had decided to display Christmas items so soon. He answered that he loved Christmas and was , always,excited by the season! Moreover , his suppliers had sent him Christmas catalogues since August.
He sent his order then and received the stock Christmas stock in September.
I have heard some comments, about "the commercialization of Christmas" . Indeed.
Same week, while driving around the West End, I saw that many large stores like Lillywhite in Piccadilly, Selfridges and M&S in Oxford Street and many others had put up spectacular decorations , as usual. And, of course,all the shops were well stocked for the Big Christmas Shopping Season.
In their usual style, shoppers from all over England and from outside the country have been thronging the Shops all over London in their millions. Very exciting!
Economic Recession? What Recession? No signs of that , at all.
Last night's Christmas lighting-up events were simply way-out GRANDIOSE!
The traditional annual Christmas lights in Regents Street, Oxford Street and St. Paul's Cathedral were switched on simultaneously; signally the beginning of the annual Countdown to Christmas.
The lights are a sight to behold ! Very Beautiful! They were switched on by film stars - Jim Carrey, Colin Firth and Bob Hoskins and Robin Wright Penn in the different venues, respectively.
These Christmas lights will also be lit in almost all the streets in the city and they will stay lit until the 12th of January, next year, when the Christmas season ends, officially.

Oxford Street lit up for Christmas.

 

The London Community Choir and Star Opera singer , Andrea Bocelli from Italy, led 14,000 Londoners to sing carols at the St Paul's Cathedral lights venue.
The turnout at and the grandeur of these events yesterday, have surpassed similar events in recent years in London.
The organisers of these events have done a marvelous job, every year and as usual, this year, they spared no expense, at all, to produce a befitting array of colourful lights to honour the King of Kings.
May God, touch and richly bless the designers of these beautiful glittering lights extravaganza! May all the participants and organisers of these glorious Christmas events experience the Grace of God unto the Salvation of their souls . Amen.
Other famous venues whose Lights will be lit during the weeks ahead and which will be equally exciting to watch are:
Carnaby Street and its 12 surrounding streets on November 10th. The theme for the lights there this year, will be Love, Joy, Hope and and Peace.
As from November 19th, Bond Street and its surroundings will be transformed into a glittering Winter Wonderland ,complete with snow, fir trees and reindeers ; with fireworks! On the day, donations will be taken for the Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Then the famous Putney Christmas Market in Church Square will be lit up on November 27th while the exciting Enchanted Woodland in Syon House Park will sparkle delightfully as from November 20th.
The usual complaints about global warming carry no weight because London and other U.K.cities are always lit up and sparkling with millions of lights every night, all year round, anyway.
The special recognition and high regard given to Christmas, world-wide,makes this Great Season one which billions of people look forward to.
As for talk about Commercialisation and Christless Christmas ;what is all that?
Which one is the "ChristFULL" Christmas? The cheap and dull one?
In the U.K., Christmas celebrations totally eclipse,put in the shade; all other events from mid October to mid January ,the following year.
Who else on earth could command so much world-wide recognition and respect that the countdown to his birthday celebration starts two months before the D-DAY?
Who else but Jesus Christ , the Son of God and the King of Kings !
No wonder, the Three Magi went shopping for gifts fit for THE King and they started their journey of thousands of miles to Bethlehem at least six months, BEFORE Jesus Christ was born ; to present the special gifts to him personally!
They recognised that the birth of the God-man on earth deserved special celebrations.
No honour is too early or too much for my King. So let the festivities begin!
May the Glory , Peace and Joy which comes with Christmas fill the whole Earth . Amen!
Here is wishing you a Merry Christmas !

Complete In Him

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:9- 10.
Assumptions abound about how to "identify" a "complete and true Christian".
There are diverse good-intentioned counsels and preachings , about how to live "a full and sanctified Christian life" and numerous man-made doctrines and criteria for measuring the Believer's "level" in his/her walk with God.
These criteria include how you talk , look or even walk! How many times you pray, how long and how loud your prayers are; what you wear: how long your skirts and sleeves are, how high your necklines are and how much or how often you give to the poor and your church records. Even, where you work, who your friends are and your marital status are considered in the "holiness and sanctification" package.
You flout even one of these "laws" and you are deemed "unacceptable" to God (and to man!).
No wonder, some people are very careful to look stone-faced, sad, pious, respectable, humble and very gentle in their manner and speech, especially in public.
All in the bid to impress their fellow men and to be "completely acceptable" to God.

The new convert is often confused and burdened with this load of "dos and don'ts" in some churches. This demand for "holiness by appearance and works" tend to contradict the message of the Bible which says:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God;
Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
There are NO contradiction or confusion in the Holy Bible . What causes confusion and contradictions is the human attempts at manipulating the Word of God.
Inadvertently, man tries to shift the focus from God to himself, as "Saviour"; by attempting and failing to set up his own system of righteousness and holiness.
The Eternal Truth is that Man did not and does not have the ability to take away his own sins or another man's sins.
Thieves ,whores and other deviants are often advised to "get a job" or "get married as soon as possible! Do this, do that!".
But does that solve the underlining Spiritual Problem ,which is refusal to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
The futility and foolishness of trying to solve spiritual problems with carnal solutions are evident around us!
Getting a job or becoming rich would not stop a person who has a spiritual problem from being a thief or a prostitute or both.
Why would someone with valid credit cards and store cards and a wallet stuffed with hundreds of pounds be caught again and again, shoplifting ridiculous items like a tie or a pair of panty hose costing £4.99 only?
When a multi-millionaire is appointed into a government office , one would assume that he/she would not be tempted to embezzle huge sums of public funds. But is this the reality?
Why are some educated and talented men and women engaged in prostitution,even while in full-time, well-paying jobs?
In all human societies, marriage is desirable . Sadly, there is proof that getting married for some people ,has not brought the desired cure for promiscuity and sexual depravity; nor is it a guarantee for maintaining a life of holiness.
Despite all the edifying marriage seminars, preachings, teachings ,books and DVDs on marriage, the situation in some marriages are scandalous. Many married men and women engage in extra-marital affairs.
What or who, except the conviction of the Holy Spirit, can transform a heart where big and small lies and evil schemes are fabricated, non-stop?
Many youths from decent Christian homes have become "Children of Sorrow" and thorns in the flesh of their parents!
Why do people hate and murder people,just for the fun of it?
Why have physical punishments and imprisonment not deterred habitual offenders?
The answer is that until we, as individuals, surrender our whole lives to Christ, and until we have a PERSONAL relationship ( not a church or group relationship) with him trusting in his righteousness, not in ours, we would not get it right.

We have to get this truth in all its ramifications, into our mind and soul:
Salvation , by faith , is complete. It is an unmerited gift given by the grace of the merciful God .
There is NOTHING ELSE for us to do or for anyone to do on our behalf to add our salvation. God's word says that "It is Finished!" and it is finished indeed.
"And of his fullness have all we received ,and grace for grace.
For the law was given by Moses , but truth and grace came by Jesus Christ" . John 1:16 .
If our salvation depended on our own efforts and "good works", then the life, death and resurrection of Christ would be meaningless.
Then there would be no difference between the Christian and the Unbeliever who believes that his or her salvation depends on some "judgement by scale" which weighs a person's "good and holy" deeds against their "evil" deeds to determine whether they are "qualified" or not to enter Heaven!
In spite of God's word that Salvation is by grace and NOT by works (Romans 11:6,and Ephesians 2:7), mankind have decided to "help" God by making salvation " MORE complete"!
Sadly, to complicate and confuse issues further for a new-comer in church, some Christians have brought in "old wives tales", man-made doctrines and their local customs and traditions into the church , upholding them as Bible doctrines!
A lot of time is expended and wasted in hair-splitting arguments and numerous scriptures are quoted to support these unChristian doctrines and teachings!
The Bible counsels that we should beware of the tricks of our adversary , the Devil, which shift our focus from Christ and which make us depend on our own righteousness.
" Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men,after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."Colossians 2:7-8
Look unto Jesus , who began a good work in us and he is able to accomplish it.
In moments of confusion , when we are being bombarded with diverse "dos" and "don'ts", remember that we do not stand by our strength alone. We have power divine living in us . Do not be bewildered or swayed by diverse doctrines of men.
Believe God and believe his word that you are loved and you are accepted by God BECAUSE of Jesus Christ.
When God looks at us , he doesn't see our filthy righteousness but he sees Christ in us , our hope of Glory.
The fullness of the Godhead which dwells in Christ we have received by faith . Christ dwells in us , expressing through us , making us complete in Him.
Jesus lives in and transforms the Christian inside out; perfecting all that concerns us.
Daily , we should appreciate this truth and rejoice in it; not be burdened by our guilt, doubts or failed attempts to be "holy"!
" I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live ; but Christ lives in me.
The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God ; who loved me and gave himself for me ". Galatians 2 : 20 .


*Shall we continue in sin that grace should abound ? And continue in sin because God has said "It is Finished" ? God forbid...! Romans 6:1-4
In my next blog, Abide In Him , I have written on how to stand firm in the Faith; even in the face of diverse discouragement and challenges.

HIS BELOVED

Tell me who admires and loves you, and I will tell you who you are.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:10.
Our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive; the risk to be alive and express what we really are.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18.

In da House !

If you have recently, accepted, believed and confessed Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, you have made a vital, life-changing decision.
In fact, this is the most important decision you've made so far!
Though your looks remain unchanged ,you are a NEW CREATION; starting a brand new existence. This is exiciting !
I wrote in my blog "Born of Love", last week that: when you are Born again, your sins are Forgiven; you are washed clean, your slate is wiped clean and your past is forgotten.
You are Spirit -filled ,Restored and made whole! Yes you are!
Now you have become a part of His Body and a member of His Household.
Welcome to the Family of the Most High God.
The Family of God consists of His children ; born again Christians .
Born-again Christians are in the world but they are not of this world. John 15: 17- 21 ,John 17:13- 18.`
We are God's own people: the Nation of the Most High God.
A unique breed of people , a peculiar group, special ; set apart to show forth the Light and the Glory of our God on Earth.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
And I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 11 Corinthians 6:17-18.
The Body of Believers is called the Living Church , the Body of Christ, Zion ,the City of the Great King, the Household of Faith, the True Vine , the Kingdom of Heaven on earth and many other names given to us by Our Father.
In this Nation of Believers, the Official Currency is Faith; the Language is the language of the Spirit; by utterance in tongues and we also do "Christianese" (the language of Faith).
In this House our tradition and way of life is Praise and Worship.
Our Complete Guide and Constitution is the Holy Bible.
We do not defy , disregard or reject the rulers, governments and laws of our various earthly nations because we acknowledge that:
" For there is no power but of God: and the powers that be are ordained of God".
Romans 13:1
Our King and Father is the Ancient of Days, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Mighty in Battle. He is the Triune God who created and owns the entire universe.
".. for all the earth is mine ." Exodus 19:5
He rules and reigns in the affairs of men and he has the final say; for he knows the end from the beginning.
Our armoury consists of our weapons of warfare, which are not carnal weapons; but they are mighty in pulling down strongholds. 11 Corinthians 10:4-6
Our Shield is the Breastplate of Righteousness which is the Blood of the Lamb of God that was slain. Jesus Christ the Son of God is our Righteousness.
We do battle in the place of fervent prayer and we overcome , always , by the Blood and by the Word of our testimony.
The Church cannot be defeated because our foes would have to defeat our God first before they can defeat us!
New comers to the fold would quickly learn and put on the House Identity . This is the Christian's lifestyle, life values, manner of speech, mode of worship and attitudes as inspired by the Word of God. This learning process is made easier by the seed of the Holy Spirit that is in every Believer.
In a nutshell,you are highly favoured and loved! You are one of God's People and you are in good company indeed !
Wherever our God is worshipped in Spirit and in Truth, you will find there, Fellowship, Fervent Praise, Love , Sharing, Peace, Joy, Faith , Power, Anointing and Fulfilment ,Discipline ,Order; just to mention a few.
Like in a natural family, this spiritual family consists of children , teenagers and adults. They all pass through stages of growth unto spiritual maturity.
As new babes need to feed on milk , so new believers need to feed on the milk of the word of God. From milk a new-born Christian progresses to chewing meat and to cracking the bones in the Word of God. Hebrews 5:13,14
Naturally, children and teenagers would depend on adults for instructions and guidance. For spiritual growth, the same dependency applies in the House of God.
However, Christians' rate of growth and level of maturity would not depend on how long they have been born again but on how close and how yielded they are to the Holy Spirit.
Embrace the Holy Spirit . Don't stray but stick close to the Mother-ship.
Fellowship with other Believers , the Word(Bible Study and its application) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit are the three imperatives which would enable a vibrant spiritual growth .
In my next blog "Complete in Him", I write about how the Lord is our sufficiency . His Salvation Plan is all-encompassing , touching every area of our lives.
As you have come to Zion, the City of the King, the Lord has led you forth by the right way into this City as your place of habitation. You will surely remain here. Abide in the Vine and bring forth fruits of increase in the courtyards of His Holy Place. Amen.
May the Lord our God bless you and keep you, continually.
The Lord shall make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you .
He will lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
His name is upon us Children of Zion and he will bless us, always. Amen!

Treading Milk

The mouse story which I first heard ,sometime, in my pre-teen years, came to mind last week .Maybe you have heard it before , but the lesson the story teaches is ever-fresh.
Three mice fell into a jug of milk. They tried to get out but couldn't.
After a spirited battle , two of them became exhausted, gave up and drowned in the milk.The third mouse kept on treading the milk with its tiny legs and arms in a desperate effort to stay afloat. After a while, the milk under the mouse churned into cream , then into cheese. By its unrelenting treading efforts,"Mousey" became a cheese maker!
Thereafter, the poor little, thieving fellow was able to climb on the solid cheese , climb out of the jug and to scamper to its well-deserved freedom! Cheery story!

However, it is not cheery news to hear that, as at date, 2.47 million Britons are unemployed; most of whom are 25 years and younger!
It is scary that fresh graduates are now starring unemployment in the face .
More so, because just a couple of years ago,there was a sharp increase in the number of youths in the U.K., eager to further their education by going to "Uni".
Then, university graduates, going into first time employment were spoilt for choice of good offers.
As a parent, a social worker and a mentor to youths, I have been a strong advocate for diligence by youths, as a key or a solid foundation to a brighter future.
Diligence in getting degrees or acquiring other skills and qualifications to make one a professional in one's chosen field.
Considering what I know about the life-style choices of majority of boys and girls in the U.K., I knew that the increase in youths willing and determined to do something good with their lives was a miraculous answer to prayer!
Ambitous youths do not deserve unemployment at the end of a long period of hard work.
Thankfully, official measures are in place to alleviate the strains of unemployment in the society.
A degree is an essential asset when entering the top rung of the labour market.
It is indispensable in order to excel in most high-flying careers . As such, some top professions insist on a first degree as an entry qualification for their members.
Also, it is on record that a university graduate would earn at least £250,000 more than a non-graduate in their life-times.
Apart from the monetary advantage , a university degree does not confer the certificate only. The degree course prepares one for a higher social standing in life due to social interactions and connections between undergraduates on campuses. Some of these undergraduates are the future leaders of nations. I know from personal experience that these undergraduate-years connections are an enduring asset. Proverbs 22: 29.
My point here is that prospective graduates should not be discouraged from pursuing their dreams by unemployment, even in this harsh economic climate.
There are cheery signs , already, that the crunch time in the country is easing up . The economy is reviving; things are getting better.
What to do if unemployed after graduation? Faith and prevailing prayers are essential.
However, Faith without works is dead.
If you "exercise faith by claiming and declaring" all the prosperity promises in the Bible, "confessing positive , thinking positive", or whatever, from now till Kingdom come ; without acting out your faith; you would be wasting your time. Proverbs 13:4, 2 Thessalonians 3:10
Life goals are achieved not only by blowing "hot air" and "blowing mouth"!
To survive , weigh your options, tread milk , like our friend , the little fighter-mouse and prayerfully attain your miracle by positive ACTION!
If option A is yet to come, embark on a course of action towards your goal.
Not much can be achieved by flopping,all day, on the sofa at home, eating crisps and flicking TV channels or chatting and texting on your "mobo" or banging on Twitter or Facebook , for hours.
If you are short of options , have you considered working abroad, maybe for a short spell,until you get your dream job in the U.K.?
Last week, I was on holiday in the Benalmadena Resort in the Costa del Sol, Spain.
As usual, it was buzzing with not only holiday makers from all over the world but also with workers in the Leisure industry like tour guides , drivers, reception staff, chefs, waiters , waitresses etc. Some of these staff were foreigners but, one thing all these staff had in common was their ability to speak English in varying levels of fluency!
Although we were in Spain, there was this atmosphere of feeling at home because the excellent service was offered mainly in smattering but passable English.
At dinner , on one of the nights, we were joking with the waiter who was obviously Spanish but was making a jovial effort to communicate with us and practise his knowledge of English on us. I suspect that most of these staff got the jobs because there is a high demand for English-speaking staff in most holidays resorts, worldwide.
English, being the world's lingua franca ,has made English-speaking graduates highly sought after for top-executive positions in multinational corporations, both in the U.K. and abroad, especially in Europe, China, Russia and other Baltic States.
The British culture of going on "Gap Year", a.k.a doing a sight-seeing world tour after graduation; is the icing on the cake and part of one's education.
However, in the present climate, instead of going on a round -the -world orgy after graduating ,it is wiser to return to Uni for a Master's degree.
In any interview, a higher degree gives you an edge over the other applicants for the same job.
Also, while you are still searching for that plum job,you could try your hands on the many short courses teaching trades and crafts like Fashion Designing, Floristry, Hairdressing, Event Planning, Web-design, Paper Arts and others.
These skills could become money-spinners, if properly managed.
Eventually, you will surely, attain your dream job because you are a winner and a survivor. You will not drown because you will keep at it.
Surely, as the Lord lives, he rewards diligence.

The Higher Life Conference , London 2009 with Pastor Chris Oyakhilome

The Higher Life Conference, London 2009 ended last night, Sunday 13th September.
Thousands, including myself had attended with high expectations. After 3 days and five sessions of ministrations by Pastor Chris, as usual, we were not disappointed.
A few days before this conference , word had reached me about the events in the Higher Life Conference in Ontario, Canada which was from 4th-6th September, just before the one in London .
My friends and cousins in the U.S. and Canada who I had informed about the Canada conference, attended it and they had told me: "Tina, it was believably fantastic!
Be prepared for a life-changing experience in London , next week! The Pastor Chris you knew, is not the same as before! The man of God we saw here this week was hotter than before; on fire, literarily steaming hot! So babe , be ready!"
I loved that ! Wow ! Hmmmm... Oh Glory.....! Thank you Jesus.

The message from the man of God , Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, during this glorious time of refreshing was and is , in a nutshell; the Word of God in you shall prevail, always. We shall walk in the path of life. We shall reign on earth, enjoy fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore when we "remain in the presence of God" .Psalm 16:11.

During all these years that I have known him and been a partaker of Pastor Chris' ministries, he has emphasised the power of the Word; the Spoken Word.
His motto, always, has been: "You are what and where you are today because of what was SPOKEN into your life yesterday!"
Obviously, his own teachings have worked for Pastor Chris. His ministry is hugely successful.
They have impacted and changed my life and done same for the millions of people worldwide who have put his teachings into practice.
Today, whatsoever I do not possess, are those things which I have not desired enough or bothered to ask God for. Whatever I strongly desire and need, I speak them into existence in my life because when I pray and ask , according to his Word, he hears me and answers me, always. Matthew 17:20 , John 14:12-15.
He says: To be a success, change your mentality and change the things you speak forth into your life. Impact your world; change the mentality of people around you.
The tongue is a fire ; a world of iniquity. James 3:2-6 .
Do not speak evil words about yourself and your life situations!
Neither accept it and remain silent when "experts" and others speak unprofitable words concerning your life, health, your families, finances, about your nation,or about your present and your future. Render such words ineffective by the Word of God!
Know the Scriptures. You err and it is self-defeatist when you do not know the scriptures concerning your life. Mark 12:24.
If you get nothing, GET THE WORD in the Holy Bible concerning that situation and SAY IT, declare it and proclaim it boldly , continually against every evil situation in your life and in your situations. And that evil will shift! Amen.
Do not SAY it silently in your heart , as some would wish!
"Pray silently in your heart! Don't do audible prayers and praises.
Be silent before the Lord". NO !
Sometimes, when you have SERIOUS BUSINESS to attend to, there is the urgent need to ROAR the Word against every evil in your life,in families and in your nations!
Roar it in your normal languages and in new tongues.
And when he thus had spoken , he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. John 11:43.

Thousands of peolple from all nations attended the conference.
As usual with Pastor Chris' worldwide ministries, the Word of God which Pastor taught us was confirmed with great, jaw-dropping signs and wonders , miracles and testimonies right from day 1 of it.The conference was, indeed, a spectacular gathering. Really Awesome ! It was three days of joyful praise and worship.
We gloried in His embrace and we went home rejoicing because we were mightily blessed!
Revelations 5:9-10.
And they sung a new song,saying ,Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof : for thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on earth. AMEN!
God is, indeed, pleased with the aroma which rose up from Wembley, London into his presence. Revelations 5:8.
Special thanks to the Holy Spirit . We bless you and give you all the praise and glory, Lord!
We acknowledge and appreciate Pastor Chris and his lovely wife , Pastor Anita for being God's Vessels unto honour; to impact blessings into our lives and to the nations of the earth. Thank you and may you increase daily. Amen.

Higher Life Conference , Wembley Arena , London.

The Higher Life Conference , London begins today at the Wembley Arena.
It will be a glorious and refreshing time in the Presence of the Lord from today till Sunday,13th September.

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome (Phd)

WEMBLEY STADIUM COMPLEX , LONDON

WEMBLEY ARENA

Running For Life

After months of preparation , I joined 17,000 women this morning in Hyde Park, London to run the 5 kilometres race to fundraise for various Charities. I ran to fundraise for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. I finished the race in 41 minutes and 28 seconds.
As at today, the total amount raised by today's participants , is estimated at £2.5 million pounds. Fund raising activities for me and these other women will continue until mid October 2009.
It was a fun-filled day for every one. Afterwards , there was plenty to eat and drink and lots of boat rides on the Serpentine and splashing around in the Princess Diana Memorial Pond, all in Hyde Park.
Many thanks to my Sponsors and all the sponsors who have donated generously to these Charities and to all who will keep donating.
Thanks to the millions of people ; our families , friends and members of the public who lined the routes to cheers us on today. May God bless you all richly. Amen.












Adidas 5 Kilometres Women's Challenge 2009
Hyde Park , London . 11 am Sunday ,6th September, 2009