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Sitting Pretty !

2010-08-11T17:36:00.002+01:00

" And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever." Amen. Revelation 1: 5,6.

While watching a wild life programme shot somewhere in the Serengeti,I was amused by the antics of the various breed of monkeys in the tree branches on the banks of a lake.
The serene and beautiful surrounding of the lake was dotted with all kinds of animals and birds, large and small, milling around ,to drink and swim in the watering hole.
Suddenly , all the animals , including the large ones like zebras and buffaloes moved away from the lake into the cover of the bush ; each letting out cries of fright to warn each other of danger. The calm of the lake was shattered!
There was panic amongst the animals because a pride of lions had arrived on the scene to quench their thirst!
The howler monkeys went higher up the trees and let out loud screams and howls ; while the birds and other animals joined the chorus of hateful alarm in their own peculiar "languages".
The lions ignored them and without even a glance at the gang of protesting animals, they drank water to their hearts content and then laid down on the shore for a rest.
As they laid there , the noise and commotion from the other animals continued.
Some of the animals ran away; while others shrieked , snorted and howled at the lions from a safe distance.
But none of them dared to return to the lake while the lions were there.
Meanwhile, the lions were unperturbed and indifferent to the commotion around them. Nor were they afraid that they were out-numbered by hundreds of howling and screaming animals who, were ,obviously, very upset at the lions' unwanted awesome presence!
Apparently , the lions were not hungry and did not come to hunt for prey but to quench their thirst.
The family of lions sat down , confidently ,took their rest by the lake, for as long as they wanted to do so; and then they walked away, majestically .
Such is the confidence and privilege which go with power, strength and dominion.
"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion ".Proverbs 28:1.
Not until after the lions had left the scene could any of the other animals feel safe and bold enough to return to the lake.
Indeed , when the Cat is away, mice come out to play!

I felt sorry for the poor, harassed animals who had to endure this atmosphere of fear and intimidation from the lions, every day ,at their watering holes.
I could imagine the insults and threats those animals hurled at the lions and their anger and bitterness at being inferior in status and strength to the lions!
But, in this life , every one cannot be king .
In the jungle Someone had to be King; to rule and reign over the others.
The lion was chosen and endowed with strength to lord it over the other beasts of the jungle. Specially created as king of the Jungle , to reign over the pecking order of the food chain!
Lions know this and the other animals know this and accept that the Lion is king ; even if they do so grudgingly.
When the Lion speaks ( roars), no one dares to rebuke him into silence.
At the sound of his voice ,the earth trembles ; the other animals retreat into hiding and they quake with fear!
"...he uttereth his voice , the earth melted" . Psalm 46:6b
The King of the beasts eats and drinks when and where he pleases.
The King goes wherever he wants ; even where other animals would not dare to tread.

The lion walks tall , striding majestically before his enemies and is not shaken or deterred by their protests or disapproval!
"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." 1 John 2:6.
Someone has been given the mandate and power to rule and reign in heaven and on earth.
All usurpers, noise makers and pretenders to the Throne become silent in the presence of the King of Heaven and Earth!
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah is Lord , in Heaven and on Earth.
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father ". Philippians 2:9 - 11

Kingship is bestowed either by birth and or by anointing.
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has bestowed power and dominion to rule and reign on those that are called by His name.
Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords .
He has made his people, called by His name to rule and reign in the midst of their enemies and the enemies of their God. Psalm 110:2.
The power and dominion which Jesus bestows for kingship flows from His Righteousness.
Jesus Christ,the Lion of the tribe of Judah has made us righteous to sit and reign in high places with Him, far above principalities and powers and every power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt us.
"For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ". Romans 5 :17

Just like the other animals dread and tremble before the lion , so God has put fear and trembling in the midst of our enemies to paralyse and render them ineffective in their evil devices against us!
"But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." Psalm 1:33.
If only we believe and stand in the liberty which God has given us, always, deliverance, peace and victory shall be our portion in life. Amen.
"The name of the LORD [is] a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it,and is safe.” Proverb 18: 10.

My Redeemer Lives.

2010-05-08T16:23:00.002+01:00

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.
And he laid his right hand upon me , saying unto me ,
" Fear not; I am the first and the last:
I am he that liveth , and was dead : and behold , I am alive for evermore. Amen;
and I have the keys of hell and of death". Revelation 1 :18.

LIFE is found in Him

2010-05-08T16:12:00.002+01:00

Christianity is not a theory or speculation, but a life; not a philosophy of life, but a Living Presence.
"In him was life ; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not " John 1:4,5.
Most people think that Christianity is all about us seeking God when the truth is that it's more about God seeking us.
He works through events in our lives in order to put Himself in position for us to seek Him, reach out for Him, and find Him.
He is in white-hot, zealous, passionate pursuit of a relationship with each one of us.

" I am come a light into the world , that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." John 12:46.

LISTEN !
Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn!
Look to this Day!
For it is Life, the very Life of Life.
In its brief course lie all the
Verities and Realities of your Existence.
The Bliss of Growth,
The Glory of Action,
The Splendor of Beauty;
For Yesterday is but a Dream,
And To-morrow is only a Vision;
But To-day well lived makes
Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,
And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope.
Look well therefore to this Day!
Such is the Salutation of the Dawn!

Glory in Liberty

2010-05-08T16:09:00.001+01:00

I am crucified with Christ: nevertherless I live ; yet not I , but Christ liveth in me : and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God , who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2 : 20

The ability to analyse various options before arriving at reasonable conclusions and choices; sets Man apart from other creatures.
Liberty to choose a course of action , is one of the benefits bestowed on Man by God. Like any good parent would do, the gift given to a child is accompanied by a short instruction from the parent on how the child should use the gift.

When the relationship between God and Man started in the Garden, we see a loving God ; a Father who gave human beings the power to freely choose whether to accept or not , God as their Guide and their Father .
In the beginning , Man was given the role of “having dominion” over all the earth and its other creatures.
In addition to this responsibility , Man had the free will to choose between Obedience and Disobedience to God’s Law.
This freewill to choose between Life and Death was to be the deciding factor for the existence of Man’s relationship with God .
"Can two walk(or work)together except they are in agreement?"
The choice given to man was a simple one : to eat or not to eat.
“ Eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil and die ; or keep your fingers to yourselves , leave the fruit alone , zip up your mouth , keep moving and live !”
Genesis 2: 15 – 17.
To make this decision easy for Adam and Eve , God gave them thousands of other trees and shrubs from which they could eat.
It was not as if they were starving ; yet they choose to disobey God; out of their freewill .
They suffered the consequences of that choice during their life time and disobedient Mankind has continued to pay for that Original Sin , even till today.

Then , God sent His Son , Jesus Christ ; to offer Mankind a Way Out : His Salvation plan.
As it was in the beginning, so it is even today; the choice is simple : accept Jesus and live ; reject him and be condemned eternally. John 12: 44 - 50.
To facilitate Man’s choice , God provides GRACE to enable every Man make this right decision .
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2 : 13.
God has played His own part and then He leaves Mankind to freely decide to be or not to be partakers of the blessings of the Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ ; the Lamb of God , who was slain for the remission of our sins.
God made plain the benefits of this decision- making to enable Man realise the wisdom of MOVING UP from being “ just another of God’s creatures” to the elevated position of “Son ship / Daughter ship” . John 1 :12.
Therefore no human has an excuse for rejecting Jesus Christ.
The beauty in accepting Christ is ; it is by your own volition, for your own good.
No one is compelled to become a Christian by Birth or by threats of ostracism and by threats of death !
Every Christian has the liberty ; if they so choose , not to remain in the Christian Faith.
Every Christian knows that should he or she decide to quit the Faith for anything else ; their families and churches would not rustle up a murder squad to make them go “ missing ” and then deny all knowledge of what has happened to them!

A Believer’s knowledge of the Word of God concerning the repercussions for negative choices ; gives him the Wisdom as to the responsible use of his God – given freewill power to make choices .
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear ; but of power , and of love , and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1 :7 .
There are millions of “ways” and lifestyles clamouring for Man’s attention and set up as snares and distrations. Millions have chosen to follow these wrong ways .
But there is only One Way ; Jesus Christ , leading to the Father .
Very few are willing to follow Him to the end. Matthew 7 : 13 ,14.
God has given us the sound mind and power to weigh the consequences of our actions before making choices; so that the Word of God will ,always , remain true.
What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
His soul shall dwell at ease ; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him ; and he will shew them his covenant . Psalm 25 : 12 – 14.
I appreciate this great privilege of having the power to choose , freely .
The list of alternatives at my disposal , is quite lengthy .
I could have chosen to follow and remained on the wrong way , for life!
I do not cease to thank God that I am counted worthy to be among those human beings who have been given this unmerited favour of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have chosen to remain a Christian ; not out of fear and coercion and , definitely , not because I want to please or impress anybody.
I could decide to renounce my Faith , shelve my Holy Bible , stop going to church ; stop teaching and preaching , stop writing my blogs !
Nobody in my family or church would beat me or kill me should I decide to do these.
The Beauty of this Faith is that I have the LIBERTY to choose to make this drastic swing ; change to another religion and another lifestyle ; without fearing for my life and without having to go into hiding from my family and my church , for the rest of my life !
What could happen is I would receive a lot of "Why! Why ?!" emails and text messages and counselling!
Of course , I know my family , my friends, my pastor and my entire church would become highly alarmed and fear , greatly, about my mental well being .
They would immediately launch into unrelenting, feverish prayers and deliverance sessions for me!
This scenario is not going to happen because I intend to hold on to this Gift of Love which I have been given by my Lord and Saviour. I know I have made a perfect choice from a sound mind and this Gift shall endure forever .
The call from God to all Mankind remains the same . The Choice is up to you to make.
Deuteronomy 30: 19- 20 , Isaiah 1: 18- 20.
Today , is the your Day of Salvation. Decide now , who you will choose.

.

Making Choices : By Power Only

2010-05-08T16:07:00.001+01:00

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear ; but of power , and of love , and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1 :7 .
It is a great privelege to be able to make choices concerning the desires of our hearts ;to be able to pick and choose without the restrictions of fear or other challenges.
We tend to take this privilege for granted until we hear of or see our fellow human beings who would love to be able to decide and choose to their hearts' content ; they have been denied the power to choose.
Man was created with the power to exercise his FREEWILL to make choices; in every aspect of life . However God- given power comes with conditions.
Our liberty to choose should be used in a responsible way ; bearing in mind that our actions and speech affect our future.

In the beginning , God gave Man the freewill to choose between Obedience and Disobedience ; and to make a crucial choice between Life and Death.
Genesis 2: 15 – 17.
We see a loving God ; a Father who gave human beings, His special creatures ; the power to freely choose or not to choose to accept him as their God and their Father
Deuteronomy 30: 19- 20 , Isaiah 1: 18- 20

Any system whether political or religious that is entrenched on coercion or death threat is not of God but of the Devil and from the pit of hell.
The beauty of the Christian Faith is the peace and respect it bestows or offers human beings .
That is why I and other Christians HAD A CHOICE before becoming Christians and why , even today, WE HAVE A CHOICE to remain or not to remain Christians.
Today or any time , we have the LIBERTY to choose ; bestowed on us by a kind and loving Father .
Decisions become easier when your will to please God outweighs your will to please the world.
This power to make choices is always attached to the knowledge of the repercussions of such choices.
God's call on our lives is to make the right and responsible choices ; FOR OUR OWN GOOD.
God has given us the sound mind and power to weigh the consequences of our actions before making choices; so that it the end of it all, the Word of God will ,always , remain true.
What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
His soul shall dwell at ease ; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him ; and he will shew them his covenant Psalm 25 : 12 – 14.

The Beauty in Power

2010-05-08T16:04:00.001+01:00

Events of the recent weeks, as the Election Day in Great Britain , draws closer ; bring into sharp focus the beauty and glory in bestowing the privilege of choice on the citizens of any nation.
It is only in a place like Great Britain where democracy is allowed to thrive and the citizen rights are respected that the Prime Minister would "condescend" to walk on the street and speak to ordinary people . Even to the extent of apologising to a "mere woman" whose opinions he had condemned as "bigotry"!
I shudder to think what the security forces of some countries would have done to her ; for "daring to ask" the PM any such question!

There is POWER in the ability to be able to make choices , without coercion or fears; to be free to choose leaders who you think are the most qualified leaders to entrust with yours and your country’s destiny.
The politicians' knowledge that the people do have the power to make choices and have the final say in effecting numerous changes ; has made the various politicians eager to court and to please the electorate .
This is the beauty in having a choice .
It bestows power and glory on the citizens who have that choice .

Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to change any and every part of your life in an instant.
Anything short of this ability to choose freely is akin to the crime of rape of the citizens.
It is an unjust and sad situation for any citizen to be robbed of this God-given power.
In every decent society , the right to choose is given to the citizens as their fundamental human right; undeniable and non-negotiable.
The only persons who are not given the right to exercise this freedom
of choice are juveniles or persons of unsound minds.
Persons of unsound mind are deemed to be incapable and unqualified to make decisions about their own lives and about anything in general.
Children , imbeciles and mentally deranged persons are in this group of persons whose rights to make choices are curtailed and restricted by law and by general public opinion.

When a human being has been stripped of the power to make decisions as to his or her preferred choices , then that person is reduced to the level of mindless juveniles and persons of unsound mind.
When leaders of nations accord their citizens their rightful PRIVILEGE TO CHOOSE between the various Manifestos of the numerous political parties ; such leaders are saying two vital things about themselves, about their integrity and about their future plans for the populace.
One , they are saying they acknowledge and respect the CITIZEN’S ABILITY and INTELLIGENCE to be able to use THEIR SOUND JUDGEMENT to make their own decisions and two ; such leaders are saying they DO have something GOOD and DESIRABLE to offer their country.
Where leaders are on a self-serving mission and do not have the interest of the citizens at heart, they would ensure that such citizens are stripped of the power to choose or remove the leaders.

When a “god “ has nothing good to offer its worshippers; nothing to offer, except sugar-coated deceit and death, he delegates his demonic agents to employ the weapons of fear and threats of death to perpetuate an evil grip and to keep his followers in check and "faithful";thereby heading straight to the Lake of Fire !
If you are offering someone honey , which is regarded, universally, as sweet , desirable and healthy , you need not force or threaten human beings before they would, joyfully accept it , eat it and lick their fingers.
It is when people know that what they are offering is NOT GOOD ENOUGH and it is COMPLETE DECEPTION; then they resort to election rigging, to coercion and threats to life and properties to compel acceptance from the general public.

Democracy is built on the Christian ideals of FREE CHOICE .
That is why democracy CANNOT be accepted and it would not flourish in lands and societies which were not built on Christian ideals of the “ governmental love and care of the people , by the people and for the people”.
Whatever the present unfavourable values in the British society; it is on record that the political , welfare and legal systems of this great nation are based on the laws of God ; as stated in the Holy Bible.
We thank God that there are nations , very few of them ; still left on earth where democracy is allowed to thrive.
Great Britain is one of them and as such , she has become a beacon of Hope and Refuge to millions of people world –wide, who would do anything and say anything; just to be allowed to come in and enjoy a share of the dividends of true democracy.

All over the world , we see and hear of nations where the citizens are being “raped “, daily , in every way; because they have been robbed of their power to choose their leaders and , inevitably , denied the “PEOPLE POWER” to choose their own destinies.
Citizens are dehumanised and disrespected when they are disposed of the power to choose their own destinies through free and fair elections.
In such fake democracies , the governments in power are there because they are the most accomplished riggers of elections , not because they are the people’s choice.
This system of government by election riggers is a VERY PAINFUL rape and insult on the intelligence of the citizens of any nation .
Rape , in whatever form, is not only painful , its very destructive to the human psyche and it is UNACCEPTABLE to God.

When a group of unqualified and merciless individuals gang-up and force their odious selves on the disenfranchised populace of any nation ; such leaders and their generations will be judged; not only by posterity but by God ; whether they believe in God’s judgement or not.
In such situations anarchy and despondence are the order of the day.
Denying citizens to choose freely who leads them is an unwise invitation for diverse problems in the society.
When you dehumanise others you murder your own sleep.

Snippets of His Sovereignty

2010-05-08T16:02:00.002+01:00

For I know that the Lord is great, and that our God is above all gods.
Whatsoever the Lord pleased , that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas , and in all deep places.
He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries. Psalm 135:5-7

Above are photos of my street and my front door, under eight inches of snow, last January.
Last winter , scenes like these of a white blanket of deep snow were the same not only all over London , but all over the temperate regions of the Earth's Northern Hemisphere.
Then, snow blizzards caused major disruptions to the normal rhythm of lives.
All means of transport; by road , rail , sea and air became "not fit for purpose"!
Offices and schools were shut; sporting events and holidays were postponed or cancelled. Human plans, forecasts and projects for the Christmas and New year holiday season were rendered "improbable".
Human societies were literally , grounded by snow storms.
Much to the annoyance of millions of people whose plans were cancelled or altered.
We thought we had seen it all .
And now this ; massive disruption and colossal losses to world economies caused by ash and smoke from a volcano in Iceland for almost two weeks now.
The ash and smoke aided on their merry way and dispersed by strong winds from Iceland to surrounding nations in Europe!

The Eyjafjallajokull
Volcano in Iceland; spewing fire ash , smoke and silicates.

Once again , like during the winter snow blizzards, puny Man , with ALL his claim to wisdom, scientific and technological "advancement" IS GROUNDED and can do NOTHING about it ; except to wait until this volcanic eruption ceases!
For how long will this Volcano continue to "misbehave"? No man can say.
What can be done about this ? NOTHING!
Mankind has been rendered impotent and awe-struck before this display of unfettered power!
This loss of control and loss of face caused by Man's impotence is indeed, an embarassing and irritating nuisance to millions.
Especially to those who think they know all the answers.
We have been regaled ,in the media; in recent days, about the " expert scientific explanations " from "renowned experts" as to why and how volcanoes , sometimes , decide to wake from their deep slumber and strut their stuff.
Without prior notice and without getting permission to erupt, from any man !

This is not the time for guess work ,scientific dissertations and permutations.
We have heard all that talk ,"hot air " from the know-it -all "experts" before.
Scientific explanations and analysis about the earth's geology do not restore cancelled flights and airports operations ; neither can they restore stalled human and economic activities.
A challenge has been thrown by a mere volcano to the "kings of the earth" and those men ( and women )who think they know all the answers as to when , why and how the earth was formed.
What are the SOLUTIONS to this disruptions? How will this end ?
In the face of this challenge, human knowledge and wisdom have been rendered " not fit for purpose"
And like ever before , human beings are grounded , powerless and speechless.
I was discussing this situation with someone ,over the weekend .
He was unhappy about this and was lamenting about his inability to travel to the U.S. from London, during last week, as he had planned.
" For how long ? We can't go on like this ", he said. Something has to be done about this mess from a volcano ; or else...!"
"Or else what?", I asked him.
Some stranded passengers have made claims of thousands of pounds each ; for loss of income and breach of contract against their airlines or travel agents .
The airlines and agents are now hoping to dodge payments of such huge sums by making a defence that their failure to perform is due to the volcano and this is an "Act of God".
Which "God" is this? Is it the one who is supposed to be "dead"?
Very convenient, isn't it; to remember to hide behind the name of "God" in the face of impending financial loss !
Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10.
Ultimate and absolute power belongs to Him who has the answers and the ability to CONTROL the elements on the Earth .
He is the One who seats on the Throne and he rules and reigns in the affairs of men.
This is a gentle remainder to mere mortals that Man DOES NOT control the reins that drive this planet.
Snow blizzards , economic crunch , smoke and ash are just a fraction; tiny, weeny snippets of the arsenal at God's disposal to show "know-it-all " mortals ,who, indeed, is in charge here.
The bitter truth for many to swallow is: Man , with all his scientific, technological and nuclear advancement does not have the final say in the affairs on Plant Earth and in human lives.
The Sovereign God , Creator of all men and the entire Universe does.
" I have made the earth , and created man upon it: I, even my hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded". Isaiah 45:12.

This current situation is not a "punishment " from God .
Far from it. It is about Him asserting his ownership of His earth and of His Sovereignty in the earth.
For Believers ,there is peace in the midst of this chaos and confusion because our God is in control of this situation.
For all peoples of the earth; it is a call for sober reflections.
The message here is: get your facts right: about who God is .
Acknowledge that God is the God of the whole earth ; worship and exalt Him alone.

Dare to Dream !

2010-04-12T00:12:00.003+01:00

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite , and Geshem the Arabian , heard it , they laughed us to scorn , and despised us, and said ,What is this thing that you do? will you rebel against the king?
Then answered I them , and said unto them, The God of heaven , he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build; but you have no portion , nor right , nor memorial , in Jerusalem. Nehemiah 2: 19,20.

Dreams are linked to desires .
But realisation of dreams don't come easily.
The bigger the dream , the sweeter the victory !
Dream and go for it !

Dare to dream - Julie Anne Ford.
Let nothing hold you back from
exploring your wildest fantasies,
wishes, and aspirations.
Don't be afraid to dream big
and to follow your dreams
wherever they may lead you.
Open your eyes to their beauty;
open your mind to their magic;
open your heart to their possibilities.

Dare to dream.
Whether they are in color
or in black and white,
whether they are big or small,
easily attainable or almost impossible,
look to your dreams,
and make them become reality.
Wishes and hopes are nothing
until you take the first step
towards making them something!

Dare to dream,
Because only by dreaming,
will you ever discover
who you are, what you want,
and what you can do.
Don't be afraid to take risks,
to become involved,
to make commitment.
Do whatever it takes to make
your dreams come true.
Always believe in miracles,
and always believe in you!
~ Julie Anne Ford ~

Thank you Lord !

2010-04-12T00:10:00.001+01:00

" I Am God"

2010-03-27T19:38:00.002Z

And the Philistines took the ark of God , and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod.
When the Philistines took the ark of God , they brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 1 Samuel 5: 1-2

There was a grim situation here ; one of astonishment , defeat and great reproach to the people of God and to God's holy Name! 1 Samuel 4: 1 - end.
Defeat and annihilation stared God's people in the face because Isreal had sinned ; the High Priest, Eli and his household were not worthy custodians of the ark of the Most High God . So Isreal was routed and in disarray and utter confusion before their enemies !
To compound their tragedies , the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts which dwelt between the cherubims was in the hands of the enemies of God !
This was seriously shameful!
"The glory is departed from Isreal!"

The consequences of such utter defeat are far-reaching because, usually , the enemy with the confidence of victory , would not stop at humiliating God's people ; they would always extend their "victory dance " to try to humiliate God himself.
Whenever I read this narration of the events after the unexpected defeat of the armies of Isreal by the uncircumcised Philistines at Eben-ezer; I marvel at the naivety and blindness of the heathen!How dare they compare their idol to the God of Heaven and Earth? Imagine putting my God , side by side with their own god; in the SAME room ?
What audacity !

The pill of utter defeat is very bitter to swallow. Especially when the bitterness is coupled with the noises of mockery and celebration from the enemy!
" They said they had an invincible God ! Where is their God now?"
"Have we not routed them , put them to flight and carried their God away ?!"
" See their God in a box! We have him under lock and key in our shrine!"
The celeberation in the camp of the enemy on that fateful day must have lasted all night long!

But! With the dawn of day ,even as the enemy's celebrations continued; the situation CHANGED!
"I Am That I Am " had arisen ; with GREAT victory and deliverance in his wings!
Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence : a fire shall devour before him , and it shall be very tempestous round about him. Psalm 50:3.
God, immediately, began to declare His Power and Authority ; declaring His Names , even in the midst of the gathering of the enemy.
May our God arise , immediately, in our situations and fight for us! Amen.
The Man of War started confounding the enemy by first of all manifesting His disgust at the presence of the abomination called "Dagon"!
I can imagine God looking at Dagon from head to toe and laughing with the hosts of heaven , at the ridiculous graven image beside Him!
The angels of war struck Dagon down and broke him to pieces! The rest is history.

This beautiful story gives me immense joy , any time I read it !
We see God declaring to the enemy ,clearly, the difference between Him and other gods.
God would not tolerate a situation where the heathen would defile His Name and equate Him with counterfeit gods!
Even when He has allowed loss and defeat to happen in the lives of His disobedient children.
In His judgement,the covenant-keeping God would always remember His mercy and He would always arise to take the glory in every situation of reproach to His Name.
God will ALWAYS make the heathen to testify of His awesomeness and His Supremacy above all other gods; whether they want to testify or not!
The enemies of God would have no choice but to bow before Him.
Like He did against Egypt before He delivered His people from slavery , God also declared his supremacy to the Philistines , on this occasion.
God will remember His covenant and His mercy and save us from every affliction, in the name of Jesus Christ . Amen.
"Look unto me and be ye saved , all the ends of the earth: for I am God , and there is none else .
I have sworn by myself , the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear".
Isaiah 45:21-23

Once again , as God has sworn, when the enemies of Jehovah saw the manifestation of His power , they were forced to offer appeasement, to bow in worship to God and to confess with their mouth that Jehovah is God indeed! 1 Samuel 6: 1-8.
Not only that , the Philistines asked for a sign ; for a confirmation that this was the one and only Jehovah ,the Holy One of Israel, dealing with them.1 Samuel 6:9.
They got the signs and wonders they asked for!
Halleluyah!
The cart carrying the ark of God on its return journey back to Isreal was pulled by two milk cows; while the Philistines watched its journey from a respectable distance .
To the astonishment of the lords of the Philistines who followed the cart to the border with Isreal; the cows , unaided by any human being knew the way and followed the correct route back home!
"And the kine took the straight way to the way of Beth-shemeth , and went along the highway , lowing as they went,and turned not aside to the right hand and to the left;
and the lords of the Philistines went after them unto the border of Beth-shemeth."
1 Samuel 6:12

What is that situation of shame and defeat in your life?
That dire situation which seems hopeless and insurmountable ?
I declare that the Lord God Jehovah , the Man of War ,I AM THAT I AM , Mighty in Battle; has arisen , right now, to your help with great victories , signs and wonders! Even in the presence of your enemies; in the name of Jesus Christ ! Amen!
I decree that the Egyptians and Philistines you saw , you will see them no more!
The Lord God of Hosts has performed it and you are blessed in Him . Amen.

Sports Relief Mile Run - 2010

2010-03-24T18:26:00.002Z

The Sports Relief Mile Run 2010 took place at various venues around the U.K. to round up the Sport Relief weekend 19th to 21st March ; to raise funds for charities in and outside the country. Over 165,000 runners participated.
As at last night , a total amount of £31,633,091 had been raised.

There were slots of 1, 3, and 6 miles runs at the various venues.
I was at the Victoria Embankment venue , in London.

Some of the famous faces at the Run:
Christine Ohuruogu (800 metres World Champion and Olympic Gold Medallist)
and , below left: the "King", Daley Thompson ( Decathlon - Serial World Champion and Olympic Gold Medallist )

Guess Who! The Conservative Party Leader.

Becks and Smithy!

Forgiveness : The Paths of Wisdom .

2010-03-24T18:24:00.001Z

"Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves". Matthew 10:16.
In all human interactions offences would occur at least once,in a while.
No one can deny not having experienced feelings of anger and hurt when offended ; for anger is the natural reaction of any victim to an offence.
This post is the concluding part of my previous post:
"Offences : Stepping on Sore Toes".
Some people, easily, forget and forgive wrongs done to them but some people are like the proverbial elephant who never forgets!
They harbour malice and thoughts of revenge in their hearts , until they exact their "pound of flesh" for every offence committed against them.
It is easier for the victim of an offence to forgive minor wrongs or unintentional wrongs than to forgive offences which were done intentionally to cause maximum hurt , pain ,anger , loss and humiliation.
Also an offender who apologises to his victim (s),who shows genuine remorse and makes amends for his offence is more likely to be forgiven long before the offender who is adamantly unrepentant.

But what does the word of God say about forgiveness?
Do we forgive when it is convenient for us to so ; or when we "feel" like forgiving others ?
Should forgiveness be dispensed in measured doses: for "small" or "too great, too bad offences" against us?
Or is it right to forgive only when the culprit has apologised and compensated the victim for the offence?
What does our God say about anger ,bitterness and forgiveness?
"Be ye angry ,and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give room to the devil". Ephesian 4:26
He even goes further by telling us how frequent and to what measure our forgiveness should be :Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times : but, Until seventy times seven. Matthew 18:22.

Forgiveness ,is the attribute of our Father, the loving , merciful Three -in-One God and it MUST be also inherent in us Christians, his children.
A child would always resemble his or her parents. Just as a dog begets a dog and a goat begets a goat!
God calls us his children ; and that is what sets the Christian apart from all the other peoples on earth who serve gods who are merciless and vengeful.
For those whose values and mind frames are based on the principles of "An eye for an eye!"; based on a culture of revenge, murder and mayhem, forgiveness is a HARD thing for them to do.
Forgiveness is a supernatural act. It is based on a determination to die to self; made possible by power of the Holy Spirit.
In the life of a spirit-filled Christian , the milk of human kindness should flow .
Whatever the offences against us, God demands that we forgive those who have wronged us ; as we have been forgiven by Him. Mark 11: 24-26.
Furthermore , Vengeance is God's responsibility. He knows how best to avenge for us, every wrong we have suffered.
I can testify that God does execute perfect vengeance on behalf of his children.
You could think you are strong or powerful enough to fight for yourself. Then you could decide to be hasty and exact revenge on your known enemies.
What of your secret enemies who know you but you don't even know them ?
Enemies who monitor your life ; watching your every action and speech ,plotting evil deeds against you ; yet you are not even aware of their existence ?
And when you are fast asleep, snoring, with your mouth open; who fights for you then ?
God neither slumbers no sleeps; he is omnipotent and omniscient and he alone has the power to fight and overcome all known and unknown enemies !

Someone had asked me if forgiveness was that easy , then why has God not forgiven Satan and restored him to his former position as second in command in Heaven?
People understand God better by asking questions . The answer to this question would give an insight into how God wants us to live a life of forgiveness.
We thank God for the liberty of being able to ask such questions in the Church, without fear of being beheaded or going into hiding for daring to ask!
God Almighty is the Sovereign God. Whatsoever he pleases , he does in heaven and on earth. He could choose to be or not to be merciful , gracious or accessible to certain persons . His ways are past finding . Who can question him?
As it is written , Jacob have I loved , but Esau have I hated . Romans 9:13
What was Esau's offence and why was Jacob , his younger brother preferred by God even BEFORE the twins were born ? Genesis 25:23.

The Bible says , " And there was war in heaven...." Revelation 12:7-9.
If Satan could look God Almighty in the face and wage war against God inside heaven ; why would anyone be surprised that he and his demon-possessed children are waging wars all over the world ; against everybody and even against themselves!
Satan was cast out of heaven for his rebellion against God . Isaiah 14:12-15.
God could have ordered his angels of war to destroy Satan , immediately after his sin of rebellion and treason ; but God allowed Satan to leave heaven and make his abode on Planet Earth.
Although Satan received mercy from God , Satan has not forgiven God and has continually waged war against God ; for two main reasons.
The first reason being Satan's anger and bitterness because of his failure to usurp control from God which led to his humiliating exit from his exalted position in Heaven. Satan was thrown out, accompanied by millions of fallen angels whom he had succeeded in deceiving to join him in his rebellion.
These evil beings made the Earth their place of abode and operational headquarters.
Today , Satan and his millions of evil spirits are worshipped as "gods" by billions of peoples on earth.
These demonic spirits enter into and possess human beings and use them to commit horrendous offences against mankind , all over the earth.
From the beginning of Satan's presence on the Earth, billions of people have been deceived and are being deceived even till today, by Satan.
Satan , the perpetual liar and impostor appears to them , demanding their worship and he makes them believe that they are worshipping the one "true God"; when they are actually, worshipping Satan and his evil spirits! John 10:10 .
" There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" Proverbs 14:12.

Secondly, Satan hates God and cannot forgive God for coming to the earth; in human form as Jesus the Christ , the Son of the Living God.
Jesus Christ came to expose Satan's lies and to show Mankind the Way back to God!
" He that committeth sin of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested , that he might destroy the works of the devil".1 John 3:8b.

When you hate someone , you hate his children and everything and every symbol which reminds you of that person.
The same implacable and passionate hatred which Satan has for God ; he and his children manifest the same hatred against the Gospel of Christianity, the symbol of Salvation which is the Cross, against the Church and born again Christians!
Nothing drives Satan and his children mad and incensed with rage than the mention of THAT name JESUS and the sight of a Christian preaching the message of the Gospel!
Of course , Satan doesn't mind the existence of dormant Christians!
Satan uses his nation on earth; comprising of millions of demon-possessed persons as his weapons of hatred to attack, weaken and kill as many people as possible , especially Christians.
Their feet are swift in shedding blood ; NEVER in doing anything good!
In fact , nothing sets them off into wild cheering and jubilation, than the news or sight of war, of beheadings and bloodshed ; especially the blood of Christians !
"You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him.
When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it". John 8:44.

As Satan and his gang of murderers were defeated in the beginning ; so they remain our defeated foes even till today. They are under our feet.
We are required to forgive our foes as our God forgives us .
But , Wisdom is "crying in the streets", on our behalf, that we MUST RECOGNISE and DISCERN the difference between Forgiveness and Foolishness.
We endeavour to follow peace with all men , as is required from us as Christians ,in a hostile world. But God does not demand for foolishness leading to ultimate destruction as a proof of our obedience of His commandment of Forgiveness .
The lives and properties of many Christians have been lost and destroyed because of ignorance and lack of knowledge of the Word of God about forgiveness !

The Wisdom of God cautions us against those people we have forgiven, who continue to harbour implacable hatred and thoughts of murder in their hearts against us !
The following Bible verses are, all , apt descriptions and symbols of the Enemy, Satan; as they manifest in demon-possessed men and women.
"...wolves.." Matthew 10:16, Luke 10:3.
"....serpents and scorpions.." Luke 10:19.
" .. thieves , robbers , liars and murderers." John Chapter 10.
"... a roaring lion ,walking about, seeking whom to devour". 1 Peter 5:8;
"..they have become unprofitable,..the poison of asps is under their lips. Romans 3:13
" They do not know the way of peace, destructions and misery are in their ways. Their feet are swift to shed blood. No fear of God in the eyes ". Romans 3:14 - 18.
"... beasts at Ephesus...." 1 Corinthians 15:32.
These characters sound scary but they are real and are very active all over the place!

The Good News is that we have been given power to tread on them and to over overcome them with love and forgiveness.
But we should not give them easy access into our lives and allow them to wreck havoc !
God has not sent us on a mission of self-destruction by foolish living!.
People keep wild animals and poisonous snakes as pets. They tame these pets , feed them and treat them with love and affection.
Yet they keep these wild and dangerous creatures where they belong ; in cages!
No sane persons would give free access to dangerous characters to enter their lives and give them their privileged secrets .
You could forgive lions and serpents who have vowed to kill you ; but do not " forgive and forget" past offences and then put your head inside the "tame" lion's mouth or insert your finger into the snake's mouth!
You could decide to forgive the devil by dining with him ; but always dine with the devil with a very long spoon and with both your eyes open !

Hezekiah ,the God -fearing King of Israel ,had a forgiving and forgetting heart .
He had visions of "World Peace " and good intentions of forgiving and forgetting his former sworn enemies. ( Isaiah 39: 1-8 )
King Hezekiah was very magnanimous and eager to take the hand of friendship extended to him by Me-rodach-baladan , son of the King of Babylon .
He gladly welcomed emissaries from Babylon and gave them a grand tour of his palace and of all his dominion. He showed them all his treasures!
Hezekiah displayed the spirit of true forgiveness towards his old enemy, whom he thought was genuinely repentant and was offering the "olive branch" of reconciliation.
However,immediately after Hezekiah's gesture, the reprimand from God concerning his actions came through Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 39:3-8.
This prophecy about the repercussion of Hezekiah's foolishness, surely, came to pass; according to God's warning.
(2 Kings 24:10-16 )
The lesson here is that if you have forgiven someone , you would be naive to assume that that person has forgiven and forgotten the enmity between you ,even as you have forgiven them.
Forgiveness is holy and desirable ; foolishness and madness are not.
" Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine,lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you". Matthew 7:6.

There is therefore a difference between Forgiveness and Restoration .
Reconciliation is that bridge linking FORGIVENESS to RESTORATION of friendship.
Both you, the victim and the offender have to BUILD bridges to enable you reach the desired goal of restored peace, love and harmony in that relationship.
If you are building bridges through forgiveness and forgetting offences and the other persons are pulling down the bridges , the reconciliation process would collapse .
Until you get to that point of restoration and MUTUAL willingness to live in peace with your enemy ; the counsel from the Word of God is:
"The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep walking and suffer for it". Proverbs 27:12.
Continue to love and forgive your enemies. Follow peace with all men ; but get His Wisdom; be wise , be vigilant always.
Thou through thy commandments have made me wiser than my enemies : for they are ever with me. Psalm 119: 98

" My Word like as a fire..."

2010-03-24T18:22:00.002Z

Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord . Do I not fill heaven and earth ? saith the Lord. Jeremiah 23:24.

Jeremiah 23:1-8.
1. Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
2. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
3. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.
5. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
7. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8. But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.”

"How canst thou say, I am not polluted,I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley,know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways ". Jeremiah 2:23.

Jeremiah 23 : 11 - 40.
11 " For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.
12. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.
13. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
16. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
17. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
18. For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
19. Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20. The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
21. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings ".

"Hear , O Zion ! "

2010-03-24T18:20:00.001Z

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17.

Jeremiah 22:1-9. - To all "Kings and Priests" .

1. Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,
2. And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:
3. Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.
4. For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people.
5. But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.
6. For thus saith the LORD unto the king’s house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited.
7. And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire.
8. And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?
9 Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.”

Crufts Dog Show 2010.

2010-03-24T18:17:00.002Z

Last week, dog-lovers from all over the world were treated to exciting displays and entertainment from man's best friends , dogs.
It was four days of fun at the world- famous annual International "Crufts" Dog show.
This is the Pet show which I look forward to every year because I am a dog lover and , annually, "Crufts" is guaranteed first class entertainment !

The Cruft Dog show has been held since 1891, when the founder Charles Cruft started it in London .
This year's show took place in the NEC Exhibition Centre in Birmingham ,from 11th to 14th March 2010 . It ended on Sunday night, the 14th, with the "Best of Show" ceremony and the selection of the overall winning "Top Dog" from over 22,000 dogs which participated in the various dog groups of the competition.
The trophy being competed for was the Crufts Best in Show Trophy.
This is the most prestigious title and trophy in the dog world!

Once again , as in previous years , we were treated to outstanding displays of intelligence and skills by these wonderful animals!
The dogs were superb in every way!
The winner this year was a beautiful, confident and delightful dog called Yogi, a Hungarian Vizsla breed. He had won the Crufts "Gun Dog Group" award two days earlier and 16 awards in previous competitions over the years!
Winning the " Crufts Best in Show " trophy was the only award which had eluded this amazing dog .
After achieving his dream title on Sunday, seven year old Yogi,could retire now in great style; with fame and glory !
Congratulations Yogi! Good boy! Enjoy your well-deserved retirement!

Winner of CRUFTS 2010 - YOGI

Best in Show winner - Yogi - winner

As usual , CRUFTS was a very entertaining display of beautiful dogs and the various skill they had learned . All sorts of major dog breeds were represented.

Diverse breeds of Dogs

Dogs' qualities like their agility , composure , balance , looks , grooming , temperament and obedience were taken into consideration before choosing the overall winner.
Toy Dog Group

The most entertaining displays of the week-long show were the Agility Competitions between dogs from over twenty Dog Clubs in the U.K. and the Dancing dogs !
Crufts 2010 was indeed a fun-filled family outing for the thousands of people who thronged the venue at Birmingham .

Dancing Dogs

Agility Displays

Like in previous years ,all the dogs were well trained and beautifully groomed .
I have always wondered how the dogs could remain calm and well behaved; without quarrelling , barking excessively and biting each other in fierce dog-fights!
I guess the dogs knew they were on show in a very important competition ; being watched by thousands of people!
Some of the dogs even knew when they won or lost in their events.
The winning dogs became very excited and happy ; changing their strides to respond to the prolonged applause from the crowd ; while some of the losers were visibly upset.
Lots of cuddles, kisses and sweets from their owners , soon comforted the dogs!

The other group which drew a lot of applause was the "FRIENDS FOR LIFE" group.
This comprised of mainly Guide Dogs for the Blind or Disabled persons and Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.
Also included in this group were several dogs who had achieved outstanding feats in protecting and caring for their owners .
This year, in this group were the two stars of CRUFTS 2010; Treo , the Army hero dog and his handler ; Sergeant Dave Heyhoe.
Treo and Sgt. Dave Heyhoe

Treo , " Officer and Gentle Dog"

The celebrity dog and his handler received a standing ovation when they came on stage, on the final day of the Crufts 2010.
Treo is a black Labrador from the 104 Military Working Dogs, in Leicestershire , U.K.
A few weeks earlier , Treo had been awarded the Dickin Medal , the animal equivalent of the elite Victoria Cross,the highest military award, for his gallantry in battle and his meritorious service to Queen and country!
Treo, the remarkable dog, was able to successfully, detect and sniff out the "daisy chain bombs" planted in several road sides by the Taliban, in the Helmand province ; thereby saving hundreds of lives of the soldiers he was working with in Afghanistan.
The Dickin Medal was presented to Treo by Princess Alexander .

TREO the Hero receiving his medal from Princess Alexandra .

Treo ,the War Hero , on duty at the Battle front in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Another Crufts Show has come and gone.
May this delightful show return , next year and many more years ; to enrich us with the usual fantastic displays which prove that the Creator has given all His creatures , in-built talents and abilities.
If animals ,dogs, can be trained to perform like these; then all living creatures are teachable and potentially useful!
Given the proper training and opportunities ; marginalised human beings , in every society, could perform a thousand times greater feats than they are achieving now.
All God's creatures are bright and beautiful in deed !

Pray for Chile.

2010-03-24T17:51:00.003Z

"And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed , The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.... " Exodus 34:6.

Please pray for the nations of Chile , Japan , island state of Hawaii and the Pacific islands and coastal areas of Australia . Pray for mercy and for deliverance for these areas from the fury of the Destroyer.

Father in the name of Jesus Christ , we declare your names and we lift up the Standard of the Holy Spirit against the fury of the enemy in these lands!
We stand in the gap and we take authority against the counsel of the enemy to steal, to kill and to destroy; we command " Peace , be still !" to every weapon of destruction!
We speak peace , comfort , deliverance and healing to the peoples of these nations in the name of Jesus Christ . Amen
Thank you Lord , for you have answered . Amen

Please , also, give to the relief agencies who are working round the clock to bring relief and comfort to millions of people in these lands.
To this end, once again, the British Red Cross has set up an appeal for donations.
Please log into the British Red Cross website or that of the Red cross in your country and donate generously. God bless you richly .Amen.

Offences : Stepping on Sore Toes.

2010-03-24T17:49:00.003Z

Offences are acts done intentionally or unintentionally to cause hurt , annoyance , provocation ; to disrupt peaceful co-existence or to break the law .
In all human relationships and societies offences are bound to happen.
Some offences are so grievous that some victims of such offences have likened the extent of the pain and hurt they suffered to that which a person would feel if someone stamped with his foot , hard , on the corns and bunions of their toes! Or the pain felt if someone slammed a hammer on a finger with a throbbing whit low!
Many people do not forget the humiliation they suffered when they were "down" and then someone, instead of helping to pull them up; kicked them hard, over and over again !

Offending God and fellow men is not a new phenomenon; for offences are as old as when the first man , Adam , walked on the earth.
This write-up is about offences committed against us and how we should react to them.
As it was in the beginning (Genesis 6:5,6 ) so it is now and even worse, in these last days.(2 Timothy 3:1-17)
What does the Word of God say should be our reactions to these offences?
How do Christians survive in the midst of diverse offences in these perilous times?
How do we navigate the murky waters towards out goal; without sinking and without missing the mark?
"Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offences cometh!" Matthew 18:7.
The Lord is saying offenders and their offences ; at certain times in our lives , will come our way and he decrees "WOE" unto them.
In this world , there are men, women and even children whom the enemy would use to offend and to grieve the Believer ; even to the extent of derailing one from the Faith.
May we never have a portion in the woe which our God has reserved for them! . Amen.
These offences and offenders could come from the "world" and from even the most unexpected sources like from our families , close friends and even from within the Church.
"The heart is deceitful, above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it ? Jeremiah 17:9

God is not going to hold us accountable for the sins of these offenders. Or for the way they have chosen to live their lives.
But he will hold us accountable to Him for our reactions to these offences.
Moses , a man after God's heart , who spoke with God face to face; was harassed and grieved by his people , the Israelites.
He reacted violently in anger and frustration ; to the extent of offending God.Numbers 20:1-13.
This resulted to Moses missing his blessing and losing the glory of leading Israel into the Promised land. Deuteronomy 32:48-52.
Another man of God , Joshua , got the glory of Moses' forty years of hard labour!
May God deliver us from the workers of iniquity who would make us offend God and thereby derail our destinies. Amen
Even when persons have committed deliberate offences against Christians, they expect to be tolerated and forgiven by Christians .
Given half the chance , if people knew you were a professing Christian , some people would step on and grind hard on your sore toes, deliberately , just to see and hear your reaction!
We see and hear of people saying and doing things against Christians and Ministers of the Gospel; which they would not dare say or do to unbelievers.
Church leaders and committed Christians ; are seen by the world as " soft touch or easy meat"; for bullying , cheating and as easy targets for abuse and for physical and verbal attacks.
If you knew that if you slapped some one's face or defrauded them of large sums of money; that man or woman would pull a gun and shoot you first before asking you "why?"; you would think twice before going near them with your offences!
Many would take advantage of the meek and gentle Christian; believing that ALL Christians would surely turn the other cheek and say "Father, forgive them...!"
But not all Christians can be slapped around by just anybody . There are Christians who would give as much as they have received!
If you , a Christian, got angry and protested, your offenders would wonder why you were displaying anger!
"Oh! Come and see this so-called Christian! So ? You are angry and you wanna fight; yet you call yourself a " born-again " Christian? Yet you people go about preaching. Come and see hypocrisy from church people!".
Those who have offended you and expected no reaction from you , would then remember to quote Bible passages. They would remind you to display "the meekness of a lamb being led to the slaughter" . LIKE Jesus Christ did !
Trouble-makers would love to shout about "forgiveness" and "turning the other cheek"!
One never ceases to be amazed that persons who conveniently forgot and disregarded what the Bible says about offending others ; would suddenly remember what that same Holy Bible says about "forgiveness , love and peace "!!
Where did such accusers HIDE their Bibles before committing offences against others?

Some times we feel "hard done by" and very bitter about the way people have treated us ; repaying our love and kindness with treachery and hatred.
No one can predict where , how and when these offences which try the soul could spring up and that confirms the word in 1 Peter 5: 8:"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil,as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
In our search for our daily bread , we could encounter challenges by falling prey to con men and women ; all kinds of dupes and fraudsters; offering us " fantastic business opportunities!"
Liars and fraudsters abound everywhere , even in the church.
The same evils and bad attitudes found outside the Church , are also rampant in the Church. No difference.
In some churches, because of what goes on there, people wonder whether they are in an office hall , in a clubhouse, in the market place or inside a church !
"For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written". Romans 2:24,
The reward for your kindness, generosity and hospitality to your family and friends could be quarrelling, insults , false accusations and hatred from them !
Some people have vowed never to allow any guests into their homes because of offences committed by previous guests.
Offences have caused serious rifts between friends .
There are women who have vowed never to get involved with any female friends or join any Women Groups;in or outside the Church , ever again!
Many people have adopted a "no mercy , no lending of money to anyone" policy.

Some Christians have been deceived, used and dumped by politicians ,who they had trusted, campaigned with and voted for; as people who would go into government offices to "make the difference".
Before winning elections, these "Christian candidates" made lengthy, sweet promises: to turn the country and their communities into "El-Dorado"; to "eradicate poverty and mosquitoes; to give free this , free that to "my people"!
Before being elected ,they had sounded so convincing as God- fearing "Christian" men and women of integrity; "Liberators of the suffering and down-trodden masses ".
Only for them to get into top government positions and thereafter, commit even worse atrocities than their predecessors whom they had criticised and condemned !
The only poverty and mosquitoes they have eradicated, so far, are the ones in their own lives and in their immediate and extended families!

In love relationships and marriages ; there are offences galore!
People fall in love and get married , hoping and believing for a peaceful home.
But soon after,offences, bitterness and unforgiveness set in.
Are you deeply wounded because the "love of your life" has come out in his true colours; after using your marriage certificate to get what he wanted ; that is a foreign passport and work permit papers? Worse still,he has gone into hiding because you have discovered the truth that he had a wife or wives with six children in his country before marrying you and he had been sending money to them , regularly; for the past 3 years, while married to you !
Or maybe your "honey and sweetheart" has duped you of your life savings; has sold your house and valuables or has attempted to sell them?
A man of God in London, warned wives, recently , that they should stop writing prayer requests for him to pray that God should make their husbands leave their marriages and never look back ! Or requesting that God should stop their husbands who had left , from ever thinking of returning to the marriage!
The Pastor said they should stop it because God cannot answer such prayers!
One of such women said despite the fact that he earns a very good salary, her husband had abandoned the care of their four children and payment of all the household bills to her on her meagre salary.
Her complaints and pleas and counsel from their pastor to her husband about his attitude , have fallen on deaf ears.
Her husband told her she should stop complaining and be grateful to God that she even had a husband who is her "crown and her covering" . He told her " as a woman , without a husband you have no crown,no covering , no respect and you are nothing!"
She looked at her self, from head to toe and she couldn't see any "crown or covering" ,whatsoever; from him to her!
She believes God will answer her request and she has vowed to keep praying until he leaves; because as a Christian , she didn't want to report him to the Child Support Agency and Social Services or invite the police to walk him and his wonderful "crown and covering" of sorrow and shame, out of the house!

Whilst doing the work of an evangelist in the U.K., I have encountered people who "don't do God" who tell me that they have decided to keep the Church at arm's length because they are perplexed and offended by what the Church stands for.
They say they cannot see the usefulness and relevance of the Church or any of the other religions and their places of worship in human lives!
Many Christians have been asked similar questions.
One said he has been told by a number of people that if they had their way, they would lock up every church , mosque and Sikh ,Hindu and Buddhist temple in the U.K. and throw their keys away!
I have been asked why is it that those countries which profess to be very religious and very holy and prayerful; ( some of these countries even have "religious police"!); are the countries with the highest level of injustice , corruption, massive human sufferings , oppressions against women and children ,lawlessness, wickedness, crime and poverty; in the whole world?
Also ,people are offended and ask why there is excruciating poverty and challenges in the lives of the majority of church members when compared to the lives of affluence and opulence enjoyed by many church leaders and their cronies ?
Why , they ask should thousands of people allow a few men and women to fed fat on them; all in the name of religion?
Some see the Church as a huge financial drain and burden and a waste of time and space. With no commensurate benefits in people's lives.
Millions of devoted Christians return home after attending churches to homes without any food , money or the basic comforts of life!
In some countries in the world , the only time and place where people see and enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply and running tap water are when they are in churches which have electricity and tap water from generating plants.
My answer to all these questions is that where ever there is massive Gospel revival , the Devil unleashes his hordes of demons from Hell against the people there ; to quench the fire of the Gospel, to cause serious problems in the lives of Believers living there; to weaken their faith and to weaken and destroy those nations.
Nevertheless , Satan has failed and he remains a defeated foe of the Church. Despite all these challenges from the Enemy of the Gospel, by the grace of God ;the Church is marching on!
Come rain , sunshine , tsunami, snow , tornado or earthquake; Christians will keep on attending Church, they will keep on supporting and giving to the work of the Gospel and believing God for a better today and a glorious future which our God has promised us! If this is not the evidence of FAITH ,prevailing faith of the Believers ; then what is it?
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by their testimony; and they love not their lives unto the death". Revelation 12:11

Wherever or however offences come , they are temptations which would try the patience of any "Job". But, whatever the degree of offences , God's commandment is that we must forgive even as we have been forgiven by Him. Matthew 6:12,14,15.
Forgiving offences against us should NOT be dependent on the repentance of the offender. Forgiveness must depend on our relationship with God as his children.
It is for OUR OWN GOOD that we forgive those who have deceitfully used us.
Forgiveness ,without the help of Holy Spirit ,is a hard thing to do .
It is a Divine attribute and it is a higher calling from our God.
For us , there is power, blessings and glory in forgiveness.
May we receive grace to forgive , today and always.Amen.
I was teaching " Forgiveness" in Sunday School some years ago. The text was taken from Matthew 18:21-35.
After the teaching, one of the listeners asked me why God has not forgiven Satan, patted him on his back, embraced him and restored Satan to his former position in Heaven?
I have answered that question in my next blog which is Forgiveness: The Path of Wisdom.
Remain blessed!

Spring has sprung!

2010-03-24T17:45:00.003Z

Springtime is a period of renewal and of new birth ; not only for plant life but for birds , insects and reptiles.
For all living creatures, it is a time which ushers in a welcome change from the chilly winds, rain and snow of Winter.
For me , Springtime is a very pleasant time. It starts in mid-March and ends by mid May ; it comes with the beautiful sights of fascinating splashes of shades of new green leaves on trees and shrubs and myriads of colours of Spring flower beds.
Some of these spring plants show up as early as in February each year, in London and its surburbs.
They show up every Spring to give us immense pleasure .
Enjoy them while thy last.

Spring Flowers

Spring , my favourite time of the year , features not only vibrant life and colours ; but also, temperate weather. It is not freezing like in autumn and winter and not sizzling hot like the Summer months of June,July and August.
When I see the tiniest buds on particular trees , shrubs and flower gardens, then I know for sure that Spring is here at last!
Already, in the past fortnight, there have been signs that the weather has changed in London and that Spring time has arrived early this year.
As at this week , there are numerous sightings of Cherry blossoms and Magnolias flowers; and clusters of blue bells , "snow drops" , hyacinths, Lenten Rose , Scilla, tulips and daffodil flowers; which are usually the first to show signs of Spring.
Many major areas in London are lined by these trees and flower beds which come alive in Spring.
They DO give the City a gorgeous look!

Every year ,I look forward to the "springing forth" in some particular spots in London. One of such "Spring spots" which I look out for each Spring is Hyde Park, London and its beautiful array of varieties of flower beds ; especially its widespread perennial beds of Daffodils .
Daffodils, these yellow cuties, are usually among the first spring flowers to break through the frozen winter soil of house gardens , parks , side walks and wild places!
The most famous Daffodils in the country are those in Hyde Park , London.
They have a Fan Club of millions of people from all over the world who watch for their annual first sighting! Thousands visit these daffodils , every day in Spring and Summer because they have become one of the world-famous "icons of Spring",in London.
This year, as they have done faithfully for years, they are here already; though few in number,as at this week .
But these daffodils are showing the promise of becoming a full carpet of yellow soon; as they did last Spring and in previous years.
I call them "My Faithful Friends"!
( See my blog ," Tides of Life" of 8th April , 2009).
Soon ,joggers, walkers ,riders and sun bathers in Hyde Park will behold gorgeous sights of miles of lovely daffodils like these below.

Carpet of Daffodils in Hyde Park ,London.

Riders in Hyde Park .

Daffodils lining the side walk.

A branch of Cherry blossoms

Cherry blossom Tree

Thumbs Up for Online Shopping !

2010-03-24T17:43:00.001Z

Though I shop online , occasionally ; it is not my first choice for shopping.
I had this impression that surfing the internet to buy stuff was the norm for men , home-bound persons and workaholics.
Some people think online shopping is a sad thing to do.
I am not a big fan Online shopping ; like most women are not.
But, in the past two weeks,I have been enjoying the benefits of Online Shopping.
I appreciate the services offered by online stores when I couldn't find time to go shopping and I have had my shopping delivered to my house.

So, recently ,like millions of people do every day,I have sat back in the comfort of my home and shopped on-line.
After a few minutes of surfing on stores websites , deciding on what I wanted, and clicking on my choices of foods , juices, groceries and other household items; voilà! a shopping order is made and paid for ; to be delivered to me with despatch.
It was that easy! Then I had time to do other things .
A few hours later, my door-bell rang and the orders are delivered by the store.
Some of the delivery men have been kind enough even to bring the bulky shopping bags into my kitchen instead of leaving them on my porch for me to carry in.
Who says On-line shopping is not fun?
Do I intend to make it a habit to do my weekly shopping on-line?
No.
Why do more people not shop online , more often?
Online shopping has its pluses and minuses.
But it cannot give the buzz one gets from getting some live retail therapy, in store !
There is a lot of pleasure in being in the atmosphere of massive shopping malls and being surrounded by a vast array of goods to choose from.
Also ,there is the social interaction of meeting people; friends, old and new, in the shops during the peak shopping hours.
Inside the shops, you feel the joy of being alive ; being part of a milling mass of humanity!
Crowds , chatting, laughing and moving around in a shopping frenzy!
Touching , feeling and trying on the items on display; comparing their qualities and prices before chucking them in shopping trolleys.
However , some of these shopping malls in London are HUGE ; about 2 kilometres square!
Sometimes one would tire of the effort and time spent on moving around them ; shopping and carrying the shopping bags to the car parks and then driving home through heavy London traffic.

Shopping online is convenient but I would not buy shoes , clothings , perfumes and cameras on-line .
I prefer the satisfaction of seeing ,touching ,sniffing and checking them, in store , before buying them.
On-line stores could, sometimes, deliver items of a different brand name from the one you requested for; if they are out of stock .
Also, since all on-line transactions must be paid for, never by cash , but with store cards ,credit cards, debit or Master cards or all kinds of "precious plastics"; there are problems of identity theft and card fraud ,leading to theft of huge amounts from victims' bank accounts by criminals on the Internet.
These security risks of Online Shopping have to be managed by the shopper.
To safeguard online financial transactions, most banks and card issuers ,now give their customers the added risk -prevention tips and pin codes to protect their online transactions and frustrate all fraudulent efforts by online criminals.
Caution is the word ; like in any other financial transactions.
With adequate vigilance one could keep on enjoying the convenience of online shopping.
So , I have decided that whenever the need arises , the easy-option for me, as with other time-strapped busy-bees, would be the time-and-effort-saving option of Online Shopping .

Coming Clean .

2010-03-24T17:41:00.003Z

That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon my head: for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb....! Judges 16:17.

Secrets are heavy burdens which most people carry at some point in their lives .
Confession or "coming clean", is also known as , "baring one's mind or soul" ,"letting the cat out of the bag" or "airing dirty laundry in public".
"Coming clean " is the act of revealing secrets to one or more persons , or sharing our desires, fears and aspirations with others.
For some people harbouring secrets is second nature to them. They believe that their confessions are privileges from them ; reserved for God and their very close friends and lovers, ONLY.
However, with some people, no secrets , big or small , are safe!

There are various reasons for people's decision to "come clean" .Confession of transgressions could be done voluntarily from a guilty and repentant heart.
Or people could be flattered , forced , tortured , drunk , "spaced out" , sexually seduced and aroused , tricked, cajoled, bribed or entrapped before divulging secrets.
The anonymity of technology offered by phones and the Internet has made it very easy for shy people to be bold enough to "come clean" about their shocking secrets and deep-seated sexual fantasies and " hate rages" ; using swear words cursing and ranting about anything and everything , to their hearts' content!
There are websites where people using pseudonyms can have a field day, doing these.
Also,there are 24 hours "sex-chat" or "rage" phone lines set up to make money from calls from people willing and eager to call and release the burdens of their souls about their sexual fantasies , anger , frustrations and about whatever!

One of the the most enduring and potent weapons used to extract secrets from even the most hardened secretive souls is the "Honey Pot" system.
This weapon has been used for thousands of years and it is still working till today.
The classic example of a "Honey Pot" trap is the saga of Samson and Delilah.
Even today , men both great and small have continued to fall;to be deceived by modern day "Delilahs" , who have done excellent jobs of extracting valuable secrets from men.
Satan has used such women to cause the mighty fall of several ministers of God.
"Delilahs" are being used by law enforcement agents , by the military and the Secret Service as spies to infiltrate dangerous criminal gangs and top government and military circles , all over the world ; with devastating effects.
The male equivalents of Delilahs are the "Cassanovas".
These are men who use their charming good looks, flaterring words and fake promises of undying love, romance and marriage to deceive old or young wealthy and prominent women into divulging secrets about their bank accounts and other valuable properties.
Whatever the reasons for them, confessions could make or mar a human being.
A burden shared is a burden halved. Some people come clean when they could no longer bear the burden and guilt of keeping their secrets.
Confessions bring relief to weary souls and could cleanse the soul and body of toxins.
Depending on their intentions , people could decide to "come clean" with honest or evil motives.
A genuine repentance and desire for forgiveness for past crimes against humanity , could prompt a full confession from an offender to their victims. This helps to mend bridges and create peace with victims of the offender's crimes .
Also, coming clean with admittance of guilt and sorrow; could be a cunning ploy to deceive and gain the forgiveness and trust of former victims; thereby re-gaining access into their victims' lives and homes to commit even worse crimes than before!
Sometimes, people could decide to parry or escape further questioning by making false confessions.
Samson did this to Delilah before finally succumbing to her wiles .
A false confession could , also be made to get respite from nagging!
Constant pressures and nagging demands from loved ones "for the truth" could be doing one's head in; to the extent of prompting a false confession!
Some jocular confessions could be expensive, painful jokes to an impressionable mind.
The answer to this child's persistent questions in the graphics below; could have been :"Okay ,okay ! You was downloaded ! And so what?
Now get out of my face!

Coming clean ; apart from being an act of obedience to the Word of God, could the required elixir for relationships.
Confess your faults one to one another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16.
When we bare our innermost guilt and secrets to another human being we are indicating that we trust them and wish to be trusted in return.
Also, it indicates that we wish to start or renew a relationship on a clean slate; with no deceit or secrets between us and our confidants.
However , in any case of "confessing" to any human being ,caution by Wisdom based on the Word of God, should be our guide.
Confess your faults to Man and your SINS ,to God and not to any man .
Human beings, however "spiritual" they may be,could become judgemental in their relations with others; based on the information gotten from people's confessions!.
But ONLY God is able to forget and forgive our sins , absolutely.

Recently, one of my young lady friends visited me and she was very distraught!
She is one of my mentees; who I stand in prayers with concerning life partners.
Her fiancé ,who attends the same church with her, suddenly , had become very cold towards her and had stopped calling her or answering her calls and text messages! Worst still, she heard he had been saying nasty things about her to their friends.
Weeks before this, she had asked me for my counsel. This guy had been asking her to tell him "everything" about her past life history , before she became born again!
He had generously told her about his former girlfriends, how they went on holidays together, what they did in bed and how many abortions he and the girls had agreed to commit! He tried to convince her that since he had confessed his sins to her, she should do the same for him. He then quoted James 5:16.
It is very good to quote the scriptures. But it is neither good nor fair to use the Bible with cunning intentions, to manipulate people for selfish ends!
I remember warning this particular young lady NEVER to divulge her past sins to any human being. Her past sins are no body's business.
Faults and sins are not the same.
People sin against God ; not man. Only God has the power to forgive sins.
When a person confesses and repents , God forgives them and they become completely new creatures. Proverbs 28:13 ,2 Corinthians 5 : 17 -19.
Any body who cannot believe and accept this truth about you as a child of God; should be told to keep off from you. They should go away and try their bigotry stuff elsewhere! No man or woman has the right to probe and demand for a "confession" from you. Confession of sins to mere human beings for what?
There are Christians who are angry and are very bitter because they have discovered that their personal secrets which they had revealed in confidence, to some "counsellors" and "prayer-partners" in the church , are now general knowledge; in the public domain as topics for gossips, all over the place!
May God enrich us with the wisdom to know these differences and to sense the devices of the enemy to take advantage of our Faith in the Word of God. Amen.

During courtship, it is imperative that the intending couples come clean to each other about certain aspects of their lives , past and present.
The couple must not conceal facts like: if they were married , divorced , separated, or if they had children already .
But they should not go into details about their sex lives and bedroom games with their previous partners!
They should come clean if they are unemployed, under-employed or struggling financially. There must not be any lies, deceit, fake grandeur or false living.
Also,the couple must come clean if they have any hidden health challenges like sickle cell anaemia,leprosy , epilepsy, cancer, AIDS/HIV, occasional psychiatric malfunctions, male impotence or female frigidity.
These faults should not be concealed but they should be revealed and shared by the couple; so that they could pray for each other and seek counselling to iron out these issues before marriage.
Some Christians cannot accept some of these faults in their future partners ; while some Christians can and do accept them. It all depends on the individual's spiritual maturity. There should be no deceits ,at all.
Engagement is not marriage .
Persons who cannot accept these faults should fell free to walk away from engagements and continue their search elsewhere, without wasting each other's time.
Any man who insists on knowing his proposed wife's past "sins" is up to no good.
It is the height of folly for any girl to "confess her past sins" ; especially sexual and abortion sins to a man she is planning to marry!
Most men , on hearing such confessions would take to their heels.
You would not even see their brake lights for dust!
Why ? The male psyche is different from that of females.
One of the realities of life is that: while men would expect women to accept, overlook and forgive men's sexual indiscretions; most men , including born-again Christian men; CANNOT forget, overlook or forgive the same from women.
Even after marriage, some men , still, would hold such information against their wives and keep bringing up the matter .
This attitude could cause serious problems for any couple.
In this aspect of "coming clean", some men are simply, insanely unforgiving!
Recently, a man divorced his wife because she was raped in his presence by armed robbers who decided not only to beat and rob them but also to rape his wife and their two teenage daughters!
From that day, onward, he refused to sleep with his wife !
He just could not bear the memory of the horrible incidence of his wife's rape.
This led to a lot aggression and hostility from him towards his wife.
All appeals to him and efforts from friends and families to make him see reason, fell on deaf ears. He could not give even one reason why his wife was being blamed for what happened.
After a short while, he moved out of their home and remarried.
This would tell you HOW the mind of some men work!

Desires for publicity and popularity are strong reasons for coming clean.
Some people would come clean because they desire the attention and publicity which a scandalous confession brings into their dull lives!
Full confessions silence blackmailers! This effective weapon has been used by many politicians and celebrities who have been targeted by all sorts of blackmailers.
Coming clean about plans for mass murder and suicide could be a cry for help and cry for attention from a sad ,mad and lonely alarmist. These type of sick confessions should be investigated, urgently and not dismissed as "fake".
Sheer madness caused by anger and a desire for revenge would make criminals throw all caution to the wind and confess their gang secrets.

Hell knows no fury as a woman scorned!
Aggrieved mistresses have been known to come clean with damaging details about affairs with wealthy and prominent married men.
With a strong desire to hurt their married boyfriends and their wives; these angry mistresses target the men's marriages ,careers, their incomes and reputations with the intention of pulling them down and tearing them to shreds. Unfortunately ,these vengeful mistresses ,usually, achieve their aims.
As happened some years back ,in the case of the Pastor/General Overseer of one of the biggest churches in London( estimated membership of 3500 ), who was convicted for rape and jailed in 2003!
This highly respected minister of God had been committing adultery with several single and married women in his church , for many years.
I remember the harrowing shame and shock which EVERY Christian felt, during his well- publicised trial and sentencing.
Nobody believed he could do such deeds and fall so mightily.
The enemies of God and the British Press had a field day; publishing terrible disclosures about the man of God from his several mistresses and stories about his embezzlement of church funds and about his and his family's lavish lifestyle.
At first he denied it all ; but eventually , he broke down and confessed everything.
I remember my sister and I wept bitterly when we watched his confession on TV.
As soon as the first woman confessed , others followed suit to do more damage!
The pastor had told each of them that they were special and that he loved them only and no other woman! None of the women knew he was sleeping with several of them!
This lie made the women very angry and willing to expose him and bring him down.
One of them was so angry that she alleged that the pastor raped her in his office!
The first woman to confess said she decided to "come clean" became she was fed up and became very disgusted by her Pastor's hypocrisy!
She said while he was always sleeping with her; committing adultery , he was pretending to be a good husband! She said the pastor would preach two sentences and the 3rd sentence would be about "My lovely , beautiful , wonderful wife!"
Also, she said she came clean with every detail to teach the pastor's wife a bitter lesson! And what did the pastor's poor wife do to deserve this terrible scandal?
She said she was disgusted with hearing the pastor's wife, whenever she was preaching, saying: "My wonderful, handsome husband did this, did that for me or said this and that!"
May God deliver us from every snare of the enemy! Amen.
When you join hands to commit and conceal sins with others you will surely be exposed ,some day. Even when people have promised you to keep your secrets secret; they could decide any time, to blackmail you or come clean with damaging revelations!
Though hand join in hand , the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. Proverbs 11:21.
The heaven shall reveal his iniquity and the earth shall rise up against him. Job 20:27

He makes all things Beautiful .

2010-03-24T17:38:00.003Z

For thou , O Lord , hast made me glad through thy work; I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
O Lord , how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. Psalm 92 :4,5.

Sometimes , we throw up our hands in despair and give up when we realise the futility of our "fix-it" efforts. When we try to fix things; to make them look better or to put broken pieces back together again.
There are some repair jobs in the home which we can have fun doing them; with a little flair for D.I.Y.
But there are some "hard stuff" which demand the professional touch for any repair work to be effective on them and there are some damages that are irreparable , by any human professional.
Like a broken beautiful porcelain china vase , or discoloured and damaged laundry.
I have lost , at least, a couple of pretty woolly clothing , which came out shrunk to a size or two smaller; because I forgot to turn my washing machine to the correct temperature settings before starting the washing .
Also, we all must have experienced the horror of seeing stained and damaged light-coloured clothes because we didn't separate the colours before they went into the washing machine . Damaged laundry are an annoying sight and fit only for the bin!

There is hope and remedy for all things which are hopelessly damaged and unwanted in our lives when we hand them over to the Mighty Restorer.
The Creator of all things beautiful , has the solution and the ability to make all things ugly and damaged , beautiful again. Hear him:
The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts : and in this place I will give peace , saith the Lord of hosts . Haggai 2 :9.

" Awake , awake , put on thy strength, O Zion: put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem , the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
Shake thyself from the dust; arise and sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion." Isaiah 52 :1-2.

You say: " I have heard all these words before!
When will God turn around this situation in my life; from ashes to beauty ; from reproach to glory ?"
God makes all things beautiful in his own time .
He declares it and sees the end of a matter from the beginning of it. Isaiah 46:10.
Delayed answers to prayers are not "No" answers from God. Delay could be God's way of saying to you : " Wait. What you are asking for is far smaller and less glorious than what I have in store from you!"
Believe God in that situation and praise the Lord for your BEST is yet to come .
God makes ALL things beautiful for all who wait and trust in him.
I decree grace and strength into every life awaiting His beauty and glory. Amen
Praise waiteth for thee, O God ,in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.
O thou that heareth prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. Psalm 65 : 1,2.

Tribute to Pa Victor Babafemi Okpaise

2010-03-09T23:08:00.002Z

The Lord knows the days of the upright ; and their inheritance shall be for ever.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied . Psalm 37: 18,19 .

Pa Victor Babafemi Okpaise , aged 85 , went Home to be with the Lord ,recently , after a life well-spent in the service of God and of humanity.
He was the son of Pastor Daniel O. Okpaise of the Christ Apostolic Church , Uhonmora-Ora and Lady Evangelist , Mrs Mary A. Okpaise, a Princess of Ido-ani ,Ondo State , Nigeria.
Pa Victor Okpaise started his working life as a young cadet in the Nigeria Prisons Service in the 1940's where he rose to the rank of Controller of Prisons.
He retired from the Federal Prison Service after decades of meritorious service and afterwards, he spent his life as a pensioner , serving as a community and Christian leader in Benin City , Nigeria.

He was much loved and revered as a kind,gentle and highly respected counsellor,mentor, supporter and "Father" by hundreds of people, both within and outside his family.
For me and my brothers and sisters, he was not only our much-loved and cherished uncle; he was our good friend , mentor and Father .
We believe his gentle soul has rested in the Lord.
He has left a big vacuum and he will be dearly missed by all who knew him .
"Papa" was laid to rest in his home town ; Avbiose , Edo State, Nigeria, on Saturday 6th of March, 2010.
His funeral ceremony was of a carnival proportion; attended by over 1,000 people from his family and hundreds of well-wishers from within and outside Nigeria.
The four-day ceremony started on Thursday 4th March, with a Service of Songs in his residence in the G.R.A., Benin City and ended after his burial on Saturday 6th March; with a Thanksgiving and Outing Service on Sunday 7th March , 2010 .

" Surely he shall not be moved forever : the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance". Psalm 112:6

For his sons and daughters:
Mr. Stephen Okpaise
Mr. Akinola Okpaise

His Brother and Sisters:
1. Mrs. Oyerolawe Olajumoke
2. Mrs. Grace E. Izevbekhai
3. Mrs. Victoria I. Edgal
4. Mrs. Lydia D. Akhihiero
5. Mrs. Josephine Ikharo
6. Mrs. Janet Akhibi
7. Mr. Israel Okpaise

For Cousins:
Kabiyesi Oba Alaiyeluwa ,The Alani of Ido-Ani
Rev. Ben Okpaise.( C.A.C. Headqtrs.)
Princess Adele Atewogboye.
Surveyor Sunday Okpaise.
Pastor Olurotimi Okpaise
Mr. Olutoyin ("Tito") Okpaise

For Nephews and Nieces :
Senator (Dr.) Bode Olajumoke
Mrs. Ibitayo Aro (nee Olajumoke)
Dr.( Mrs.) Victoria E. Edet (nee Edgal)
Mr. Tunde Olajumoke
Mr. Augustus Osamede Edgal
Barrister Peter Akhihiero
Mrs. Mabel B. Ufua (nee Izevbekhai)
Pastor Olufemi Omokhua Edgal
Mr. Chris Ikharo
Mr. Frank Akhibi

Wishing you a sweet Valentine !

2010-02-13T16:38:00.001Z

With compliments from my Kitchen

The Boot for John Terry ?

2010-02-02T22:05:00.002Z

Should John Terry be sacked as England's foot ball Captain?
No. Definitely No.
Do I support adultery? No again.
Although , Sex Scandals ,wherever they erupt from, don't shock me any more because I am not naive and gullible; that does not mean I would condone infidelity.
While I would not be surprised to hear that certain persons have been caught in sexual sin , there are others who I would expect them to uphold fidelity in marriage.
Especially people under God's authority and those who have so much to lose.

John Terry is an athlete who wears the colours of England , occasionally.
He cannot make policy statements on behalf of his country.
He is not a politician , government official or a Christian clergyman who occupy positions of trust and are expected to abide by strict moral codes.
If John cheated on his wife , that is their private problem and business ; to be sorted out quietly , behind closed doors or , if the two of them so wish , as a free-for-all brawl in the full public glare!
How does his cheating on his wife affect his performance as a star footballer or his position as England Captain?
Is England a squeaky-clean country with high moral standards whose football captain must be a spotless saint or knight in shiny armour?
Since when did we start expecting high moral standards from football stars and other celebrities before we can accept and enjoy the entertainment they give us?
If a precedent is laid whereby every one who is caught in adultery is skinned , quartered and hung to dry ; who will be left standing?
Only those who are innocent and those who HAVE NOT been caught .
Let him who has no sin cast the first stone! John 8:7.

John Terry has performed his duties as a top English footballer , excellently.
Is this the first time he would cheat on his wife?
Only he knows the answer to that because up till now , he had not been found out.
Whatever. Cheating or not cheating. Who cares?
So far, we know that John Terry ,"Terry the Untouchable " , has been a star professional who has maintained a comparably dignified life-style on and off the pitch.
Although , I am not a Chelsea Fan ,Terry's composure and achievements have earned him my admiration and that of Chelsea Club management and millions of fans world wide.
His popularity and professionalism earned him the England captaincy, not his fidelity to his marital vows.
For the above reasons, millions of Britons support that he should remain as England Captain.
For all this public opinion is worth, this being England, I suspect that there will be pressures to "do what is right" and John could lose the England Captaincy.
John Terry's sponsors would also want to keep their images clean ; so he could lose millions in sponsorship deals.

Some columnists wrote that Terry "is a low-down cheat who has betrayed the trust reposed on him and he is a poor role model for the young who look up to him!"
PAW-LEA-SE! Don't make me laugh!
Betrayed whose trust? Role model to which youth?
Don't even mention it! Don't even go there!
The youths look up to him for his skills and ENTERTAINMENT which he gives them as a footballer and not as a role model.
Some of the youth in the U.K. cannot be " role-modelled" by anyone . They have a mind of their own and they are a law unto themselves!
There are stuff about sex and wild living which young persons (even as young as 8 to 12 year-old ) in this country know and engage in which would shock experienced adults like John Terry and his group of eminent friends into stunned silence !
Stuff that would make any self - styled "role model" faint from shock .

As usual , those who would laugh to the bank in this mess are the "Kiss -and-Tell Mistress", the publicist Max Clifford and the gutter press.
This further confirms that there are women who embark on a revenge mission and would derive pleasure from destroying what they cannot possess.
Women and men who have made it a lifestyle to hunt down celebrities are watching and praying for their next big catch to kiss and tell.
The press and other scavengers stand to gain a lot by fanning the flames of any sex scandal and blowing it out of proportion . The hotter the scandal , the more newspapers are sold.
Two months ago , it was all about Tiger Woods and his "transgressions" .
Last month it was the shocking sexual scandal about 60 year-old Mrs.Iris Robinson, top female politician in N.Ireland and evangelical Christian , embroiled in a love affair with a 19 year-old boy ! This scandal has derailed and wrecked her decades-old career as Member of Parliament and her husband , Peter's laudable political career as First Minister of N.Ireland! She has resigned and her husband's position is suspended

I wrote in my blog "Tiger Woods: Getting on With" on 12/12/09 that not only Tiger Woods is guilty ; but that hundreds of other celebrities and millions of " commoners" are cheating on their wives and husbands but they have succeeded in covering their tracks and have not been caught , yet.
As with every secret , there is a Day of Revelation.
Today , the heat is on John Terry .
Who next?
Would married men (and married women )learn from these and previous scandals and keep their pants up , especially when they have so much to lose?
I don't think so .

Your Body is His Vehicle.

2010-02-02T21:57:00.003Z

What would you call someone who goes to sleep or goes on a long journey but leaves his house gates, doors and windows unsecured after raising his hands to the heavens to pray and decree that "all is well and all will be well!"
What would happen to such unsecured compound during his/her absence?
"Who would do a thing like that?" You may ask.
Well, who would fail to take proper care of his or her body?

The extent people go to secure their lives and property is commendable.
Some people live in fortresses; complete with twelve-foot high walls and electronically controlled steel and iron gates!
Nowadays, not only homes but offices and churches are secured behind high walls, iron bars and steel gates.
We take extra care to lock up our valuables in steel cabinets and safes.
Some people who can afford it ,do not venture outside or move around without being guarded by armed body guards and all sorts of "minders".
The Age we live in demands such extra care and security.

Surprisingly ,while some people employ adequate security for their lives and properties; they turn up their noses at any suggestions of relaxation and medical care.
All humans need healthy bodies to function effectively here on earth.
The human body is the covering and it is the vehicle which the Inner Man resides in and uses to operate on Earth.
When the body is destroyed , the human being bids farewell to this world.
We are Custodians of our bodies which were wonderfully made by the Creator so that we can express his will here on earth through our soul and spirit which reside in our bodies . Romans 6:13.
When we yield our earthly vehicles or our members to Him , they should be in top form ; not only spiritually but also physically.

Often we forget to "listen" to our bodies and we fail to pay attention to the fact that caring for the human body is as important as feeding our human minds and spirits.
When did you last find time to stand before a mirror and take a good look at your body ; checking every inch from your hair to your toes?
Our bodies do speak to us; sending warning signals when we are not treating our bodies right. They give us commendation signals when we are in top form.
Just the same way as we receive messages from our minds (soul) and spirit.
When our bodies are not in top form , we can tell.
But knowing something and doing something about it ,are two different issues.
Apart from the regular outward dressing up , cosmetic grooming and preening; our bodies also need regular exercise, a daily healthy intake of good food and drink; and regular medical check-ups.

Prolonged " spiritual exercises" like fasting , praying, darting non-stop, from one corner of the world to another, north to east; west to north , preaching the Gospel and doing great exploits for our God are glorious pursuits.
But if and when done in excess ,they take their toll on any human body.
While we hold on to the promise in Isaiah 40: 29-31; we should not forget that God created days of rest for our bodies. Occasional periods of rest is our just reward.
For some people , doing stuff like taking a holiday to relax is inconceivable.
They would argue that one should " not give room to Satan by embracing infirmities and engaging in sinful pastimes of worldliness, laziness, hedonism and the pride of life!".
However, many destinies have been derailed and truncated by avoidable diseases and death.
Millions are suffering from ill-health and millions have died due to careless use of their God-given bodies.
Ignorance, heretic doctrines and poverty are taking their toll on human bodies and lives.
There is a finality about dead bodies .
Broken,diseased or dead bodies are like broken down vehicles which are stagnant and are of no use to anybody. They cannot and do not glorify God.
"The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence". Psalm 115:17.

Men are more unwilling than women to pay attention to their bodies and general health.
Early this month , I was distraught to hear that a beloved man of God and one of my Fathers in the Lord, collapsed as he was leaving home to honour a preaching engagement.
Those of us who know him and his hectic and tight schedule, knew that he collapsed simply because his body succumbed to sheer exhaustion !
But not so, for some people.Even in his church, gossips called him all sorts of names and cited all sorts of suspicions as reasons for his fainting fit.
While outside the Church ,God's enemies had a field day boasting about bringing him down by "releasing incantations and enchantments" into the crusade venue!
Now, he has agreed, at last, to cancel all his engagements and come to the U.K., for a well-deserved one-month holiday.
Hopefully , he will consent to complete rest and medical attention during his holiday. Thank God he didn't die.
In the past, Satan and his agents have been heard thumping their chests and boasting ("We got him " or "We got her"!) ; whenever they heard of the sudden death of servants of the living God .
May God deliver His Church from every thing which will bring reproach to His name . Amen.

Thank God for Divine health which encompasses both our physical and spiritual well-being. This is our portion , as Believers.
God knew that at a point in our lives , we would need healing in our physical bodies. He has made provisions for our healing by giving us His Word as well as giving knowledge and power to researchers and physicians to recognise and use the proper herbs , chemicals and technologies for producing remarkable medications and other inventions to aid our healings and deliverance from numerous diseases and infirmities.
There are diverse reasons and causes ; (spiritual, emotional and physiological and viral infections); for the variety of ailments and infirmities which plague the human body and mind.
Just as there are different types of ailments and afflictions ,so there are different types of healings for them.
Healings for some of these diseases could be, solely, by spiritual or faith healing .
"Howbeit, this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting". Matthew 17:21
While some others would require the application of both faith healing and medical science.
Neglecting our bodies, rejecting faith healing and medical science are the same attitude as going on a long journey and failing to secure our homes and our valuables !
Then, we would give the Thief ample opportunity to move in ; to steal , to kill and to destroy. John 10:10

Coping with Stress.

2010-02-02T21:52:00.002Z

Good health is an indication of a balance in the human body .
It is a proof that the various facets of the human entity; the spirit , the soul (the mind , intellect and emotions) and the body are correctly aligned .
This balance , or harmony , is evidenced in a sense of well – being , characterised by a high–level of energy , a zest for life ( a merry heart!) with a calm confidence that no mountain is too high to climb.
Malfunction sets in when this harmony between the spirit , soul and body is upturned.

Stress and fatigue are our bodies' ways of letting us know that we are doing something which is not good for our health .
Due to the hustle and bustle of daily living , most people just go on pushing themselves ; to meet up with the rat race.
This striving causes fatigue and anxieties.
Stress is an indication that a person’s energy is being overstretched in excessive concentration on some facets of life to the detriment of others .
When there is a “pull for attention” from the different areas ,as in a tug-of-war; tautness and tension results in the body and mind .
Then stress and fatigue sets in.
Stress is a silent killer and is usually a precursor to heart and mental disorders.
Some of the unpleasant symptons of stress and fatigue are:
Depression, low self –esteem ,persistent feeling of tiredness, migraines, poor concentration , poor memory , sleeplessness, short temper and inability to perform even basic tasks which the person used to do before.
These are the mildest signs of stress in a person.
Stress- sufferers are aggressive and blame everyone for their misfortunes.
Acute stress causes alcohol dependancy, stimulants and drug abuse, schizophrenia ,high blood pressure , heart and mental disorders , suicide and even murder.
Attempting to alleviate stress by resorting to substance or drug abuse leads a person into a vicious cycle. Stress induces cravings for stimulants abuse and the latter brings on additional stress which demands for more drug abuse!

Common stress- triggers are fear, unanswered prayers, anxiety, anger, distress, helplessness, work – related pressures and even heartbreak caused by relationships break down.
Financial burdens ,losses and huge debts are challenges faced by many people, which have crippled countless lofty dreams and resulted in acute stress for millions of people.
The greater the fall in revenue, the greater the risk that the loser would suffer from acute stress.
Crime ,noise, traffic jams, bullying and receiving constant nagging and criticisms are major irritants which could bring on stress.
Other major causes of stress are guilt , failed expectations , terminal diseases and bereavement.
Stress also results from planning and executing a major event, from excessive multi-tasking and competitiveness .

A major underlining factor for stress is Envy.
There are persons who are stressed up because they do not want to see or hear of the the good-fortune of others.
Deep-seated hatred and resentment towards persons who are more successful and who possess what the stress - sufferer desires but cannot attain are destructive maladies.
Persons filled the spirits of Envy and Bitterness are some of the most unpleasant and destructive persons to live, work or socialise with.
Envy is the root of the evils of slander, witchcraft, sorcery and murder.
Inevitably, envy , bitterness and unforgiveness poison the mind and body ;they gnaw on the sufferer's guts and heart resulting in ulcers and acute hypertension .
The Holy Bible describes envy as " the rottenness of bones ". Proverbs 14:30.

From the above , it is apparent that stress must be recognised and treated with dispatch .
The causes , effects and treatment of stress is a vast topic .
Space allows me to state that whatever the cause and level of stress and fatigue; the first step in coping with stress and fatigue is to accept that; it makes for a calmer life if you realise that there are certain things , situations and persons which you can change and there are others which you cannot change .
In order to maintain a fulfilling , stress-free life , you would need to change what you put into your life , into your body and into mind .
Then and only after then , would you change how you feel , what you think and how you look .
You should be your own best friend by taking your life in your hands and making necessary amends.
You cannot run away from your demons. You have to confront them and deal with them.
If refuse to deal with them , sweep them under the carpet , go on a long holiday or on a drinking and drug-popping spree; when you return , they will be there waiting for you and they will welcome you with a warm smile!

The stress-sufferer must act or seek expert counselling to be relieved of stress.
To maintain equilibrium , one has to remove all stress-causers by self-help and by seeking spiritual , medical , financial and legal advice .
If you are your own problem-causer and your attitude has brought stress into your life; then personal life style changes are necessary .
The best way to identify your stress-inducing attitude and to realise the harm they are doing to you and people close to you ,is to ask your family and trusted friends to write you anonymous notes , detailing your bad points.
Trust me , they will tell you exactly what they think you are doing wrong!

To maintain the good changes you have made in your life, you would need the help and counsel of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit .
Stressful periods are when we enjoy the benefits of a life of prayer and faith in God.
Prayer, prevailing prayer is an infallible stress-burster.
Take the stress – inducing challenges to Him for direction and peace of mind.
This close relationship with the Holy Spirit should be maintained , not only in times of stress but after the end of it.
Failure to receive continuous spiritual help would lead to a return to stressful living.
Also ,during your recovering process, decide to love and pamper yourself back to a state of all – round good health.
If you don't do this for yourself, nobody would do it for you.
Say good and nice things to yourself, daily.
Keep away from stressed-up persons who have refused to deal with their stress.
Get involved and interact with profitable people.
Exercise regularly. Give yourself a treat.
Why? Because you deserve it!
Retail therapy, beauty treatment , sauna and full–body massage with warm aromatic oils do wonders to relieve stress and fatigue .
Most of all , know when to stop and take a break from your normal routine.
Occasionally, go for a well- deserved holiday.
Have a stress –free day and a stress-free life!

I am Excited and Expectant !

2010-02-02T21:49:00.001Z

Welcome to 2010 ! Happy New Year !
Here is wishing you and your loved ones a glorious year . Amen.
I believe you've had a pleasant holiday with your family and friends as I have .
As usual , we all have started the year with great expectations.
I can feel the excitement in the air and in my spirit!
I am excited because I know that great things are in store for me this year.
I know I am in a permanent relationship with the Great Giver and the Lover of my soul.
In 2009 , God caused the lot to fall for me in pleasant places.
He has promised to give me my heart's desire, so that I can say:
" This is the Lord's doing ,and it is marvellous in our eyes!"
Mark 12 : 11
So, like last year, I have drawn up my "Must Have" List.
You know what? Greedy me ! Like a spoilt child, I expect my Father to supply every desire I have listed for 2010 as well; because he did exactly that for me ,last year.
I have the assurance that he will be beautiful for situation, as usual, in 2010.
What a mighty God we serve !
" Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is
no variableness , neither shadow of turning". James 1:17
Are you living the life in him ? Have you given him your list,yet?
Taste the Lord and see that the Lord is good.

Wake Up and Smell The Coffee !

2010-02-02T21:45:00.002Z

Have you caught the bug ?
There is this tendency for people to do a complete annual re-organisation and redecoration of their homes, just before Christmas and to usher in the New Year.
These "make-overs" would entail a lot sorting-out, dusting, cleaning, painting and decorating.
Changing wardrobes, home furniture and fittings for new and latest one is fashionable.
Apart from the delicious food , desserts and drinks ;the latest clothes, shoes , bags, home gadgets, equipment, electronics and even cars, do add some spice to life during the festive season.
Everyone knows the joy of opening our Christmas presents and finding therein, exactly what we wanted and dreamed of receiving as gifts from our loved ones; you know, the perfect dress, shoe, parfum , jewellery, iPods , DVD, or whatever!
And the pleasure which a shopping trip gives the entire family is immense!
This is the season for : "Out with the old , in with the new and the latest!".

Everybody knows this and don't the shops and stores know this? They sure do!
This is the time for them to tempt us with all those fantastic bargains and offers which keep us shopping for more and more , because every body loves a bargain.
For Londoners, the shopping spree is not only at Christmas but all through the year.
The January sales is now the talk of the town. It starts on Monday January 4th.
It is amazing that thousands of people are willing and passionate enough to queue up in the freezing cold, from night till early morning when the shops open.
So that they would be among the first group to rush in for the best bargains.

For some people , this "redecoration" is all encompassing. They extend it to touch every area of their lives which needs a special touch.
Included in the redecoration list are "failed projects" at work, in business and in personal relationships.
When we need a new wardrobe, home or car , we could shop around for replacements.
There are certain things in life which we cannot shop around for.
When they fail to meet our expectations, we work at restoring them; we seek help , believe and pray for changes in those situations.
When you are not fulfilled and fruitful in ministry ; what do you do but pray and press on.
When a business plan which you have invested so much time , prayers, efforts and money in , remains unproductive, what can you do?
Then you know , maybe , it is time to re-assess and it is time to try a new approach to your business goals. Or even to drop the idea for something better.

However, for every one, there comes a time when we wake up, one fine morning and smell the coffee.
When we, inevitably, come to the conclusion that something is not right ,is not good enough, or is not working. It just has to go .
This is the time of year for "New Year resolutions".
These are , usually born out of a deep realisation that we do not need certain clutter or stress in our lives and so we have to effect drastic changes of direction.
Some people do keep these " New Year resolutions" and never go back to square one.
Their testimonies ,usually ,are that their lives changed for good when they stuck to their "New Year Resolutions".
May this be our testimony in the new year as we hand over our lives and situations to Jesus Christ who makes all things beautiful.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me : your mercy O Lord, endures for ever:
forsake not the works of thine own hands . Psalms 138:8.
The best life-style is not one that is based on these endless year-end resolutions ( which are soon discarded , anyway!); but a life that relies on a Relationship with the Giver of Abundant Life.

Let's face it, there are loads of "stuff" we do, places we go to and there are some people we are connected to, who we have to do away with.
Wake up and smell the coffee! There are certain things and certain people who will not budge and will not change to conform to our expectations or to the norm.
We should not, even pray to retain such "stress-inducers" in our lives, at all.
Why? Because WE KNOW that, they are not good for us and they DO NOT enrich or bless our lives, in any way.
So these have to go OUT with the old year and be kept out of your life , thereafter, for our own good!
It could be very painful to do this and one would need a mean and hard heart to do this periodic life re-organisations.
But we've got to be strong and resolute to overcome "bad habits".
There are times when we must open the doors and windows and let stuff fly away.
Let out stale air and let fresh air in.
If we are resolved to discard toxic habits , toxic relationships and toxic activities, soon, we would realise that, that was one of best things we ever did.
This complete overhaul and disconnection is life-saving and imperative.
It is similar to the gorging out of the right eye and amputation of the right hand which the Lord Jesus strongly recommended in Matthew 5: 29 -30

May you receive grace for strength to de-clutter and detoxify your life , permanently.
Here is wishing you a happy and glorious New Year ; filled with the fragrance of His presence. Amen.

2009-12-24T12:54:00.005Z

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.

2009-12-19T00:10:00.001Z

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...."

2009-12-19T00:07:00.001Z

"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 ?

2009-12-16T22:53:00.002Z

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

2009-12-14T02:19:00.001Z

"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.

2009-12-14T02:07:00.002Z

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.

2009-12-07T13:03:00.002Z

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 )

2009-12-02T18:34:00.002Z

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.

2009-11-29T21:38:00.002Z

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

2009-11-26T22:56:00.002Z

Having Done All , Stand ! (1 )

2009-11-25T22:44:00.003Z

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

2009-11-21T16:32:00.003Z

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

2009-11-18T23:15:00.002Z

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 !

2009-11-06T01:10:00.002Z

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

2009-11-06T01:06:00.001Z

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

2009-10-19T23:22:00.002+01:00

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 !

2009-10-19T23:19:00.001+01:00

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

2009-09-25T12:16:00.002+01:00

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

2009-09-14T11:35:00.006+01:00

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.

2009-09-11T12:02:00.003+01:00

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

2009-09-07T00:24:00.001+01:00

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

Vessels Unto Honour - 2

2009-09-05T10:54:00.001+01:00

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver , but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour and some to dishonour.
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified , and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
2 Timothy 2: 20,21

I mentioned in a previous blog(The Master Potter) that the process from mere clay to the well-crafted and exquisite finished product is a process of complete change for the clay.
It is a painful transformation done by the Potter working on the clay; breaking, shaping, tossing and turning the clay.
Then,to produce the final gleaming pottery, the vessel is fired in the kiln , which is a furnace of red hot fire!
In order to come out beautiful and be a "cut above the rest"; a finished work of the highest standard; the clay must be submissive and trust the Potter's expertise.
"If he purges himself, he shall be a vessel unto honour".
He would get a nod of approval from his Maker and the admiration of all men. Amen.
God, the Master Craftsman, could mould a piece of common , dirty clay into the finest pottery , made for special occasions and for special displays.

He sees the end of a thing and of a person from their beginning.
He is faithful so he equips his selected vessels adequately by expertly making them to his own specifications.
He makes different vessels for different purposes.
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen , yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.
That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1 Corinthians 1:28,29.
When God gives an assignment,he gives his messengers the grace to perform it.
God did not chose any of the men or girls from the noble and wealthy families of Israel to be the earthly parents of his Son Jesus Christ. He chose a poor carpenter, Joseph of Nazareth and a young virgin Mary.
God gave Mary the grace to submit to God's will and to accept the honour bestowed on her and he gave Joseph the grace for wisdom and strength to accept and protect Mary and her pregnancy. Matthew 1:18-25.
Ungodly men would have disbelieved God, rebelled and raised an alarm to destroy Mary and her unborn child!
When Jesus began his earthly ministry ,he chose his 12 disciples from the working class. Except Luke , who was a physician most of them were uneducated artisans, mainly fishermen.
Throughout his ministry , Jesus sought out and befriended the lowly,the sick and the rejected ones in his community.
Jesus visited and ate with "sinners" to the surprise of his enemies.
Some people would disregard and shun poor people and unrepentant sinners.
Most men of God would avoid like a plague, any situation where they would be seen with and even talking to divorced women.
But Jesus sat and discussed with the serial divorcee, the woman of Samaria, at the Sychar well!
Due to that encounter, she became the first female evangelist of the Gospel; commissioned by the Lord Jesus himself.
He made her a vessel of his honour and sent her to go tell her city about Jesus.
She obeyed his will and many souls accepted the Gospel in a single day.John 4:1- 42.

The Demoniac of Gedara was an entity which no man or woman would touch with a long pole!
His case was so hopeless that his family and entire city had given up hope on him!
Himself had even withdrawn from living amongst humans to make his abode among the tombs. He was possessed with a legion of demons; screaming and cutting himself with stones. No chains could restrain him.
Until that fateful day when he rushed out of the tombs to meet Jesus Christ; and the two of them stood eyeball-to eyeball!
The raving and violent lunatic , who no man could confront, bowed and worshiped Jesus Christ.
And like every thing and every knee , in heaven , in the earth and things under the earth should bow at the name of Jesus. That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11.
Then,the man of Gedara's life, his story, and reputation changed! He went forth, transformed into a vessel bearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mark 5:1-20.

Mary Magdalene ,was possessed with seven devils and afflicted with infirmities( Luke 8:2)She was delivered after her encounter with Jesus and to show her gratitude, she became a close follower, aide and worshipper of Jesus.
She was at the Crucifixion and burial of Jesus John 19:25,Matthew 27:58-61.
She was the first human being to see the Risen Saviour at the Tomb of Jesus. Mark16:9.John 20:11-18
The devil has used men and women to write books , make films and documentaries to publish falsehoods about this beautiful relationship between this faithful servant , Mary and her Lord, Jesus.
Their judgement from God awaits them. It will be swift and terrible, unless they confess and repent of their sins.Proverbs 28:13.
Some times , God uses tribulation and great humiliation to break down men's resistance against him and to bring about their conversion.
Saul of Tarsus was at the core of the persecution and killing of the early Christians.
As a sworn enemy of Jesus Christ, of his Gospel and his followers; Saul thought nothing could stop him because he was fighting and killing "for God". Acts 9:1-22.
Until he encountered Jesus Christ!
On his way to Damascus ,to kill more Christians, he was struck down , blinded , thoroughly humiliated and led by hand to seek the help of the very Christians he was going to hunt down!
Thereafter, he was transformed to Paul , the greatest Apostle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Even today, God can perform the same transformation in your life and in my life as he has done for all these vessels of honour , mentioned here.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday ,and today and forever. Hebrew 13:8
God is using men,women and children to do his will on earth ; to make this world a better place for everyone.Their works and inventions are being enjoyed by everyone.
However,while some people have yielded themselves to be used by God , others have chosen the opposite option; to be used by the Devil.
Is your life story that from first thing in the morning till you sleep, you think and plot evil? Satan has been using you to steal, to kill and to destroy? To hatch out plans of your next big lie, houses to burgle, your next fraud victims, kidnap and murder victims; or the next boys , girls, men or women to deceive and seduce.
The list is endless. These are just a few of the fruits borne by the life which is unyielded to God. John 8:43,44.
You need the Good Shepherd. John 10:7--18
Do not be deceived . Maybe you have believed the lie that God cannot be interested in someone like you, that you are too steeped in a depraved lifestyle.
God is merciful and forgiving . He loves you but he hates your sinful lifestyle. Submit your life to him in prayer now and he will beautify every thing that concerns you.
Or are you considered to be " irredeemably violently insane" by everybody ?
Maybe your demons are uncountable and your Satan-induced mental derangement is worse than that of the Demoniac of Gedara!
You are , always, at war with yourself, with something and everything and with everybody! Forever, howling,railing and ranting about something or about nothing!
Although you could be smiling ,looking gentle and harmless, people who know you are not fooled by your demeanor!
Your rejection is so widespread that nobody wants you in their lives, near their homes ,in their neighbourhoods and in their countries. Even when you manage to sneak in, nobody feels safe around you.You are under constant surveillance because they know what you can do.
You need a brain transplant and a rebirth from the Great Physician ,Jesus Christ!
An encounter,today, with the Prince of Peace, will change your reputation.
Have you been despised, hated ,persecuted and falsely accused because you are serving the Lord Jesus, faithfully? The Lord knows your accusers and persecutors.
He will sort them out and he will continue to beautify and promote you before them.
When you call , he will answer. In the day of his visitation, be prepared to submit , wholly, to him and he will surprise you for good. Amen.

One Test for All

2009-09-01T23:48:00.003+01:00

It is the duty of any ambitious athlete to maintain a disciplined and punishing training schedule for months or even years before a major event. Rippling muscles on their necks , shoulders ,arms, thighs, legs and "six-pack" hard, muscular midriffs are the end results of months of such sustained work-outs.
These muscles are essential for the athletes' peak performance.
No muscles , no medals!
This is why millions of people are suspicious of the motives behind the demand for a gender-check for Caster Semenya.
There is no dispute that Caster Semenya , the record clinching 800 metres female world champion looks like a man.
The South African female athlete DOES look and sound like a man!
And so what? Is that news? What should she have looked like?
Elegant, graceful, stepping gingerly on the tracks ;like a ballerina?
How many of the other world -class female athletes look like women?
Is is feminine to have those rippling, strong muscles of a weightlifter which are the trade marks of ANY top-class female athlete worth her salt?
One would not be surprised to hear demands for drug tests for "overperforming" unknown athletes from "nowhere"; but a demand for a gender-test for a female athlete who looks like a man ?
Strange.Very strange.
It was said that Caster came from NOWHERE to win the title. Very funny! From nowhere? Yet she defeated athletes from "somewhere " by a very wide berth. She and her coach were able to develope a winning strategy which gave her the gold medal in record-breaking time. To the chagrin of some people.
Their strategy, according to Caster was: "Allow them to run ahead , then at 200 metres to the post, sprint forward and kill them. Finish them !"
The gender-check should be not for Caster only , but should be extended to ALL leading female athletes. Especially the female athletes from Germany, Russia and the Eastern European countries. Have you seen the muscles these "women" parade?
Please, if you are reading this and you KNOW or you have seen any medal-wining female athlete , anywhere on earth, who has a feminine body, kindly "educate" me.
What does a "feminine body" look like? It is soft and supple. Not created for extreme physical exertion. Definitely, not rock hard and bulging with strong muscles!
When a man and a woman wear identical tight-fitting jeans and T-shirts, one should be able to differentiate between their body shapes. A flat and trim tummy looks good on anybody. A normal woman should not be flat and straight, front and back, like a ruler!

Since "feminity" is the issue now, it is interesting that the "powers-that-be" in the multi-billion pounds Fashion Industry have a very different mind-set to the World Athletics Governing Council about what the female body should look like.
The latter thinks women should look like women; but the former does not think so.
So while we are at it , why not extend the gender -check ; coupled with a sanity -check to the "beautiful women" who strut their stuff on catwalks and those women and girls who would do ANYTHING to maintain the "in-look" of looking skeletal and as flat as the back of a double-decker bus?
In order for them to comply with the dictates of the "all-knowing" Fashion and Fitness Industry?

It is one thing to make a personal choice to reduce oneself to a neurotic state by trying and failing to achieve some perceived "perfect shape".
What is unacceptable is the mind-control by a group of people to foist their own concepts of "beauty and good looks" on the whole world.
The truth is :the healthy female figure is one that is neither obese , flabby ,skinny or extra thin.
What is normal, feminine or attractive in a size 4 or size 0 woman? With a flat skinny chest and flat skinny bum; with all her bones and tendons jutting out? Also, it is unhealthy and unattractive for anyone, male or female to be overweight.
It is unfair to put pressures on women and young girls to become thin in order to be "acceptable" as attractive and desirable.
Such pressures have caused suicides and mental illnesses like anorexia, bulimia , clinical depression and self-harm amongst the female populace.
Who reserves the right to determine the "acceptable look" for any human being? Acceptable to whom and for what purpose?
There are professional demands on some women for them to look like "Mr Atlas" or like a flat plank of wood. There are also women who are content to choose what size they want to be; that is healthy and based on their Body Mass Index (B.M.I.)
Different women have different B.M.I.s.
Women should not live their lives based on the dictates of the Fashion and Fitness Industry.
Some women are obsessed with the desire to be thin while many others are elated when the answer to their question:
" Does my bum look big in this?" is; "Yes, it does!".
Such women spend thousands of pound on bum and bust enhancing tablets, injections and implants.
Whereas some other women prefer for their pelvic bones, shoulder blades , ribs and spinal column to jut out through their size 0 clothes.
Muscular , beefy, flabby, thin or skeletal , the bottom line is: what message is being sent out by the person?
Is it " I am an athlete, or a model,or I keep fit and trim or I live my life according to the dictates of others"?
Or is it "I please myself; I don't care what others think of me:
if you don't like my shape, get ON YOUR BIKE "!
Whatever the message is, show some understanding and sympathy for why certain people look they way they look.

Social Mobility

2009-08-31T02:35:00.001+01:00

Social justice in any society, is not just social protection but a system that ensures real opportunities for everyone to make the most of their potential.
A recent government white paper in Britain, has detailed government policies to enable social mobility in the society.
These policies would be focused on engineering a society where what counts is not where you come from , your parents' class or situation or their earnings.
Emphasis would be on creating new opportunities for the citizens, ensuring their success in the prevailing global economy and supporting child development in early years .
Also on the agenda are the provision of world-class schools, pathways for all, getting on in work, strengthening family life and supporting communities to support individuals.

Anyone who is familiar with how the British society works would agree that some , if not all of these policies are in place already; benefiting millions of the citizens of this country in varying degrees.
However, it is obvious that not everyone has equal access to certain professions and certain groups in many areas of the society have continued to maintain their exclusivity.
This awareness has created the need for government focus on providing stronger foundations for not just a richer country but a fairer society.

One policy already in place, which has impacted millions of lives in the society is the laudable policy of helping parents to give their children the benefits of a good head-start in life.
Government support in the form of free childcare and various reliefs e.g. housing benefits and tax reliefs for each child , being enjoyed by parents ; have given immense financial reliefs to millions of parents in the country for many years.
I believe , as stated in the government White Paper, that increased support for child care is needed by parents to enable faster social mobility .
This would bridge the gap between children from different backgrounds ; aiding them to have the same opportunities as their peers.
A child's early experiences and the environment in which he lives and learns during his early years have a profound impact on his subsequent years.
When the oppurtunities for learning and development are missed at an early age,it is hard for children to catch up.
This is damaging to the children , to families and to the society as a whole .

Prior to this White paper on social mobility, other polices had been implemented to aid citizens to achieve their desired ambitions for upward social mobility.
However, as with any bunch of policies, the impact of their contents and intent on the society would depend on the extent of their implementation.
I know that government intentions and actions are not all it takes to implement policies. The individuals in any society have prominent roles to play in realising laudable government policies.
If a drowning man is offered no helping hand , he would sink , soon or late.
Or when he attempts to stay afloat , if "under-currents" drag him down or his head is pushed down , further into the mire by "hostile hands", his chances of survival would be very slim.
Worst still , there are those people who make no attempts whatsoever, to keep afloat in the turbulent waves of life.
Instead they would blame God , their parents, government and even their spouses for their dire situations.

In this society , there is an enabling environment of grants and facilities to aid anyone with a "success mind frame " to maximise their potentials, to climb and remain on the social ladder, if they so desire.
I strongly opine that the battle for ensuring social mobility is firstly, won or lost in human minds.
Why would any ADULT in Great Britain be unable to READ and WRITE simple English , their mother tongue? In a land of excellent educational facilities ?
Who is to blame for this?
There are millions of able-bodied men and women in Great Britain, who have never worked, even for one day, in their entire lives.
They would , easily, give you a dozen reasons why they CAN'T or WON'T work for anybody and why they deserve to live comfortably for the rest of their glorious lives, on the generosity of the government and good people of Great Britain!
Surmounting obstacles to social mobilty and even surviving the global economic down turn depend not only government's laudable fiscal policies but on REORDERING personal priorities and changing self-defeatist ATTITUDES.

Vessels of Honour - I

2009-08-31T02:33:00.003+01:00

We have heard of or met at least one person whom no one expected to qualify for God's favour, talk less of receiving a divine assignment.
That one person could be ourselves , friends ,family or people in the news.
Some of such "unlikely choices" have been picked by God , not man ,to receive miracles and assignments through which God changed millions of lives and charted the course of human history.
All through the course of history , God has chosen and used prominent men and women and the not so prominent ones. He has chosen honourable and honest persons and even atheists and shady characters with "colourful" pasts.
He has used hardened sinners and those possessed by a multitude of evil spirits.
Does this contradict God's holy nature or his word?
God could choose the rich or poor ; saints or sinners to carry out his assignment because he is not influenced and limited by our human standards, politics and parameters for judging a person's suitability.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth , so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8,9.
The rich and famous are, usually, regarded as unwilling to submit to God; because where the treasures of the rich and famous are, there their hearts are.James 5:1-6.
It would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for the rich who trust in their riches to enter into the Kingdom of God.Luke 18 :18 27.
These Bible passages about the rich and powerful, have often been taken out of context and have been misunderstood and misused.
Many poor people have even consoled themselves with these Bible passages!
However, the Bible did not say that poverty and ignorance are entry qualifications to heaven.
Neither is diligence in the search of and acquisition of knowledge, wealth and power "sinful" nor is it a "No entry" tag, preventing a person's entry into eternal rest.
Power, wealth, riches and knowledge are blessings from God the creator and giver of all things.
When the ways and means of searching for and acquiring these blessings become distractions and hindrances to men's peaceful relationships with God and their fellow men ,then they become sins in people lives.
When our pursuits of blessings replace the pursuit of God, blessings become curses.
The power of God for changing human lives, for good, is ever-available.
God,the Master Potter, has chosen diverse kinds of men and women in the past and, even today,he is still choosing "rejected stones".He would choose them with all their inadequacies and frailties , wash them clean and recreate them.
What a person becomes after he has been called and changed by God is what matters ; not what that person was before God touched him.
To God be the glory that God , not any man, has the final say on who gets chosen and become remoulded from vessels of dishonour into Vessels of Honour, fit for God's purpose.

Every conversion from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God is a miracle.This miracle manifests fully in human lives when those lives,are willingly submitted and yielded to be used in the service of God.
Vessels of honour become enabled to enter into partnerships of righteousness with God; so that their lives count for God. They become God-conscious and determined to impact their world.
Many of such vessels of honour are mentioned in the Bible and some are recorded in recent human history.I will mention a few of these biblical characters here.
The first one is Pharaoh of Egypt;
i.e. the Pharaoh who knew Joseph.
Whenever I read the narration of Joseph's life, I am overwhelmed by the awesomeness and supremacy of God!
Pharaoh was an idol-worshipping ruler of Egypt which was a heathen but very powerful nation. Pharaoh and his people worshiped myriad gods. They knew not Jehovah or Yahweh the Hebrew God.
Yet, in the fullness of time, God orchestrated it so that this Pharaoh was used to deliver and promote Joseph beyond his wildest dreams.
In a land where Joseph was a slave and condemned to life imprisonment with hard labour , God used this Pharaoh to bless and sustain Jacob and his entire family. Being the descendants of Abraham, God's friend and confidante, God knew that it was from this family that the whole earth will be blessed.
Jesus Christ is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Judah was Jacob's son.

Then , the Pharaoh who did not know Joseph came on the scene.
God touched the hearts of the Egyptian midwives to save the Hebrew male babies.
God planned it so that Pharaoh's daughter and not just any other Egyptian woman, came for a swim , in the River Nile: just at the right moment!
God touched her heart so that when she saw the baby Moses, she didn't hand him over to the executioner of all male Hebrew babies as decreed by Pharaoh.
She adopted Moses as her son .God used this Pharaoh's daughter to nurture and bring up a Prince to be a leader, not in Egypt as his adopted mother had hoped.
But to deliver God's people. The rest is history.

God chose a prostitute , a citizen of Jericho, called Rahab to assist the armies of Israel to gain access into the mighty and impenetrable fortress of Jericho.
Joshua 2:1-24
Rahab could have chosen to be patriotic, raised an alarm and expose the intentions of the spies who sought refuge with her. But not to be . The God of Isreal touched her heart and she made a decision to crossover to the side of God.
Maybe her decision was further aided by her seeking sweet revenge against her compatriots for the way they had treated her!
In any community , whores are regarded as social misfits and objects of ridicule. Many people think that murderers,thieves and whores top the list of "terrible sinners" with the hottest section of Hell,specially prepared for them!
The Bible does not mention that Hell has different unequal sections.
The "honest" women of Jericho must have laughed at Rahab, gossiped about her and felt very "superior" to her. Some of them could have called her names and even spat at her when they passed her in the streets.
The men of Jericho "knew" Rahab, definitely.
But typically, in public, these men would have pretended not to see her, at all, or to know her from Eve! Especially when their wives were present.
Nobody in Jericho could ever have imagined that Rahab the notorious whore, of all women , and her family, of all people, would be the ones chosen by the Mighty God of Israel as the only survivors of the annihilation of Jericho by the hosts of Isreal!
Rahab had the last laugh because she became a vessel of honour. Joshua 6:16,17,25.

King Ahasuerus was the heathen King who ruled over one hundred and twenty seven provinces of Persia and Media during the captivity of Israel and Judah.
As recorded in the book of Esther, God chose this king to be Esther's husband .
Esther could have bolted, gone into hiding and refused to marry a very old man ; old enough to be her great grandfather.
The king could have picked any of the hundreds of gorgeous girls presented to him. But God touched both hearts ; he chose Esther and she consented to be his queen.
God made this union possible for the main purpose of using this king to deliver millions of Jews from the genocide planned against them by Haman. Esther 4:10-17.
Other heathen kings used by God were Cyrus,King of Babylon and Darius,the Persian king. Both of them were used by God to show favour to his people in captivity .
To rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and to restore the vessels of gold, silver and bronze which were plundered by their nations from the palaces and the Temple in Jerusalem .
God chose these kings to show favour to the Jews by issuing decrees of restoration of Israel and sending men like Ezra and Nehemiah with money and materials to rebuild the temple and walls of Jerusalem.
God "remoulded" Nebuchadnezzar ,king of Babylon , to declare the supremacy of God and to institute the worship of the God of heaven and earth in a heathen land
Daniel 4 : 28-37.
Do you know or have you heard of "kings ,queens , paupers and sinners" who have taken on the image of Christ ? Former leaders and followers of the religions of science and technology, of commerce , hedonism and of other faiths who were aliens to God but have been transformed into God's marvelous light? 1 Peter 2: 9 ,10
Let us give thanks to God , always, for them and for ourselves for the miracle of God in our lives which has transformed us to become recipients of his mercy and salvation by the blood of Jesus Christ.