GOD’S OPTION OR NO OPTION

But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land where into he went; and his seed shall possess it.

Numbers 14:24

When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.

-Audre Lorde-

He who has a why to live for, can endure almost any how.

-Dr. Victor Frankyl-

Hello friend! It is important to understand that while men change [their minds, their promises, their lives etc.] God does not. He is very clear about His plan and purpose for each life that He has created and placed on the earth. It is also of importance to note that God is with us through every circumstance and change in our lives.

In Joshua 14:6-12, we meet a man named Caleb aged 85years. He had a mindset, a determination, a resilience that challenges many of us. He had fought besides Joshua, spied the Promised Land, marched in the desert and lived to see a new generation arise. At the back of his mind was a promise given to him; a word from God he did not let go of. He was an owner of property. He came to Joshua and asked for that which was his; assured that once he asked, it would be his. A powerful radical statement came out of his mouth. “As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me… I can still go to war and come back.”

He had a “bulldog attitude” – won’t let go! His attitude did not change in his forty five years of waiting. God’s attitude doesn’t change. He keeps His promises. Our minds and attitudes change with every challenge. Remember you must stay in faith, you must trust Him and His word. He often reminds us of where He has brought us from, so that we may remember that it was not anything we could have done for ourselves but the grace and mercies of God kept us and carried us through our desolate and forsaken places.

What then must you do to be like Caleb?

           i.            Be resilient. Become a go-getter. Do not let even your thoughts come against you.

         ii.            Speak of yourself as highly as He does. It is free to speak/ prophesy/ positively about that promotion you need, the family member that will get saved etc.

        iii.            Know God’s will for you. Numbers 14:24

      iv.            Believe, Trust. Hold on to His promises. Philippians 1:6; 1^st John 5:14

Pastor

HAPPY Birthday Opash!

At times, I wonder what makes you special,
The smile, the trust, or the way you care.
At times, I wonder what makes you fun,
The bond, the memories or the way you share.

A beautiful day and a sparkling occasion.
Today, I wonder what should I gift you?
You always have my support, care and love
So I gather my blessings to wish you.

A very Happy Birthday.

GOD AND MONEY

“No one can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold on to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Matthew 6:24

“Let us more and more insist on raising funds of love, of kindness, of understanding, of peace. Money will come if we first seek the kingdom of God- the rest will be given.”

-Mother Teresa-

The subject of money is often viewed/ considered suspiciously in the church. It is in some quarters a controversial- not to be discussed- will not be considered-topic. While in some other quarters it has been abused, manipulated and driven some away from the household of faith. Is there any hope then for the Body of Christ, a balance to be found and what does God’s word say about money?

First off, money is mentioned 139 times in the New Testament in the King James Version. “That many?” one may ask. A resounding “Yes!” sounds out. So money must be important to God and He desires that we would understand/ learn of its place in our lives.

Our perspectives about money have been framed by our backgrounds, our peers’ influences and societal pressures or “norms” [trends]. God’s word is succinct about the place of money in every child of God’s life. We were created/ framed to serve. Therefore, Matthew 6:24 is a warning; a roadmap of sorts to every believer. What do we mean? This passage states that we cannot serve God and be supremely engaged to His cause if our only pursuit is for money. We cannot serve God and serve money at the same level or with the same intensity.

God and not money should be our master. Money cannot be our master because only God has qualities that deem Him Supreme Master of everything. What does this mean? Only God:

1.      Created us,

2.      Preserved us while still in sin and,

3.      Redeemed us from the peril and sure sentence of death because of sin.

God’s will is essentially that money is to be distributed to benefit and aid those in need. The world’s perception is that it should be held on to and hoarded for selfish and personal gain. 

In this short series, we will explore the truths in God’s Word about money and dispel the lies and untruths that have clouded our perception about money. Begin to seek and search for truth and you will be an agent of change in your generation.

                           Have a fulfilled week.

                                                         Pastor

Who is She?

Who is she, where is she, where does she live? Has anyone seen or heard of her? Does she actually exist? Is she human, robot or alien? Is this reality or myth?

Her heart beats for the things of God, the bible is her source of inspiration and her focus and passion for the home is clearly seen. She rises up early and starts the day with a smile and a cheer expressing the goodness and blessing the days holds. Her words are charms of melody speaking cherished words that's music to the ear of her listeners. Not only does she expect to be loved, she loves from the depths of her heart regardless of the situation she finds herself in. The words of love you never cease to ring a bell in the heart of her spouse. She is a woman - a Beautiful woman who is  after God's own Heart. 

She has the wisdom to choose her friends wisely, to get rid of bad influences quickly and endeavors to be in the company of godly women enthusiastic to learn the secrets of building a successful home. Every second of the day is precious in her eyes. She plans her day, knowing exactly what needs to be done, when it should be done and how it must be done.

Her home is clean, tidy and always ready to receive visitors at anytime of the day or night. She isn't tossed to and fro by the whims and charms of the society, neither moved by peer pressure nor prompting from family and siblings. Her first priority after her God is her husband. She challenges any form of suggestion, comments or insinuations that ridicules him or his decisions. She covers his weaknesses and makes him feel like superman. She never puts him down nor let her family know of his short comings or deficiencies. In her eyes he is king, in the eyes of others he is the perfect man, husband and father, hardworking and always able to provide for all the family's needs. She speaks to the king inside of him, disperses his fears, and draws out his strengths which motivate him to love more.

Her husband longs to come home from work to a place of comfort peace and despite the busy and hectic life at work. He is welcomed by her warm arms around him, with the whispers he longs to hear all day. His words are keenly listened to with every word heard and understood. He is not bugged down with only news from her, but he also gets to be heard and given an environment to shares his vision for life and passion for work.

His ideas are not ignored, ridiculed or disregarded. He finds encouragement from her lips to keep on ticking when the world only presents discouragements and doubts. He feels appreciated in her presence; her words are jewels to his ears and music in echoes of war. His unspoken words are heard loud and clear, the mysteries of his eyes are easily discerned.    

Yes,we are a generation that's in need of that woman,a woman after God's own heart. 

THE POWER OF GOD’S LOVE.

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, an soul, and with all thy might. And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.

Deuteronomy 6:5-6

Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely…He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful or broken.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

     David the King of Israel had an extraordinary and passionate relationship with God. He was a chaser of God…he pursued after God relentlessly and unapologetically; God called him a man after His own heart. Yet he too had moments of doubt and weariness. He went through oppression and seasons that were so heavy and painful, they were designed to take him out.

     In such circumstances David cried out to God and spoke of his pain, doubt and passionate pursuit-Psalm 119:123-129.

     What can we learn from David’s life in the scripture mentioned above?

(i)                  Though we pursue after Him and are desirous to know His heart, we will go through testing-verse 124.

(ii)                When in pain our service may be affected to the point we are tempted to follow after other gods-verse 125.

     We must all ask ourselves when in times of testing come into our lives whether we truly know what we are supposed to do. This is because doubt will assail us; it is normal and a reality in the salvation walk.

   Even in his pain and despair David’s words teach us these following truths:

(i)                  God’s Word is true. His testimonies are sure. We must desire to know Him and discern/ be familiar with His testimonies-verse 125.

(ii)                Wherever we are, whatever our circumstances, God must be seen through us-verse 126.

(iii)               God’s love is perfect. Its unconditional-verse 127.

(iv)             A life full of thanksgiving is the truest and surest way of living-verses 128 & 129.

    ** To truly love others, I must have His love. Human love is limited, conditional and truly not enough. We cannot love God like we love other human beings; we can only love God as He deserves to be loved.

    Our duty is to love Him unconditionally. To love Him truly. To love Him passionately. When we do the above we will like David, desire God’s character and have a character of thanksgiving. We will truly have His nature.

Have a lovely week.

                                              Pastor.

Dilemma

She walked,here and there. She didn’t know where to head. She looked back. She thought there was someone following her. But, there was nobody. She stopped, took her mobile phone from the purse, dialed some numbers and pushed the green phone picture. She waited. Nobody answered her.

She started walking again. It’s getting darker and darker. She didn’t even see the moon, seemed like it was fully covered by the clouds, hiding itself. It was somehow scary.

She knew, she had made a wrong decision. She shouldn’t have been getting out of the house, she should have just stayed and kept her mouth shout. But, she couldn’t help it.

It was typically her. She always wanted to tell the truth, even if it hurt. Her father would know anyway that her mother had been spending his money and time on drugs even if she didn’t let the cat out of the bag.

And now, alone in this absolute obscurity, she regretted her decision.

Her regret grew bigger and bigger when she looked back and found that a man—or two, she wasn’t certain, she was too afraid to look back one more time to ensure—was following her from such a short distance.

Then, she felt hands on her back, on her mouth, on her eyes. She screamed, out loud…but even she couldn’t hear any voice coming out of her sealed mouth. She couldn’t see anything, couldn’t hear anything, anymore.

She knew it was the end, and, she smiled