With the help of God and His grace I will like to discuss:
(Grace 1): The Demands of the Law and the Supply of the grace of God.

@nonen,
The suffering of Christ was preordained and part of the redemptive plan. Jesus chose to go through with it. He experienced similar temptation as Adam but didn't sin.

You basically ssummed up what I said anyway in your post. Thanks.

Beautifulme4me: Throughout in church today. i kept thinking about this. the bible said we should forgive those who wrong us, why didn't God himself forgive Adam and eve when the fail in the garden of Eden?

Hello @beautifulme4me,
Despite the fact that they didn't ask for forgiveness, they simply suffered consequences of their actions. God wasn't joking when he said they would die if they ate of the tree. He is faithful to His word and has integrity. He still clothed them when they felt naked.
His forgiveness was the plan for the coming of the saviour to the world anyway.

Beautifulme4me: Ok, Jesus is representing Adam now since through him the slavery that came through Adam was abolish, what happen to the curses that God place on man? because even if you are born again or not, those curses still work. example: painful labour for women. struggles to feed, death and all that.
my question is this: Dose God really completely forgive sin?
why is it so hard for God to forgive Adam. i know they did not ask for forgiveness. but now, we have Jesus in our life, we ask for forgiveness of sins every day, yet we still face those curses?
bible scholars in the house, pls put me through here.

Christians who do the will of the Lord can't be cursed.
You need to also realise that Jesus death of the cross was to create the bridge of Man to God that was severed at the time Adam sinned.
The redemption of the soul is progressive and many times depends on how we possess it.

However our world still has principalities and powers who rule and have natural laws in this world and continuing in sin will make the Christian subject to those laws.
That is why it's possible for a prisoner on deatg row to accept Christ but still be killed for the sins he committed physically even though God has accepted him. Just like the thief on the cross.

The truth of the matter is no more does man have a ready made garden of Eden for him.
Now he has to decree and declare the victory that Christ has won for him. Now divine principles are followed most times to access the blessings in God. Remember Satan is very much in operation trying to tempt and destroy, if Jesus experienced this on earth then expect to go through same but with His help. Let's still discuss.

Thanks to all that nominated me (@Alexleo, @Ayoku, @Striktlymi, @joshthefirst, @ichuka) and I accept and confirm as @Goshen has requested to interact with you and others that day. Happy to fellowship with you in line with God's word.

@ Goshen,
I await the topic.

Control Your Tongue


Thursday, 31 July 2014


'...If we could control our tongues, we...could also control ourselves in every other way.' James 3:2 NLT


The saying goes, 'We are like cats; we lick ourselves with our tongues!' When someone spreads gossip, mark that person carefully. Why? Because if they talk to you about somebody else, they'll talk to somebody else about you. The Bible warns us about three things:

(1) a hasty tongue. 'Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.' (Proverbs 29:20 NKJV) If you take time to get the facts, much of the time you'll speak differently. Hannah prayed so passionately for a child that Eli the high priest thought she was drunk. When the disciples saw Jesus walking toward them on the Sea of Galilee, they thought He was a ghost. So think, or better yet, pray before you jump to conclusions.

(2) a flattering tongue. '...There is no faithfulness in their mouth...they flatter with their tongue.' (Psalm 5:9 NKJV) Say what you mean and mean what you say. Be genuine. When you flatter people, you manipulate them for your own ends. Don't do that. Give it to them straight. If you love them, be truthful with them.

(3) a judgmental tongue. Jesus said, 'Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.' (Matthew 7:1-2 NKJV) If you live long enough, you'll be guilty of many of the same things you're so quick to condemn in others. The truth is, how you deal with other people determines how God deals with you.


SoulFood: Ezra 6-8, Lk 10:1-15, Ps 78:9-16, Prov 19:24-26


This is The Word For Today

@Ola,
Thanks a lot. I got this from an article I read online and thought to share in line with your response to me. It is quite revealing.

The three tenses of salvation.


Salvation, as the Bible presents it, has three tenses: past, present, and future.

Salvation-past has to do with salvation from the penalty of sin. The moment we first believe and confess Jesus to be Lord, all our sins are forgiven and God's wrath no longer remains on us.

Salvation-future has to do with salvation from the presence of sin. When we are finally brought into heaven, there will be no sin there for us to contend with and our salvation will have been completed.

Salvation-present has to do with our salvation from the power of sin. After receiving Christ and the promise of eternal life, but before entering the sinlessness of heaven, we remain in a sinful world where we must struggle against the power of sin every day. This means struggling with our temptations and wrong-doings as well as with the compounding consequences of everyone else's temptations and wrong-doings.


It is this third tense in which Paul is writing to Timothy. The Scriptures are able to make us wise for salvation from the power of sin by teaching us the godly responses to the various situations in life. Paul finishes this thought to Timothy in writing, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16 NIV).

As revealed through Paul's writing, the Word is God-breathed which establishes its unquestionable authority. As a result of its authority, the Word is our certainty concerning

teaching (it informs us about what is right),
rebuking (it informs us about what is wrong),
correcting (how the wrong is to be righted), and
training in righteousness (how we should act from then on).

Deal with the Stumbling Blocks (2)

Wednesday, 30 July 2014

'Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block...in your brother's way.' Romans 14:13 NIV

Here are two more stumbling blocks you need to remove in order to win someone to Christ:

(1) Boredom. Jesus isn't boring, but sometimes religion is. The story is told of a lady who fell asleep during the sermon. Pointing at the man sitting next to her, the pastor said, 'Please wake that woman up!' The man replied, 'You put her to sleep, Reverend, you wake her up!' Jesus is called 'the Good Shepherd' (John 10:11), and the Greek word for 'good' is 'kalos', which means 'captivating'; that's the Christ we need to present to those seeking spiritual direction.

(2) Money. It's been said the most sensitive nerve in a person's body is the one that runs to their wallet. Have there been financial scandals in the church? Yes. They even had them in the New Testament church (Acts 5). But don't throw the baby out with the bath water! It takes money to build churches, feed and clothe the needy and send out missionaries. When money is in the right hands, it's a solution, not a problem. Furthermore, if God can trust you to finance His plans, He will show you how to make more money. He said, '...I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit...' (Isaiah 48:17 AMP)

(3) Discomfort. People say, 'I just don't feel comfortable in church.' The truth can do that to you! The Gospel is designed to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. When Paul preached, some people trembled, but when trembling leads to trusting in Christ, it's a good thing.


SoulFood: Ezra 3-5, Lk 9:46-62, Ps 78:1-8, Prov 19:21-23


This is The Word For Today

@Ola,
Thanks for the beautiful summary. Timothy was a blessed person. Tutored from a tender age by a godly mother and grandmother in the sacred writings which are able to give him the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Paul seemed to be the spiritual father he needed to complete the equation.

One question though is the word of God he was tutored in gave him wisdom that leads to salvation. What could that mean? I will like to hear from you what that means... wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus

@Lateef4me,
It is good to have you back. @Odunharry expressed his worry about your absence here some days back. Hope you are doing well and Walking in Christ Jesus continually.

@Odunharry, thanks for the msg on self control and our choice in what we accept. Today's msg reminds us not to forget who called us and that we are to remain subject to Him.

Your Mission: to Serve

Monday, 28 July 2014

'The Gospel...of which I, Paul, have become a servant.' Colossians 1:23 NIV

Who am I? What's my calling? The apostle Paul, who considered himself '...not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles' (2 Corinthians 11:5 NAS), answers simply: 'I am Paul. My role is serving. I am a servant to the Gospel and the body of Christ.' Certain people in the early church tried to determine which of the apostles were the greatest. Some claimed Paul, and others Apollos. But Paul challenged them, 'What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe...' (1 Corinthians 3:5 NIV).

Whatever your calling, be it pastor of a megachurch or a lay member, you're no more - and no less - than a servant. In God's Kingdom class distinctions don't count. 'There is neither Jew nor Greek...slave nor free man...male nor female...you are all one in Christ Jesus.' (Galatians 3:28 NAS) We're servants called to do the will of God, wherever He appoints us to serve. And that's a good thing! In being a servant there's relief from 'the pressure to perform'.

No one has the right to judge you except your Master. 'Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls...' (Romans 14:4 NAS) We should be concerned about what pleases God, not people. He alone can evaluate our service. Jesus came to serve His Father, saying, '...I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.' (John 5:30 NAS) And He has also sent you to do God's will, promising that, '...If anyone serves Me, the Father will honour him.' (John 12:26 NAS)


SoulFood: Zeph 1-3, Lk 9:18-33, Ps 42:6-11, Prov 19:15-17


This is The Word For Today

chuxyz: Thanks for your wonderful contribution. You are saying something more logical. Now from what you said, I understood that good and evil was even existing before God created man, and it was this evil that made satan rebel. Since you said God left open the option between good and evil, now my question is: Did God create that evil or was it existing independently? So you are telling me that after we have all gone to heaven there will still exist that freewill to choose between good and evil?

I won't want to call it logic but more like illumination and gaining understanding.

I won't be too hasty to say good and evil existed before God created man except you mean the time that satan sinned. Was it evil that really made Satan rebel or the choice to do it? God said 'Man is become like us KNOWING good and evil after he ate of the tree. Their eyes were opened.

I did not say 'God left open the option between good and evil'...mostof my words where on showing how God created a tree of the KNOWLEDGE of good and evil.

To answer your question:
1. God created the KNOWLEDGE of good and evil and that is not the same as good or evil. He also created a right to choice. God also had the KNOWLEDGE of good and evil but is he evil because of that or does He do evil?

2. I can only say what I understand from scriptures. Our choice is our right. Do you think God will take away freewill in heaven? I will answer your question with a question. Why will anyone want to do evil when he gets to heaven as a reward for belief in His Son and righteousness especially as the person knows the outcome of evil (something Satan experienced only after his mess up)? Of what benefit will that evil be then to him or anyone?

Good morning Mummys and Daddys in the house. I can see the thread has been busy lately. Weldone to all keeping it active.
I learnt some new insights in the word yesterday and thought to share:


1 Kings 19:2-8
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Without beating around the bush but going straight to the point...

What evil report have you received from man concerning your life? Like Elijah did you get a message from Jezebel? Did you get a message frustrating your progress and advancement into fatherhood or motherhood?

Now the experience of Elijah was stated for our learning.
Have you because of that evil report run on a self- inflicted journey from pillar to post into a 'wilderness'? I mean, you use your own leg waka enter where go even compound the problem sef. In fact have you run so much that you have left those people or things that are meant to help you and running on empty for that matter?

Yeah Elijah ran into the wilderness himself, on his own strength leaving behind his servant who was meant to help him but of course he did not go far...Instead he could only make a days journey and got to a point where he was at his wits end.

Are you now tired of running on a thread mill.....so much action and activity yet no progress. Doing it on your own and using your own knowledge.

Well the good thing was that Elijah called unto God, to kill him actually, and he slept off but an an angel was sent to give him food twice and drink and nd he used those meals to progress for a longer time to meet God.

Are you tired and weary and just want to die as your efforts are fruitless. Get up today and feed on the word of God that fills you and makes you progress faster than when you were doing things on your own. Imagine 1 day journey on your own strength to 40 days on God's strength.

Call upon Jesus today and let him take your burden and give you peace. Quit running at every report but stand on the food (the word of God) whose strength (faith) will not make you stagger in unbelief.

God has said it. There shall shall be shall be none barren in the land. Stay in the land, believe it and let Him lead you to your next phase...parenthood.

chuxyz: thanks for your time. But why should you think i don't know all that? I am only interested in know how satan's mind was manipulated. Did it happen suddenly? If so, won't such thought come up again after we must have gone to heaven? I hope you understand where i'm heading to this time around. Thanks

Your interest in knowing how satan's mind was manipulated still lies in my response above. satan had a knowledge of good and evil and also had life. He simply chose to do evil BASED on that knowledge. That is what I deduce from why God said Man has become like one of us KNOWING good and evil and another reason he put a cherubim to block access to the tree of life so man does not get to eat of it and live forever...satan must have deliberately left out telling them to eat of the tree of life after eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil so man would die and he could gloat to God.

Unfortunately for him, the all knowing God had put a redemptive package in place for man.

Man was more or less created on a blank slate hence it was easy to be tempted and deceived into eating of the tree. Did Adam have the prior 'knowledge' that his eating of the tree of the KNOWLEDGE of Good and Evil was EVIL? Whag man did was evil but did he 'KNOW'. He still had choice irrespective though.

Remember what scriptures says about those who 'SIN WILLFULLY AFTER THEY HAVE RECEIVED KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH, there is no more a sacrifice of sin but a fearful awaiting of judgement'...


If we speculate that would such thought come again after we must have all gone to heaven, I kinda like the some of the responses @Alexleo gave. The mystery of the character of God was revealed after satan fell...The severity, mercy, loving kindness, undefeatability, wrath, patience and so on...Sides of God we may never have seen had it not been for the fall...

The difference between having 'such thoughts' when we get to heaven and when satan thought he could ascend to the heavens and the throne of God is, I deduce, that we have seen God manifest all sides of Him....something devil was not privy to having when he initially rebelled. Anyone who tries to have 'such thoughts' in the new heaven and earth will know what's in store for him. I am sure he would squash the thought if it ever even tried to peep and not allow it to nest. Lol.

Never Stop Learning

Saturday, 26 July 2014

'...You need someone to teach you...' Hebrews 5:12 NIV

Marlene LeFever quipped, 'Becoming an effective teacher is simple. You just prepare and prepare until drops of blood appear on your forehead.' In the 1920s Charlie Chaplin was the most famous person in the world.

Born into poverty, he worked on the stage to support himself and by the age of 17 he was a veteran performer. Then at the age of 29 he did something unheard of: he signed the entertainment industry's first million-dollar contract. But he wasn't successful simply because he had talent and drive. He was also teachable. He kept learning and perfecting his gift.

Even at the height of his career, the highest paid performer in the world didn't rest on his laurels. He said: 'When I watch one of my pictures, I pay attention to what the audience doesn't laugh at. If several audiences don't laugh at a stunt, I tear it apart and try to discover what's wrong. On the other hand, if I hear laughter I hadn't expected, I ask myself why that particular thing rang the bell with the audience.'

The truth is, if Charlie Chaplin had replaced teachability with complacency and arrogance, we probably wouldn't even remember his name today. But he didn't. He never forgot the basics and he committed himself to learning. Eventually he co-founded United Artists, a mega-movie company that's still in business today.

There's an important principle in this story. The Bible says, 'Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's Word all over again.' If you want God to use you, stay teachable and never stop learning.


SoulFood: 1 Tim 4-6, Lk 9:1-17, Ps 42:1-5, Prov 19:12-1


This is The Word For Today

Don't Lose Your Compassionate Edge (3)

Friday, 25 July 2014

'...We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses...' Hebrews 4:15 NKJV


Dr Joseph Parker told his theology students, 'Preach to the suffering and you will never lack a congregation. There is a broken heart in every pew.' Don't lose your compassionate edge, because you can't heal a broken heart unless you can first empathise with it. The Bible says, 'We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses.' When you lose touch with people, you lose your touch when it comes to ministering to them. Jesus went looking for the leper, the loser, the lonely, the lost and the lowest in society. And He was comfortable around them. Are you?

Serving others is actually good for your health. A survey conducted at 44 major universities reveals that giving protects your overall health twice as much as an aspirin protects your heart against disease. Dr Stephen Post, who conducted the survey, says, 'Giving is the most potent force on the planet and will protect your whole life.'

The benefits of compassion to your physical health are so strong that if compassion wasn't free, pharmaceutical companies would herald the discovery of a stupendous new drug called 'give back' instead of Prozac.'

We give for different reasons: to get an income tax deduction; to make a good impression and have people think well of us; or because we're put under pressure. You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving. Your time, talent and treasure are to be shared with others. When you refuse, you're neither happy, holy nor healthy.


SoulFood: 1 Tim 1-3, Lk 8:40-56, Ps 1, Prov 19: 9-11


This is The Word For Today

@Odunharry,
thank God. I wish you success in school.

Don't Lose Your Compassionate Edge (1)

Wednesday, 23 July 2014

'...When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them...' Matthew 9:36 NKJV

Christ's concern for a hurting world revealed itself in two ways: condemnation towards those who took advantage of others and compassion towards those who couldn't help themselves. One time He took a whip and threw the money changers out of the temple; another time He healed the sick and fed the hungry.

There's a lesson here: you can become complacent and say, 'I know there's trouble in the world. It's regrettable. But as long as it doesn't touch me personally, I'd prefer not to think about it. Cheating goes on every day in business and politics. That's just the way things are.' Like the priest and the Levite in the story of the Good Samaritan, you 'pass by on the other side' (Luke 10:30-36).

The sad fact is that even churches that faithfully preach the Word and win souls (two all-important missions) fail in this area. Why? Because they're afraid of being identified with those who promote a 'social gospel'. But the opposite should concern us! 'If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity...how can the love of God be in him? ...Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.' (1 John 3:17-18 NIV)

What moves you? Success in business? Building a great family? Excelling in ministry? Those are worthy goals, but if you want to know what moved Christ, read this: 'When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion.' So don't lose your compassionate edge.


SoulFood: Nah 1-3, Lk 8:16- 25, Ps 14, Prov 19:1-4


This is The Word For Today

chuxyz: If satan tempted man to sin against God, and we term satan the father of sin, then who tempted satan to also sin or rebel against God? Another Satan?

Your answer if you really need it is in scripture and it takes revelation to receive it but since you don't appear to be a Christian but want answers you can study the bible and you will get it if you open your heart to it.

Some hints:

1. God created man good and put him in a garden. In that garden there was a tree of the knowledge of good and evil and a tree of life. Man was given choice after the first law telling Him what to eat and what not.
For them not to even know they were naked means they were created 'uninstalled' as it were.

2. When man sinned, God said man has become like one of them KNOWING good and evil. Obviously God's earlier creations may have been created with ability not to die and have the complete knowledge of good and evil. Food for thought.

3. Why would God put a cherubim to guard the tree of life so man would not eat of it after his sin and live for ever? Hmmmmm.

4. Satan obviously never knew the severity and sovereignty of God and must have thought he would ascend without fail. He had something in him that man did not have at creation. Both man and Satan received rewards for what they did but one was given a ray of hope than the other for some reason.

5. A 'choice' aspect applied in all situations. And there was a plan in place by Jehovah, all knowing.


I hope you are not confused.

*If you think I am even beginning to answer your question then think again....how you decide to ponder and research on what I pasted will show if you really want answers.

Encouragement - It's a Powerful Thing

Tuesday, 22 July 2014

'If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.' Romans 12:8 NLT

Many a man and woman who quit would have kept going if they had just received a word of encouragement from someone. Encouragement is so vital that the Scriptures rank it up there with gifts like teaching and leadership (Romans 12:6-.

Here are two stories that illustrate the power of encouragement. Story one: Not long ago, the world watched as three grey whales, icebound off Point Barrow, Alaska, floated battered and bloody, gasping for breath at a hole in the ice. The whales' only hope was to be somehow transported eight kilometres past the ice pack to the open sea. Rescuers began cutting a string of breathing holes about 20 m apart in the 15 cm thick ice. For eight days they painstakingly coaxed the whales from one hole to the next, kilometre after kilometre. Along the way, one of the trio vanished and was presumed dead. But finally, with the help of Russian icebreakers, the other two whales, Putu and Siku, swam to freedom.

Story two: Jackie Robinson was the first black player in the US to play major league baseball. While breaking baseball's colour barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. Playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he made an error and his own fans began to boo him. As he stood, humiliated, at second base, 'Pee Wee' Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Robinson and they faced the crowd together. The fans grew quiet; the game continued. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career!

Encouragement - it's a powerful thing. So who can you encourage today?


SoulFood: 2 Pet 1-3, Lk 8:1-15, Ps 146, Prov 18:23-24


This Is The Word For Today

Hello Mamas and Papas in the house,
Today let's talk about facts and truth. Many times we mix both of these scenarios:

1.
FACT
-"Can a son be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, have a child?"

TRUTH
- And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac (laughter)


2.
FACT
- Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

TRUTH
- And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.


Carefully consider each fact and each truth and ask yourself today, how many times have you called the fact the truth and called the truth fact.
If you notice, God is not one to argue. He tells you as it is and gives you instructions on what to do. A times it is to simply wait, while he hones you into the mother he wants for his heritage, a times its just a blockage that will easily be removed.
Whatever it is, learn to distinguish the fact from the truth but always know that God's word is Truth.

What is that thing that has been told you and even though the man has not even given a verdict you have judged yourself.
What has been shut up against you making nothing go in or come out. God had told the children of Israel that He had given Jericho into their hands even though it had not physically even happened.
That's the power of Faith...calling those things which be not as though they are.

Good evening.

Live Till You Die!

Monday, 21 July 2014

'...When he died...his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.' Deuteronomy 34:7 NIV

Don't listen to those who tell you you're 'too old'. God's promise is, 'They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh...' (Psalm 92:14 NIV).

For 20 to 30 years the century plant spreads out but produces no flowers. Then in one year, without warning, a bud sprouts. The bud, which resembles a tree-trunk-sized asparagus spear, shoots into the sky at the fantastic rate of nearly 20 cm per day, and reaches an eventual height of 8 to 10 m. Then it crowns itself with several clumps of yellowish blossoms that last almost a month.

Some of God's oldest are among His finest! The older, mellower Abraham was wiser than the brash, younger one. Caleb was still defeating giants and climbing mountains at 85. Anna, an elderly widow, didn't just pray for the Messiah; her vision kept her alive until He came. In his nineties, imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos, John wrote the Book of Revelation. Jesus said, 'Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it.' (Luke 17:33 NRS).

You can approach life in two ways: protect it or pursue it. When the voice of safety says, 'Build a fire in the hearth and stay in where it's warm,' the voice of faith says, 'Build a fire in your soul, then go out and pursue your vision with a passion.' Asked why he was still studying Greek in his nineties, Oliver Wendell Holmes is reported to have said, 'My good sir, it's now or never!' What matters is not the years in your life, but the life in your years. So, live till you die!


SoulFood: 2 Sam 22:31-24:25, Lk 7:36-50, Ps 140, Prov 18:21-22


This is The Word For Today

@iykmau,
Congrats on your pregnancy and that of your sister. May you both carry to term. Amen.

@Mamateniola,
@Blesseddiva has more or less answered you. God created herbs and plants to do our bodies good. There is nothing wrong in using agbo or the tablets when we are ill but nothing should take the place of God in our lives. That's the difference.

One thing that makes many people run away from agbo got from unknown sources is that you don't know the gods that were invoked when these things were made. Now this doesn't only apply to agbo alone. Even the tablets you use from from the hospitals, do we even know if the same applies?
These medical doctors we see too, how many are into cults. I have heard stuff. It's not until the person looks old, bent or strange that he may be this or that.


Not everyone who calls God may be talking about the God you know.
So some may, because they don't want to get involved in anything fetish, prefer to do the herbs themselves and pray to God - Jehovah before using it. Let's never forget the place of prayer in everything we do or any herb we may want to take. This is good advice for us all and me too.

I think if we like David get close to God and ask him questions like 'Should I go see see this doctor' He will surely answer us. It all boils down to being sensitive and trusting God totally, asking Him for direction.

What Are You Living For?

Sunday, 20 July 2014

'Grey hair is a crown of splendour; it is attained by a righteous life.' Proverbs 16:31 NIV

We all live for something; the question is: what? Ben Patterson writes in The Grand Essentials: 'I have a theory about old age...I believe when life has whittled us down, when joints have failed and skin has wrinkled and capillaries have clogged and hardened, what is left of us will be what we were all along in our essence.

Exhibit A: a distant uncle. All his life he did nothing but find new ways to get rich. He spent his [last years] very comfortably, drooling and babbling constantly about the money he had made. When life whittled him down to his essence, all that was left was raw greed. This is what he had cultivated in a thousand little ways over a lifetime.

Exhibit B: my wife's grandmother. When she died in her mid-eighties she had already been senile for several years. What did this lady talk about? The best example I can think of was when we asked her to pray before dinner. She would reach out and hold the hands of those sitting beside her, a broad, beatific smile would spread across her face, her dim eyes would fill with tears as she looked up to Heaven and her chin would quiver as she poured out her love to Jesus. That was Edna in a nutshell. She loved Jesus and she loved people. She couldn't remember our names, but she couldn't keep her hands from patting us lovingly, whenever we got near her. When life whittled her down to her essence, all there was left was love...for God and love for people.' What are you living for?


SoulFood: Mt 5:9, Rom 12:17-21, Jas 3:17-18, 2 Ki 6:8-23


This is The Word For Today

@ Sentempest, @Ayaakanoh, @Mowafruitful alias wumee, please forgive me for not posting as frequently. I have become quite lazy but by God's grace and your encouragement I have to turn a new leaf. The way I even sleep nowadays ehn. Lol. May I receive the help of God.

Ok, below is a lovely message and practical to inspire and encourage someone out there who is about to despite or needs a push.


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The Loneliness of Leadership

Saturday, 19 July 2014

'...That you may not bear it yourself alone.' Numbers 11:17 NKJV

Moses said to God, 'Why have You...laid the burden of all these people on me?' (Numbers 11:11 NKJV) God replied, '...Gather to Me seventy men... I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them...that you may not bear it yourself alone.' (Numbers 11:16-17 NKJV) Identify your God-given strengths, then delegate the rest to those who have strengths in your areas of weakness. Every leader is responsible for areas in which they have little or no competence. And when they try to exercise authority in those areas, they hinder everything and everybody under their watch. Put bluntly, there are things you are responsible for that you'll never be good at, that you need to keep your nose out of and give to others! Why do we have such a hard time doing this?

(1) Pride. Success is intoxicating and intoxicated people don't think too clearly. We assume our abilities are broader than they actually are. Admitting weakness doesn't make you less effective; it just confirms what everybody around you already knows!

(2) Ignorance. We feel bad about delegating our weak areas because we assume everybody hates to do what we hate to do. Not so. You're allowing others to shine; your limitations are opportunities.

(3) Independence. We think if the job is to be done 'right' we must do it ourselves. But leadership isn't just about getting things done; it's about getting things done through others. If you can't find somebody to hand things to, look in the mirror! The people who follow you are exactly where you've led them! If you've nobody to delegate things to, guess who needs to change?


SoulFood: 2 Sam 20:1-22:30, Lk 7:24-35, Ps 133, Prov 18:17-20

This is The Word for Today

@Mama Skimpy chick,
Congrats on the birth of your dear daughter. The name of the Lord be magnified for the conception, pregnancy and birth. The Lord that gave her to you will help you care for her.

@Sentempest, e don tey o. How now?

@Ayaakanoh, how body.

@all active mamas, una welcome o. How things.

God of miracles doing great things o.

long overdue. Thanks for starting up again @Image

ogunniyi2: Please nairalanders, i need clarifications on this subjects,In Between Old Testament and New Testament,which one out of the two is ideal as a christian to follow.
Why are we referencing old testament when it comes to tithe issue, while otherwise in other cases/issues.I don't think there is tithe pa lava in new testament,everybody is expected to work for a living.
Thanks

OP, it will be nice to show us exactly what the old testament is and what the new testament is with scripture. Then it will be easier for us to know what each says don't you think?
A hint, each testament was sealed with blood.
Everyone is expected to work like you said for a living. Everyone just has different kind of work they do.

ayoku777: While it is true that christians suffer and indeed should suffer; even so we should be careful not to attribute every suffering and affliction that comes our way as being something we should go through. Some are attacks from the devil to truncate our destiny, while some are just natural consequences of the fall. Both of which we can and should exercise authority over as new creations in Christ.

Take Jesus for example, the template of our faith; even though He knew He came to suffer, shed His blood and give His life for us; He also knew when NOT TO DIE or just suffer for suffering sake.

There was a time they wanted cast Him down a cliff in Luke 4. Verse 30 said "But he passing through the midst of them went His way.". Another time after saying He and His father are one, the jews took up rocks to stone Him "but He escaped out of their hands. -John 10v39." Did He escape because He was afraid of death and suffering? Or He simply knew which suffering had nothing to do with the will of God

Also here; John 11v53-54 -Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the jew; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

Did Jesus leave Jerusalem for Ephraim out of fear of persecution? Or He simply knew when not to suffer and what affliction had nothing to do with God's purpose?

What about when He told his disciples that they should cross over to the other side, and a storm met them on the way. They woke Jesus up. What did He do? He didn't encourage them to endure it. Or call it "afflictions of the righteous" or "hazards of mission work". No, He rebuked the storm, because it was a storm to be rebuked not endured. And He turned around and rebuked His disciples for their unbelif, becaus He expected them to have done the same in His name.

All these shows that knowing the will of God and being a matured christian also involves knowing when NOT TO SUFFER, knowing when to rebuke a storm and not endure it.

Jesus came to suffer, die and resurrect for us, even so, He didn't just let himself be pushed around, stoned at will or endure every storm in the name of "affliction of the righteous." Infact, if you study the scriptures, you will discover that the only time He let himself be man-handled was from gethsmane to golgotha. No one and nothing could harm Him before then. He was incharge, even of His own suffering. That is Jesus -our template.

Its not everything we suffer that Has anything to do with the will of God, or even something to help us grow spiritually. A lot of them are just natural challenges of life which we can exercise authority over as new creation. And some are even devil-orchestrated storms designed to prevent us from "crossing to the other side". Which God expects us to rebuke in His name, as He did -not endure it.

For many christians "thy will be done" has become just another fancy expression to describe throwing our hands in the air and submitting to whatever happens. We ought to know the will of God that we are asking to be done, otherwise it is submitting to FATE not to the WILL OF GOD.

In closing let me say this, christianity is not comfort or suffering, it is being filled and led of the spirit. Comfort is not carnality and suffering is not spirituality. Christian maturity is beseeching to behold the glory of Christ, and doing that entails both times to abase and times to abound.

Weldone Ayoku. This resonates with me perfectly. Jesus is the template.
Christianity is being filled and led by the Spirit in Christ.
This is what happens when we know our purpose and assignment on earth.

The Law of Love (2)

Wednesday, 09 July 2014

'Above all, clothe yourselves with love...' Colossians 3:14 NLT


God's love is the most powerful force the world has ever seen. And as a follower of Christ, it is up to you to carry the torch and keep it burning. The Bible says, '...Clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience... Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.' (Colossians 3:12-14 NLT) It's one thing to quote Scriptures, pray long articulate prayers in public, study theology and attend church. But only when people see your love will they be impacted by your life. Love, not words, is the true test of your discipleship. It's said that General Omar Bradley once made a business trip on a commercial airline wearing a regular suit instead of his military uniform. When he reached his seat, he started doing some paperwork. As it turned out, the man sitting next to him was a young army private who didn't recognise Bradley. So, after take-off, he turned to the general and said, 'Since we're going to be together for a while, it would be nice if we got to know each other. My guess is that you're a banker.' Not wishing to seem rude, but needing to finish his work, Bradley replied, 'No, I'm General Omar Bradley, a five-star general in the US Army. I head up the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.' Without missing a beat, the young private replied, 'Well, sir, that's a very important job, and I sure hope you don't blow it!' Your most important job today is to show God's love - so don't blow it!


SoulFood: 1 Sam 27-31, Lk 4:31-44, Ps 122, Prov 17:18-21


This is The Word for Today

FortresOfChrist:
I agree with the heart of giving but does the bible tell the giver who gives from the heart a specific percentage in order for such giving to be acceptable?
b. Where in the bible (book, chapter and verse) does God say tithing is thanking to him for his goodness in your life? Whenever you say such statement, it should be established on the word not on guess. please provide references where tithing is thanking God for his goodness.
Are you trying to say that God appearing to Abram was because of or as a result of he tithe in Genesis 14? Hhow do you then reconcile Abraham being rich in cattle, silver and Gold before he tithe in Genesis 13? Bear in mind, silver, Gold and cattle are not the blessings of Abraham (which was inherited in those who are of faith) but they are evidence of the already blessed Abraham. There's dignity on labour and God will always bless a working hand and head, not someone tithing just to be blessed.

Spend time to read what you quoted from my post and how you decided to ask questions.
1. Where did I say only a certain percentage is acceptable? Seems you decided to overlook where I spoke about giving all? Lol. Jesus spoke about measures, Paul spoke about sparing or abundant giving anyway yet he said give as you purpose. Each giving has its purpose. You can purpose to give tithe or not. God loves a cheerful giver.

2. Did I say God SAID giving tithe is appreciating Him? Your questions are really funny.
Did Abraham give tithe to be blessed or in honour and appreciation in Genesis 14 & Heb. 7. No i am not insinuating, i am stating that in the next chapter, Genesis 15 said AFTER THESE THINGS....God came to reaffirm His blessing an protection to Abraham...you may draw your own conclusion from there, I draw mine. Abraham was blessed before he tithed ( Melchizedek even blessed him and gave him bread and wine) and was exceedingly blessed and God kept blessing him.

Tithe is a tenth of increase dedicated to God... alms are not defined or offerings. Jesus said GIVE. Simple. The measure you give you receive, Jesus said so, Apostle Paul reiterated this. No one says you should not give 1% if you so wish or 100%.
However, they are not tithe. Tithe of all is not the same as All or 1%.

Your last statement I said In the original post you cut my words from.

Alwaystrue:
In conjunction with the work of his hands and other obedience to God, he kept on being blessed. Genesis 15.

Now those blessings are poured on something,  you don't give and fold your hands and that is with respect to any format of giving anyway.  God blesses more and more our work and brings great abundance our way.

What does God bless?  Belief, obedience and a right heart. 

God bless.

Please read and understand my post in full next time. It is clear.
Thanks.

Thanks @Odunharry for keeping the thread active. Beautiful message today about love. Really lovely to see the act of that boy's classmates.