₦airaland Forum

Take It To God In Prayer

Sun, 18 Apr 2021.

‘Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you.’ Psalm 55:22 AMPC

After preaching about taking our worries to God in prayer, a lady approached the great preacher G. Campbell Morgan and said, ‘I don’t bother God with little things; I only take the big ones to Him.’ Morgan replied, ‘My dear lady, everything we take to God is little.’

The Bible says, ‘Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you.’ God knows you’re not built to carry the weight of worry, so He invites you to give it to Him today. Anything that’s big enough to be a source of anxiety should be turned into a prayer.

Peter writes: ‘Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.’ (1 Peter 5:7 AMPC) Note the word ‘casting’. That’s the opposite of ‘carrying’! The moment you recognise that a worry is beginning to weigh you down, ‘cast’ it on the Lord, knowing ‘He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.’

Now if He was a distant God who didn’t care about you, you would have reason to worry. Or if He was a weak God who couldn’t do anything about it, you would equally have reason to worry. The truth is, it’s as you give your worries to God that you discover how big He really is.

The songwriter Joseph Scriven put it this way: ‘Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.’

Sorry to the Queen. She is officially a widow now.........

Ile aiye, ile asan!

Your Identity Determines Your Inheritance.

Sat, 17 Apr 2021

‘We are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.’ Romans 8:16–17 NKJV

When our favourite sports team wins, we say, ‘We won!’ What do you mean ‘we’? You weren’t on the field. You didn’t get tackled. You didn’t throw or kick the ball. You didn’t even score a single goal. What do you mean ‘we’won? You mean that, because the team you support and identify with won, you won too.

There’s an important spiritual truth here for you as the redeemed child of God. When Jesus died, you died with Him. When Jesus arose, you arose with Him to ‘walk in newness of life.’ (Romans 6:4 NKJV) The difference between you and the team that won is that you will never actually be an active part of it. But when Jesus won at the cross and you accepted Him as your Saviour, God positioned you ‘in Christ’. Today He sees you clothed in the righteousness of Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Paul explains it this way: ‘The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.’ Did you get that? As a redeemed child of God, you are an ‘heir’ of everything your heavenly Father owns.

And it gets better; we’re also ‘joint heirs with Christ’, meaning that whatever Jesus is entitled to, we are also entitled to.

When you understand this truth and begin to walk according to it, you start to identify and claim the blessings God has promised you in His Word. These blessings include such things as grace, forgiveness, healing, provision, guidance, strength, etc. Your identity in Christ entitles you to all these things.

16, April 2021

Turn Your Loss Into Gain (3)

‘New things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.’ Isaiah 42:9 NKJV

The same townspeople who declared Jephthah ‘persona non grata’ were the very ones who turned to him for help when they were threatened by a powerful enemy. So here’s lesson one: other people don’t determine your future, God does!

The Israelites were living in exile and bondage when God made them this promise: ‘“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”’ (Jeremiah 29:11 TLB) God’s plan for you will prevail over every other plan.

Here’s lesson two: a unity walk requires unity talk. Jephthah immediately embraced the new relationship. ‘Then Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: “What do you have against me that you have attacked my country?”’ (Judges 11:12 NIV) Note the words ‘me’ and ‘my country’. He put the hurts of his past behind him and fully embraced the cause.

Deborah Pegues writes: ‘He was ready to walk in unity. And a unity walk requires unity talk. You would be surprised at the impact unity talk will have on your attitude and relationships. You’ll find yourself being less critical of others once you make such “team talk” a habit.’ That doesn’t mean you’ll always see eye to eye on every issue. It just means the cause and the vision you share are greater and more important that your differences of thought and opinion.

The Bible says, ‘Make every effort [you’ve got to work at it] to keep yourselves united in the Spirit [not necessarily in opinion], binding yourselves together with peace.’ (Ephesians 4:3 NLT)

Turn Your Loss Into Gain (2)

Thu, 15 Apr 2021

‘Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.’ Matthew 3:8

When Israel’s leaders turned to Jephthah for help, they were in distress and wanted to ‘use’ him. So Jephthah said, in essence, ‘Let’s get an understanding of the type of relationship we’re going to have.’ At that point, he negotiated with them and ended up in a top leadership spot. When your trust has been violated, you need to forgive. By doing so, you set yourself free. But you must exercise wisdom in how to move forward. God doesn’t expect you to put yourself in a position to be hurt again.

Perhaps you’ve heard the story of the guy who went to the doctor with a severe burn on his right ear. He explained, ‘I was ironing and watching television when the phone rang, and I picked up the iron instead of the phone.’ Puzzled, the doctor said, ‘But how did you get the burn on your left ear?’ The man exclaimed, ‘Because he called back!’

Bottom line: when you’ve been ‘burned’ by someone, be careful about putting yourself in a position to be burned over and over again. Forgiveness must be freely given, but trust must be earned. Your offender must show the fruit of repentance—consistent behaviour that gives evidence that he or she has had a change of heart. John the Baptist said, ‘Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.’

You need two things: grace and wisdom. Grace means extending to others the same forgiveness that God has extended to you. Wisdom means knowing what kind of relationship you can have with that person in the future.

You Must Respond With Grace

Tue, 13 Apr 2021

‘You must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour.’ 2 Peter 3:18

How do we overcome past hurts in relationships? How do two people combine separate and unique perspectives to create a satisfying and loving relationship? There’s a very special ingredient called ‘grace’ that must be added to the mix. It calls for extending to the other person the same grace that God extends to you. It bandages broken people and permits the defeated to develop winning ways to escape their pasts. It gives strength to those who struggle to be functional in areas where historically they’ve been dysfunctional. Grace restores the heart and resolves the troubles of a tormented spirit. It uplifts through loving-kindness and forgiveness. It calls in the favour of God. And, as He bestows it on us, we should extend it to those who need our compassion and love.

We are all broken in certain areas, and we need to learn to accept that, and to help mend the brokenness in others. Peter didn’t believe he was capable of denying his Lord. He swore he would never do it. But Jesus not only predicted it, He promised to pray for him until he was fully restored (see Luke 22:32). And we are called to do that too; to extend to other imperfect people the same love and grace that has been shown to us.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: ‘We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds towards each other.’ (2 Thessalonians 1:3 NKJV)

And Peter adds, ‘You must grow in… grace.’ It’s a process, so you’ve got to work at it!

Generational Blessings

Mon, 12 Apr 2021

‘The promise is for you, and for your children.’ Acts 2:39

Every family has unique and different strengths. And you can give an inheritance to your children by passing on the values, insight, and love that got your family as far as it is today. Having a sense of your history can inspire in them a desire to perpetuate the greatness. You need to tell them how you made it over your ‘Jordan River’ and into your ‘Promised Land’. You need to pass on the generational blessings that helped your family for years. It is necessary to highlight each family member’s gifts.

There’s something in each person that makes him or her stand out from all the others. All of us have special talents, and all of us want to hear what we do well. We need to recognise and verbalise the uniqueness of each member. We need to emphasise that while we may be part of a great family, we’re not restricted by our heritage; we have the freedom and ability to exercise our own individual gifts.

Inspire your family to be proud of where they came from, where they are now, and where they can go in the future. Our past binds us together, but it’s the individual members utilising their unique gifts and fulfilling their particular roles that make a family resilient and give it a strong future in the promises of God.

‘The promise is for you, and for your children.’ Don’t be the last link in the chain. Don’t let it end with you. Take the blessings God has deposited in you and pass them on to your children—and to your grandchildren as well.

Loving And Accepting Others

Sun, 11 Apr 2021

‘In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.’ Philippians 2:3

You can learn to love and accept someone, without necessarily agreeing with their opinions and endorsing their actions or lifestyle. An important key is learning to see people as individuals. The more we realise that despite certain differences we’re all human and all created by our Father in His image, the freer we become to focus on our common needs. When we don’t understand someone else’s motives, views, or personality, it’s easy to assume the worst about them and project irritation and anger.

Communication and trust go a long way towards increasing our patience and understanding towards those who do things differently from us. You can provide these two things in a relationship by simply asking the right questions. Too often we’re afraid to ask someone where they’re coming from, or what the problem is. Or when we do ask, we do it in a way that only increases the fear and hostility the other person is experiencing. If we ask with kindness, or at least in a respectful and gracious manner, we free the person to open up and we get to know them better. Keeping a sense of humour can help smooth things out if there’s discord or conflict. Such a constructive exchange builds trust, which increases the probability for more and better communication between the two of you.

The Bible sets the bar high when it comes to loving and accepting others: Paul says, ‘If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.’ (1 Corinthians 13:1 NLT)

God Will Provide ‘All’ You Need

Sat, 10 Apr 2021

‘How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?’ Romans 8:32

George Müller is considered to be one of the spiritual giants of the church. Do yourself a favour and read his life story. Faced time and time again with overwhelming needs, he turned to God in prayer, claiming His promises and experiencing amazing miracles. But great faith does not come overnight; it comes over a lifetime of walking with God. Müller said: ‘My faith is the same faith which is found in every believer. It has been increased little by little for the last twenty-six years. Many times when I would have gone insane from worry, I was at peace because my soul believed the truth of God’s promises. God’s Word, together with the whole character of God as He has revealed Himself, settles all questions. His unchangeable love and His infinite wisdom calmed me. I knew, “God is able and willing to deliver me.” It is written, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”’

You say, ‘How do I get this kind of faith?’ The Bible says, ‘Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.’ (Romans 10:17 NASB) Just as a daily diet of good nutrition strengthens you physically, so do reading, meditating, studying, verbalising, and standing on God’s Word each day strengthen you spiritually. The ‘secret’ of successful Christian living is not a secret at all—just get into God’s Word and get God’s Word into you. You can’t avoid anxiety-producing situations in life, but when your faith is strong you can overcome them.

Be it Malami oooo or Malawi oooo........none of them is going to anywhere.

I think he still alive.

........on a life support machine though.

RIP

The Sting

Fri, 9 Apr 2021

‘I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted.’ 2 Corinthians 11:3

Have you heard of the velvet ant? It has a coat of tiny hairs that feel smooth and velvety. But it’s all a disguise. It isn’t an ant at all, but a wingless wasp with a nasty sting. After injecting its victims with a venom, it lays eggs in their incapacitated bodies.

One of Paul’s greatest concerns was that, after being saved by grace, the churches would go back to living under the Old Testament law. He constantly warned them about basing their salvation and their relationship with God on their own performance. ‘I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of Gospel than the one you believed.’ (2 Corinthians 11:3–4 NLT)

Another Jesus! Another Spirit! Another Gospel! Again Paul warns, ‘Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.’ (2 Corinthians 11:14 NLT) Yes, your work for God on earth determines your rewards in Heaven. But only by trusting in the finished work of Christ will you get to Heaven. No one in Heaven will say, ‘Look what Jesus and I did!’

Legalism will not only infect you, it will incapacitate you. Scottish minister Horatius Bonar wrote, ‘Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another’s life, another’s death, I stake my whole eternity.’

How do you protect yourself against ‘the sting’ of legalism? By depending on God’s grace alone.

Hummmm

Dealing With Your Doubts (2)

Thu, 8 Apr 2021

‘Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, put my finger into them, and put my hand into His side, I’ll never believe!’ John 20:25

Some of us have taken the message of Christianity and put it in a box marked: ‘Don’t ask—don’t tell.’ Ever feel like you need permission to weep when you lose a loved one? Or feel intimidated about admitting, ‘I really don’t know for sure’?

The story of doubting Thomas teaches us that not only is it ok to doubt—sometimes it’s necessary! If you don’t, you won’t grow. You’ll wind up with somebody else’s answers, and in many cases they will be inadequate for your questions—even if you’re honest enough to ask them.

Question: has some well-meaning religious person pushed you into a corner and tried to make you believe that your questions are an offence to Christ? If so, it’s time to listen anew to the tender words of the One who knows your doubts and fears better than you do: ‘Peace be with you. Look at My hands and feet. Look with eyes of faith and believe. You are blessed when you believe in spite of your doubts.’

It’s ok to pray, ‘Lord, like Thomas, I still struggle with some doubts. I haven’t put my life all together yet. Not until I’m with You will that happen. Thank You for accepting me in my struggles, and not ignoring my questions. Thomas finally reached the place where he could say, “My Lord and my God.” Thank You for being patient with me as I strive to reach that place as well.’

So, how do we get through our doubts? Like Thomas! By facing them honestly, bringing them to Jesus, and growing spiritually as a result of them.

Scam alert.

......thinking that Tinubu will give her money & a house. Well, I wish you luck.

Dealing With Your Doubts (1)

Wed, 7 Apr 2021

‘Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, put my finger into them, and put my hand into His side, I’ll never believe!’ John 20:25

Thomas wasn’t there when Jesus first appeared to His disciples after the resurrection. And like many of us, other people’s experiences weren’t good enough for Thomas—he had to have his own. And Jesus made sure he got them. Note, He didn’t put Thomas down for having doubts. He understood that any question arising from an honest heart isn’t a sceptical question; it’s a search for truth.

The Bible tells us: ‘After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came… and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”’ (John 20:26–28 NKJV)

We glean two important lessons from this story:

(1) Your doubts can actually lead you to a new level of faith. When the bottom drops out of your world, when the pain of your circumstances seems unbearable, when some shattering event occurs and doubt marches in unannounced, don’t deny it—acknowledge it. Times of doubt become classrooms of learning when they drive you to God for answers. As you work your way through them, you reach a new level of faith.

(2) Your doubts can lead you to a deeper relationship with Jesus. The testimony of others will only carry you so far; ultimately, you need your own personal experience with the Lord. And you can have it! Thomas started out doubting Jesus and yet ended up dying as a martyr for His cause. Think about that!

Decide, And Stick With It!

Tue, 6 Apr 2021

‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ Joshua 24:15

People who succeed in life set their priorities early and maintain them daily. That way they don’t have to keep re-establishing them. That’s a good idea for two reasons:

(1) It takes the emotion out of it. If you’re not careful, you can make a life-altering decision based on a temporary situation, rather than God’s will. Or worse, base your decisions on your feelings! By establishing your life’s priorities before you have to, you can do it without your emotions manipulating and controlling you. Plus, you’re more likely to set them with integrity. Joshua did that: ‘As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’

(2) It makes managing your life easier. Once you nail down what’s important to you, you can live based on those principles. Suppose you’re a compulsive gambler and you decide to stop. Your task then becomes ordering your life in light of that decision. That means removing the betting app from your phone and avoiding the casino. Or, say you want to build a better marriage: that may mean spending less time at work or on a hobby, and planning a weekly date night with your spouse. It takes honesty, born in prayer, to know what your real issues are and to make good decisions accordingly.

And it takes character and perseverance to follow through once those decisions are made. The great thing is that once you decide, then ‘commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.’ (Proverbs 16:3 NLT) He will give you the strength each day to live by your decisions.

.......this is so tough. May the Lord Almighty console him & other family members in Jesus name.

Impressive

Renew Your Love For Christ

Mon, 5 Apr 2021

‘Turn back and do as you did at first.’ Revelation 2:5

Addressing the Ephesian church, Jesus said: ‘I know everything you have done, including your hard work and how you have endured. I know you won’t put up with anyone who is evil… You have endured and gone through hard times because of Me, and… not given up. But I do have something against you! And it is this: You don’t have as much love as you used to. Think about where you have fallen from… then turn back and do as you did at first.’ (Revelation 2:2–5 CEV)

Think back to your early days as a Christian. Remember how excited you got when you talked about the Lord. Remember how you spent time each day in prayer, and left His presence strengthened. You couldn’t get enough of His Word. It was filled with fresh insights that thrilled your soul and challenged you to go deeper with Him. You never missed an opportunity to talk to others about the Lord. Your walk with Him was consistent, fulfilling, and the pivotal point of your life.

What happened? Have you reached the same point in your life as the Ephesian Christians Jesus was speaking to? If so, understand that God won’t interrupt your busy schedule or accelerate His pace to catch up with you. No, you must slow down in order to get back in step with Him. He can’t be conveniently fitted into the framework of your complicated life; you must choose to put Him first, and keep Him there.

Today the Lord may be speaking these words to you: ‘Think about where you have fallen from… then turn back and do as you did at first.’

God Honours Faithfulness!

Sun, 4 Apr 2021

‘An angel of the Lord came down from Heaven, went to the tomb, and rolled the stone away.’ Matthew 28:3

When the two Marys went to the tomb that first Easter morning, the last thing they expected was to find it empty. After all, they’d witnessed Jesus crucified, along with most of their dreams. Now they came with oils and spices to anoint Him.

That day they didn’t come to receive, they came to give. And there’s no nobler human aspiration. Service prompted by duty is the hallmark of true discipleship. That’s why God commands us to love, expecting nothing in return: calling us to give to those who’ll never thank us; to forgive those who refuse to reciprocate.

As God watched these two women walking the road that morning, He’d a surprise in store for them. The Bible says that the angel who, ‘went to the tomb, and rolled the stone away,’ said, ‘Come and see the place where His body was.’ (Matthew 28:6). The angel didn’t move the stone so that Jesus could get out. The One who conquered death can certainly move a rock! No, he moved it so that the women could look in and rejoice.

Why? Because God honours faithfulness.

(a) When she was long past childbearing, Sarah believed God and became the mother of nations.

(b) When his failure was overwhelming and public, David repented and was pardoned and restored.

(c) When the road was darkest for the two Marys, an angel showed up and resurrected their hopes.

Today if your road’s been long and dark—don’t get discouraged and don’t quit! The answer is on the way. God always honours faithfulness, and when necessary, He even sends angels.

The Battle Over The Resurrection

Sat, 3 Apr 2021

‘If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!’ 1 Corinthians 15:17

In 2013, Fox News reported that an exercise in a university course textbook involved instructing students to write the name of Jesus on a sheet of paper, put the paper on the floor, and stomp on it. In one Florida university class, all the students participated—except one! Out of love and loyalty to Jesus, he wouldn’t do it.

This leads us to ask the following question, ‘Why would anyone, even an atheist, agree to do such a thing?’ Answer: because sometimes we fight what we fear. It’s called ‘living in denial’. Think about it: hatred and resentment normally end at the grave because the person is dead and no longer has any power over us. So why then do some people still hate Jesus? Fear! Deep down they fear He’s alive and that His influence in the world is growing. And His influence will continue to grow!

‘The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.’ (Isaiah 11:9 NKJV) The historical truth of Christ’s resurrection is beyond dispute to any honest, open mind. But the greatest proof of His resurrection can be seen in radically transformed lives. Paul writes: ‘You have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by the same Spirit living within you.’ (Romans 8:10–11 NLT)

Songwriter Alfred Ackley put it this way: ‘You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.’

Tinubu will not pass that test unfortunately.

Redefining ‘Good’ Friday

Fri, 2 Apr 2021

‘God was also pleased to bring everything on earth and in Heaven back to Himself through Christ.’ Colossians 1:20

Carolyn Arends writes: ‘Easter Sunday is the Christian faith’s gold medal victory lap… the Happily Ever After… But I dread Good Friday… images of torture and suffering… the terrible recollected cry, “My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?” Left to my own devices, I’d probably skip Good Friday. But… if I did, Easter morning would become increasingly hollow. I’d forget how much my salvation cost… I’d start to believe that you can have victory without sacrifice… I’d buy the lie that Christ’s… victory over death—and my decision to follow him—means life will be trouble-free… The Biblical writers… encourage us to consider suffering… an opportunity to identify with Christ… to take up His cross. Yet… when the job is lost, or the tumour is malignant, or the friendship is betrayed, we grieve not only the wound but also the fact that we can be wounded. We feel… Jesus has let us down. We don’t consider it “pure joy”… So how do we become Easter Sunday Christians? When I’m expecting Easter Sunday and I get Good Friday… [I try] to remember that God’s definition of “good”… far exceeds my own… that almost all the new beginnings… have come from what felt… like terrible endings… What seems like a small (but devastating) death is actually a chance at new life.’

If you’re struggling to see the ‘good’ in your situation, hear this: ‘Life from nothing began through Him, and life from the dead began through Him, and He is, therefore, justly called the Lord of all… through Him God planned to reconcile… everything on earth and everything in Heaven by virtue of the sacrifice of the cross.’ (Colossians 1:18–20 PHPS)

Goalnaldo:
Don't ever think of using this meat as Easter protein except in the situation where there is no alternative. Its tasteless. A word is enough for the wise.

you took it that from my mouth. Very tasteless thing. My favorite is grass cutter.

Happy Easter.

Why You Need A Relationship With God

Thu, 1 Apr 2021

‘He walked with Me in peace and equity.’ Malachi 2:6

From the very first chapter of Genesis, it’s clear that a relationship with God is the foundation upon which everything in our lives must be built. If we try to build on anything else, we’re building on quicksand. Why? Because sooner or later our relationship with our children, our siblings, our spouse, our parents, and our friends will break down.

If we don’t understand that we were created with an intense hunger for a relationship with God, we won’t understand where the inner void and loneliness come from. And as a result, we’ll try (unsuccessfully) to fill it with three things:

(1) People. Having the right person in your life can help fulfil your need for love and emotional intimacy, but no one other than God can fill the spiritual emptiness within you.

(2) Things. Having material things can give us comfort and convenience. Having money can give us options to do good; options the less fortunate can only dream of. But you can have material things and still be lonely and unhappy.

(3) Religion. God’s not interested in religion; He’s interested in having a relationship with you. Religion only becomes significant when it enhances that relationship, which it doesn’t always do. Oftentimes religious rules and regulations actually become a deterrent to a relationship with God. The Bible is filled with deeply religious people who missed connecting with God altogether. Sometimes we’re so preoccupied with our religious ideologies, teachings, doctrines and principles that we fail to understand what really matters most in life is a personal, intimate, daily, talking-and-listening relationship with God

Are You Under Pressure Today?

Wed, 31 Mar 2021

‘As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in Your commands.’ Psalm 119:143

It takes a long time and an incredible amount of pressure to turn a worthless piece of carbon into a valuable diamond. That’s why James writes: ‘When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.’ (James 1:2–4 NLT)

Once you grasp that Scriptural truth, whenever your life is interrupted by problems or circumstances you didn’t anticipate, you’ll begin to see God’s hand at work in all of it. The truth is that you’re either in a trial right now, just coming out of one, or heading towards the next one. James talks about ‘various trials’ (James 1:2 NASB); they come in every conceivable variety. Like the letters you get through your letterbox, some are addressed simply to ‘The Occupant’.

Will Rogers once read a newspaper headline that said, ‘Innocent Bystander Shot in New York.’ He quipped, ‘How about that? All you have to do to get shot in New York is be innocent and stand by!’ That’s how it is with life’s trials. Just stand by—and you’ll get hit. But the fact remains that it takes adversity to produce spiritual maturity. It can’t come any other way. Jesus said, ‘In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33 NIV)

Jesus was an overcomer, and because He lives in you today, you can be an overcomer too.

Simplyleo:
The handwriting is very clear.

Crystal clear to even blind goats.

Those baptized with wailing are free to continue with their historical practices.

God bless the jagaban
God bless PMB
God bless PYO
God bless Gov Abdullahi Ganduje
God bless patriotic Nigerians

the only person God is blessing from your list is PYO, but as for others, damn them.

seunmsg:
That Gov. Ganduje hosted this year’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu annual colloquium is no longer news. The event was well attended by movers and shakers in Nigeria’s political space both physically and virtually.

I have been viewing all the interesting pictures and videos from the event online. However, the picture below caught my attention.
Is Ganduje passing a message across to Nigerians?

Is a Ganduje/Tinubu ticket realistic considering the fact that they are both Muslims? Again, Tinubu has a corruption perception problem and Ganduje was caught on video stuffing his babariga with dollars alleged to be bribe some years back. So, how can two of them with such baggage realistically convince Nigerians that they are the best duo to lead the country?

it's obvious OP. But the forth picture though. You could see that Tinubu was so high on something. Anyway, good luck to them in their endeavour but how I wish none of the duo will go closer to been nominated for primary at all.

You’re ‘Graced’ For This Test

Tue, 30 Mar 2021

‘When He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.’ Job 23:10

Job lost his family and his fortune in a single day. Yet, looking back he wrote, ‘When He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.’ It takes much more heat to produce gold than it does to produce tin. So which of the two do you want to be? To enjoy the blessing God has in mind for you, you’ve got to pass life’s tests.

In the early days of television programming, schedules were routinely interrupted by a thirty-second test of ‘The Emergency Broadcast System’. And those tests are a lot like the ones that come into our lives— unscheduled… unwelcome… and they always seem to come at the worst possible time. But unlike television test patterns, life’s tests don’t last for thirty seconds then go away. No, they can last for weeks, years, and in some cases, for a lifetime. And the reason why may never be completely clear to you.

However, there’s an aspect of the test you can control—how you respond to it. The truth is, tests are an invaluable, integral, and indispensable part of your spiritual growth. Without them you’ll never grow and mature as much as you need to. And it’s how you handle your ‘tests’ that decides your ‘testimony’. Paul writes about testing: ‘All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up… our spirits are being renewed every day.’ (2 Corinthians 4:15–16 NLT)

Bottom line: you’re ‘graced’ for this test.

How To Walk In God’s Blessing (2)

Mon, 29 Mar 2021

‘You are already clean because of the Word.’ John 15:3

Your new nature is programmed to want to obey God in much the same way a calculator is programmed to compute numbers. When you put in the right information, you get the right response. And when you feed your new nature with God’s Word, it’s designed to give you the right response. That’s why Satan tries to keep you so busy doing other things that you don’t spend time reading your Bible. His goal is to keep you weak and ineffective.

Paul writes, ‘We all… beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image.’ (2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV) A mirror is simply a reflector. And the more time you spend in God’s Word, the more you begin to reflect His likeness. But it won’t happen by just grabbing a verse here and there or skimming through a passage. No, it calls for renewing your mind every day with God’s Word, to the extent that the Holy Spirit connects with your spirit and produces a Christlike lifestyle.

Jesus said: ‘You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.’ (John 15:3–4 NASB) When food dries on a plate, that plate needs to ‘abide’ in some hot, soapy water so that all the mess can be removed. That’s why you need to soak your mind in God’s Word. It removes not only gross sin, but hardened, baked-on, stubborn attitudes that keep you from growing in grace.