₦airaland Forum

God’s Timing, Location, And Purpose For Your Life

Fri, 3 Aug 2018

‘And has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord.’ Acts 17:26–27 NKJV

Let’s look at three phrases in this Scripture:

(1) ‘And has determined their pre-appointed times.’ Your parents may not have wanted you, but God did. He scheduled the moment of your birth, has a purpose for your life, and you are constantly on His mind. If that sounds too good to be true, read on: ‘You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God.’ (Psalm 139:16–17 NLT) And that’s a foundation to build your self-worth on!

(2) ‘And the boundaries of their dwellings.’ God’s will for you requires being in the right place; that’s why He sets ‘boundaries’. Sometimes He will say, ‘Don’t go there, I want you over here,’ or ‘Don’t stay here, I want you over there.’ Because someone else goes somewhere and succeeds, doesn’t mean you will. ‘The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.’ (Psalm 37:23 NLT) Include God in every detail of your life, for where He guides, He provides.

(3) ‘So that they should seek the Lord.’ Every act of God in your life is designed to increase your dependence on Him. Every assignment He gives you will require His participation in order to succeed. With all his great talents, Paul acknowledged, ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.’ (2 Corinthians 3:5 NKJV)

Discipleship Means Dying To Self

Thu, 2 Aug 2018

‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.’ Luke 9:23 NIV

In AD 44, King Herod Agrippa ordered James the Greater to be killed with a sword. He was the first of the apostles to be martyred. Reportedly, Luke was hanged from an olive tree in Greece. Doubting Thomas was burned in India. Philip was crucified, and preached from the cross with his dying breath. Matthew was stabbed in the back in Ethiopia. Bartholomew was flogged to death in Armenia. James the Just was thrown off the south-east pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem, then clubbed to death by a mob. Simon the Zealot was crucified by the governor of Syria in AD 74. Judas Thaddaeus was beaten to death with sticks in Mesopotamia. Matthias, who replaced Judas Iscariot, was stoned and beheaded. Peter was crucified upside down at his own request. When John the Beloved survived being put in a cauldron of boiling water, the Emperor Diocletian exiled him to the island of Patmos. Now you will probably not be called to die physically for Christ—but to be His disciple you must die to yourself. Jesus said, ‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it.’ (Luke 9:23–24 NIV) If you want to find yourself, you must be willing to lose yourself in the cause of Christ. If you want to come alive in the fullest sense, you must be willing to die to all forms of self-centredness and live for Christ.

Put God First In All Things

Wed, 1 Aug 2018

‘Seek first the Kingdom of God.’ Matthew 6:33 NKJV

Until the sixteenth century, ordinary people believed the earth was the centre of the universe and the sun revolved around it. Then an astronomer called Copernicus came along and argued that the sun didn’t revolve around the earth, the earth revolved around the sun. In so doing, he revolutionised the scientific world forever. And when it comes to discipleship, Jesus did the same thing: ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.’ At its core, sinfulness is selfishness. It’s enthroning yourself—your desires, your needs, your plans—above all else. You may still seek God, but you don’t seek Him ‘first’. Instead of trying to fulfil His purposes, you try to get Him to fulfil yours. Who’s following who? Instead of following Jesus, you’re trying to get Him to follow you. It doesn’t work that way. ‘Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”’ (Matthew 16:24–25 NKJV) Note the words ‘loses his life for My sake.’ There’s a lot of talk today about ‘finding yourself’. The way to find yourself—is to seek God. D.L. Moody said, ‘The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the man or woman who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.’ If you’re willing to surrender yourself to God, there’s no telling what He will do with you.

......the difference is so clear with the one at the bottom link

lol......

https://www.nairaland.com/4649001/34-miles-over-ocean-china-set

wasting of nairaland.com property.

...why will this guy have himself killed now? It's obvious that the lady did not love him at all.

Imagine Buhari using his own hands to destroy his own strong region that gave him the highest votes in 2015. I wonder if he can't win Kano again in the next election, which state is he looking forward to win?

Maybe Ekiti sha

bedspread:
So some persons right now are dancing with someone $80,000 usd!!!!

Soooo bad....

no one even mind the collection of the $80,000, but the poor man's life that was taking is painful.

No matter what, he has no right to take his life. Please Lord, forgive him.

The Steps to Success

Tue, 31 Jul 2018

‘He will make certain each step you take is sure.’ Psalm 37:23 CEV

To succeed in life, you need these four things:
(1) Morals. What are you willing to compromise to get where you’re trying to go? You can’t get there any old way you like; you must have boundaries. Yes, we’ve all broken the rules at some time or other, but thank God we had rules to break. We were able to realign ourselves because somebody had pitched a tent on where ‘right’ is. Today people don’t seem to know or care much about that.
(2) Methods. A goal without a plan is like a road to nowhere. First the goal, then the plan, then the process. Adapting this simple three-step formula helps you understand that you won’t just leap into success. There are methods you must employ and stay with!
(3) Means. When God gives you the ‘vision’, He also gives you the ‘provision’. When that doesn’t happen, either the timing is not right or what you want differs from what He has in mind for you. God’s provision can come as an idea that hits you suddenly, or a thought that takes root and grows over time. And His provision involves help from other people, so walk in love wherever you go.
(4) Management. Jesus said, ‘To whom much is given, of him shall much be required.’ (Luke 12:48 AMPC) Some people act like ‘it’s over’ when God gives it to them. No, it’s just beginning. And guess who your biggest management challenge will be? You! That’s why the psalmist wrote, ‘If you do what the Lord wants, He will make certain each step you take is sure.’

is it not better than none nii?

Keep on praying

Mon, 30 Jul 2018

‘Never stop praying.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:17 CEV

Have you become discouraged and stopped praying about the problem? If so, the word for you today is: ‘Keep on praying.’ God may not answer in the way you think He should, or within the time frame you think He should, but when you pray according to His Word, He has promised to answer: ‘No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.’ (Psalm 84:11 NKJV) When the children of Israel went to battle against a vastly superior army of Amalekites, Moses selected the Mountain of Prayer over the Valley of Battle and the Israelites won (see Exodus 17:8–13). When Abraham learned about the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, he
‘remained standing before the Lord’ (Genesis 18:22 NIV) rather than rushing out to warn the cities. When advisors informed Nehemiah that Jerusalem was in ruins, what did he do? Before he laid one stone in the foundation, he built a foundation of prayer under the whole project (see Nehemiah 1:4). Paul’s letters contain more requests for prayer than they do appeals for money or comfort. And what about Jesus? He rose up early to pray (see Mark 1:35). He dismissed people to pray (see Matthew 14:23). He climbed a mountain to pray (see Luke 9:28). Before going to the cross, He prayed all night (see Luke 22:39–46). Every word He spoke and every work He performed was saturated in prayer. And if He needed to do that, you do too! Bottom line: you can accomplish great things after you’ve prayed, but nothing great until you’ve prayed. So the word for you today is: keep on praying.

Go Back To The Cross

Sun, 29 Jul 2018

‘But we preach Christ crucified.’ 1 Corinthians 1:23 NKJV

A European village priest in medieval times is said to have told his congregation, ‘Come back tonight for a special sermon about Jesus.’ And they did. To their surprise, however, no candles illuminated the sanctuary. They groped their way to the pews and sat down. The priest was nowhere to be seen. Then they heard him walking through the church towards the front. When he reached the cross that hung on the wall, he lit a candle. And without saying a word he illuminated the pierced feet of Christ, then His side, then one hand, then the other. Raising the candle, he shed light on the blood-masked face and the crown of thorns. Then with a puff he extinguished the candle and dismissed the congregation. Nothing more needed to be said.

Take the words ‘Christ crucified’, and add the words ‘for me’, and you’ll understand what God did when He hung His sinless Son on that cross. Had you been the only person who ever lived, Christ would have died for you. With His arms stretched wide, He was saying, ‘This is how much I love you.’ When you’re tempted to sin, when you’re guilt-ridden by sin, when Satan whispers, ‘There’s no hope for you,’ when pride would have you focus on your own virtue and morality, go back to the cross. You can’t go there too often. Hymnist Isaac Watts sums it up in these words: ‘Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.’

Which of the Buhari?

...... or you meant Salihu Buhari? Because if it is the same PMB, you might better go and consult your oracle again for an updating.

Buhari ko, Tinubu nii!

......anyway, Ooni of Ife is still very very single now.

Strive for integrity

Sat, 28 Jul 2018

‘May integrity and uprightness protect me.’ Psalm 25:21 NIV

Bobby Jones is considered one of history’s greatest golfers. But more than all his victories on the golf course, he’s famous for what happened in the 1925 U.S. Open. He inadvertently touched his ball and assessed himself a one-stroke penalty, even though no one else saw him touch the ball. But he couldn’t violate his conscience. And by assessing himself that penalty, he lost the Open by that one stroke. When tournament officials tried to compliment him for his integrity, Jones simply said, ‘You might as well praise me for not breaking into banks. There is only one way to play this game.’ Bobby Jones played by the rules. Full stop. And in doing so, he honoured the integrity of the game. One sportswriter wrote, ‘In the opinion of many people, of all the great athletes, Bobby Jones came the closest to being what we call a great man.’ Jones could have won the tournament, but he would have lost his integrity. And winning the U.S. Open wasn’t worth a one-stroke penalty on his integrity. That’s epic integrity! And that’s something to be celebrated. We live in a culture that celebrates talent more than integrity, but we’ve got it backwards. Talent depreciates over time. So do intellect and appearance. You will eventually lose your strength and your looks. You may even lose your mind. But you don’t have to lose your integrity. Integrity is the only thing that doesn’t depreciate over time. Nothing takes longer to build than a godly reputation. And nothing is destroyed more quickly by one stroke of sin. That’s why your integrity must be celebrated and protected above all else.

........"but the people would have to pay more". This is where the FG will wait and rip the people off.

You can start again

Fri, 27 Jul 2018

‘Forget what happened in the past, and do not dwell on events from long ago.’ Isaiah 43:18 GWT

Although it’s true that we all fail, here’s something worth remembering: you can fail successfully. How? By learning from your failures and growing stronger and wiser through them. Surrendering your future to your past just means you drown in remorse and hopelessness. But if you practise ‘failing forward’, you can experience future success. So acknowledge your failings, see yourself cleansed by the blood of Jesus, let go of your disappointment in yourself, and get up and try again. At one point in Elijah’s life, he got so depressed that he prayed he might die: ‘“I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”’ (1 Kings 19:4 NIV) Later when he was strengthened by God’s grace, he emerged from his depression a new man with a new mission in life (see 1 Kings 19:15–16). After he’d denied Christ openly, Peter was forgiven. Despite his weakness he was restored, and became the apostle who would ‘strengthen his fellow apostles’ and build the New Testament Church (see Luke 22:31–32). It’s not a matter of how badly or how often you’ve failed—it’s a matter of what God can make you when you accept His grace, get up again, and allow Him to empower you to do better. Peter is proof that God takes us when we are weak, and speaks and acts through us in ways that bring glory to Him alone! (See 1 Corinthians 1:28.) Will God sometimes correct you? Yes, He’s a good parent, but He won’t discard you. So the word for you today is—you can start again.

His greed has taken the good side of him. Imagine all the lands he collected in Ota without them been developed. What else is this old cargo looking for in life if not that he is too greedy. He contributed a lot to the downfall of this country. His portfolio on corruption is legendary.

Conviction and Credibility (2)

Thu, 26 Jul 2018

‘The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.’ Proverbs 11:3 NIV

The second quality you must exhibit in dealing with others is: credibility. When people trust you they’ll listen to you. In the early stages of the relationship, they’ll give you the benefit of the doubt as long as your credentials are good. But in order to maintain their trust, you must demonstrate credibility [reliability, integrity, sincerity]. It’s been said that the mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, but the great teacher demonstrates. Ultimately, each of us should strive to be the message. In the first six months of a relationship we focus on a person’s communication ability in order to make judgments about him or her. For example, when we have a new boss who speaks well and casts a compelling vision, we buy in. When we connect well with a new neighbour or co-worker, we feel we may have a new friend. When we meet the person we end up marrying, we think everything will always be wonderful. And for most people the honeymoon is wonderful. But after the honeymoon comes the marriage! Sometimes that too is wonderful, and sometimes it’s not. What makes the difference? Credibility! Here’s how it works in relationships: during the first six months communication overrides credibility. After six months credibility overrides communication. When a person is credible, the longer the time, the better it gets. But for someone who lacks credibility, the longer the time, the worse it gets. Credibility is like money: with it, you’re solvent; without it, you’re bankrupt. The truth is: with the passage of time the way you live far outweighs the words you use.

.........this Niger parties, or foreign parties?

......but all the same, learn how to forgive. In doing that, you have more rewards.

I'm not saying what he did was right though.

Conviction and Credibility (1)

Wed, 25 Jul 2018

‘“Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do.”’ Judges 7:17 NIV

On the eve of his spectacular victory over the Midianites, Gideon told his army of three hundred men, ‘Watch me… Follow my lead… do exactly as I do.’ What would happen if you said that to the people who know you? Would you have to qualify that statement by saying, ‘Follow me in business, but not my family life’? Or, ‘Follow my professional advice, but not my personal lifestyle’? To earn respect and be worthy of following, you need two qualities that really matter. The first is conviction: conviction is a set-in-concrete belief that you live by and refuse to compromise on. A pragmatist adjusts his or her beliefs and actions to things like the bottom line, or not making waves, or being liked and accepted. A man or woman of conviction won’t do that. Early one morning, Scottish philosopher and religious sceptic David Hume was observed hurrying to hear evangelist George Whitefield. When asked if he really believed what the great evangelist preached, Hume replied, ‘Certainly not! But he does, and I want to hear a man who truly believes what he says!’ Author Larry Phillips said: ‘There’s a noticeable difference between steel and tin—especially when hit. Genuine heartfelt convictions simply come across as “words of steel”. There’s a determined resolve in the tone… We need to be reminded that we can’t fake convictions! [People] will always discern the difference between words of steel and the sound of tin—no matter how hard the tin is hit!’ People know the difference between your core values and your intellectual concepts. If you don’t have a deep conviction about what you’re saying, why should they?

Benue state re-shaping for the next election. I doubt if APC will be able to defeat one local govt from that state.

as in from the same Daura?

Press on

Tue, 24 Jul 2018

‘Do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba… Seek the Lord and live.’ Amos 5:5–6 NIV

Bethel is where Jacob had his life-changing dream, and made a vow to God. Gilgal is where the Israelites camped after God miraculously parted the Jordan River and they stepped into the Promised Land for the first time. Beersheba is where Isaac dug a well and built an altar. All three places held special significance: they were sacred landmarks in Israel’s spiritual journey. So why would God tell them not to seek Him there? The answer is simple: you won’t find God in the past. His name is not The Great I Was, it’s The Great I Am.

The psalmist said, ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.’ (Psalm 46:1 NIV) When we cling too tightly to what God did last, we often miss what God wants to do for us next. He is at work right here, right now. He is always doing something new. So go ahead and build altars and mark holy moments to the past, but the purpose of altars is to remind us of God’s faithfulness in the past so we can have faith to believe Him for the future. When we stop living out of imagination and start living out of memory, we start dying. To be fully alive is to be fully present. It mandates leaving the past in the past. That’s why Paul wrote, ‘Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 3:13–14 NIV) So the word for you today is: press on!

"Emi mimo agbara orun, waa gbe mii wo"
...... Baba Ara.

.....what about "oki" in the morning then?
......lol

Economic melt down or not. I see no reason why those lions can't be feed. Lions only eat once in days when they are well feed.

I supposed people are patronising the zoo. So, if not for bad administration, what will make a whole zoo not been able to feed it's subjects?

I really don't know when we will get there in this country. Our love of money is certainly eating us deep on Nigeria.

Marriage: it takes two

Sun, 22 Jul 2018

‘Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself and the wife must respect her husband.’ Ephesians 5:33 NIV

A woman went away on a long weekend retreat. Halfway through the final Monday morning session she suddenly jumped to her feet and left the room. Concerned, a friend followed her to see what had made her leave the meeting so abruptly. She found the woman hanging up a telephone in the lobby. ‘Is everything all right?’ she asked urgently. ‘Oh, yes,’ the woman responded sheepishly. ‘I didn’t mean to alarm you, but I suddenly remembered that it’s Monday morning bin day.’ Her friend replied, ‘Bin day? Isn’t your husband at home?’ ‘Yes,’ replied the woman, ‘but it takes two of us to put out the bin. I can’t carry it, and he can’t remember it!’ The secret of a good marriage lies in learning how to live and work together. And here are ten suggestions to help you accomplish that goal:
(1) Agree to pray together daily.
(2) Find something good to say about each other every day.
(3) Don’t forget to snuggle.
(4) Think of yourselves as a team—not just a couple.
(5) Respect your differences.
(6) Eat at least one meal together each day.
(7) Submit your disagreements to God.
( Develop a strong sense of humour.
(9) Identify ‘your special place’, and ‘your special song’.
(10) Reminisce together.
Ironically, the number one reason given for divorce today is ‘incompatibility’. Well, guess what? You are supposed to be different! When two people with different gifts decide to love one another and listen to one another, their differences can become a source of strength rather than a source of weakness. Marriage: it takes two!

.....since all he knows is transmission, what else do you expect from him? If not TRANSFORMER.

Jairus (4)

Sat, 21 Jul 2018

‘He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality.’ 2 Timothy 1:10 NLT

It’s no surprise that God has a heart for hurting parents. After all, God Himself is a father. What parental emotion has He not felt? Are you separated from your child? So was God. Is someone mistreating your child? They mocked and bullied His. Is someone taking advantage of your child? He, the Son of God, was set up by false testimony and betrayed by a greedy follower. Are you forced to watch while your child suffers? God watched His Son on the cross. Do you find yourself wanting to spare your child from all the hurt in the world? God did. But because of His great love for us, ‘He did not spare His own Son but gave Him for us all. So with Jesus, God will surely give us all things.’ (Romans 8:32 NCV) Note the words ‘all things’. There’s nothing God can’t do in answer to prayer! Perhaps you’ve prayed but your child has died. No pain compares to that of losing a child. Maybe you’ve said, ‘Jesus resurrected Jairus’ child, why didn’t He save mine?’ God understands your question. He buried a child too. And He hates death more than you do. That’s why He ‘broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality.’ For those who trust Christ, death is nothing more than a transition to Heaven. Your child may not be in your arms today, but your child is safely in His. After losing his son at birth, David looked forward with hope and said, ‘I shall go to him.’ (2 Samuel 12:23 NKJV) And so will you.