hisgrace090:
Yes, men need to change not God.
God is constant but men are not.

@hisgrace os right. God never changes, but humans does. But we need to change from our bad attitudes to a good one.

Why do we resist change? (3)

Fri, 28 Jun 2024

‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1

What happens when you try to implement change at the wrong time? For that matter, when is the right time to do it? From a leadership perspective, there are actually better times than others to make changes. Dr John Maxwell, who wrote the best seller The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, says: ‘I developed the following checklist to help me navigate the process: Will this change benefit the followers? Is it compatible with the purpose of the organisation? Is this change specific and clear? Are the top 20 per cent (the influencers) in favour of it? Is it possible to test this change before making a total commitment to it? Are physical, financial, and human resources available to make this change? Is it reversible? Is this change the next obvious step? Does it have both short and long term benefits? Is the leadership capable of bringing about this change? Does everything else indicate the timing is right?

Before implementing a big change, I run through this checklist and answer each question with a yes or no. If too many questions have a no by them, then I conclude that the timing may not be right.’ Timing is so important. The Bible says: ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: ... He has made everything beautiful in its time.’ (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11 NIV). If you’re thinking of making a change, talk to God ‘the timekeeper’ and ask Him 1) what should I do? and 2) when should I do it? Then step out in faith and trust Him to guide you!

Why do we resist change? (2)

Thu, 27 Jun 2024

‘By faith Abraham obeyed … And he went out, not knowing where he was going.’ Hebrews 11:8

Who among us wouldn’t like to have a success story like Abraham’s? He had fame, great riches, and ‘was even called the friend of God’ (see James 2:23). It doesn’t get better than that! But Abraham’s story begins with these words: ‘By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.’ (Hebrews 11:8 NKJV) How on earth did he do it? By faith!

Why do we resist change? Doubt and fear! We fear personal loss. Anytime change is imminent, the first question that pops into our minds is, ‘How will it affect me?’ For example, suppose a co-worker approaches you and says, ‘I just heard the boss is thinking about laying off some people today.’ Is your first thought, ‘I wonder what market conditions triggered that decision?’ Or is it, ‘I bet he feels bad about having to do that!’ No, probably your first thought is, ‘Am I at risk?’ That’s simply human nature. The second we face change we can quickly feel alone and helpless.

Where do you find strength in such moments? In God! His promise is: ‘“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So, we may boldly say, “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”’ (Hebrews 13:5-6 NKJV). Relax! That which is unknown to you is fully known to God. And the One who has always taken care of you has already gone ahead to prepare the way (see Deuteronomy 31:.

Why do we resist change? (1)

Wed, 26 Jun 2024

‘Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!’ Psalm 80:3

When Italian explorer Christopher Columbus returned to Spain in 1492 after his first trip across the Atlantic Ocean, he was considered a national hero and credited with discovering new lands. But do you think people changed their minds about the earth being flat? Not at all—they went right on believing the earth was flat. It was not until that generation passed on and the next one took their place that people realised the earth was round, just as Columbus had claimed. That’s how long it took for people to change their minds—an entire generation! We all resist change.

Dr John Maxwell writes: ‘For many years, I thought leaders liked change and everyone else didn’t. As a visionary leader, I always felt that I was drawing reluctant followers into the future. But I finally realised that leaders don’t like change any more than followers do—unless, of course, it’s their idea!’ Let’s be honest; change is hard for everyone.

American writer Mark Twain said, ‘The only person who likes change is a wet baby.’ Truly, change is one of the greatest obstacles you will ever face. Why is that? After all, doesn’t progress demand change? And doesn’t growth too? We can’t move forwards and stay in the same place.

So, for the next few days, we’re going to talk about why we resist change so much. Acknowledging his own stubborn nature and his fear of change, on four different occasions David prayed, ‘Restore us, O God.’ (see Psalm 80:3 NKJV) That’s like praying, ‘Lord, I need to change, but I’m afraid to change, so make me willing to change.’ And that’s a prayer God will answer for you, so start praying it today.

God will test you in little things

Tue, 25 Jun 2024

‘You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. …’ Matthew 25:21

Your small deeds of kindness may go unnoticed by others, but God sees them. And they can reward you in ways you never dreamed possible. Take the case of Joseph. Betrayed by his brothers and lied about by his boss’s wife, he ends up sentenced to a thirteen-year prison term. If ever a person had reason to turn sour on life and God, it was him. But instead of giving in to self-pity, he focused on the needs of others.

Joseph had two prison mates: a butler and a baker who had worked in Pharaoh’s palace, fallen into disfavour and landed in a cell next to Joseph. Note what the Bible says: ‘And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad’ (Genesis 40:6 NKJV). Before God allowed Joseph to care for the nation of Egypt, He observed his care towards his fellow inmates. As a result, when one of them was restored to favour, he recommended Joseph to Pharaoh as a man qualified to meet his need. Compassion is important to God. When you see a need, try to meet it. If you dream of doing big things, start by doing small things with a good attitude. Arrive on time. Complete your work early. Don’t grumble. When you’re given a task, take it on, and God will reward you for it: ‘His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord”’ (Matthew 25:21 NKJV).

Banditry has become a cancer in our system. So sad......😭😭😭

Iamanoited:
FOR HIS MERCIES ENDURE FOREVER.

Psalms 118

The reason you’re being tested

Mon, 24 Jun 2024

‘For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.’ Psalm 66:10

Have you tried to do right, yet things have gone wrong? When Joseph honoured God by saying no to Potiphar’s wife, he landed in prison. While there, he told a fellow prisoner, ‘For I was kidnapped from my homeland … and now I’m here in prison, but I did nothing to deserve it’ (Genesis 40:15 NLT). If that’s how you feel today, God has not turned His back on you. His plan for your life has not been derailed. ‘… the LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intentions of his mind. …’ (Jeremiah 30:24 ESV).

You may be perplexed, but God is not. He is using every moment of this season and every element of this experience to prepare you. ‘They forced his feet into shackles, He was put in irons; Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the LORD refined him.’ (Psalm 105:18-19 NASB20). Do you remember how you felt about the tests you were given in school? At the time, they felt like persecution, but looking back, you realise they were preparation. They revealed what you had learned. They qualified you to move to a higher grade. They helped you better understand your strengths and weaknesses.

The psalmist wrote: ‘For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance’ (Psalm 66:10-12 NIV). God will use people, pain, and problems to test you. Why? So that He can bring you to ‘a place of abundance’.

Beware of the end time.

Hummm

Btruth:
What more could God have done for you?

Fri, 21 Jun 2024

‘What more could I have done …?’ Isaiah 5:4

Author Brennan Manning tells the story of how he got the name ‘Brennan’. Growing up, his best friend was Ray. The two of them did everything together. They bought a car together as teenagers, dated together, went to school together, and so forth. They even enlisted in the army together, went to boot camp, and fought on the front lines together. One night, sitting in a foxhole, Brennan was reminiscing about the old days in Brooklyn while his friend Ray listened and ate a chocolate bar. Suddenly a grenade landed in the foxhole. Ray smiled at Brennan, dropped his chocolate, and threw himself on the live grenade. It exploded, killing Ray, but Brennan’s life was spared.

Later Brennan was ordained as a priest, and at that time it was customary to take the name of a saint. He thought of his friend, Ray Brennan, and chose the name ‘Brennan’. Years later, he visited Ray’s mother in Brooklyn. They were sitting up late one night drinking tea when Brennan asked her, ‘Do you think Ray loved me?’ Mrs Brennan got up off the sofa, shook her finger in his face, and shouted, ‘What more could he have done for you?’

Brennan says that right then he experienced an epiphany. He imagined himself standing before the cross of Jesus wondering, ‘Does God really love me?’ And Jesus’s mother pointing to her son, saying, ‘What more could He have done for you?’ When Jesus said, ‘It is finished,’ the price of your salvation was paid in full. The question is, will you accept Him today as your Saviour and Lord?

Lord. I am grateful 🙏

Trust in God’s unchanging character

Sun, 23 Jun 2024

‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.’ Psalm 56:3

If you live long enough, life will bring you bad news. It may be the loss of a loved one, your health, your income, your marriage, your reputation, etc. The psalmist wrote, ‘When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.’ (Psalm 56:3 NIV) When bad times come, you need to hold on to everything you know about who God is. You must remind yourself that He is loving, caring, and worthy of your complete trust.

Sometimes, God will give you the answer; other times He will give you the assurance of His presence. In changing times, you must lay hold of the unchanging character of God. As the hymn says, ‘When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.’ Does that mean denying your feelings and emotions? No. David said, ‘I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles’ (Psalm 142:2 NLT). God is not asking you to deny the pain, the loss, and the reality of your circumstances.

Even Jesus offered up prayers with ‘fervent cries and tears’ (see Hebrews 5:7). If you don’t pour out your heart before God, you risk hardening your heart towards Him. It’s when you hit the bottom and turn to God that you discover He is there. It’s by being shaken to the core that you develop an unshakable faith in God. When that happens, you can stand on His Word, which says, ‘I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, …’ (Genesis 28:15 NIV).

RIP sir

Know what the Scriptures ‘also say’

Sat, 22 Jun 2024

‘Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’” Matthew 4:7

Satan will use half-truths to trap you. The Bible says, ‘Then the devil took Him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you.’” … Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God’”’ (Matthew 4:5-7 NLT).

Satan will tell you, ‘Your spouse doesn’t understand you or meet your needs, you’re lonely, go ahead and have that affair. God will understand and forgive you.’ God may forgive you, but the Bible also says, ‘Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.’ (Galatians 6:7 NKJV). When Satan comes calling, you had better know what the Word of God actually says—not just selected snippets. Paul writes, ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness’ (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV).

We like to hand-pick Scriptures that suit our lifestyle and facilitate our wants. But when the Enemy manipulates God’s Word and uses it against you, you need to be able to say, ‘The Scriptures also say.’ In other words, you need to know what else God has to say. The Bible says Satan ‘… will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws. …’ (Daniel 7:25 NIV). He knows God’s Word is a ‘double-edged sword’ (see Hebrews 4:12), but he will still try to engage you in a sword fight! Don’t let him bamboozle you with distortions and half-truths! Get God’s Word into you, and tell Satan, ‘Get behind me!’ (see Matthew 16:23).

What more could God have done for you?

Fri, 21 Jun 2024

‘What more could I have done …?’ Isaiah 5:4

Author Brennan Manning tells the story of how he got the name ‘Brennan’. Growing up, his best friend was Ray. The two of them did everything together. They bought a car together as teenagers, dated together, went to school together, and so forth. They even enlisted in the army together, went to boot camp, and fought on the front lines together. One night, sitting in a foxhole, Brennan was reminiscing about the old days in Brooklyn while his friend Ray listened and ate a chocolate bar. Suddenly a grenade landed in the foxhole. Ray smiled at Brennan, dropped his chocolate, and threw himself on the live grenade. It exploded, killing Ray, but Brennan’s life was spared.

Later Brennan was ordained as a priest, and at that time it was customary to take the name of a saint. He thought of his friend, Ray Brennan, and chose the name ‘Brennan’. Years later, he visited Ray’s mother in Brooklyn. They were sitting up late one night drinking tea when Brennan asked her, ‘Do you think Ray loved me?’ Mrs Brennan got up off the sofa, shook her finger in his face, and shouted, ‘What more could he have done for you?’

Brennan says that right then he experienced an epiphany. He imagined himself standing before the cross of Jesus wondering, ‘Does God really love me?’ And Jesus’s mother pointing to her son, saying, ‘What more could He have done for you?’ When Jesus said, ‘It is finished,’ the price of your salvation was paid in full. The question is, will you accept Him today as your Saviour and Lord?

If she is your biological daughter, would you disown her because of snoring? Love they said conquer everything. Take your time to end her find a solution to the problem of the snoring.

How old you be then? 🤔

The importance of good works

Thu, 20 Jun 2024

‘Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.’ 1 John 3:18

The word ‘love’ isn’t just a noun, it’s a verb (an action word). And it’s not demonstrated simply by what you say but by what you do. In a small Jewish town in Russia, there is a rabbi who reputedly doesn’t show up for several hours every Friday morning. His followers claim that during this time, he goes up to heaven and talks to God. A stranger moved into town and was sceptical about all this, so he decided to check things out. He hid and watched. The rabbi got up in the morning, said his prayers, then dressed in peasant clothes. He grabbed an axe and went off into the woods and cut firewood, which he hauled to a shack on the outskirts of the village where an old woman and her sick son lived. He left them enough wood for a week, then crept back home.

Having observed the rabbi’s behaviour for himself, the newcomer became his disciple. Now, when he hears the villagers say, ‘On Friday morning, our rabbi ascends all the way up to heaven,’ he quietly adds, ‘If not higher.’ You can’t earn salvation by doing good works, but if you are truly saved, your actions and attitudes will prove that you are truly a recipient of salvation. Paul wrote these two Scriptures to Titus: ‘… in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; …’ (Titus 2:7 NKJV); ‘This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men’ (Titus 3:8 NKJV).

Get into the right environment

Wed, 19 Jun 2024

‘Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.’ Proverbs 13:20

When you encounter someone who tries to ‘cut you down to size’, remind yourself they are probably trying to cut you down to their size. So, what should you do? Love them, but don’t be overly influenced by what they say. As a rule, instead of staying where you’re tolerated, go where you’re appreciated!

The Japanese bonsai tree is tiny, growing only about eighteen inches tall. To create a bonsai, a young sapling is pulled from the soil. Then the taproot and some of the feeder shoots are tied off. Thus, the growth of the bonsai tree is deliberately stunted. By contrast, the California sequoia tree grows large. For example, the General Sherman in California’s Sequoia National Park stands 275 feet and measures 100 feet in circumference at its trunk. If felled, it would provide enough lumber to build over 30 five-room homes! The sequoia begins life as a small seed, no bigger than the bonsai seed. So, what makes the difference? The sequoia sapling is allowed to be nourished in the rich California soil and sunshine.

Now, neither the bonsai nor the sequoia has a choice in determining how large it will become—but you do! For instance, you can’t go through life blaming others, including your parents, for what they may or may not have done in the past. So, here are your options: Stay where you are and suffer, or move to a rich, fertile, nourishing environment where you can grow. Is that always easy? No. But if you believe what Jesus said, ‘The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life’ (John 10:10 NLT), you will be willing to do it.

Too much swag..... Proudly Yoruba. 😁

It is well

AmericanIdiot:


Then why can’t we use our “best “ crude oil to better ourselves why is our country still useless?

.....of course it's yue high level of corruption in this country. And I'm not disputing that.

AmericanIdiot:


Which useless Nigeria?
I’m not sure our own is even up to 2billion barrels😂😂😂

even less than 2 billion barrels, our oil is still one of the best in the world. Quote me

Fineman2:
corruption in Venezuela has made the country very poor despite the huge oil money.

what about Nigeria that is not listed? 🤔

Never give up

Tue, 18 Jun 2024

‘Therefore, … stand firm. Let nothing move you…’ 1 Corinthians 15:58

Failure doesn’t mean you will never succeed; it just means it may take a bit longer. American actor, John Wayne coined a great line in the movie The Train Robbers. He said, ‘You’re going to spend the rest of your life getting up one more time than you’re knocked down, so you’d better start getting used to it.’ That’s what success is—getting up one time more than you were knocked down. You have no idea how close you may be to what you want to achieve. But if you give up, you will never know—plus you guarantee that you will never get there. Author Ben Stein said, ‘The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated. It is finished when it surrenders.’

Time magazine conducted a survey among people who had lost their jobs. Everyone expected them to be crestfallen and disheartened, but they found them to be extremely resilient. Why? The survey showed that people who had lost jobs and found new ones were better prepared to deal with adversity than those who had been with the same company for years without ever having had to deal with unemployment.

When you have experienced failure, you’re actually in a better position to achieve success than people who have not. When you fail and fail again and keep bouncing back and learning from your failures, you’re building character, strength, tenacity, experience, and wisdom. And people who develop these qualities are capable of sustaining their successes, unlike those for whom good things come too early and too easily. As long as you don’t give up, you’re in a good position. So, the word for today is; ‘Stand firm. Let nothing move you.

The girl tall sha.....🤔

........with mouth, a bi? 🤔

In 1980, a man named Richard turned on his television and saw a female player from Romania receiving a cheque for $40,000 after winning a tennis tournament. The whole scene was enough to shock Richard. This was more than his annual salary.

Within a few years, she decided that her daughters would also play tennis.

After turning off the television, he sat down and wrote a 78-page document outlining a plan for his two young daughters to flee their hometown of Compton, California, an area known for notorious black gangster violence. Now there was also a problem that Richard didn't know anything about tennis, he didn't have the money to pay for his daughters to train for this expensive sport, and maybe it's incredible to you that his daughters weren't even born yet at that time.

Over the next five years, he collected tennis-related magazines and video cassettes. He also taught himself to play tennis. Five years later, according to his plan, Richard had a tennis racquet in the hands of his two daughters, the same magazines and videos and what he had learned from them. All stopped, now he was also the father and coach of these little girls, he began to teach them the game of tennis. Unable to afford the basics of playing the game, Richard would go to local country clubs to collect used tennis balls from bins and load them into a shopping cart, so that his daughters could practice with these used balls on public tennis courts.
Richard was overprotective and physically strong as a father, and was often beaten by local gang bullies while trying to protect his daughters from harassment during tennis training. On one occasion when he refused to leave the practice court with his daughters, they broke his nose, jaw and fingers, and knocked out several of his teeth. Richard wrote in his diary, "After today, history will remember the 'toothless' man as a monument of courage.

Since tennis was a predominantly white sport at the time, people would stare and shout at the black family as Richard and his daughters traveled to various tennis courts for junior tournaments. Once the girls asked, "Daddy, why do people stare at us so badly," to which he replied, "Because they are not used to seeing such beautiful people before.

The wheel of time turned quickly and the calendar page turned sharply to the year 2000, when a tall, lean black girl set out on a journey to play the Wimbledon tournament final, and thousands of miles away from her native ghetto, Richard watched his eldest daughter play in the grass fields in front of London's elite, celebrities and royalty.

That was the time When no one had ever seen a tennis player with such a powerful serve and fast footwork, nor had they ever heard shots so loud. It's like every ball is being beaten and every ball is crying out in pain.

When the girl reached a stage where victory was ahead of fear, the girl looked at her father standing in the stands who was encouraging her to achieve victory by shouting loudly. Richard always told his daughters, "One day, we're going to win Wimbledon, and it's not going to be for us. It will be for the helpless and poor people of America. Richard's 20-year-long struggle plan had now reached a critical point in history.
As the opponent's ball hit the net, cameras caught a teary-eyed Richard dancing wildly as he watched his daughter Venus Williams win the first of her seven Grand Slam titles. Over the next several years, Richard also watched his youngest daughter Serena win 23 major tournaments and become one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
For all their success on the tennis court, what Venus and Serena endured off the court is the most impressive part of their journey. From spectators, who were given the nickname "Williams Brothers" because of their physique, to recent comments in the media calling Serena's mixed-race daughter "chocolate milk," the two sisters' resilient and kind personality had helped them stand up to racism and bigotry, their father said. The best way to avenge her is to answer with her racquet inside the tennis court, this inspiring struggle of these two sisters inspired black people and athletes around the world.
Remember that a lonely person who has no one in the world except God, when he alone has a firm intention to achieve a goal, then the will of God is also added to that alone, which makes the impossible possible, you just have to choose your goal, then strengthen your resolve, and then trust in God and make every effort to achieve it, then you will reach this destination, and you will know that day that after every hardship, there is ease that is hidden from us.

Worship your way through it

Mon, 17 Jun 2024

‘But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.’ Acts 16:25

Don’t allow what’s wrong with you to keep you from worshipping what’s right with God. With their feet locked in stocks, their backs lacerated with whips, and the unjust contempt of society heaped upon them, the Bible says, ‘At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.’ They decided to stop focusing on what was wrong with their circumstances and start focusing on what is right with God. They could have complained, but they made a choice to worship God despite their external circumstances. And that is often the most challenging and crucial choice we can make. It’s similar to hitting the refresh key on your computer. Doing so restores the joy of your salvation, recalibrates your spirit, and renews your mind. And it empowers you to discover something good to praise God about, even when everything seems to be going wrong.

Is it simple? Definitely not. But one of the purest forms of worship is praising God when you don’t want to. ‘Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name’ (Hebrews 13:15 NKJV). Note the words ‘sacrifice of praise’. And it’s a sacrifice that moves God and brings results: ‘Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed’ (Acts 16:26 NKJV). When you’re in a situation with no way out, praise opens doors. When you’re shackled by lack and limitation, praise breaks chains. So, worship your way through it.

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers on this platform. Including myself.

jeromestarks:


Go to USA and stop him. 🤣


Wait, did your father marry your mother as a virgin?
I doubt. No wonder you don't like Trump.

...as in your FATHER.

jeromestarks:


Go to USA and stop him. 🤣

you don't know the meaning of my statement Mr.