₦airaland Forum

Try to be more flexible

Mon, 26 Feb 2024

‘The wisdom from above is … willing to yield to others.’ James 3:17

Flexible people are happy people. They experience a lot less stress than the rigid types who insist on things always being done a certain way. One of the reasons inflexibility is so stressful is that we have to achieve our goals through thinking human beings who often have their own ideas, ideas different from ours. If you’re not the type who is receptive to new ways of doing things because you view them as a personal rejection of your own ideas, ask Jesus the Great Physician to perform some corrective surgery on you.

The Pharisees were the epitome of perfectionism and inflexibility. When they accused Jesus of not keeping the Sabbath, He said, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.’ (Mark 2:27 NKJV). How flexible are you? Are you so specific at home that your family stays on edge for fear of violating one of your endless preferences? Must the towels always be folded in a certain way? If plans need to be changed, does it send you into a tailspin, or do you stop and consider that God may have a different plan?

Don’t try to justify your behaviour by hiding under the cloak of ‘excellence’. Yes, you would like to see things done in the best manner possible; however, seek to understand when your behaviour leaves the realm of being excellent and begins to border on being an inflexible perfectionist who not only creates stress for yourself, but for others as well. The word for today is – relax. Bend a little. Try going with the flow.

Dodo5:
2 weeks after AFCON

.....as in ehn. 😭😭😭

Failed AFCON outing.

Armed for spiritual warfare (3)

Sun, 25 Feb 2024

‘Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.’ Ephesians 6:18

Your spiritual armour must be put on correctly so that all the pieces fit; otherwise, you’re vulnerable to defeat at Satan’s hands. So, how do you do that? Paul tells us how: ‘Pray in the Spirit at all times …’ Your clothes closet is where you find what you need to wear in the natural realm, and your prayer closet is where you find what you need to wear in the spiritual realm. Only through prayer do you become clothed for spiritual warfare, so don’t go into battle undressed.

Paul writes, ‘But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh’ (Romans 13:14 ESV). That’s one of the most effective verses in Scripture when it comes to winning over temptation. Professionals who train dogs to listen and obey their commands, no matter what, start by throwing a piece of red meat in front of the dog. The untrained dog immediately goes for it, but eventually, the trainer teaches the animal to give him its undivided attention regardless of what’s put in front of it. When the training process is complete, the dog will not take its eyes off its master, even when temptation is right under its nose.

There is an important lesson here for you. If you keep your eyes on Jesus, it won’t matter what kind of lie or temptation Satan throws your way. Every now and then, you may want to ‘go for it’, but if you stay focused on Jesus and listen to His voice alone, you will be victorious in the fight.

Armed for spiritual warfare (2)

Saturday 24th February 2024

‘Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.’ Ephesians 6:13 NLT

Let’s look at the next three pieces of spiritual armour God has provided for us to live victoriously:

1) ‘Hold up the shield of faith’ (Ephesians 6:16 NLT). For what? ‘ … to stop the fiery arrows of the devil aimed at you by Satan’ (Ephesians 6:16 NLT). Do you remember in the old western movies the battles between the Native Americans and the settlers? The settlers circled the wagons, and the Native Americans shot flaming arrows into them. They both understood that you can’t fight fires and fight foes at the same time; flaming arrows are a distraction. Satan uses the same tactic. But faith (focusing on God’s Word) snuffs out those flaming arrows.

2) ‘Put on salvation as your helmet’ (Ephesians 6:17 NLT). This helmet protects your mind. When Satan whispers, ‘If you were really a Christian, you wouldn’t have …’, you repel his attacks by knowing your identity in Christ – a blood-bought, totally forgiven, seen-as-righteous, heaven-bound child of God.

3) ‘Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God’ (Ephesians 6:17 NLT). ‘The Word of God’ referred to here isn’t logos (the written word) but rhéma, which means ‘utterance’. It calls for speaking God’s Word to defeat Satan, utilising the right Scripture at the right time to deal with the problem. That’s why Satan fights you so hard over Bible reading. Three times he attacked Jesus in the wilderness, and three times Jesus answered, ‘… It is written …’ (Matthew 4:4-10 KJV). He demolished Satan with Scripture! The devil can out-argue you, but he has no defence against the Word of God. So, memorise the Scriptures and use them as a weapon to defeat him.

Armed for spiritual warfare (1)

Friday 23rd February 2024

‘Put on the full armour of God …’ Ephesians 6:11 NASB20

Every day you live, you will battle the world, the flesh, and the devil. In order to be armed for spiritual warfare, Paul gives us six specific pieces of spiritual armour. Here are the first three:

1) The sturdy ‘belt of truth’ (Ephesians 6:14 NLT). During World War II, a plane flew many miles past its destination. Why? Because the crew, not realising there were such strong tailwinds, refused to believe the cockpit instruments. As a result, everyone on board perished. Yet when the plane was found years later, the instruments were still in perfect working order. You can depend on God’s Word to guide you. Read it daily and believe it no matter what your mind or emotions tell you.

2) ‘The body armour of God’s righteousness’

(Ephesians 6:14 NLT). Note that it is God’s righteousness, not yours. You’re not saved by trusting your own performance but by trusting Christ’s performance on the cross. When you know that, God’s righteousness becomes the breastplate that protects your heart from doubts about your salvation (see 2 Corinthians 5:21).

3) ‘For shoes, put on … peace’ (Ephesians 6:15 NLT). Shoes indicate you’re going somewhere, so don’t expect to hear from God if you’re determined to remain frozen in the same spot. When you start moving ahead, He confirms the rightness of your direction by giving you a sense of peace (see Colossians 3:15).

When you don’t have peace about something, seek God for direction. This is particularly important if you’re a self-starter who loves what you do. God wants you to have an abiding sense of His peace – so don’t go without it.

Dapo is one of the reasons the dollar is high. He and the governors like himself are the one buying dollars to keep.

If it is a lie. Let him come and take an oath with Sango (God of thunder).

Don’t doubt God

Thu, 22 Feb 2024

‘I won’t believe it unless I see …’ John 20:25

John writes: ‘… Thomas (nicknamed the Twin) was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, ‘“We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” Eight days later, the disciples were together again, and this time, Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them … Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed’ (John 20:24-28 NLT).

Jesus picked a doubter to be His disciple. And when he doubted, Jesus didn’t denounce and dismiss him. He actually put in a special appearance to resolve his doubts and build his faith. American author Elisabeth Elliott said, ‘True faith only goes into operation when there are no answers.’ God says, ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts …’ (Isaiah 55:8 NKJV). The truth is, God doesn’t think like us. He sees the big picture, and He works towards a specific end. Jesus said, ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.’ (John 16:12 NKJV).

So when you find yourself doubting, pray: ‘Lord, believing isn’t easy when I’m hurt and confused, and You are silent. Like Thomas, I want proof that You love me. Help me to see beyond my desire for peace and comfort, beyond my doubts and unanswered questions, and to grasp the truth of Your unfailing love and grace.’

Instead of putting them in jail, why not on the farm? 🤔.

It will benefit the nation more if the FG can have a large farmland where petty criminals can be send to to work. The will in turn be farming for the nation to provide foods for the nation. They will be pay daily too, and also be well trained so that after their jail term, they can be on their own as a farmer.

I think this will benefit the nation more than keeping them locked up, and running the taxpayers money on them.

My one cent.

Live with integrity at home

Wed, 21 Feb 2024

‘But to his sons-in-law, he seemed to be joking.’ Genesis 19:14

Make your life an open book. Establish a system of values against which all of life is judged. Walk with God; maintain your integrity at work and at home, and you will make the right choice every time. Lot failed to do this, and it cost him dearly. ‘So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law … and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law, he seemed to be joking’ (Genesis 19:14 NKJV). When you lose your integrity, you lose your credibility.

If you’re a parent, guard your children physically when they’re young and emotionally as they mature. Teach them to respect others and get to know the people they’re dating. Be sure to check what they and you watch on TV and do on the internet. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be fun to be around. Show your lighter side. Don’t be so preoccupied with work or church that you’re a prude or a bore. ‘A joyful heart makes a face cheerful, but a sad heart produces a broken spirit.’ (Proverbs 15:13 CSB). The point is, if you ‘talk the talk’, be sure you ‘walk the walk’. Lot tried to warn his family, ‘But to his sons-in-law, he seemed to be joking.’ (Genesis 19:14 NKJV). Was he too busy making a living to teach them what mattered most in life? Did he say one thing and do another? We don’t know. But any way you look at it, his loss was tragic. The truth is that your integrity, or the lack of it, will have consequences not only in your own life but also in the lives of your loved ones.

Oya now.......follow by states own electricity generations and others. State should control their resources too.

Let's go abeg. 🤷

No waste time with them oooo. Death sentence to them all immediately

....time to reset some brains.

No happiness after all 😭😭

What’s the ‘most important’ thing to you?

Tue, 20 Feb 2024

‘My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me …’’ Acts 20:24

The story is told of Major Arthur Godfrey Peuchen, a wealthy Canadian man who survived the Titanic. After it struck the iceberg, he returned to his stateroom and, ignoring cash, jewellery, and other valuable possessions worth around $300,000, grabbed a favourite pearl pin and three oranges. Later, he was reported to have said, ‘The money seemed to be a mere mockery at that time.’ Circumstances transformed his values; tragedy clarified his priorities. The question is not, will your calendar be full, but who will fill it, and what will it be filled with?

If you’re wise, you will consult God as to your life’s priorities, then keep them before you at all times (see Proverbs 3:6). In a survey, people over ninety were asked, ‘If you had your life to live over, what would you do differently?’ Three answers constantly emerged:

1) I would spend more time with my family and friends.

2) I would try more things and take more risks.
3) I would give myself to something that would live on after I’m gone.

Petty things steal too much of our time, and we finish up living by the wrong priorities. If you say yes to every request, you will never get around to doing what God has called you to do. Paul had it figured out: ‘The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me.’ A life in which anything goes is a life in which nothing goes. Your greatest challenge is thinking and doing things that ultimately matter. ‘Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!’ (Deuteronomy 32:29 NKJV).

Congratulations Governor Otti

The breaking process (3)

Mon, 19 Feb 2024

‘He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples.’ Matthew 14:19

The Bible says that Jesus ‘… took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes’ (Matthew 14:19 NKJV). Notice the progression in this story: the loaves were taken, blessed, broken, and then given to others. That’s how God works! In order to bless others through you, He will take you, bless you, break you, and give you to others. Paul had to be broken of pride. ‘… I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So, to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh … Three different times, I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time, he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me … For when I am weak, then I am strong’ (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT).

So, if you have a ‘thorny’ person or situation in your life, God wants you to experience His grace and power through dealing with them. Paul finally reached the place where he could thank God for his ‘thorn’. The Bible speaks about ‘… the sacrifice of praise to God …’ (Hebrews 13:15 KJV). When you’re willing to sacrifice in order to have something, it means you value it enough to pay the price for it. Do you want to walk in God’s power? To experience His blessing? Then, thank God for your ‘thorny situation’ and embrace the breaking process through which He is taking you today.

metaluterus:
I bought Dangote cement 8,500 Naira today

Next year it will be 100,000K per bag of cement

prophet of doom.

The breaking process (2)

Sun, 18 Feb 2024

‘A broken and a contrite heart, God, You will not despise.’ Psalm 51:17

Brokenness leads to blessing. To receive a double portion of the spirit of Elijah, Elisha, who was a farmer, had to break and burn his plough. To demonstrate her love for Jesus, Mary had to break open her box of costly ointment and pour it over Him. To defeat the armies of Midian, Gideon’s three hundred soldiers had to break their pitchers, let their light shine, and make themselves a target. The truth is God has to break each of us in different areas in order to use us. What areas? Bad habits. Stubborn wills. Inflated egos. Evil thoughts. Crippling fears. Secret prejudices. Misguided ambitions. The list is endless. If you’re facing east, you won’t go west, so God has to turn you around. Sometimes, that requires discipline. And it’s you, not God, who determines the length of that discipline and the extent of it. ‘No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening – it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way’ (Hebrews 12:11 NLT).

If you’re a parent, you understand this. One child will collapse in tears, whereas another will defy you. God will do whatever it takes to break your habit of self-sufficiency! Paul writes, ‘Now may … God … sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Thessalonians 5:23 NASB). Notice that your body comes last in order of transformation. As a regenerate spirit living in an unregenerate body, you will always be ‘fighting the flesh’. What’s the secret of victory? Brokenness and surrender!

slipperyanus07:
That place seems to me like a coded yahoo boys school

it is

The breaking process (1)

Sat, 17 Feb 2024

‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; …’ Psalm 51:17

Brokenness is the process by which God strips us of pride and self-sufficiency so that the character of Christ can shine through. Brokenness doesn’t necessarily mean experiencing some tragedy. Many people suffer tragedy without drawing closer to God. The issue in brokenness is not so much your circumstances but your response. What’s God trying to teach you? Brokenness is when God strips you of self-sufficiency to the extent that you have no strength left to fix yourself. When He blocks every exit you try to take, and you come to see that He alone is the answer, you make a life-changing discovery. What’s that? When God is all you have, God is all you need!

The truth is that God’s power is reserved for those who have given up trying to do it in their own strength or accomplish it for their own ends. Sacrifice means something has to die on an altar. So, if you want to experience a new level of God’s grace and power in your life, you must be willing to die to self-interest, ego, and independence. For a plant to rise from the soil, the seed must be broken. For a baby chick to experience life, the shell must be broken. For a thoroughbred horse to win, it must be ‘broken in’ and harnessed. After a breaking encounter with Christ on the Damascus road, Paul prayed, ‘… ‘Lord, what do You want me to do? …’ (Acts 9:6 NKJV). Are you in the breaking process today? Here are your options: 1) resist, 2) run, or 3) respond and say, ‘Yes, Lord.’

End time signs

Prepare yourself

Fri, 16 Feb 2024

‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ 2 Kings 3:16

All things don’t come to those who wait but to those who prepare. There is a great illustration of this in 2 Kings 3. As part of God’s strategy for defeating the Moabites, God told the Israelites to dig a ditch, and He would fill it with water until it became a mighty river. They did, and as a result, they experienced a spectacular victory. But don’t miss the point here. God said, ‘When you have dug the ditch, then I will fill it!’ (see 2 Kings 3:17). God can use anybody, but He doesn’t; He uses prepared people. Moses lived to be 120. His first forty years were spent in a palace, his second forty years were spent in a wilderness, and his last forty years were spent fulfilling his God-given assignment. That’s two-thirds of his life in preparation!

What happens when you’re not prepared? Things you hope won’t happen, do. Often, the dividing line between winning and losing is preparation! Singing, ‘When you wish upon a star,’ won’t make your dream come true – you have to prepare yourself! Paul’s ministry begins with the words, ‘… ‘Lord, what do You want me to do? …’ (Acts 9:6 NKJV). Whereupon, God takes him into the desert for the next three years to teach him and prepare him for his ministry. Whether your vocation is sacred or secular, you have to know what it will cost in terms of time, effort, and resources and prepare for it. ‘Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established;’ (Proverbs 24:3 NKJV). So, the word for today is – prepare yourself.

It is well

How? ...... They should stop the audio policies and go into actions. Security, I think is the number one factor affecting the farmers at the moment. No one is safe at their farms again. For example, we have hectares upon hectares of farmland at Ijebu-East Local Govt for a massive farming projects. But for months now, kidnappers had been making those areas unbearable for farmers even locals in the towns. Many farmers had abandoned their farms. Personally, I'm to invest into cassava & plantain farming starting from this year, at least about 20 acres of land for each of the crops, but alas, no one is ready for the employment. I was told that if one of the workers is kidnapped, am I ready to foot the bill for the ransom? This and so many is discouraging many people to farm, especially investors that wanted to follow us too.

So, the FG should look critically into the direction of security, if possible to allow the local vigilante take the security of their wards into their hands.

Security first before other things will follow.

God ideas

Thu, 15 Feb 2024

‘David gave … Solomon … the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the … temple of the LORD.’ 1 Chronicles 28:11-12

The first Jewish temple ranks as one of the architectural wonders of the ancient world. It was built in the tenth century BC, and the project’s scope was so massive that Solomon employed thirty thousand loggers and eighty thousand stonecutters. More than three thousand foremen managed the seven-year project. The temple was the epicentre of Judaism. It was the place of sacrifice. It was the place of worship. It was the place of pilgrimage. But like everything else, the temple was once a figment of the imagination.

The cumulative history of the Jewish temple can be traced all the way back to an idea in the mind of King David. But it wasn’t David’s idea. ‘… David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the LORD …’ (1 Chronicles 28:11-12 NIV)

We have no idea how God downloaded the plans to David. JPEGs? PDFs? Mental images? Detailed drawings? One thing is sure: the plans for the temple were not manufactured in David’s mind; they originated with the Spirit of God. The temple wasn’t just a good idea; it was a God idea. So, ask God for an idea. Pray for a plan. Why? Two reasons. First, because the Bible says, ‘Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart’ (Psalm 37:4 NIV). Second, when something is conceived by God’s Spirit, it is sure to succeed.

Wow....and yet, the final was messed up by Super Eagle 😔

Keep hope alive

Wed, 14 Feb 2024

‘Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.’ Hebrews 11:1

At some stage in our lives, most of us will or have gone through times when things looked hopeless. But, when you decide things are hopeless, you slam the door in God’s face.

First: Take all your troubles or desires to God. If you’ve gotten to the stage where you feel things are hopeless, you’ve clearly neglected your faith, or you’ve been hoping for something that is not in God’s will. ‘Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.’ (Hebrews 11:1 NASB20)

Second: Give hope a symbol – something you can centre your thoughts around. Jeremiah taught God’s people a lesson in hope by buying land at Anathoth (see Jeremiah 32:9). He knew they would be taken into captivity, and during those long years, the memory of that faraway field in Judah would act as a symbol of future restoration.

During World War II, when Leo Algimas and his family were herded into concentration camps, they maintained a symbol of hope, a tiny piece of paper from a box of chocolates with an American flag on the bottom. They passed it from hand to hand, looked at it, held it, and whispered about the liberation army that was coming.

Symbols help us fix our minds on what’s possible. In fact, the greatest symbol the world has ever known was the hardest to believe. A baby in a manger signalled God’s kingdom on earth and changed mankind’s destiny. And He can change your destiny. Define what you hope for, ask in His name, and if it’s God’s will, no matter how impossible it looks, expect it to come true.

Sober reflection to all the visitors. May the Lord console the family.

RIP to Wigwe.

Clueless leaders everywhere 😞

Tackle your giant head-on

Tuesday 13th February 2024

‘David prevailed … with a sling and a stone.’ 1 Samuel 17:50 NKJV

American Pastor Chuck Swindoll says: ‘Goliath reminds me of the visually impaired discus thrower. He didn’t set any records … but he sure kept the crowd awake! Every day, Goliath paraded along the slopes of the Valley of Elah, issuing threats. The only response from the Israeli troops was the sound of knees knocking and teeth chattering! The giant’s strategy of fear and intimidation worked until David introduced him to the Lord of Hosts, and ‘… with a sling and a stone … struck the Philistine and killed him, …”’ (1 Samuel 17:50 NKJV). To this day, two timeless truths remain.

1) You won’t win the battle by employing the Enemy’s technique. When you fight with the world’s weapons, you become like the world. The Bible says, ‘… But there was no sword in the hand of David’s hand.’ (1 Samuel 17:50 NKJV); his most powerful weapon – the thing that made him unique and gave him victory – was his inner shield of faith. It kept him free from fear, cleared his vision and gave him composure amidst the chaos.

2) Slaying giants takes skill and discipline. Wielding the sling and stone of the Spirit is much more delicate than swinging the club of the flesh. Paul says, ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ (Ephesians 6:12 KJV).

Note: wrestling isn’t a team sport. Goliath said, ‘Choose one man to come down … and fight me!’ (1 Samuel 17:8 NLT). For the duration of the battle, you’re the Enemy’s sole target. If you’re facing your own personal giant, be like David; turn him over to God, load up your sling … and let God win the victory for you.

Cleopatra ascended the throne at the age of 17 and died at the age of 39. She spoke 9 languages. She knew the language of Ancient Egypt and had learned to read hieroglyphics, a unique case in her dynasty. Apart from this, she knew Greek and the languages ​​of the Parthians, Hebrews, Medes, Troglodytes, Syrians, Ethiopians, and Arabs.
With this knowledge, any book in the world was open to her. In addition to languages, she studied geography, history, astronomy, international diplomacy, mathematics, alchemy, medicine, zoology, economics, and other disciplines. She tried to access all the knowledge of her time.
Cleopatra spent a lot of time in a kind of ancient laboratory. She wrote some works related to herbs and cosmetics. Unfortunately, all her books were destroyed in the fire of the great Library of Alexandria in 391 AD. C. The famous physicist Galen studied her work, and was able to transcribe some of the recipes devised by Cleopatra.
One of these remedies, which Galen also recommended to her patients, was a special cream that could help bald men regain their hair. Cleopatra's books also included beauty tips, but none of them have come down to us.
The queen of Egypt was also interested in herbal healing, and thanks to her knowledge of languages, she had access to numerous papyri that are lost today. Her influence on the sciences and medicine was well known in the early centuries of Christianity. She, without a doubt, is a unique figure in the history of humanity.

#ancient
#egypt
#History
#Archaeology
#HistoryArchaeologyofEgypt

Being friends with God

Mon, 12 Feb 2024

‘The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.’ Exodus 33:11

When you talk to a close friend, you’re relaxed, trusting, unguarded, and open. There is no need to watch your p’s and q’s; you can express how you feel without fearing you will be judged or rejected. That’s how Moses and God talked to each other – like two friends, trusting and transparent. They said what they felt and thought straightforwardly, not in churchy language or religious jargon.

The Israelites had made a golden calf to worship, and God was angry enough to disown them and choose a new people. Moses had a crisis on his hands, and he engaged with God in a serious discussion over the outcome. In essence, what he told God was, ‘You see it one way, Lord. I see it another – and your perspective is making me very uncomfortable!’ Sounds like a candid exchange between friends. Moses wasn’t being disrespectful; he was being upfront and honest with God. They knew each other well enough to speak ‘face to face, as one speaks to a friend’.

Do you pray like that? No posturing – just saying heart-to-heart what you want to say to your friend, God? That’s the kind of relationship God had with Moses, and it’s the kind He wants you to have with Him, too! Religious clichés and ‘the usual’ request lists miss the opportunity to connect deeply and personally with God. Instead, open up with Him. Get down to the nitty-gritty. Tell Him where you’re coming from and what you really feel, think, and desire; then listen to His perspective. In other words, be a friend with God!