The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,â says the LORD of hosts. âAnd in this place I will give peace,â says the LORD of hosts.â – Haggai 2:9
To access greater power from God, you need a very rich and consistent word study life.
As someone in ministry and a worker, I sometimes find it very difficult to sit down and read and meditate on the word. What do I do when I am late for work or wake up late or have to catch a bus or something? Until I open the Bible God may not speak to me and I may not also know what to do to get power, what to do to manage the power I have or increase it. In the court of heaven, itâs a felony not to read the scriptures. So, I download audio Bibles on my device and listen to them as I take my bath or sleep and sometimes while I sleep my spirit picks up signals from the scriptures I am listening to and power is generated. You know faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Faith, love, confidence, and power envelops me as I listen to the audio materials.
You may also make good use of devotionals or use Bible study plans (for a year or more). Also, use your money to buy rich Christian literature that will aid your spiritual growth. You donât have to be a pastor or Christian leader to do that. As a Christian desiring power and knowledge, you canât afford to disdain this principle. Live by the principles enshrined in the word of God and the kingdom of darkness will see the light of God shining brighter and brighter unto the perfect day.
To access tremendous power and glory you also need too learn to fellowship with the Spirit through intense worship. I mean music. When you worship God, you create an atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to operate. He loves music. He is enthroned on the praises of His people. Go to the YouTube and download âBest Worship songsâ and convert them into MP3 and listen to them daily and see if you wonât be lost in His presence. If you do that consistently, your room or wherever you choose for worship will become an altar- a place where consistent sacrifice is made.
In worship, the Lord can give you a prophetic message or even give you a spiritual gift. As you worship, pain disappears, you have visions and dreams and scriptures are given to you. Sometimes, you see yourself crying or trembling before Him who sits upon the throne. And when He sees you in that mood, He comes and rewards you for âIt is impossible to please God without faith for he that must come to him must believe that He exists and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Himâ (Hebrews 11:6).
You will receive power and other blessings as a reward as you worship him in the beauty of holiness.
In our kingdom, power and glory are in dimensions. The scripture speaks of âthe latter glory becoming greater than the formerâ( Haggai 2:9).
Nothing in this kingdom happens on the platform of luck. Even the kingdom of darkness is not ignorant of what to do to access greater demonic power. To access such power we always (Christians or unbelievers alike) have to do certain things that will cost us a lot.
David said â I will not give the Lord that which wonât cost me anything â. Failure to sacrifice to attain greater heights renders us as mere men but remember you are not a mere man as a Believer in whom resides the Spirit of God Almighty.
To attain greater power and glory we need to make prayer and fasting a part and parcel of us. Luke 4:1-2; 14. Prayer and fasting are a must if we want to carry corrosive and acidic power to bless lives and undo the works of the devil. Jesus said âwhen you fast â and not âif you fastâ, meaning prayer and fasting are a part of our Christian walk. Itâs not optional; itâs a must.
Fasting and prayer open us up for great things to happen in our lives. Jesus said âthis kind comes out only by prayer n fastingâ. This simply means some situations or demons only respond to serious fasting and prayers. We may have tried other arsenal in this kingdom to deal with some situations to no avail. This is not the time to argue over whether we need to fast in our era or not . Brethren, the scriptures enjoin us to fast and pray.
In fact, prayer and fasting open us to the voice of the Spirit. The Bible says in Acts 13: 2-3, âAs they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, seperate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them awayâ. From this scripture we notice that it was through the prayer and fasting that they heard the voice of the Lord. Why didnât God speak when they did not pray and fast? You want to go into a particular business? You want to marry and you donât know who to choose from your potential suitors? Brethren deploy fasting and prayers and you will not only receive power and glory but the Lord will surely speak to you as you do that spiritual exercise consistently and with the word of God.
Fasting and prayer also brings boldness. The Bible says â The righteous is as bold as a lionâ. After praying and fasting the disciples received greater power, glory and above all they were clothed with unspeakable boldness. Peter is a case in point. When the people saw the boldness in them (the disciples) they confirmed they had really been with Jesus Christ. Brother, you who canât speak in public or propose to a woman to marry her, you who are timid,I prescribe prayer and fasting for you as medication. Do that and see the fearless spirit in you ride. You will attend that interview and look your interviewers in the eyes and answer their questions by the aid of the Spirit.
To be a man replete with greater glory and power, please fast at least once a week (the day you were born) and support it with the word of God and prayer. Let your prayer life be rich with His word. Are you sick? Look for scriptures on healing and pray with them!
Nevertheless, I donât advise you fast and pray when you have health issues. The Lord knows how to grace you with acidic power when He sees you wish you could fast and pray but you canât because of your health. Heâs a merciful God.
I see you swimming in greater power and glory in the name of Jesus.
He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And He said: âTruly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 18:2-4
Children soak up both verbal and nonverbal messages like sponges – indiscriminately. They listen to their parents, and they imitate their parentsâ behavior. Because they have little frame of reference outside the family, the things they learn at home about themselves and others become universal truths engraved deeply in their minds.
Susan Forward.
It had been a couple of weeks since I had been moved to a new team within the department of the organization I worked for. Prior to that, I had always been very laid back, frolicking very little with my colleagues. I was âreservedâ many would say. Some even thought I was stuck up. Hmmmmm. Before this move, I had questioned severally if I belonged in my work environment because it had been a year and oh did I struggle to fit in. My previous job was great, had an enabling environment as far as personal growth was concerned but the âbrass was badâ.
The move was mainly motivated by the hope of a steady income and career growth. Little did I know that God had other plans. On this day a colleague was sharing a funny incident and we were all laughing so hard. âYou are like a spongeâ, my boss said to me laughing as she walked off. I lifted my head, utterly confused. What does this woman mean?, I thought. I started wondering,a sponge! Why a sponge? Wait, what kind of sponge!? What does she mean? What could she be communicating? Did I do something wrong? No, no, she actually said it with a smile. I let it slide and went on with work.
It was hard to forget the statement she made however so I pondered over it much later and then it all came to me. I googled âspongeâ and Iâm going to share my findings with you. I found three key definitions of a sponge:
1. a primitive sedentary aquatic invertebrate with a soft porous body that is typically supported by a framework of fibres or calcareous or glassy spicules. Sponges draw in a current of water to extract nutrients and oxygen.
2. a piece of a soft, light, porous absorbent substance originally consisting of the fibrous skeleton of an aquatic invertebrate but now usually made of synthetic material, used for washing and cleaning.
3. (slang) A person who takes advantage of the generosity of others (abstractly imagined to absorb or soak up the money or efforts of others like a sponge)
There are so many other perspectives and definitions out there but I will stick to these three to discuss the point I want to make. At a closer glance, we notice that all three definitions emphasize one main thing; the ability of the sponge to absorb. In my opinion the ability to absorb signifies tolerance, resilience and even resolve.
*Disclaimer: I do not endorse âspongingâ per the third definition because it is a toxic trait.*
It takes tolerance to be able/willing to embrace the existence of opinions or behaviour that one dislikes or disagrees with. A sponge absorbs such fluids as it touched be they pleasant or not.
It takes resilience to cultivate the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. No matter how filthy a liquid substance is, one washed appropriately, the sponge able to restore its previous state (debatable but almost always the case).
It takes resolve to express your firm determination to do something and actually execute it. A sponge does not possess the ability to be selective with what fluids/liquids it absorbs (unless the viscosity of the fluid doesnât permit it to and most definitely in whose hands that sponge finds itself).
[Viscosity is a physical property of fluids. It shows resistance to flow. In a simple example, water has a low viscosity, as it is “thin”. … The word viscous comes from the Latin root viscum, meaning sticky.]
People notice it when you show respect and embrace new tasks, people and environments seamlessly. The only challenge is they often tend to misinterpret it and those who get it may have the tendency to exploit you. A person who has the fruits of the Spirit and who intentionally exhibits them possesses the ability to thrive regardless of where they find themselves. The word of God makes grace and direction available to live an exemplary life. Respect therefore is shown when you adapt yourself. Anyone who adapts to you is showing you respect.
Genesis 41:14 – Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
Ruth 3:1-3 – Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor. Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.
Esther 2:12; 15 – Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;) ; Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
Joseph, Ruth and Esther all exhibited characteristics of absorption from the above texts. Joseph cleaned up himself and dressed appropriately before meeting Pharaoh. Ruth trusted Naomiâs direction, prepared herself and obeyed every instruction she was given to the letter. Esther heeded to Mordecaiâs guidance as well as Haggaiâs recommendation. Her willingness to embrace only what what required caused her to be preferred above her corrivals. Judging from the texts, they acted as such based off of the respect they had for Pharaoh, Naomi/Boaz and Ahesuerus/Haggai/Mordecai respectively. By inference according to these cases and my analysis Absorption implies Respect.
By all means have a filter to sift what you allow into your space (spirit, soul and body). Avoid toxic people and as much as you can do not compromise on your values. Know your limits/ boundaries however always show kindness and respect to others. Your reaction to any situation says more about you than it does others even if they were/are in the wrong. Be the salt and the light wherever you go. You donât need to be an open book to show respect and spread kindness. Just be a sponge in the right hands; what better hands than those of The One who made you.
Looking back today Iâm still uncertain what message she might have been conveying but I sure did couch my own perspective. I am to plant, water and nurture that lesson to spur growth for myself as well as make an impact. I pray the Holy Spirit leads you to do even better each day and no matter where you find yourself.
For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. – Proverbs 24:16 (NIV)
âWill you say yes to the dress?â, Dante was asked. With a beaming smile she shrieked âYES!â as a tear rolled down her left cheek. Her heart was filled with joy that she was doing this again, hopefully and finally for good. She had already been married twice (obviously both must have been terrible for her to have opted out).
The scenes played back in her head as she imagined what the next few weeks of her life would be liked. She was so certain there would be dramatic changes for herself and two children but she knew in her gut that this was not going to be like the previous two. It had been over two years since her last divorce and she was tired of wasting her life away sulking about the past. For so long she carried around a burden of guilt and shame because she felt that she was to blame. She was the one who couldnât make a marriage last.
The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. – Psalm 37:23-24 (ESV)
Now engaged to be married for the third time, it was obvious that despite all her failures with marriage she still believed in love. Nonetheless she was anxious, jittery, terrified to say the least. But somewhere deep down in her heart, she knew and believed that the prayers she had said to God in her low moments had been heard and were beginning to manifest. If God was able to help her find love again, then He definitely was more than capable to give her a lasting and blissful one this time around.
Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. – Micah 7:8 (NLT)
Pause a moment and reflect on your life and how each month of this year has been as far as serving God is concerned. Just as a trader or business person will take stock to assess how viable their business has been or like how workers in the corporate world would measure performance and juxtapose it to the targets they set for the year, we also need to weigh the worth of our life spend towards loving God and doing His will and His work this year.
Just like Dante, no one gets married with an elaborate plan to get a divorce and set themselves up to failure (unless of course youâre some sort of psychopath, a gold digger or you just have an incessant ulterior motive that needs satiation). Similarly as human as we are, we may set of on a course with all the right intentions and our zeal and passion up the roof. However along the line âforces of natureâ and circumstances may distract us and shift us off course.
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. – 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NKJV)
Never allow circumstances of life deter you from living in its fullness. Also donât shortchange yourself of all the wonderful experiences you could have and the impact your life could make on others. You are not broken. You are not baggage. You are not unlovable. Like Dante said yes to the dress, yes to love, yes to a new chapter of her life, say yes to the invitation of Jesus Christ. Say yes to a new life filled with His unconditional love. Say yes to His will and leading. Say yes to the privilege to serve him, to be his child and redeem your life from the flames of hell.
If you havenât already surrendered your life to Him and accepted Jesus as your Lord and personal saviour, kindly say this prayer with me now!
âDear Lord Jesus, I thank you for the opportunity to read your word and to be presented with the knowledge of your love. Please cleanse me from all my sins and write my name in Your book of life. I receive Jesus as my Saviour and my Lord. Thank you for saving my soul from the grips of hell and death. I love you Jesus. Satan from today I bind you and reject you . I will not serve you, follow you nor do your bidding again. I belong to God and I will serve Him alone . In Jesus Precious Name I pray, Amen.
If you believed this word with your heart and declared this prayer with your mouth, you are born again. Congratulations. The next steps we would advise would be for you to find a Bible believing church where you can fellowship and commit to serving God for the rest of your days here on earth. I pray you find your purpose and walk in it. I pray that the Holy Spirit will order your steps in His ways and that you will find peace, joy and fulfillment that surpasses all understanding in Jesus Name.
Now always remember this: God has got your back. He always and will forever have your interest at heart. Just keep saying yes to Him.
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, âLord, I believe; help my unbelief!â – Mark 9:24
It is not that I do not believe. Itâs just that this situation has dragged on for so long! Itâs not that I donât believe, itâs just that the recurrence and persistence of this negativity has wearied my heart, weakened my resolve and punctured my rock faith.
How many times have you been to the hospital because of this same ailment? How hard have you worked to land that job promotion? How many relationships have you been in that didnât end well? How many times have you tried to get pregnant? How long have you hustled to find green pastures? How many tries have you attempted that examination? How many letters have you written, and how many doors have been slammed in your face? How long have you waited and coped?
Life happens, and it happens to the living. What you are going through is not over and beyond your capability to handle and take in your godly stride. The wearied father of the child cried out with tears, âLord, I believe; help my unbelief!â
God is limitless so this pimple can disappear. God is infinite goodness, boundless love, and unending mercies, thoughtfully caring even to your minutest detail such as the exact vehicle you will board and where that car will park. Oh! I believe! Help me to believe more.
It will take time, but you will break through -if you keep at it and do not give up. Keep the faith no matter how long. Believe and take action that belief. You will break even. This setback will not lock you down. Lord, I believe- help thou my unbelief. This seeming plateau I have hit in my life-nothing going on, finances, health, relationships and career all halted- Lord I come to You to revive me. I look to You to heal me. I trust You for restoration and count on You for provision. Holy Spirit you and I will weather it out! I have faith; make my feeble faith stronger.
I do believe but this procedure is quite tough. It is not easy. But Iâll yet believe, -and in the moments when my resolve will fall and my faith will fail Lord, help my unbelief. Make my feeble faith stronger, help me believe more. When I feel helpless in the face of illness and disease, God – help my weak faith. Strengthen my belief that You will heal me by Your stripes, that this disease will soon pass and the gaping, hurting wound will heal.
Help my faith Lord, when complexities darken my pursuit, increase my faith LORD when hardships hit my relationships. Let me know that it will be well with me at the end, for my Redeemer liveth. Help me to believe again that joy will come by morning, lest I give up in this night of weeping. Oh, I believe, LORD GOD, I believe that You can do all things. I believe that Your plans for me and all that concerns me are good. I believe that because you live Lord Jesus I also live, and can face tomorrow. I believe that You hold the whole world in your hands and You order my steps. When life happens to me, and I pass through the avenue of Time and Chance, help my feeble faith stand firm. I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief. (Mark 9:24)
What impossibility is challenging your faith now? If you can believe, says Jesus, all things are possible to him who believes. I believe my child will be healed, and I will get the job. I believe that sister will get married happily and that friend will give birth safely to a bouncy baby. I believe brother will pass the exam and we shall overcome this hurdle also. I believe that funds will be released and the travel will be safe. I believe that the permits will be given and the final ruling will be in our favour. I believe that this law will work out for our advantage because we belong to God. I believe that I will rise up from this bed of affliction, and that your long-awaited breakthrough will come.
Dear believer in Christ Jesus -hold fast to your faith in Him, waver not for He has made available to us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. (2 Pet.1:3) Doubting displeases God- but faith attracts His favour and good pleasure. A double minded person will not be blessed. Lord I believe. Help me to believe more. O unbelieving, faithless generation -what at all do you think is difficult for the Lord under this sun? Believe, absorb godly content -that is how your faith grows, and overcome your unbelief! LORD I BELIEVE.
The Bible continues by saying in Exodus 23:26 that â There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of your days I will fulfill ( KJV). Look at the way the NLT version rendered the same verse â There will be no miscarriages or infertility in your land, and I will give you long, full lives.â Glory be to God. The word of God is indeed replete with conditional promises. If you serve me, I will bless your bread and water, take away sickness away from your midst and now the Bible says there will be no miscarriages or infertility in your land. The bitter truth is that from the platform of scriptures, most miscarriages or infertility of any kinds ( barrenness, impotence, low sperm count) among others are spiritual issues. The Bible records that the Lord opened the wombs of Sarah and Hannah, Elisabeth, John the Baptistâs mother but He the same God shut the womb of Michal, Davidâs wife and she died barren because of her own attitude (2 Samuel 6:23).
We all know how it feels like to be barren especially as children of God ; the mockery, embarrassment,pressure from in-laws when the problem is obviously from you. What do you do in such a situation? After spending colossal sum of money in hospitals and at herbal centers to no avail why do you sit at home and give up? You may have lost lots of babies through miscarriages sponsored by evil spirits without your knowledge. But now, may you receive the light of God to see beyond the physical realm. Hear this, there is nothing like âI am not compatible with my wife or husband thatâs why we canât have childrenâ. Through deception, we go out and try it with other people and get children and we confirm itâs indeed true we werenât compatibleâ. Thereâs nothing like that in our kingdom. If you are thinking along those lines know that that mentality isnât from God. Satan is only deceiving you and wants to make you a polygamist. Itâs a pattern that he wants you to repeat in your family. You shall not be a victim of that plot in Jesus name!
What did Hannah do in her deplorable condition? 1 Samuel records that she yearly went to the temple at Shiloh to seek the face of the Lord but nothing seemed to be happening. One day in verse 10 of the same chapter the Bible says â she was in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord, and wept soreâ and the summary of this story is that the Lord favored her with a child known as Prophet Samuel. Now, this woman went to the temple or the presence of God yearly and prayed. She was serving Jehovah in His house. Is it wrong to pray in our houses? No! But in His house, we quicken the manifestation of our miracle. You may have served the Lord in your house and not been seeing His finger at work. Why donât you try His temple? Why donât you join the prayer team of your local church and become a consistent prayer warrior till something happens? May your spouse join you in that spiritual exercise for a quick manifestation for where two or three people gather in my name, I am there says the word of God. You can make make it despite your age, status or social status. No woman is permitted to be barren in His house forever. Any woman who is below 90 can still give birth trust me. Sarah gave birth at 90 and if thatâs the case your situation is nothing at all before God. Are you 90 years?
A woman in my local church had been barren for years until she discovered this kingdom mystery I am talking about and when she applied it to her life with total dedication, the Lord opened her womb and she now has her child. You know what? This woman is still serving the Lord in the capacity of a prayer warrior and the Lord has blessed her with the gift of prophecy. This is how we have to behave even after receiving our miracle and the Lord will do more for us.
Christian service brings about long life as well. Premature death and unusual death patterns can be averted through Christian service. Refer God to His word and He will honor his side of the bargain as you prove to Him that you love Him.
I see you receiving your miracle as you serve God in any capacity the Spirit leads in. I declare upon your life â You are not barren or impotent. You are only a mother or father expecting your miracle childrenâ.
And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
Calvary greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In my last write-up, I mentioned that if we serve the Lord, He will bless our bread and water ( v 25) which simply means, He will provide our needs for us. When we serve the Lord with all our hearts, mind n strength, He does an amazing thing for us just to reward us. In the same verse 25, the infallible word of God says âand He will take sickness away from the midst of thee.â Wow! I just canât believe this!
Whatâs sickness? Sickness according to Apostle Johnson Suleman of Omega Fire Ministry is something that takes away your ease. Thatâs something that makes you uncomfortable. I totally agree with him. I hate sicknesses and diseases with every iota of my being. There are some sicknesses that donât respond to medical treatments. In fact they defy them. When you find yourself in such a situation, what do you have to do? You may have tried herbal and medical treatment to no avail. Your pastor too may have helped you in prayers and fasting and the situation may remain the same. Why, we donât use the same spiritual arsenal to handle every spiritual problem. In our kingdom there are mysteries. No need to say , âIâm not the church type, I cannot do anything in church, Iâm shy etc â. Iâm sorry to tell you that you are not right. Whose report do you believe? That of God or that of men? He said if you serve me I will heal you. Thatâs simple!
As you serve Him in a capacity you deem fit for yourself, I advise you do it consistently, seriously and with all your heart so that you can move Godâs hand in your favour. He takes delight in the prosperity of His saints (Psalms 35: 27). He really wants you to be made completely whole. Thatâs His plan for you. But until you serve Him, you may not get that healing. He didnât put that sickness on you and He will never do that; for the Lord is good and His mercies endure forever.
As you serve the Lord look for scriptures that speak of healing and pray with them. Also, as a church worker, keep reminding Him of the fact that He said âI am the Lord that healeth thee or I will take sickness away from your midstâ.
Challenge Jehovah Rapha, our healer, with His own words and He will heal you. God responds to His word and not empty words or words bereft of His divine word. Read materials or listen to audios or watch videos on divine healing and believe you me, you will never remain the same.
As a child, I used to be sick a lot. I mean, I was familiar with demonic oppression but when I discovered this principle of service, I made that sickness uncomfortable by serving and exposing myself to the presence and power of God and that devil gave up. Since then, I have been serving Jesus than ever before. What are you waiting for precious one? Itâs time to be healed.
âAnd ye shall serve the Lord your God, and He shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. And there shall nothing cast their young, nor barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfill.â
Whatever we men see happening in this physical world is a reflection of what actually transpires in the spirit for the physical world came into being from the spirit world. The kingdom of God operates on a reward system like the physical world. Thatâs why when people work, they get paid and when a husband and wife meet they are rewarded with a child or children.
Nevertheless, rewards are in two folds, positive and negative rewards. When we serve the Lord well, He rewards us positively and if we decide not to serve Him and go after other gods, we will still get rewarded but this time around, that reward wonât be a positive one but a negative one. By virtue of the service rendered by men like David, Joseph, Moses among others, to Jehovah, they stood out among their contemporaries. My prayer is that every Believer including myself will also be rewarded by God Almighty because we understand Christian service.
What is service?
Generally speaking, service is an act of being of assistance to someone.
Economically speaking, it is the practice of providing such a service as economic activity.
Service could also mean the state of being subordinate to or employed by an individual or group.
Christian service however, means loving the Lord with all our hearts, and with all our souls and with all our might. ( Deuteronomy 6:5). This kind of service can take the form of prayer, worship, giving of all kinds, showing hospitality and care to the brethren and those outside the Body of Christ and most especially using our gifts and talents to work in the house of Jehovah with inexplicable passion. This passion can be likened to the passion we have for our education, job or spouse. Until, that passion is evident, I am afraid we are not serving the Father of all spirits.
What are the benefits of Christian service?
Firstly in Genesis 23:25, the infallible word of God says â And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and, He shall bless thy bread and waterâ. This means if we serve Him, He will provide for us. This dimension of God is known as âJehovah Jirehâ in Hebrews meaning the Lord is my provider. God doesnât just provide some things for us just like that. Do we believe His word? If yes. He said â if we serve HimâŚ.â We can clearly see that this promise is conditional. In Genesis 18:6-10 we read, â and he ( Abraham) took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them( the two angels and Christ Jesus), under the tree and they did eat. And they said where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, behold , in the tent. And He ( Jesus) said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a sonâŚ..Over here we realize that the service rendered to the Jesus in His epiphanic form made Him give him (Abraham) a prophetic word about his wife giving birth to a child in her old age. Glory be to God.
Werenât Abraham and Sarah serving God before? Yes they were but until we get extra serious and do what we have never done before to provoke God we may not have access to certain dimensions of the benefits of Christian service. Abraham and Sarah got a child among other blessings. For you and I our need may differ. It could be a visa, a job, a wife or a husband or even children. Isnât it high time we served the Lord like never before and provoke Him to act on our behalf? People may have been making mockery of us or our God because they canât see any tangible blessings in our lives. Brethren, letâs go back to our first love, Jesus, and stop saying things like we can serve God in our hearts. Letâs find a Bible believing Church and serve the Lord if we have stopped going to church. Pls, let us do something for God passionately and consistently that the devil himself and his cohorts wouldnât doubt and believe you me, He will provide our needs for us.
Magnificent clouds caught my eye doing my morning run. I couldnât help but admire nature in all its glory. How beautiful the clouds look today. Donât the clouds look beautiful?â I asked my older daughter. She responded, âThey look very beautiful. Wow!â. And then it happened. I heard in my spirit. How about you stop, take a minute and bask in the beauty of Godâs glory. Pause and acknowledge Me, give me Reverence.
I was so shy and felt embarrassed to just stop and take pictures. I felt people will think I am just crazy or wonder if everything was alright. The devil whispered to me that Iâm taking a risk and someone could creep up on me and drive my car off (I had two children strapped in the back seat). A thousand reasons flooded my mind why I shouldnât stop and just worship God in the moment. Am I okay? I cannot be the only one on this ship ooo⌠However (drumrollđĽđĽđĽ) I stopped.
People risk more to on a daily basis to take selfies, buy food, do business and even indulge in fraudulent activities to make money and itâs absolutely normal. What am I saying? Some even just park anywhere on major stretches of road to take a wee or a dump because itâs pressing (or theyâre just plain indiscriminate đ¤Śđ˝ââď¸). They donât flinch about the possibility of being seen or mocked. Why on earth was I hesitant, afraid, ashamed maybe?
How many times have we denied God His glory, denied Him praise or worship in the moment because of flimsy excuses? How many times have we missed an opportunity to revere Him and praise His name in the moment, out of the blue? What would it cost us to pause our supposed busy lives, just to be present in His presence; to bask in the glory of His goodness.
May we not miss out on the privilege of that moment of expressing gratitude for His glory and exalting who He is because we are restricted by logic and what looks normal. May we receive the grace to glorify Him spontaneously absolutely normal henceforth.
When you take a close look at Psalm 91, you would notice that Godâs promises are pivoted on dwelling in His presence. Really we have no substantial excuse to not go out of our way for Him when He gave it all for us.
Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the AlmightyâŚ
Psalm 91:9 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,Even the Most High, your dwelling place,âŚ
Psalm 91: Because he has set his love upon Me,âŚ
đľđśAnd oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
And I couldn’t earn it, and I don’t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah
There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down
Coming after međśđľ
Too many words may dilute the efficacy of the message. I pray that as you read this, the Holy Spirit will indulge and invigorate your senses to acknowledge the beauty of Godâs Majesty. Thank you Father for teaching us to honour You by paying attention in Jesusâ precious name. Amen.
Love, Esinam.
PS: All the photos in this write-up were taken because I obeyed. I went cloud chasing âď¸đ¨đđ˝ââď¸
âLove and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.â
Barbara De Angelis
I witnessed an incident at my babyâs last inoculation that really got to me. A woman had just come in with her baby and a 4-year old child. She walked straight to the nurse on duty for administering shots that day and handed a weighing book to her. The assumption immediately was that it was for the younger child. Nope! She had brought the older child(4 years and a number of months) to be given all the shots she had missed. That was so weird. Aside the fact that the child had missed the correct timing for the vaccinations/immunizations to be done, how on earth was she going to take all those shots in one day? Was that even possible?
I sat there confused and dumbfounded until she begun telling her side of the story. Apparently she used to be consistent with the weighing schedule until the nurses begun to complain about her child being severely underweight. They bashed her so much that she stopped showing up altogether. And now she was back, after almost 4 years!!! And even now the child looked quite small for a four year old. (Disclaimer: Iâm not sure if this child has any underlying health conditions).
My heart went out for both the child (the medical care she has missed out on based on no fault of hers) and her mother (the shame and ridicule of not being enough for her child). I waited and observed to see the reaction of the nurse. She was livid. She immediately started muttering about how she could not believe how a mother had be so careless and missed out on such important shots. Oh my God!! I was shocked. She went on and on and on. And then I gently told her that sometimes it gets very difficult when we come for these routine checks and they bash us, especially when the child isnât gaining weight. Sometimes people just needed the support. She wasnât even having it. I decided to mind my business and said a silent prayer for this mother and child.
As I walked away leaving the premises I couldnât help but wonder how many times as Christians our sanctimonious demeanor, pious looks, judgmental comments/criticisms and glorified expectations have deterred others from staying in church to serve God and freely fellowship. Many hurtful experiences have caused people to erect high walls to safeguard themselves from attacks by fellow brethren. Our inability to live simple open lives or even be vulnerable to supposedly loving âchurch familyâ begs the question if we are even family at all. Rather than support one another we tend to compare and compete, tearing down others in the process.
It is for this very reason that:
â˘Many are moving to other churches
â˘Many are moving from the church head branch to smaller branches where they feel more relevant, more loved
â˘Many are staying home and supposedly sticking to the online fellowship adopted during the pandemic
â˘Many have evidently given up on fellowship altogether and no longer go to church
Our churches are getting stale, hostile, emptyâŚ
The world is losing its love. The love with which it was first created. The love for which Jesus was sent to die to save the world, even after our numerous attempts as humans to destroy it. We may lament about how quickly things are going south lately economically, morally, socially and so on. We may criticize our leaders and public figures for looking on unconcerned or not doing enough. It is evident that saving it by our personal little efforts is nearly impossible but we must not lose hope.
Hebrews 11:1-2 (NKJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
We can however maintain a positive mindset and through consistent prayer and practicing of godly instructions we may sow seeds of hope, love and kindness to others. Faith must prevail.
A mum said the other day that âmotherhood albeit a tedious task is often referred to as rewardingâ. It is evident that some women, married or not, desire to have children of their own but struggle to see a practical manifestation of this desire in their lives. Many in our society would certainly frown at any mother who portrays some signs of fatigue or dares complain with regards to their motherhood journey. Other strongly opinionated persons might even call such a mother ungrateful.
This mum proceeded to ask other mums in her community to describe âmotherhoodâ in one word. Vocabulary went flying off in all directions. There was an outpouring of several perspectives as expected. I gave it some thought and in the moment all that came to me was âWOMAN-SLAUGHTERâ. How weird considering what the dictionary definition of manslaughter is.
Manslaughter /ËmanslÉËtÉ/ the crime of killing a human being without malice aforethought, or in circumstances not amounting to murder.
Question is why woman slaughter though? Right from the moment conception takes place, a womanâs body begins to metamorphose in order to create, birth and nurture another human being. This takes a toll on her anatomy and impacts her life physically, emotionally, psychologically etc etc. The gamut of experiences that women go through is unique for each and can almost never be compared regardless of the sample size under consideration. There definitely are some similarities in what certain women deal with regarding their birth journeys.
Men on the flip side also deal with their own trolley of baggage however as a woman my perspective on their struggle will be very limited. I will therefore just focus on the feminine side of life. I neither intend to exaggerate nor undermine anyoneâs pain or struggle with my perspective on this matter. Now to answer the question on my choice of words; âwoman-slaughterâ! It is incredible how much women deal with on a daily and especially when children come into play in their lives. From taking career breaks, to being undermined in the workplace, to juggling motherhood-school-career-religious and social commitments. Ha! The list can go on and on.
Many women maintain a high head and a gentle smile just to keep putting one foot before the other. Itâs almost like living a facade to ensure that our families, jobs and society as a whole are well catered for. No woman wants to ever look and even deeper, feel like a failure. How often have women not shelved their visions for later or killed their dreams and passions altogether just to ensure that life is seemingly normal and comfortable for everyone else but themselves? The opportunity cost paid can be so expensive sometimes but we convince ourselves that it is worth it.
Have you ever thought about the following⌠( I am sure many have but dare not say it out loud). Why is it easier for you to sacrifice so much to portray a seemingly perfect life while hurting inside however it is so tough to embrace living in the perfect will of God and walking strictly by His ordinances? Do I still have your attention please?This question is not to just women, it is also to men. Is it not an even more rewarding price to pay to know that living right with Christ here on earth assures you of a better life in eternity?
The good book says âThen Jesus said to his disciples, âIf any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. – Matthew 16:25-25 (NLT)â
Submitting your will in its entirety seems like a very huge risk to take as far as common sense is debated based off of manâs wisdom. The best investment to make for eternity is to surrender your life, your will, completely to Jesus Christ. It is the most rewarding âWOMAN-SLAUGHTERâ to engage in. Is it an easy path to take? Certainly not!, however Gods word promises that:
The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. – Isaiah 58:11
I pray that you will not be led by lifeâs circumstances but by the Holy Spirit. I pray that your heart will be filled with contentment. I pray that you will see and hear the voice of the Most High God. I pray that you will manifest your dreams and visions according to Godâs divine purpose for your life. And above all may you find fulfillment and satisfaction and may your joy be full all the days of your life. Stay topped up and prayed up in Jesus Name, Amen.
And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
Luke 8:46 KJV
Virtue /ËvÉËtĘuË,ËvÉËtjuË/ the power or efficacy of a person or a thing.
It was a typical weekday and per habit I had posted a graphic of a scripture and prayer for the day. Two graphics were shared that day and I chose the verse that resonated with me in the moment and posted that on my status. A while later my phone beeped with a response to my status update which read:
Troll: âThis is old… I guess. Lol. Please, update yourself.â
Initially I was confused but after a while it struck me. The graphic I chose to share was not the actual âword for the dayâ but an old one that bore the same date. I proceeded to share this response, a long one at that and it read:
Me: âI donât know what your motive for sending this feedback is.
1. The word of God is ancient but never gets old. If todayâs word is not for you it might minister to someone else. Plus today is *date of incident* so I wonder what your interpretation of OLD is.
2. I think itâs quite insecure of you that you always want to pass on negative criticism or water down someoneâs post. YOU DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO COMMENT!!!
3. I donât know what youâre communicating asking that I âupdate myselfâ. I find it rude and unnecessary.
PS: we are not in normal times and youâre better off lifting others up rather than trying to find flaws and loopholes in people posts and lives. Spread kindness and be nice. Life is not a competition đâ
Clearly I was triggered because this individual was fond of dishing out such feedback without reservation. And then the person chose to elaborate their opinion.
Troll: (sharing what was supposed to have been the verse of the day) âThis is what I mean… It is current one for today on their *social media* page. Smh đ¤Śđżââď¸â
And thatâs where I lost my cool. My response:
Me: âWell done. There are no awards for who posts most current information, Mr Headmasterâ
Troll: âShame on you too. You should have listened to my perspective first before passing judgment. Well, I understand.â
Me: âItâs my status and I post as Iâm led to. Period! Your do not have to agree or disagree if what I share doesnât resonate your whims, beliefs or values. Thank you đđźâ
Troll: âSure đđžâ
*In my head, âDid I just see shame on me?â. Where is this from so early in the morning?* At this point I had stopped reading any responses and had proceeded on a venting spreeâŚ
Me: âI never said shame on you. I reject your shame and negative energy. Why do you always feel the need to project SHAME on people. Please keep your shame to yourself. And you shouldnât have been rush to judge my reason for not posting âa more currentâ version of *date of incident* scripture.â
Troll: âThat makes two of us. Good night.â
(The Goodnight muddied the whole situation because this conversation ensued in the morning)
Me: âI saw both and I chose which one to post. I didnât need you to come and âupdate meâ just because you feel itâs not what was shared today. My platform, my post. Iâm not obliged to do this. Itâs my stage and I choose to use it to share scripture. I can also choose not to post altogether and no one can bug me about it.â
Troll: âYou are right like a Pharisee. Enjoy the day!â
Me: âYouâre just negative. Keep your thoughts and judgements to yourselfâ
It was at this point that it hit me: I was wasting virtue.
Next move: The said contact AKA Troll was blocked
I needed to save my energy for work, family and what really mattered in that moment and for the rest of the day. I had to let the feeling of being upset, triggered, patience being tested all rolled in one mood die immediately. Nothing was stealing my virtue and by extension my peace of mind.
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Colossians 4:1-6 KJV
How often do we waste virtue on unnecessary banter, argument and worthless exchanges trying to prove a point? If only we would be able to filter even our minutest conversations to be more worthwhile, we may have a more impactful life. Endeavor to avoid toxic people, conversations and unhealthy competition.
Many a time the desire to prove oneself right is to fuel our egos and spike dopamine levels. Let us spread love and kindness and be more intentional about our conversations and transactions as far as expending virtue is concerned. Every word counts, utter wise ones, seasoned with saltâŚALWAYS!
Virtuous Living 