“Say Yes To The Dress”

For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. – Proverbs 24:16 (NIV)

“Will you say yes to the dress?”, Dante was asked. With a beaming smile she shrieked “YES!” 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 couldn’t 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 you’re 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 “forces of nature” 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 don’t 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 haven’t already surrendered your life to Him and accepted Jesus as your Lord and personal saviour, kindly say this prayer with me now!

“Dear 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.

Love,

Esinam.

OH! I BELIEVE!

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” – Mark 9:24

It is not that I do not believe. It’s just that this situation has dragged on for so long! It’s not that I don’t believe, it’s 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 didn’t 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?

woman in white shirt taking selfie

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, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

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 I’ll 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.

LBN WRITES

THE BENEFITS OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE (3)

Anchor scripture: Exodus 23:26

Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Bible continues by saying in Exodus 23:26 that “ 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 “ There will be no miscarriages or infertility in your land, and I will give you long, full lives.” 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 Baptist’s mother but He the same God shut the womb of Michal, David’s 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 “I am not compatible with my wife or husband that’s why we can’t have children”. Through deception, we go out and try it with other people and get children and we confirm it’s indeed true we weren’t compatible”. There’s nothing like that in our kingdom. If you are thinking along those lines know that that mentality isn’t from God. Satan is only deceiving you and wants to make you a polygamist. It’s 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 “ she was in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore” 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 don’t you try His temple? Why don’t 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 that’s 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 “ You are not barren or impotent. You are only a mother or father expecting your miracle children”.

Jesus est Seigneur!!!

Dr. David Tobi Ogoudou

THE BENEFITS OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE (2)

Anchor scripture: Exodus 23: 25-26

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 “and He will take sickness away from the midst of thee.” Wow! I just can’t believe this!

What’s sickness? Sickness according to Apostle Johnson Suleman of Omega Fire Ministry is something that takes away your ease. That’s 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 don’t 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 don’t use the same spiritual arsenal to handle every spiritual problem. In our kingdom there are mysteries. No need to say , “I’m not the church type, I cannot do anything in church, I’m shy etc “. I’m 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. That’s 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 God’s 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. That’s His plan for you. But until you serve Him, you may not get that healing. He didn’t 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 “I am the Lord that healeth thee or I will take sickness away from your midst”.

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? It’s time to be healed. 

Jesus est Seigneur

Dr. David Tobi Ogoudou.

THE BENEFITS OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE (I)

Anchor scripture: Exodus 23: 25-26

“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. And there shall nothing cast their young, nor barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfill.”

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. That’s 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 won’t 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 “ And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and, He shall bless thy bread and water”. This means if we serve Him, He will provide for us. This dimension of God is known as “Jehovah Jireh” in Hebrews meaning the Lord is my provider. God doesn’t just provide some things for us just like that. Do we believe His word? If yes. He said “ if we serve Him….” We can clearly see that this promise is conditional. In Genesis 18:6-10 we read, “ 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 son…..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.

Weren’t 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. Isn’t 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 can’t see any tangible blessings in our lives. Brethren, let’s go back to our first love, Jesus, and stop saying things like we can serve God in our hearts. Let’s 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 wouldn’t doubt and believe you me, He will provide our needs for us. 

“Jesus est le Dieu des miracles et prodiges“. 

Dr. David Tobi Ogoudou

Chasing Clouds

Magnificent clouds caught my eye doing my morning run. I couldn’t help but admire nature in all its glory. How beautiful the clouds look today. Don’t the clouds look beautiful?” I asked my older daughter. She responded, “They look very beautiful. Wow!”. And then it happened. I heard in my spirit. How about you stop, take a minute and bask in the beauty of God’s 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 I’m 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 shouldn’t stop and just worship God in the moment. Am I okay? I cannot be the only one on this ship ooo… However (drumroll🥁🥁🥁) 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 it’s absolutely normal. What am I saying? Some even just park anywhere on major stretches of road to take a wee or a dump because it’s pressing (or they’re just plain indiscriminate 🤦🏽‍♀️). They don’t 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 God’s 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 Almighty…

Psalm 91:9 Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,Even the Most High, your dwelling place,…

Psalm 91: Because he has set his love upon Me,…

🎵🎶And 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 me🎶🎵

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 God’s Majesty. Thank you Father for teaching us to honour You by paying attention in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

Love, Esinam.

PS: All the photos in this write-up were taken because I obeyed. I went cloud chasing ☁️💨🏃🏽‍♀️

Inoculation Diaries

“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.”

Barbara De Angelis

I witnessed an incident at my baby’s 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: I’m 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 isn’t gaining weight. Sometimes people just needed the support. She wasn’t 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 couldn’t 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 “church family” 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:

•Many are moving to other churches

•Many are moving from the church head branch to smaller branches where they feel more relevant, more loved

•Many are staying home and supposedly sticking to the online fellowship adopted during the pandemic

•Many have evidently given up on fellowship altogether and no longer go to church

Our churches are getting stale, hostile, empty…

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.

Love, Esinam.

The opportunity cost of “woman-slaughter”

A mum said the other day that “motherhood albeit a tedious task is often referred to as rewarding”. 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 ‘motherhood’ 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 “WOMAN-SLAUGHTER”. How weird considering what the dictionary definition of manslaughter is.

Manslaughter /ˈmanslɔːtə/ 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 woman’s 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 anyone’s pain or struggle with my perspective on this matter. Now to answer the question on my choice of words; ‘woman-slaughter’! 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. It’s 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 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If 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)”

Submitting your will in its entirety seems like a very huge risk to take as far as common sense is debated based off of man’s wisdom. The best investment to make for eternity is to surrender your life, your will, completely to Jesus Christ. It is the most rewarding “WOMAN-SLAUGHTER” 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 life’s 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 God’s 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.

Love, Esinam.

Virtue left me…

And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

Luke 8:46 KJV

Virtue /ˈvəːtʃuː,ˈvəːtjuː/ 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: “This is old… I guess. Lol. Please, update yourself.”

Initially I was confused but after a while it struck me. The graphic I chose to share was not the actual “word for the day” but an old one that bore the same date. I proceeded to share this response, a long one at that and it read:

Me: “I don’t know what your motive for sending this feedback is.

1. The word of God is ancient but never gets old. If today’s 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 it’s quite insecure of you that you always want to pass on negative criticism or water down someone’s post. YOU DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO COMMENT!!!

3. I don’t know what you’re communicating asking that I “update myself”. I find it rude and unnecessary.

PS: we are not in normal times and you’re 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 😊”

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) “This is what I mean… It is current one for today on their *social media* page. Smh 🤦🏿‍♂️”

And that’s where I lost my cool. My response:

Me: “Well done. There are no awards for who posts most current information, Mr Headmaster”

Troll: “Shame on you too. You should have listened to my perspective first before passing judgment. Well, I understand.”

Me: “It’s my status and I post as I’m led to. Period! Your do not have to agree or disagree if what I share doesn’t resonate your whims, beliefs or values. Thank you 🙏🏼”

Troll: “Sure 👍🏾”

*In my head, “Did I just see shame on me?”. Where is this from so early in the morning?* At this point I had stopped reading any responses and had proceeded on a venting spree…

Me: “I 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 shouldn’t have been rush to judge my reason for not posting “a more current” version of *date of incident* scripture.”

Troll: “That makes two of us. Good night.”

(The Goodnight muddied the whole situation because this conversation ensued in the morning)

Me: “I saw both and I chose which one to post. I didn’t need you to come and “update me” just because you feel it’s not what was shared today. My platform, my post. I’m not obliged to do this. It’s 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.”

Troll: “You are right like a Pharisee. Enjoy the day!”

Me: “You’re just negative. Keep your thoughts and judgements to yourself”

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 salt…ALWAYS!

PS: Don’t be like “Troll”☺️

Love, Esinam.

LISTEN

As Christians, many a time we pray fervently for God to speak to us or show us a sign and we expect Him to speak in a specific manner (through dreams, visions, a Prophet, an unusual circumstance or disruption of the elements). Some of us have even flipped Bibles to miraculously open to a page where a verse will jump up to us for direction.

Prophet Elijah had a similar experience:

11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:11-13 NLT

Don’t get me wrong, several people have had their breakthroughs or impact revealed in these forms. However we need to understand that God mostly speaks to us in the ‘language’ that we understand and this could be in the minute details of our everyday lives that we tend to conveniently ignore.

By all means, spend personal time digging into the word. Make time to meditate on God’s word and ruminate it as much as you can. It forms the foundation to hear from Him. Communication is 3D, speaking-listening-understanding. Each element is divinely critical.

Observe the journey of your life through the mirror of His word and you will notice that along the way He has been speaking all along. God speaks to each of us uniquely; just as purely as His love for each one is. Just as we pray and meditate, we need to be intentional about LISTENING.

After all Job endured to keep his faith, God still asked him to listen:

“Give ear, Job, listen to me;

Hold your peace, and I will speak.

If you have anything to say, answer me;

Speak, for I desire to justify you.

If not, listen to me;

Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Job 33:31-33 NKJV

Read good books, watch inspiring videos, listen to great sermons BUT after all these LISTEN TO HIM. He yearns to commune with us if only we will give Him our time.

Clarity usually occurs when we pause and listen…

🎧 LISTEN !!! 🎧

Love, Esinam.

REVERENCE

The word REVERENCE stems from the English word Revere and in Latin Reverentia/ Revereri meaning “to stand in awe of”. To revere God means to illuminate His sovereignty in our lives. Let’s take a cue from the book of Job.

Satan believed that Job loved God because God had blessed him and shielded him. For him, if God took away His protection and stripped Job of the good gifts, he will turn his back to God. But God knows His own, he sees the heart and deepest desires. He could boast that Job would fear Him still (i.e. revere Him) even if He took away all that he had. “Have you considered my servant Job?”

Let’s see Job’s first test:

“One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.”

Job 1:6-12 NLT

Even when God is testing us He stills looks out for our best interest. Consider that although he gave satan full access to Job and all he possessed, He entreated him not to harm him physically. Our God cares. As the story of Job’s first test unfolds, notice that the devil deploys three tools to inflict hurt on Job. He stole his cattle and oxen, he killed his shepherds and children and he destroyed his property.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10

The life that God has freely gifted us is one embellished with flourishing and abundance. The tests we endure are processes to weigh our motives and our hearts to ascertain if the outward characters we portray are a true reflection of our reverence for God.

Job’s trials came all at once and suddenly. Out of nowhere he began to experience pain and loss. The test you are facing now be it financial loss, marital challenges, emotional torture, social imbalances, psychological trauma, whatever it may be could be as a result of something you are actually doing right (provided you are obeying God’s ordinances and walking in His will). The word of God entreats us to be steadfast…

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

1 Corinthians 15:58

God is on our side and His has our best interest at heart. The purification of our hearts is to make us vessels of honour; to reveal the Glory of God’s divine nature. In our moments of pain, of struggle, of failure, of weakness, we may grief or be angry but only for a period. We must never forget our fear of God. We must return to worship Him for we are because HE IS!!

“Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.”

Job 1:20-22 NLT

🎶 You are beautiful beyond description. Too marvelous for words. Too wonderful for comprehension. Like nothing ever seen or heard. Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom. Who can fathom the depths of Your love. You are beautiful beyond description. Majesty enthroned above 🎶

We can portray reverence through our attitude, our focus and our actions. I pray that you begin to manifest the best version of yourself as led by the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Love, Esinam.