Monday, December 16, 2013
I Love Pregnancy.
I love pregnancy; its fascinating. One seed carried for months produces another cry of a child, first word, a smile, a prayer and many activities that without pregnancy would never happen. The question is why did she have to carry the seed for a while, why not the ATM style, you want it? Punch in the pin and kposaaa comes the cash or the baby as the case may be. God had his reason for using pregnancy to incubate a seed. Its a programming stage. Every seed needs to be properly calibrated to deliver the right results.
I love pregnancy;its fascinating. One seed carried for months produces another cry of a child, this cry unlike many is an announcement that a new addition to Gods purpose just arrived.
During pregnancy, the host goes through a lot of crises, swollen feet,nose,more weight(seemingly disfigured shape of host) vomiting, restlessness etc. However after a few months; she not only get herself back, she gets more. The result and reward of incubation is a life. Yes I mean a life. God rewards every act of incubation or waiting with a transformation; a life is added, value is added. Therefore my dear friends if you are pregnant, either with a dream or a child, be patient cos after all is said and done, you would have good value for your waiting.
Like I said before, I love pregnancy. We may vomit or even shit (pupu) on ourselves but when God is done with each of us, we would come forth as gold. The process of incubation requires long-suffering and patience. It would look like everyone is moving past you but trust me guys, when God is done with you, he would reveal something no one has ever dreamt of-YOU.
You are in his will if you are born again. Don't let the odds intimidate you. What you seek would come. Just be a little patient. The process is important for optimum delivery of required results.
I pray that God would assure you and keep you on this part of salvation regardless of the pressures you face daily. I wish you safe delivery.
God bless you.
Igonoh Godwin
18092012
Oil On Water
Heat it up and you'll get the liquid form of anything. That's the truth.
Everything has a temperature under which it would give.
Steel,rocks,etc. Everything can be melted under the right temperature
and so are you.
God does the same to us, he subjects us to situations that would reveal the true content of our character so as to purify and refine us as a church. The bible says he sits as a refiners of silver. The essence of the refiners fire is to bring out the best in us. Most often than not,the problem is not the dissolve-ability of the object but the ability of the object to blend into the new environment without loosing its nature. The essence of the trial is to make you better,not to become what you're being delivered from. Oil in water is an example. Both liquid can stay in one bowl but oil must be ontop. That's how we should operate. Everything the world does can be done by the church for the right reasons.
We should be fluid enough to standout. Blend out not blend in. Don't loose your identity to any system other than the Kingdom of God. Be young,stylish,successful and adventurous but know where to draw the line. If the line becomes blur then you are sinking already. Be sober and vigilant. Fashion is good,career is good,family is good but abuse of all things is bad. Paul said all things are yours,Appolos,life,death etc.... to be contd
Igonoh Godwin
God does the same to us, he subjects us to situations that would reveal the true content of our character so as to purify and refine us as a church. The bible says he sits as a refiners of silver. The essence of the refiners fire is to bring out the best in us. Most often than not,the problem is not the dissolve-ability of the object but the ability of the object to blend into the new environment without loosing its nature. The essence of the trial is to make you better,not to become what you're being delivered from. Oil in water is an example. Both liquid can stay in one bowl but oil must be ontop. That's how we should operate. Everything the world does can be done by the church for the right reasons.
We should be fluid enough to standout. Blend out not blend in. Don't loose your identity to any system other than the Kingdom of God. Be young,stylish,successful and adventurous but know where to draw the line. If the line becomes blur then you are sinking already. Be sober and vigilant. Fashion is good,career is good,family is good but abuse of all things is bad. Paul said all things are yours,Appolos,life,death etc.... to be contd
Igonoh Godwin
For the right reason
For the right reason. A few years ago I dates a lady who blamed me for
the right reasons on almost all things. It was first amongst many for me
as I soon started meeting people who just won't but blame for the right
reason. It got me worried and thinking too. The last event that
prompted me to write this article,I may not be able to share details of
the event but I assure you it got to me.
It makes me wonder,what do you do when everything you did right becomes the reason you are discredited? What do you do when you love so much that you're dumped? You trusted so much that you were disappointed. You believe so much,you were disappointed? I am still discovering the details of this revelation but trust me guys, sometimes we are castigated and blacklisted for doing everything right. The sad thing is when there are scriptures used to backup the blame.... to be contd
It makes me wonder,what do you do when everything you did right becomes the reason you are discredited? What do you do when you love so much that you're dumped? You trusted so much that you were disappointed. You believe so much,you were disappointed? I am still discovering the details of this revelation but trust me guys, sometimes we are castigated and blacklisted for doing everything right. The sad thing is when there are scriptures used to backup the blame.... to be contd
More
Sinachi's song "I want more of you" is more than a song once you allow
God to take you through the process required to understand the concept
of more. All my life I have strived to do more to leave a legacy for my
family and the generation behind but as I get older,I begin to question
the essence of my pursuit as I soon discover that more is relative to
each individual.
Whereas in my initial understanding,the idea of doing more required achieving great success so I could live well and be a fulfilled man,my inability to feel fulfilled led to questions and later discovering of the paradigm that governs more.
As a man,one thing is certain,I can never get to a place where a "more" would satisfy me, that's because for every attempt to fill up the void within with one thing or the other, I realized how deep the pit is and how hard I need to work to be satisfied. Anyway that said,I'll like to talk about "more" from a new man in christ perspective. As I got older as a believer, I transferred by insatiable desires to God hence I just added God to my vanity thereby believing I had a license to seek and attain more. Anyway I guess you know the answer to that, I was disappointed, I learnt that we can rebrand our vanity by putting God ahead of vanity but all that can give us is godly vanity and that's not acceptable either.
Many of us are flogging a dead horse, we put faith on garbage hoping to grow holiness, the real essence of our acts of worship is to see if we can bend the hand of God to get want we once wanted as sinners. Its a painful reality I have come to see first in myself the in many who seem to seek God without actually seeking him. For many the frustration gets too much and we begin to device new schemes to force success by preaching and twisting scriptures to get people under our leadership to either give or enable us perpetuate ungodly acts. Its a sad story when pastors begin to interpret grace as a ticket for sin simply because he or she cannot seem to articulate the implication of "more". We don't seem to understand that a desire to get close to God comes with new heights of responsibilities, when we say I want more of you, its just another way of saying I want to you break me and remake me into what you can use. Now I guess it beginning to make sense to you! More is not a slogan for Guinness stout neither is it a song, more of God in you implies more work,more brokeness,that's because no one gets into the holies of holies without a set apart and dedication of self to God in a whole new way.
The predictability of the result of seeking more is not once sided, we often think that more should give us more money,more fame etc but don't be supreised if more turns your life upside down, God has promised us a good end but the route is not defined by us.
Sometimes more would unseat everything you currently enjoy just like Isreal leaving Egypt for a Cannan of more. I bet almost everyone swore that this journey was not of God, that's because the detail visible to everyone seem to imply all was not well with Isreal. In fact more people died on the Cannan journey of more than they did in Egypt of convenience which happens to be a city of bondage.
There would be pockets of hope on the journey of more that would give you succour but you'll would never be able to juxtapose the good events against the events that seem to crush our faith. Remember isreal in the wilderness, they had quails and mana and water from the rocks but they also had death by serpent and many horrific events.
Igonoh Godwin
7/12/13
Whereas in my initial understanding,the idea of doing more required achieving great success so I could live well and be a fulfilled man,my inability to feel fulfilled led to questions and later discovering of the paradigm that governs more.
As a man,one thing is certain,I can never get to a place where a "more" would satisfy me, that's because for every attempt to fill up the void within with one thing or the other, I realized how deep the pit is and how hard I need to work to be satisfied. Anyway that said,I'll like to talk about "more" from a new man in christ perspective. As I got older as a believer, I transferred by insatiable desires to God hence I just added God to my vanity thereby believing I had a license to seek and attain more. Anyway I guess you know the answer to that, I was disappointed, I learnt that we can rebrand our vanity by putting God ahead of vanity but all that can give us is godly vanity and that's not acceptable either.
Many of us are flogging a dead horse, we put faith on garbage hoping to grow holiness, the real essence of our acts of worship is to see if we can bend the hand of God to get want we once wanted as sinners. Its a painful reality I have come to see first in myself the in many who seem to seek God without actually seeking him. For many the frustration gets too much and we begin to device new schemes to force success by preaching and twisting scriptures to get people under our leadership to either give or enable us perpetuate ungodly acts. Its a sad story when pastors begin to interpret grace as a ticket for sin simply because he or she cannot seem to articulate the implication of "more". We don't seem to understand that a desire to get close to God comes with new heights of responsibilities, when we say I want more of you, its just another way of saying I want to you break me and remake me into what you can use. Now I guess it beginning to make sense to you! More is not a slogan for Guinness stout neither is it a song, more of God in you implies more work,more brokeness,that's because no one gets into the holies of holies without a set apart and dedication of self to God in a whole new way.
The predictability of the result of seeking more is not once sided, we often think that more should give us more money,more fame etc but don't be supreised if more turns your life upside down, God has promised us a good end but the route is not defined by us.
Sometimes more would unseat everything you currently enjoy just like Isreal leaving Egypt for a Cannan of more. I bet almost everyone swore that this journey was not of God, that's because the detail visible to everyone seem to imply all was not well with Isreal. In fact more people died on the Cannan journey of more than they did in Egypt of convenience which happens to be a city of bondage.
There would be pockets of hope on the journey of more that would give you succour but you'll would never be able to juxtapose the good events against the events that seem to crush our faith. Remember isreal in the wilderness, they had quails and mana and water from the rocks but they also had death by serpent and many horrific events.
Igonoh Godwin
7/12/13
Check yourself
Dear friends.
In the bible,it was said that the God of Abraham,Isaac and Jacob did wonders. The phrase "God of Abraham,Isaac and Jacob" was used to connote a transfer of knowledge and relationship of God from one generation to another. Hence each generation builds on the details of the encounters of the previous generation.
Surprisingly God seem to follow from Abraham to Isaac then to Jacob. As the people handover detail from generation to generation,God seem to follow the generations hence the diverse encounters recorded across the generations is an indication that each generation had a rhythm of fellowship with God. Each generation gave their all to knowing God and God seem to reveal a lot to the point that generations after used them as reference point to emphasise the consistency of God across the generations.
Guys,my point is, we are a product of what our fathers have done and refused to do. Some would not agree but there is a certain influence the previous generation is bound to have on the current generation. Deep calleth unto deep they say. Considering the powerful details of what we read in the bible that God did and promised to do in our time, one would want to ask where is the power we so much read about? Why do we live like there is nothing to be worried about? Don't we see the clear contradictions between the detail of the life of old testament people of God and the show of Gods power and our lives? Or should we not be concerned that Jesus promised that greater works than he's done we would do or is it the fact that John the baptist was so great amongst people on old yet in out dispensation he is so little;yet we seem to careless about the absence of depth and power without the church? Why is wickedness looking so colourful such that everyone is at home with evil? Why do christians die with unfulfilled dreams and visions? Why do church leaders preach words without power?
Guys, I'm just asking, I can't wrap my head around any answer? I keep wondering what we are doing wrong or what God really thinks of us as a people? I struggle through growth and wonder if my struggles invalidate my attempt to walk with God, I wonder if my works can put me down when the could not put me up? I wonder if grace through faith requires more than we are currently doing,yet I remember the words of Jesus saying that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains,people analyse that to mean the DNA of a mustard seed is wired to grow regardless of its size but from what I know,Jesus was talking to farmers and mostly peasants who knew nothing about DNA,Jesus was talking about size, that's why he juxtapose a tiny mustard seed with a mountain. Point being that we do not have to be prefect to attract that hand of God even as we work towards perfection. The bible says we are complete in him,that means outside him we are incomplete hence out baby steps are giant strides when Jesus is incharge. We my analyse God into a complex maize that portray a complex spiritual engineering but from what I see in the bible, God is a big God that can inhabit the praise of man. God is whole enough to let us choose freely to love him. God is not threatened by nothing hence when he says we'll have power after the holy spirit is come on us,he meant it,God does not manipulate us,his power does not run dry. Question is what is wrong? Again I ask,where is the power of God in our lives?
Many of us have an idea of what the devil can do through a babalawo(witch doctor) but are oblivious of what God can do. The words on the pages of the bible are not real to many of us. Testimonies are verge, we manufacture miracles by force. We see yet we don't find so we help God by concocting lies to show that God did it; yet when Jesus fed 5000people, it was clear everyone just had bread and fish. When the blind receive their sight,it was clear.
If God is always right then our current situation of lack of power as believers is our fault. Check yourself. Ask God again to reveal the weak areas that we have polished up with fashion brands and bogus academic qualifications. Check yourself again I say check. David said create in me a clean heart and renew the right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence of God. Take not your holy spirit from me,restore to me the joy of salvation.
The above is not a song, its a prayer of a man that understands the implication a sinful life. David knew it would cost him everything;including God taking his spirit from us because of sin. If our fathers were lukewarm.chances are we'll be but God said come now and let us reason together,though your sins be as scarlet or as red as crisom,he'll forgive when we heed his call when he said if my people who are called by my name,would humble themselves and pray,and turn from their wicked way, I will hear from heaven and I'll heal their land.
If you are willing and obedient,you'll eat the fruit of the land says the lord. God would love to hear from you today.
Igonoh Godwin
28th Nov 2013
Lagos,Nigeria
In the bible,it was said that the God of Abraham,Isaac and Jacob did wonders. The phrase "God of Abraham,Isaac and Jacob" was used to connote a transfer of knowledge and relationship of God from one generation to another. Hence each generation builds on the details of the encounters of the previous generation.
Surprisingly God seem to follow from Abraham to Isaac then to Jacob. As the people handover detail from generation to generation,God seem to follow the generations hence the diverse encounters recorded across the generations is an indication that each generation had a rhythm of fellowship with God. Each generation gave their all to knowing God and God seem to reveal a lot to the point that generations after used them as reference point to emphasise the consistency of God across the generations.
Guys,my point is, we are a product of what our fathers have done and refused to do. Some would not agree but there is a certain influence the previous generation is bound to have on the current generation. Deep calleth unto deep they say. Considering the powerful details of what we read in the bible that God did and promised to do in our time, one would want to ask where is the power we so much read about? Why do we live like there is nothing to be worried about? Don't we see the clear contradictions between the detail of the life of old testament people of God and the show of Gods power and our lives? Or should we not be concerned that Jesus promised that greater works than he's done we would do or is it the fact that John the baptist was so great amongst people on old yet in out dispensation he is so little;yet we seem to careless about the absence of depth and power without the church? Why is wickedness looking so colourful such that everyone is at home with evil? Why do christians die with unfulfilled dreams and visions? Why do church leaders preach words without power?
Guys, I'm just asking, I can't wrap my head around any answer? I keep wondering what we are doing wrong or what God really thinks of us as a people? I struggle through growth and wonder if my struggles invalidate my attempt to walk with God, I wonder if my works can put me down when the could not put me up? I wonder if grace through faith requires more than we are currently doing,yet I remember the words of Jesus saying that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains,people analyse that to mean the DNA of a mustard seed is wired to grow regardless of its size but from what I know,Jesus was talking to farmers and mostly peasants who knew nothing about DNA,Jesus was talking about size, that's why he juxtapose a tiny mustard seed with a mountain. Point being that we do not have to be prefect to attract that hand of God even as we work towards perfection. The bible says we are complete in him,that means outside him we are incomplete hence out baby steps are giant strides when Jesus is incharge. We my analyse God into a complex maize that portray a complex spiritual engineering but from what I see in the bible, God is a big God that can inhabit the praise of man. God is whole enough to let us choose freely to love him. God is not threatened by nothing hence when he says we'll have power after the holy spirit is come on us,he meant it,God does not manipulate us,his power does not run dry. Question is what is wrong? Again I ask,where is the power of God in our lives?
Many of us have an idea of what the devil can do through a babalawo(witch doctor) but are oblivious of what God can do. The words on the pages of the bible are not real to many of us. Testimonies are verge, we manufacture miracles by force. We see yet we don't find so we help God by concocting lies to show that God did it; yet when Jesus fed 5000people, it was clear everyone just had bread and fish. When the blind receive their sight,it was clear.
If God is always right then our current situation of lack of power as believers is our fault. Check yourself. Ask God again to reveal the weak areas that we have polished up with fashion brands and bogus academic qualifications. Check yourself again I say check. David said create in me a clean heart and renew the right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence of God. Take not your holy spirit from me,restore to me the joy of salvation.
The above is not a song, its a prayer of a man that understands the implication a sinful life. David knew it would cost him everything;including God taking his spirit from us because of sin. If our fathers were lukewarm.chances are we'll be but God said come now and let us reason together,though your sins be as scarlet or as red as crisom,he'll forgive when we heed his call when he said if my people who are called by my name,would humble themselves and pray,and turn from their wicked way, I will hear from heaven and I'll heal their land.
If you are willing and obedient,you'll eat the fruit of the land says the lord. God would love to hear from you today.
Igonoh Godwin
28th Nov 2013
Lagos,Nigeria
Heathen's Rage!
"Pastor X of Ever faithful Ministries just bought a Lexus jeep. His wife
travels abroad 5 times a year. His children wear very expensive
clothes. Do you know many mansions he has in Lagos? As for me, that is
why I don't pay tithes o. Offering ke? So that it will enter his pocket?
Me, am still trying to feed my family."
What is the contention? "Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing?" Ps 2:1 Caution! I say, caution!
You see, it is very easy to deprive yourself of the blessings of God, simply because you choose to place your eyes on the wrong things. Peter began walking on water, as soon as He took his eyes off the Master, he began to sink.
There are so many distractions in and around the body of Christ. We must strive to fix our eyes on Jesus and cut off all distractions.
There are so many dimensions to this message but I choose to focus on the call to obedience.
Now, who said christians should pay tithes and bring offerings to the church? Was it the pastor? Or was it the Lord?
Why pay to the pastor? In the old testament, the people paid their tithes(10percent of earnings) to the priests, and the priests paid 10percent of all they received to the High Priest. That was the order of things.
"The best of all the firstfruits and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest on your household." Ezekiel 44:30
You see, you don't get to choose what to obey in the Word of God, which is what so many people do.
" I am fornicating, but at least I don't commit murder"
"I will give offerings once in a while, but 10percent of my income? I don't think so. I will rather give to the poor"
The bible clearly states
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10
"Obedience is better than sacrifice." 1 samuel 15:22
You would rather give to the poor and offer humanitarian service than pay tithes.
It is a spiritual principle and like every spiritual principle, you do not logicalise, you don't apply the wisdom of the world. This is why God chose to use the foolishness of the world to confound the wise men of this world.
"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? where is the ascribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?"1 cor 1:19-20
Yes, you have a Ph.D and you studied economics. But you don't understand why you should give 10 percent of your earnings to the Lord and how that principle works.
I once heard a christian ask sarcastically, "is tithe paying like ATM? Will it double my money? Nonsense"
You analyze the fact the pastor receiving the tithes is wealthier than you are and you feel cheated. Giving your tithes looks so foolish in your reasoning. You are the wise men of this world, choosing to disobey kingdom principles because you must know better than the God who created you.
Every man will give account on judgment day. Have we really thought about what that day would be like?
You will say to the Lord that you didn't pay tithes because your pastor didn't not build schools and hospitals with the money, but instead his clothes became more expensive and his garage increased in size.
What do you think His response will be?
"If you love me, you will obey/keep my commandment." John 14:15
It is not up for negotiation.
Friends, can you not trust the Lord to know that He has good intentions for you? Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that you could ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Eph3:20
What is that power that works in us? The same power that raised Christ from the dead. The power of the Holy Spirit.
Choose to obey the word of God because your faith is in Christ. That is the very essence of your christianity. Faith in Jesus Christ is the reason why you are saved and Abraham's blessings are yours.
It is that same faith you profess when you obey the Lord even when it seems foolish and you don't understand.
Stop looking at your pastor and fix your eyes on Jesus. Take your eyes off his lexus jeep. Don't count how many pieces of chicken he eats. Pay your tithe and see if God will not open the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessings there will be not enough room to contain it.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God but without works, it is dead. You are holy and righteous by virtue of your faith in christ which worketh love. "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" Gal 5:6
If you love me, you will obey my commandments.
Choose the way of obedience.
God bless you.
Adaora Igonoh
What is the contention? "Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing?" Ps 2:1 Caution! I say, caution!
You see, it is very easy to deprive yourself of the blessings of God, simply because you choose to place your eyes on the wrong things. Peter began walking on water, as soon as He took his eyes off the Master, he began to sink.
There are so many distractions in and around the body of Christ. We must strive to fix our eyes on Jesus and cut off all distractions.
There are so many dimensions to this message but I choose to focus on the call to obedience.
Now, who said christians should pay tithes and bring offerings to the church? Was it the pastor? Or was it the Lord?
Why pay to the pastor? In the old testament, the people paid their tithes(10percent of earnings) to the priests, and the priests paid 10percent of all they received to the High Priest. That was the order of things.
"The best of all the firstfruits and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest on your household." Ezekiel 44:30
You see, you don't get to choose what to obey in the Word of God, which is what so many people do.
" I am fornicating, but at least I don't commit murder"
"I will give offerings once in a while, but 10percent of my income? I don't think so. I will rather give to the poor"
The bible clearly states
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3:10
"Obedience is better than sacrifice." 1 samuel 15:22
You would rather give to the poor and offer humanitarian service than pay tithes.
It is a spiritual principle and like every spiritual principle, you do not logicalise, you don't apply the wisdom of the world. This is why God chose to use the foolishness of the world to confound the wise men of this world.
"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? where is the ascribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?"1 cor 1:19-20
Yes, you have a Ph.D and you studied economics. But you don't understand why you should give 10 percent of your earnings to the Lord and how that principle works.
I once heard a christian ask sarcastically, "is tithe paying like ATM? Will it double my money? Nonsense"
You analyze the fact the pastor receiving the tithes is wealthier than you are and you feel cheated. Giving your tithes looks so foolish in your reasoning. You are the wise men of this world, choosing to disobey kingdom principles because you must know better than the God who created you.
Every man will give account on judgment day. Have we really thought about what that day would be like?
You will say to the Lord that you didn't pay tithes because your pastor didn't not build schools and hospitals with the money, but instead his clothes became more expensive and his garage increased in size.
What do you think His response will be?
"If you love me, you will obey/keep my commandment." John 14:15
It is not up for negotiation.
Friends, can you not trust the Lord to know that He has good intentions for you? Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that you could ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Eph3:20
What is that power that works in us? The same power that raised Christ from the dead. The power of the Holy Spirit.
Choose to obey the word of God because your faith is in Christ. That is the very essence of your christianity. Faith in Jesus Christ is the reason why you are saved and Abraham's blessings are yours.
It is that same faith you profess when you obey the Lord even when it seems foolish and you don't understand.
Stop looking at your pastor and fix your eyes on Jesus. Take your eyes off his lexus jeep. Don't count how many pieces of chicken he eats. Pay your tithe and see if God will not open the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessings there will be not enough room to contain it.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God but without works, it is dead. You are holy and righteous by virtue of your faith in christ which worketh love. "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" Gal 5:6
If you love me, you will obey my commandments.
Choose the way of obedience.
God bless you.
Adaora Igonoh
Still thinking of a title!!!help!!
Have you ever gone to write an exam and realized you forgot to buy your pen? Can you imagine the panic that would cause?
Can you go into a battle unprepared and expect to win? That, my friend, is madness. Many christians are fighting without their swords. Some misplaced theirs. While some never had theirs.
We are continually engaging in battles.
The Word of God rightly says "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this worlds, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph 6:12
I must confess that when I first got born again, I was told that that was the end of the long fight between the devil and I to take me to hell and that Jesus has already won the battle. And that everything would be rosy from now on. Halleluya!!! I shouted "Amen" with so much joy.
Ahh, so amazing to hear that I would not 'struggle' any more.
Was I deceived? Yes! Because infact, from the moment you decide to take a stand for God, the enemy will not be pleased with you at all. He has just lost a soul and he would do just about anything to get that soul back.
So while you scream halleluya and go to bed, he is plotting his next move.
But why do you think the bible says "be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1 Peter 5:8
That is his aim. He seeks to devour.
Friends, brothers and sisters, we must not be ignorant of his devices. Christianity is not a walk in the park like you think. That is the reason why we have people who have been Christians for many years still struggling with milk. They can't chew bread, they will choke. Meat? Don't even go there. They will require resuscitation. It is what I call "spiritual kwashiokor", but that is a matter for another day.
Just like any other battle, spiritual battles must be prepared for. You must have your tools and armours.
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.....stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" Eph 6:11-17 KJV
I would love to talk about all the elements of the whole armour of God, but I want to focus on the sword of the Spirit.
The sword is the weapon of warfare that is used to pierce the enemy during battle. This weakens the enemy and ensures that he would have to nurse his wounds for a while.
How can you then go to battle without your sword, child of God, seeing as it is so important?
The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. It is not enough to read your bible sometimes, or when you feel like. You must have it in you. Ready to use it as the slightest opportunity. But you can not use what you don't have.
When the enemy tells you you can't succeed, you tell him you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Aha! You just shut him up.
When he tries to remind you of your past sins and lies to you that you can't come before God, you tell him you can go boldly to the throne of grace. You tell him there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH." Romans 8:1. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. 2cor5:17
You know what you have just done? You told him to shut his mouth and he did.
So many christians come to church without a bible. And if we want to be honest, most don't even open the bibles until we get to church, if we do go to church.
Some may argue the need to take a bible to church when the verses would be displayed on the church screens.
Do you know that searching your bible for scriptures helps you to know your bible more?
The Bereans in the bible were known because they would always go back and research all that they were taught. You must realize that even pastors make mistakes sometimes. When you go back and study the word for yourself, you will not be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. Read the word for yourself.
Dear friends, study the word of God, read it, eat it, chew it, meditate upon it day and night. Joshua 1:8
For when the enemy strikes, you may not have the time and patience to go through your bible trying to locate scriptures that you have no clue about in the first place. There is a word for every situation we may face.
Let us get to know our bibles more. Let's get familiar with the scriptures.
For the Word is living. And the Word is God.
Perhaps, you don't know where to start from. It's alright. You can decide to use a devotional with a well laid plan on how to study your bible. Or you can decide to go book by book. It is an exciting journey.
You may know the word, but it has lost its meaning and power to you, or it was just something you memorized without understanding.
Remember that the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword. Heb 4:12
The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. Invite the Holy Spirit to give you understanding of the Word. He is ever willing to teach.
Dear brothers and sisters, let's get the dust off our bibles and go on an adventure with the Word.
You can thank me later :)
God bless you
Kim Adaora Igonoh
Can you go into a battle unprepared and expect to win? That, my friend, is madness. Many christians are fighting without their swords. Some misplaced theirs. While some never had theirs.
We are continually engaging in battles.
The Word of God rightly says "for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this worlds, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph 6:12
I must confess that when I first got born again, I was told that that was the end of the long fight between the devil and I to take me to hell and that Jesus has already won the battle. And that everything would be rosy from now on. Halleluya!!! I shouted "Amen" with so much joy.
Ahh, so amazing to hear that I would not 'struggle' any more.
Was I deceived? Yes! Because infact, from the moment you decide to take a stand for God, the enemy will not be pleased with you at all. He has just lost a soul and he would do just about anything to get that soul back.
So while you scream halleluya and go to bed, he is plotting his next move.
But why do you think the bible says "be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" 1 Peter 5:8
That is his aim. He seeks to devour.
Friends, brothers and sisters, we must not be ignorant of his devices. Christianity is not a walk in the park like you think. That is the reason why we have people who have been Christians for many years still struggling with milk. They can't chew bread, they will choke. Meat? Don't even go there. They will require resuscitation. It is what I call "spiritual kwashiokor", but that is a matter for another day.
Just like any other battle, spiritual battles must be prepared for. You must have your tools and armours.
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.....stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" Eph 6:11-17 KJV
I would love to talk about all the elements of the whole armour of God, but I want to focus on the sword of the Spirit.
The sword is the weapon of warfare that is used to pierce the enemy during battle. This weakens the enemy and ensures that he would have to nurse his wounds for a while.
How can you then go to battle without your sword, child of God, seeing as it is so important?
The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. It is not enough to read your bible sometimes, or when you feel like. You must have it in you. Ready to use it as the slightest opportunity. But you can not use what you don't have.
When the enemy tells you you can't succeed, you tell him you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Aha! You just shut him up.
When he tries to remind you of your past sins and lies to you that you can't come before God, you tell him you can go boldly to the throne of grace. You tell him there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH." Romans 8:1. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. 2cor5:17
You know what you have just done? You told him to shut his mouth and he did.
So many christians come to church without a bible. And if we want to be honest, most don't even open the bibles until we get to church, if we do go to church.
Some may argue the need to take a bible to church when the verses would be displayed on the church screens.
Do you know that searching your bible for scriptures helps you to know your bible more?
The Bereans in the bible were known because they would always go back and research all that they were taught. You must realize that even pastors make mistakes sometimes. When you go back and study the word for yourself, you will not be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. Read the word for yourself.
Dear friends, study the word of God, read it, eat it, chew it, meditate upon it day and night. Joshua 1:8
For when the enemy strikes, you may not have the time and patience to go through your bible trying to locate scriptures that you have no clue about in the first place. There is a word for every situation we may face.
Let us get to know our bibles more. Let's get familiar with the scriptures.
For the Word is living. And the Word is God.
Perhaps, you don't know where to start from. It's alright. You can decide to use a devotional with a well laid plan on how to study your bible. Or you can decide to go book by book. It is an exciting journey.
You may know the word, but it has lost its meaning and power to you, or it was just something you memorized without understanding.
Remember that the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword. Heb 4:12
The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. Invite the Holy Spirit to give you understanding of the Word. He is ever willing to teach.
Dear brothers and sisters, let's get the dust off our bibles and go on an adventure with the Word.
You can thank me later :)
God bless you
Kim Adaora Igonoh
WHAT MY DOG WON'T DO.( The proliferation of Western Rubbish) Part 1.
WHAT MY DOG WON'T DO.( The proliferation of Western Rubbish) Part 1.
Try then try again, put your male dog with a male pig and see if sex between them would be their first natural idea. Ok try a male dog with another male dog, Its still a no, no. Animals as low as they remain don't jump on each other to fulfill their desires. Why should man with a full functional brain(or so it seems) and a soul take to the idea that another male is all he needs to feel loved. Oh how I wish we had a good world, the latest cry for gay rights makes it clear that this present world is about to expire. Nothing the world offers should be taken seriously. Not even the seeming sweet onions and garlic are without the tint of blood and the venom of a viper.
While the world debate the enforcement of gay rights across all nations, its good to remember that your voice still matters, at least in your own environment. Don't be found playing politics by staying silent on the detestable concept of gay rights. If you are not bothered by what is sold in the village market,then soon it would be moved into your house.
Beyond my faith convictions, gay is an aberration, an anathema. Gay right is one of the last attempt to throw the world into confusion. Its an experiment meant to test our resolve, to see whether its possible to legislate a western idea across the world without being physically present.One day the West would tell us its time to sleep with our dog,they expect us to say "yes sir".All so we get financial aid?#WeSayNo2Gay .Keep the aid if all its worth is doing what the animals have refused to do.
Finally, my strongest reason remains that the foundation of family existence and societal development is sex. Sex is between he male and she female and not he male and she male. The dogs still respect this traditional fact, that's because God made it so and he saw that it was and is still good. Some would say its free will but I dare say free will indeed. Man has shown its incapable to doing good without God. Seeking to give legitimacy to an act of emotional corruption embarked upon by some disgruntled elements dressed in Gucci and Armani suits on television does not change the fact that this gay rubbish is what it is;Rubbish. No amount of legislation can legitimize rape or stealing. No amount of legislation can legitimize gayism as I choose to call it. I hope you can make your decision to reflect this conviction that our society is sustained by family and family is founded upon the principle of sex which can only be between a man and a woman. Any other combination is an anathema.
God bless you. Please pass this on.
Igonoh Godwin.O
Lagos Nigeria.
Try then try again, put your male dog with a male pig and see if sex between them would be their first natural idea. Ok try a male dog with another male dog, Its still a no, no. Animals as low as they remain don't jump on each other to fulfill their desires. Why should man with a full functional brain(or so it seems) and a soul take to the idea that another male is all he needs to feel loved. Oh how I wish we had a good world, the latest cry for gay rights makes it clear that this present world is about to expire. Nothing the world offers should be taken seriously. Not even the seeming sweet onions and garlic are without the tint of blood and the venom of a viper.
While the world debate the enforcement of gay rights across all nations, its good to remember that your voice still matters, at least in your own environment. Don't be found playing politics by staying silent on the detestable concept of gay rights. If you are not bothered by what is sold in the village market,then soon it would be moved into your house.
Beyond my faith convictions, gay is an aberration, an anathema. Gay right is one of the last attempt to throw the world into confusion. Its an experiment meant to test our resolve, to see whether its possible to legislate a western idea across the world without being physically present.One day the West would tell us its time to sleep with our dog,they expect us to say "yes sir".All so we get financial aid?#WeSayNo2Gay .Keep the aid if all its worth is doing what the animals have refused to do.
Finally, my strongest reason remains that the foundation of family existence and societal development is sex. Sex is between he male and she female and not he male and she male. The dogs still respect this traditional fact, that's because God made it so and he saw that it was and is still good. Some would say its free will but I dare say free will indeed. Man has shown its incapable to doing good without God. Seeking to give legitimacy to an act of emotional corruption embarked upon by some disgruntled elements dressed in Gucci and Armani suits on television does not change the fact that this gay rubbish is what it is;Rubbish. No amount of legislation can legitimize rape or stealing. No amount of legislation can legitimize gayism as I choose to call it. I hope you can make your decision to reflect this conviction that our society is sustained by family and family is founded upon the principle of sex which can only be between a man and a woman. Any other combination is an anathema.
God bless you. Please pass this on.
Igonoh Godwin.O
Lagos Nigeria.
The Parable of the Cake
The parable of the Cake!
Recently I had an encounter that shook me to my bones. It was one of those experiences that shows that God is still in charge of the universe and the life of each child of God is before God daily as he works to bring to fulfillment his perfect plan.
Ok here what happened. It was 21st June, it happen to be by wife's birthday and our anniversary. Before this day my uncles wife decided to bake a cake for me to give to my wife;its was meant to be a gift,by the way my uncles wife was not in same city as me,she was working in another city but her family was in my city, they had a maid who could bake so my uncles wife asked her to bake a cake for me. I told her pink or yellow would be nice but she had to use her discretion ultimately. This was the 20th of June,precisely a day to my wife's birthday. So on the 21st we work up early and decided to do together the few things we had to do around the city of Lagos. It happen to be a friday so traffic was at its peak. The plan was to go pick up the cake once we were done with official business of the day. Before we were done, I called my uncle as we agreed I'll call him as soon as I was close to his apartment. Anyway to cut the story short, I went through traffic for almost 2hours only to get to his house and realize my uncle was not home. The next thing to do was to call him. I called by his phone was switched off. I called again and again. I sent a text message to inform him I was waiting outside his apartment, in between this long wait, I tried calling his wife in the other city on her mobile phone, it rang but she didn't pick the call. I called her for about 10times. I switched to sending short messages on her blackberry device but no response. After about 2 hours waiting in the car on one spot(its was raining too),I finally decided to leave, I sent another text message to my uncle saying I had to get back to victoria island which is another end of the city of Lagos. Through all this event, my wife was in the car with me, she was very patient, I remember her asking me what are we going to do? I said leave; we just had to leave.
We had such a long drive back to victoria island, it took almost 2hours again to get back to victoria island due to traffic on the way. After 2hours of driving which was 4hours away from the first time we sent the text message saying we were at my uncles house,the messages were received, simultaneously the maid called me to apologize for all I went through. She said she had to go out briefly,she assumed my uncle or his wife would call her to let her know I was around so she could ask me to get the house key from where she hid it then carry the cake. My uncle called almost immediately to apologize and said his battery went down so his phone shut down,he thought the maid would be home so he had to rush somewhere. He did not bother calling me because he assumed the maid was home to give me my cake. My uncles wife sent me apologies and she said she forgot her phone at home, she only realised that when she got to work that working;she just got home to see my calls and messages.
It so happened that when we were waiting at my uncles house, I told my wife that something was not right, I told her there's something God is saying which we must be patient to discover regarding this cake. Anyway it happened that my uncle assumed the help would be home while the help assumed my uncle or his wife would call her to inform her I was waiting yet it happened that my uncles wife went to work that day forgetting her mobile phone at home so she could not pick my call.
While all the apologies were pouring in,the maid sent someone to bring the cake to me,I got the cake and it turned out to be a small cake. I was grateful and that was it or so I would thing. While the uncertainty of the cake lasted, my mother inlaw called and asked if she could order a cake since it we were coming over to her house later that day,I hesitates but my wife said yes, so she sent someone to go get a cake off her street. We initially thought if our originally ordered cake is lost in a web of assumptions, we can then use my mother inlaws cake. The young man that went to get the cake for my mother inlaw got there and there was one cake left, it had been ordered by another customer who was not forthcoming on pickup so the lady decided to make an exception by giving the cake to the youngman based on his standing goodwill with the cake store. Now my mother inlaw had her cake.
Later that day, we drove to see my wifes parents, on getting in my wife asked if we could bring in out initial cake but I said no, reason been that it was small,more so my mother inlaw had orderdd another cake so why showoff our small weary looking cake. True to my imagination, we saw my mother inlaws cake, it was awesome and big. I bless the lord I did not bring my cake from the car. The evening went well, we all had fun,had cake and went home.
Ordinarily you'll expect the cake story was over; just as we were getting into bed, my wife and I took stock of our day, the holy spirit came knocking. The day was not over, God begain to show us the real meaning of all that happened earlier in the day.
The first small cake had 3 colours,yellow,green and pink, it had written on it HBD Ada.
The second cake had 3 colours, yellow,green and pink. It would surffice to note that the two bakers never met and never knew each other. We did not tell my mother inlaw anything about cake colour. The big cake had written on it HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADA. Unlike the small cake, the big cake had no abbreviations. It was clearly and neatly written and professionally done whereas tthe small cake was shabbily down by my uncles house maid learning how to bake.
And God said,both cakes are related. The first cake signifies man planning to meet his needs, using his personal understanding of what is importamt and how. God pointed out that the first cake shows mans ideas,dreams and mans way of doing things. We work so hard or so it seems,we try so hard, we plan and try, yet we are stock in traffic most part of out lives,we wait for mirracles,we scheme and plan yet all but nothing is produced, God pointed out that the returns we get on so much manly effort and wisdom is so small that we can't but hide our results.
The second cake is Gods plan for man,its often not executed my mans scheming and planning, it rides on the assurance and integrity of Gods identity. Gods plan for your life is draw up and executed by God all on his time. We play very little role in helping design Gods plan for our lives,in fact all God expects of us is to showup and embrace his plan for each of us. Gods plan for you had no short cuts,no abbreviations. When its revealed, you don't have a hard time reading the content of Gods plan for your life, like I said before, yours is just to showup and embrace the plan.
Many of us were used to struggling to make things happen prior to metting Jesus hence we believe the basic foundation of all thing godly must be tinted with struggles and scheming. We lie to fast track progress,we cheat just so me can get there quickly. In an attempt to be one of those with results to showoff, we embelish everything even if it means coating it with a few bible scriptures. Some of us even import out sinful ways and traditions into the body of christ just to prove God can do all things and by all things we mean using our old evil ways to bless his church. Friends God says there's no need for that. Stop manufacturing a plan and branding it Gods plan for your life. Gods plan for your life would never be abbreviated, it has no short cuts, its clear and requires training which God is often willing and well equip to deliver. God never sends anyone on an assignement without making adequate provisions for the needs that come with the assigement. Read theough the pages of the bible, every ventrue God plans,he provides for it. There is a peace the comes with Gods plan when embraced. The bible says God is not an author of confusion,niether is strive one of the attributes of a God driven plan in your life.
The interpretation of the parable of the cake is amazing, it core message is that what I(God) have planned up for you is bigger and better that all you kill,cheat and manipulate to become all in the name of hard work.
God is asking each of us to either let him execute his own plan or keep chasing the shadow of greatness. Like I have always said, God is the only constant in all success equations. Whether or not we'll let him pilot the affairs of our lives is another question entirely. There is certainly one end to anyone who resolve to self help in this life and in that which is to come, the bible captured this end when it said "He who had the son has life but he who rejects the son is already condemned". The offer to lead you in on the table, God is offering a bigger and better cake, all he's asking is that we embrace his offer. Trying to understand they dynamics of salvation with the human mind is tantamount to driving long hours through trafffics from one end of the city to another,waiting in vain just to collect a small pitiful cake. You can be sure that after all your effort, you'll not get the desired cake niether would you be able to use your human mind to understand the things of God hence its written that we are saved by grace through faith.
There's an opportunity to begin a new journey with Jesus today. For those who are saved already,it may just be that you need God to take the wheels of certain projects in your life due to the fact that your effort don't seem to produce any meaningful result. Kindly say this prayer. Lord Jesus,I acknowledge that I am a sinner,I acknowledge I cannot save myself;I believe Jesus is the son of God,he came in the flesh,shed his blood on the cross and died,his blood washed away my sins,on the third day God rose him up again and he's alive forever more. I accept Jesus as lord of my life.I ask that you unveil your plan for my life in Jesus name. (Amen)
Igonoh Godwin.O
22June2013. 230am.
Recently I had an encounter that shook me to my bones. It was one of those experiences that shows that God is still in charge of the universe and the life of each child of God is before God daily as he works to bring to fulfillment his perfect plan.
Ok here what happened. It was 21st June, it happen to be by wife's birthday and our anniversary. Before this day my uncles wife decided to bake a cake for me to give to my wife;its was meant to be a gift,by the way my uncles wife was not in same city as me,she was working in another city but her family was in my city, they had a maid who could bake so my uncles wife asked her to bake a cake for me. I told her pink or yellow would be nice but she had to use her discretion ultimately. This was the 20th of June,precisely a day to my wife's birthday. So on the 21st we work up early and decided to do together the few things we had to do around the city of Lagos. It happen to be a friday so traffic was at its peak. The plan was to go pick up the cake once we were done with official business of the day. Before we were done, I called my uncle as we agreed I'll call him as soon as I was close to his apartment. Anyway to cut the story short, I went through traffic for almost 2hours only to get to his house and realize my uncle was not home. The next thing to do was to call him. I called by his phone was switched off. I called again and again. I sent a text message to inform him I was waiting outside his apartment, in between this long wait, I tried calling his wife in the other city on her mobile phone, it rang but she didn't pick the call. I called her for about 10times. I switched to sending short messages on her blackberry device but no response. After about 2 hours waiting in the car on one spot(its was raining too),I finally decided to leave, I sent another text message to my uncle saying I had to get back to victoria island which is another end of the city of Lagos. Through all this event, my wife was in the car with me, she was very patient, I remember her asking me what are we going to do? I said leave; we just had to leave.
We had such a long drive back to victoria island, it took almost 2hours again to get back to victoria island due to traffic on the way. After 2hours of driving which was 4hours away from the first time we sent the text message saying we were at my uncles house,the messages were received, simultaneously the maid called me to apologize for all I went through. She said she had to go out briefly,she assumed my uncle or his wife would call her to let her know I was around so she could ask me to get the house key from where she hid it then carry the cake. My uncle called almost immediately to apologize and said his battery went down so his phone shut down,he thought the maid would be home so he had to rush somewhere. He did not bother calling me because he assumed the maid was home to give me my cake. My uncles wife sent me apologies and she said she forgot her phone at home, she only realised that when she got to work that working;she just got home to see my calls and messages.
It so happened that when we were waiting at my uncles house, I told my wife that something was not right, I told her there's something God is saying which we must be patient to discover regarding this cake. Anyway it happened that my uncle assumed the help would be home while the help assumed my uncle or his wife would call her to inform her I was waiting yet it happened that my uncles wife went to work that day forgetting her mobile phone at home so she could not pick my call.
While all the apologies were pouring in,the maid sent someone to bring the cake to me,I got the cake and it turned out to be a small cake. I was grateful and that was it or so I would thing. While the uncertainty of the cake lasted, my mother inlaw called and asked if she could order a cake since it we were coming over to her house later that day,I hesitates but my wife said yes, so she sent someone to go get a cake off her street. We initially thought if our originally ordered cake is lost in a web of assumptions, we can then use my mother inlaws cake. The young man that went to get the cake for my mother inlaw got there and there was one cake left, it had been ordered by another customer who was not forthcoming on pickup so the lady decided to make an exception by giving the cake to the youngman based on his standing goodwill with the cake store. Now my mother inlaw had her cake.
Later that day, we drove to see my wifes parents, on getting in my wife asked if we could bring in out initial cake but I said no, reason been that it was small,more so my mother inlaw had orderdd another cake so why showoff our small weary looking cake. True to my imagination, we saw my mother inlaws cake, it was awesome and big. I bless the lord I did not bring my cake from the car. The evening went well, we all had fun,had cake and went home.
Ordinarily you'll expect the cake story was over; just as we were getting into bed, my wife and I took stock of our day, the holy spirit came knocking. The day was not over, God begain to show us the real meaning of all that happened earlier in the day.
The first small cake had 3 colours,yellow,green and pink, it had written on it HBD Ada.
The second cake had 3 colours, yellow,green and pink. It would surffice to note that the two bakers never met and never knew each other. We did not tell my mother inlaw anything about cake colour. The big cake had written on it HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADA. Unlike the small cake, the big cake had no abbreviations. It was clearly and neatly written and professionally done whereas tthe small cake was shabbily down by my uncles house maid learning how to bake.
And God said,both cakes are related. The first cake signifies man planning to meet his needs, using his personal understanding of what is importamt and how. God pointed out that the first cake shows mans ideas,dreams and mans way of doing things. We work so hard or so it seems,we try so hard, we plan and try, yet we are stock in traffic most part of out lives,we wait for mirracles,we scheme and plan yet all but nothing is produced, God pointed out that the returns we get on so much manly effort and wisdom is so small that we can't but hide our results.
The second cake is Gods plan for man,its often not executed my mans scheming and planning, it rides on the assurance and integrity of Gods identity. Gods plan for your life is draw up and executed by God all on his time. We play very little role in helping design Gods plan for our lives,in fact all God expects of us is to showup and embrace his plan for each of us. Gods plan for you had no short cuts,no abbreviations. When its revealed, you don't have a hard time reading the content of Gods plan for your life, like I said before, yours is just to showup and embrace the plan.
Many of us were used to struggling to make things happen prior to metting Jesus hence we believe the basic foundation of all thing godly must be tinted with struggles and scheming. We lie to fast track progress,we cheat just so me can get there quickly. In an attempt to be one of those with results to showoff, we embelish everything even if it means coating it with a few bible scriptures. Some of us even import out sinful ways and traditions into the body of christ just to prove God can do all things and by all things we mean using our old evil ways to bless his church. Friends God says there's no need for that. Stop manufacturing a plan and branding it Gods plan for your life. Gods plan for your life would never be abbreviated, it has no short cuts, its clear and requires training which God is often willing and well equip to deliver. God never sends anyone on an assignement without making adequate provisions for the needs that come with the assigement. Read theough the pages of the bible, every ventrue God plans,he provides for it. There is a peace the comes with Gods plan when embraced. The bible says God is not an author of confusion,niether is strive one of the attributes of a God driven plan in your life.
The interpretation of the parable of the cake is amazing, it core message is that what I(God) have planned up for you is bigger and better that all you kill,cheat and manipulate to become all in the name of hard work.
God is asking each of us to either let him execute his own plan or keep chasing the shadow of greatness. Like I have always said, God is the only constant in all success equations. Whether or not we'll let him pilot the affairs of our lives is another question entirely. There is certainly one end to anyone who resolve to self help in this life and in that which is to come, the bible captured this end when it said "He who had the son has life but he who rejects the son is already condemned". The offer to lead you in on the table, God is offering a bigger and better cake, all he's asking is that we embrace his offer. Trying to understand they dynamics of salvation with the human mind is tantamount to driving long hours through trafffics from one end of the city to another,waiting in vain just to collect a small pitiful cake. You can be sure that after all your effort, you'll not get the desired cake niether would you be able to use your human mind to understand the things of God hence its written that we are saved by grace through faith.
There's an opportunity to begin a new journey with Jesus today. For those who are saved already,it may just be that you need God to take the wheels of certain projects in your life due to the fact that your effort don't seem to produce any meaningful result. Kindly say this prayer. Lord Jesus,I acknowledge that I am a sinner,I acknowledge I cannot save myself;I believe Jesus is the son of God,he came in the flesh,shed his blood on the cross and died,his blood washed away my sins,on the third day God rose him up again and he's alive forever more. I accept Jesus as lord of my life.I ask that you unveil your plan for my life in Jesus name. (Amen)
Igonoh Godwin.O
22June2013. 230am.
Grace Infinity
Reading the prerequisites for forgiveness of sins in the old order
recorded in Leviticus 1 to 4 one begins to appreciate the value of what
Jesus did on the cross. Oks pause that, let me repeat that line, Reading
the prerequisites for forgiveness of sins in the old order recorded in
Leviticus 1 to 4 one begins to get a glimpse of what Jesus did on the
cross.
That said,its impossible to see completely in this life what Jesus saved us from but for the purpose of our study of grace, I'll like to bring out one fundamental truth to help us think then hopefully try to appreciate the extent to which God would go to simplify his processes just to redeem man.
In Leviticus, atonement for sin required sacrifices using a bull without blemish but God knowing that not everyone had capacity to offer a bull created other categories like lambs and pigeon. Reading further,you'll see the inclusion of flour and oil as part of what could be used at various times to atone for sins.
Is it not amazing to see how understanding our God is? God made objects of atonement so affordable so that it was almost impossible for anyone to say they have no means to be part of his redemption plan.
Now that's the old order. When farming was all they people had,fast forward to the new covenant, God seeing that people found it hard to pay the price decided to come down and pay the ultimate sacrifice thereby reducing the prerequisite for salvation of belief. God so loved us that he gave his son who knew no sin, just like the lamb without blemishes used in the old testament, God gave jesus as payment for our sins.
All he asked us is that we believe his son died for us and we are saved. That there may be no more excuses; God removed all bulls and Lambs and doves, he reduced salvation to faith in the Son of God. Now that is what God did regarding salvation and all other aspects of our lives.
Grace is the ability to tap into the finished work of another. Grace in unmerited favour. The bible say God that did not withhold his son, how would he not with him give us all thing that pertainth to life and godliness.
The aspect of grace I need you to see is the aspect that would enable us rest from our struggles,first as it concern constan attempt to seek validation of our righteousness using our works,secondly as it regards slaving through life hoping to succeed on the job,business or with family. Grace is hardly discussed because churches feel it may become a license to sin or an occasion for laziness.
Well the bible says shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. Grace is not an occasion for laziness on the job or in a relationship,in fact grace becomes the reason to work hard enough to be propelled by God to do exploit. Grace becomes a sustain-er and an enabler for those that are willing to rest from their works. We know that by strength shall no man prevail. For we are saved by grace through faith. If you talk to the most successful people that care to say the truth, they'll tell you that working hard and working smart are two different things.(The brick layer works hard while the stock broker works smart) The bible say God teaches us of make wealth yet in another scripture God teaches our hands to make war. Look also at paul who wrote that I plant and Apollos waters but God gives grace for increase. Paul reduced himself and Apollos to activities while showing us the real reason behind the increase. God that gives grace for the increase is above all.
In my years as a believer,I have made mistakes yet the times I succeeded in standing,I never did it on my own. For a while I went in search of falling, I wanted to study" the science of falling". I wanted to know how and why we fall by systematically dissecting all the stages prior and post a fall. After many falls and an attempt to understand they dynamics of falling, I realised that Gods grace is the only constant in my success stories. I also realized that I fell faster everytime I felt I was on top of the situation, in fact the times I seemed so weak and helpless, those were the times that I spoke to God and he saw me through unlike the times I felt like the super servant of God. The bible says he that thinks he stands should be careful less he fall.
The grace of God makes up for all areas we are weak and vulnerable. God is not looking for super humans to work with, he's looking for willing hearts. God is looking for people that are willing to believe and try. God is looking for mustered seed faith to move mountains. Like he said to paul,my grace is sufficient for you. He said my strength is made perfect in your weakness.
Through the entire pages of the bible,I see weak men become giant slayers, I see small men become kings. I see prostitutes become redeemed. We need to look at 1corth 1v18: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
Quit listening to modern day Pharisee Pastors who would analyse God to a complex enigma just to show off how good they know him thereby making it almost impossible for anyone but them to please God. Isn't it funny how we read many book about steps and steps yet our steps are in disarray? At what point. Would the word of God as currently preached begin to yield result, tithes have being paid and spiritual gymnastics have been rehearsed yet the results are unseen. The complexities we see in the knowledge of God as we know today is not of God,its the phareeseeyic tendecies of a generation of men that thrive on self agrandisement. Their operating paradigm is works and more works all enveloped in a shell of grace without the true substance of grace. This breed of teachers have raised a generation of doers, not of Gods word but of Gods word as exposed by their daddy and mummy in the Lord.
The grace of God is not to be feared. The grace of God is not a license for sin neither is it an occasion for laziness. The grace of God is an instrument of favour,a propelling force meant to engineer a new dimension of possibilities for the uplifting of Gods people in every area that we find ourselves.
The grace of God is our license to believe in the impossible for it is written that with God, all things are possible to them that believe. The grace of God helps us rise when we fall yet helps us stay up so we don't fall. The same grace helps us when we are outnumbered on the job and in business,it also helps us out gun competition by diligently applying ourselves regardless of our shortcomings. Think about Gedion and his 300 men,the grace(favor) of God at work in them gave them victory even before the battle began. They had the victory yet they fought the war. The grace of God does not exempt us from challanges and trials,it just assures us that regardless of your trials and shortcomings, do your best and God would ensure you come out on top. Literally speaking, God is asking us to show up at the battle field while he fights for us. The problem most times is that we misunderstand the concept of grace to mean we do nothing but I have come to understand that the effective application of Gods words and ways may sometimes look little but in actual sense it a lot of work. Take for instance,God could ask you to "wait" just like Abraham, for the fullfillment of his will, that my friends is hard faith work. When the bible says my yoke is easy and my burden is lite most of us think its a work in the park. We need to know that as far as the heavens are from the earth,so are the ways of God from ours so again I say yoke,easy,burden and lite coming from God may not necessarily connote a jackpot. God is a God of principles and processes. Someone said abuse is inevitable when purpose is misunderstood. That is the situation with man trying to use the grace of God as a quick fix mechanism for his many problems.
Igonoh Godwin
#MeePraisePray
Nov 18th 2013
2.00am
That said,its impossible to see completely in this life what Jesus saved us from but for the purpose of our study of grace, I'll like to bring out one fundamental truth to help us think then hopefully try to appreciate the extent to which God would go to simplify his processes just to redeem man.
In Leviticus, atonement for sin required sacrifices using a bull without blemish but God knowing that not everyone had capacity to offer a bull created other categories like lambs and pigeon. Reading further,you'll see the inclusion of flour and oil as part of what could be used at various times to atone for sins.
Is it not amazing to see how understanding our God is? God made objects of atonement so affordable so that it was almost impossible for anyone to say they have no means to be part of his redemption plan.
Now that's the old order. When farming was all they people had,fast forward to the new covenant, God seeing that people found it hard to pay the price decided to come down and pay the ultimate sacrifice thereby reducing the prerequisite for salvation of belief. God so loved us that he gave his son who knew no sin, just like the lamb without blemishes used in the old testament, God gave jesus as payment for our sins.
All he asked us is that we believe his son died for us and we are saved. That there may be no more excuses; God removed all bulls and Lambs and doves, he reduced salvation to faith in the Son of God. Now that is what God did regarding salvation and all other aspects of our lives.
Grace is the ability to tap into the finished work of another. Grace in unmerited favour. The bible say God that did not withhold his son, how would he not with him give us all thing that pertainth to life and godliness.
The aspect of grace I need you to see is the aspect that would enable us rest from our struggles,first as it concern constan attempt to seek validation of our righteousness using our works,secondly as it regards slaving through life hoping to succeed on the job,business or with family. Grace is hardly discussed because churches feel it may become a license to sin or an occasion for laziness.
Well the bible says shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. Grace is not an occasion for laziness on the job or in a relationship,in fact grace becomes the reason to work hard enough to be propelled by God to do exploit. Grace becomes a sustain-er and an enabler for those that are willing to rest from their works. We know that by strength shall no man prevail. For we are saved by grace through faith. If you talk to the most successful people that care to say the truth, they'll tell you that working hard and working smart are two different things.(The brick layer works hard while the stock broker works smart) The bible say God teaches us of make wealth yet in another scripture God teaches our hands to make war. Look also at paul who wrote that I plant and Apollos waters but God gives grace for increase. Paul reduced himself and Apollos to activities while showing us the real reason behind the increase. God that gives grace for the increase is above all.
In my years as a believer,I have made mistakes yet the times I succeeded in standing,I never did it on my own. For a while I went in search of falling, I wanted to study" the science of falling". I wanted to know how and why we fall by systematically dissecting all the stages prior and post a fall. After many falls and an attempt to understand they dynamics of falling, I realised that Gods grace is the only constant in my success stories. I also realized that I fell faster everytime I felt I was on top of the situation, in fact the times I seemed so weak and helpless, those were the times that I spoke to God and he saw me through unlike the times I felt like the super servant of God. The bible says he that thinks he stands should be careful less he fall.
The grace of God makes up for all areas we are weak and vulnerable. God is not looking for super humans to work with, he's looking for willing hearts. God is looking for people that are willing to believe and try. God is looking for mustered seed faith to move mountains. Like he said to paul,my grace is sufficient for you. He said my strength is made perfect in your weakness.
Through the entire pages of the bible,I see weak men become giant slayers, I see small men become kings. I see prostitutes become redeemed. We need to look at 1corth 1v18: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
Quit listening to modern day Pharisee Pastors who would analyse God to a complex enigma just to show off how good they know him thereby making it almost impossible for anyone but them to please God. Isn't it funny how we read many book about steps and steps yet our steps are in disarray? At what point. Would the word of God as currently preached begin to yield result, tithes have being paid and spiritual gymnastics have been rehearsed yet the results are unseen. The complexities we see in the knowledge of God as we know today is not of God,its the phareeseeyic tendecies of a generation of men that thrive on self agrandisement. Their operating paradigm is works and more works all enveloped in a shell of grace without the true substance of grace. This breed of teachers have raised a generation of doers, not of Gods word but of Gods word as exposed by their daddy and mummy in the Lord.
The grace of God is not to be feared. The grace of God is not a license for sin neither is it an occasion for laziness. The grace of God is an instrument of favour,a propelling force meant to engineer a new dimension of possibilities for the uplifting of Gods people in every area that we find ourselves.
The grace of God is our license to believe in the impossible for it is written that with God, all things are possible to them that believe. The grace of God helps us rise when we fall yet helps us stay up so we don't fall. The same grace helps us when we are outnumbered on the job and in business,it also helps us out gun competition by diligently applying ourselves regardless of our shortcomings. Think about Gedion and his 300 men,the grace(favor) of God at work in them gave them victory even before the battle began. They had the victory yet they fought the war. The grace of God does not exempt us from challanges and trials,it just assures us that regardless of your trials and shortcomings, do your best and God would ensure you come out on top. Literally speaking, God is asking us to show up at the battle field while he fights for us. The problem most times is that we misunderstand the concept of grace to mean we do nothing but I have come to understand that the effective application of Gods words and ways may sometimes look little but in actual sense it a lot of work. Take for instance,God could ask you to "wait" just like Abraham, for the fullfillment of his will, that my friends is hard faith work. When the bible says my yoke is easy and my burden is lite most of us think its a work in the park. We need to know that as far as the heavens are from the earth,so are the ways of God from ours so again I say yoke,easy,burden and lite coming from God may not necessarily connote a jackpot. God is a God of principles and processes. Someone said abuse is inevitable when purpose is misunderstood. That is the situation with man trying to use the grace of God as a quick fix mechanism for his many problems.
Igonoh Godwin
#MeePraisePray
Nov 18th 2013
2.00am
Humbled by Lack
Humbled by Lack
Danger of humility propelled by lack.
Every time I hear people say "he/she has changed,I knew him/her when he/she had nothing. Well like a friend would always say,money only aggravates what we are.
Stepping into abundance is good but to deal with the trick called success,we need to view success as a test too. I call success a trick because that's what it is,its a well orchestrated set of events designed to test the quality of our character thereby preparing us for the next level of character development. That's why we say with new levels comes new devils. The idea is that once we've conquered the Problems at one level, we are exposed to the dynamics of understanding a newer level by undergoing another set of events. The problem with humility is what looks like humility but driven by lack is that such persons soon unveil the true content of their character as soon as they encounter the brief window of relieve called success. True humility connote embracing the truth that God is the only constant in all success equation, invariably saying the lord giveth and the lord taketh. Not to mean we fold our arms and embrace every misfortune but that we identify with the one that teaches us to make wealth. This indeed would help us thread carefully knowing that we have freely received of what ever it is that we call success.
Its said that abuse is inevitable when purpose is misunderstood. I would add by saying that to whom we credit our success to,him would we bow to. The problem with false humility is that its a cover up of pride and arrogance in humble clothing. Hence we ascribe our achievements to our smartness thereby thinking if I can do this now,I'll do it again. That's why all of such persons always live in the delusion that they can never go down in life again. I must say that most times,they say so while on their way down.
Being humble requires more than saying we are. True humility is a blend of godly character mixed with integrity and the knowledge of purpose. These things always remind us that we are part of a bigger picture and our place is guaranteed by God and no one else.
Igonoh Godwin.O
7th July 2013
Danger of humility propelled by lack.
Every time I hear people say "he/she has changed,I knew him/her when he/she had nothing. Well like a friend would always say,money only aggravates what we are.
Stepping into abundance is good but to deal with the trick called success,we need to view success as a test too. I call success a trick because that's what it is,its a well orchestrated set of events designed to test the quality of our character thereby preparing us for the next level of character development. That's why we say with new levels comes new devils. The idea is that once we've conquered the Problems at one level, we are exposed to the dynamics of understanding a newer level by undergoing another set of events. The problem with humility is what looks like humility but driven by lack is that such persons soon unveil the true content of their character as soon as they encounter the brief window of relieve called success. True humility connote embracing the truth that God is the only constant in all success equation, invariably saying the lord giveth and the lord taketh. Not to mean we fold our arms and embrace every misfortune but that we identify with the one that teaches us to make wealth. This indeed would help us thread carefully knowing that we have freely received of what ever it is that we call success.
Its said that abuse is inevitable when purpose is misunderstood. I would add by saying that to whom we credit our success to,him would we bow to. The problem with false humility is that its a cover up of pride and arrogance in humble clothing. Hence we ascribe our achievements to our smartness thereby thinking if I can do this now,I'll do it again. That's why all of such persons always live in the delusion that they can never go down in life again. I must say that most times,they say so while on their way down.
Being humble requires more than saying we are. True humility is a blend of godly character mixed with integrity and the knowledge of purpose. These things always remind us that we are part of a bigger picture and our place is guaranteed by God and no one else.
Igonoh Godwin.O
7th July 2013
Try Again
Try Again.
Don't be afraid to try. I'm better cos I tried; not because I'm good. Those that try often come out on top of the many skeptics. I am only awesome till everyone starts to try cos trying is the key to my awesome-ness. Your celebration is locked up in your attempt.
Try to do good regardless of how hard it seems,the crumbs of your many mini successes put together are referred to as progress. Literally speaking baby steps make giant strides.
Don't be ashamed to try,don't feel sad when you seem to fail while you try,keep trying and improve on every attempt cos every mini progress would become a major progress by the 100th attempt.
God is a big God that loves small beginnings. Every tree is locked up in a seed. Its ignorance that makes the seed lust after the tree cos the seed is a tree waiting to happen. Spend your energy on altering your environment to allow you produce what's within you. The longevity of a specie of a tree is tied to the availability of the seed.
Every vision is grown by attempts. Failure is the absence of an attempt. We quit too soon hence we fail too soon. Keep trying. Record all attempts then try again. Life seem to favor men that never stop trying; so for every vision or plan, try try try again.
Igonoh Godwin.O
13thOct2013
Don't be afraid to try. I'm better cos I tried; not because I'm good. Those that try often come out on top of the many skeptics. I am only awesome till everyone starts to try cos trying is the key to my awesome-ness. Your celebration is locked up in your attempt.
Try to do good regardless of how hard it seems,the crumbs of your many mini successes put together are referred to as progress. Literally speaking baby steps make giant strides.
Don't be ashamed to try,don't feel sad when you seem to fail while you try,keep trying and improve on every attempt cos every mini progress would become a major progress by the 100th attempt.
God is a big God that loves small beginnings. Every tree is locked up in a seed. Its ignorance that makes the seed lust after the tree cos the seed is a tree waiting to happen. Spend your energy on altering your environment to allow you produce what's within you. The longevity of a specie of a tree is tied to the availability of the seed.
Every vision is grown by attempts. Failure is the absence of an attempt. We quit too soon hence we fail too soon. Keep trying. Record all attempts then try again. Life seem to favor men that never stop trying; so for every vision or plan, try try try again.
Igonoh Godwin.O
13thOct2013
Getting Old+er
Getting Old+er
Daily I realise am getting older, my hair is going grey, I usually hear people panic at the thought or realisation of getting older so I decided to ponder and God revealed few things to me. I would share briefly hoping to strike a cord within you to do the right thing.
Today I would write with specific set of people in mind, the men or guys as we call them.
Getting older often comes with changes, some are physical while others are not. In fact the physical changes could be health related as more people discover they might have to contend with the need to exercise or live with medication all their lives. Its a harsh reality and if you are over 30 then you should start making lifestyle changes to forestall the need for panic either on health or financial grounds.
Change is a constant hence as we get older we notice changes in hair,body mass etc. We are expected to adjust to the new age; that's if we were prepared.
Anyway God has been dealing with me on getting older and change in general. Getting older comes with responsibilities hence if the physical man must survive old+er age, he must make changes and that's the same for the spiritual man. The irony is that we don't seem to make any positive change to show we understand the we are older.
An older man naturally have more responsibilities hence he should be more organised. An older man should be in control of his emotions hence he cannot be ruled by sentiments or bias. Its expected that our values would get better as we get older, we should make better decisions,in fact we should replace our fathers. The problem is that we seem not to know that we don't become the replacement just because we are older,you have a vital role to play in determining what kind of replacement you want to be. When we see a dysfunctional society, we are quick to blame our leaders but we forget that the leadership would remain so till we decide to step up and make changes and by this I mean become the next possible leader waiting in line. Its said that luck is when opportunity meets preparations, I read recently from the former minister of the federal capital territory of Nigeria; Mallam Nasir El Rufai , an article titled between terrorism and corruption ;where he made comments on the nature you young people we have lately and as harsh as it may sound,I cannot but agree with him. Below is an extract from the article
"There is little or no sense of community in that generation just as the concept of social justice is unknown to them. Generally, there are just two types of young people now. The smart ones that wish to take advantage of the system and the honest but bitter ones that feel short-changed by our generation and the system they think we created.With the exception of a minority of deeply thoughtful ones amongst them that can see through what is going on, most of our children have zero idealism. Many are uncouth, rude and abusive to everyone. They show no respect for their peers and seniors, and using the anonymity of social media, they vent their anger and frustrations on anyone that they believe is remotely responsible for their condition. They take no responsibility to be informed, educated or experienced.
Such youths see everything through ethnic, religious and regional lenses. They only care about sex, expensive cars, music and European soccer leagues. When I compare the idealism with which we viewed the world in our younger days with what I read on Twitter, Facebook and BlackBerry Messenger these days, I am worried about the future of our nation (or more precisely, the absence of it.)"
Getting older comes with responsibilities like I said earlier both physically and spiritually. The truth is that the world is out of options,we have just read from Nasir El Rufai and that sums up the dilemma of the society we live in, the world is seeking answers. The church ordinarily should be producing the needed solutions to all the mess we see around hence you would expect older men with a clearer sense of direction but what do you see? The worst cases of divorce and wife battery is in the church, uncontrolled emotions, premarital sex, indecision, late marriage, tribalism and outright lack of faith and seeming lack of direction seem to trail the Christian man; the question we need to ask ourselves is; how do we intent to be the perfect replacement to the mess we have in the society?
The story of Israel leaving Egypt is something so common to us all, we use it to explain what God is about to do without understanding the responsibilities that leaving Egypt places on Israel, leaving Egypt for the promise land has responsibilities, you need to dress for the journey, you need a paradigm shift in all areas of your life, you need to allow God to prune you and shed all the excess weight you carry inform of ideologies, many of which we got from parents and neighbourhoods we were raised. For some of us its the constant inability to make a decision about a relationship and steak to her, we are too quick to see errors and move on to the girl next door, we feel no lady is good enough hence testing the waters is a good way to find out who deserves us, what a dysfunctional ideology I must say. As a believer in Jesus Christ, we need to be washed by the word, we need to submit ourselves to be pruned, its amazing that we are still begged to attend DTI and prayer programs, we seem not to see the direct correlation between committing to God and attaining the needed height in life. Its a truth that not meaningful result can be achieved solely using our human effort, alienating God from the processes involved in fulfilling your dream is tantamount to failure. The emptiness we seek to fill with the next big SUV or the pretty girl next door is a function of a broken relationship or dysfunctional commitment with God. God in my view is the only constant in a sucess story. Seeking to achieve without him(God) is like building on sandy ground.
Guys let's tell ourselves the truth, the cars and cloths can get us the girls but it won't keep them, the ladies I see around lately seem to have stepped up, the know better now, the pray and work as well, we cannot dangle the flashy cars and the hope of a better life without the substance of character anymore and hope she'll give in. The stakes are higher and we need to be older and bigger men;driven not by lust or arrogance but by the revelation of God that produces integrity,character and excellence. Investing your time in God and allowing yourself to be mentored by decent older men would not only guarantee your sucess but would secure your place in history. So am getting old+er and my hair is showing grey but my consolation is in the journey, I have hope cos am daily seeking out how to be older better and a bigger man. I shed weight by exercising daily yet I gain weight in the spirit by tarrying in the place of prayer. Exposing yourself to Gods word would furnish you with all you need for the older you.
Getting older is a reason for the natural man to panic but for the man led by God, its just a great transition, our strength is renewed daily, Gods mercies are new every morning. We are endowed with wisdom as we get older so long as we stay connected.
Like I said, am getting old+er better and bigger. God is dealing with me on every side and I know that all things work together for good for them that love God and are called according to his promises. The is the security of an Old+er man.
God bless you.
Igonoh Godwin
23rd May 2012
Daily I realise am getting older, my hair is going grey, I usually hear people panic at the thought or realisation of getting older so I decided to ponder and God revealed few things to me. I would share briefly hoping to strike a cord within you to do the right thing.
Today I would write with specific set of people in mind, the men or guys as we call them.
Getting older often comes with changes, some are physical while others are not. In fact the physical changes could be health related as more people discover they might have to contend with the need to exercise or live with medication all their lives. Its a harsh reality and if you are over 30 then you should start making lifestyle changes to forestall the need for panic either on health or financial grounds.
Change is a constant hence as we get older we notice changes in hair,body mass etc. We are expected to adjust to the new age; that's if we were prepared.
Anyway God has been dealing with me on getting older and change in general. Getting older comes with responsibilities hence if the physical man must survive old+er age, he must make changes and that's the same for the spiritual man. The irony is that we don't seem to make any positive change to show we understand the we are older.
An older man naturally have more responsibilities hence he should be more organised. An older man should be in control of his emotions hence he cannot be ruled by sentiments or bias. Its expected that our values would get better as we get older, we should make better decisions,in fact we should replace our fathers. The problem is that we seem not to know that we don't become the replacement just because we are older,you have a vital role to play in determining what kind of replacement you want to be. When we see a dysfunctional society, we are quick to blame our leaders but we forget that the leadership would remain so till we decide to step up and make changes and by this I mean become the next possible leader waiting in line. Its said that luck is when opportunity meets preparations, I read recently from the former minister of the federal capital territory of Nigeria; Mallam Nasir El Rufai , an article titled between terrorism and corruption ;where he made comments on the nature you young people we have lately and as harsh as it may sound,I cannot but agree with him. Below is an extract from the article
"There is little or no sense of community in that generation just as the concept of social justice is unknown to them. Generally, there are just two types of young people now. The smart ones that wish to take advantage of the system and the honest but bitter ones that feel short-changed by our generation and the system they think we created.With the exception of a minority of deeply thoughtful ones amongst them that can see through what is going on, most of our children have zero idealism. Many are uncouth, rude and abusive to everyone. They show no respect for their peers and seniors, and using the anonymity of social media, they vent their anger and frustrations on anyone that they believe is remotely responsible for their condition. They take no responsibility to be informed, educated or experienced.
Such youths see everything through ethnic, religious and regional lenses. They only care about sex, expensive cars, music and European soccer leagues. When I compare the idealism with which we viewed the world in our younger days with what I read on Twitter, Facebook and BlackBerry Messenger these days, I am worried about the future of our nation (or more precisely, the absence of it.)"
Getting older comes with responsibilities like I said earlier both physically and spiritually. The truth is that the world is out of options,we have just read from Nasir El Rufai and that sums up the dilemma of the society we live in, the world is seeking answers. The church ordinarily should be producing the needed solutions to all the mess we see around hence you would expect older men with a clearer sense of direction but what do you see? The worst cases of divorce and wife battery is in the church, uncontrolled emotions, premarital sex, indecision, late marriage, tribalism and outright lack of faith and seeming lack of direction seem to trail the Christian man; the question we need to ask ourselves is; how do we intent to be the perfect replacement to the mess we have in the society?
The story of Israel leaving Egypt is something so common to us all, we use it to explain what God is about to do without understanding the responsibilities that leaving Egypt places on Israel, leaving Egypt for the promise land has responsibilities, you need to dress for the journey, you need a paradigm shift in all areas of your life, you need to allow God to prune you and shed all the excess weight you carry inform of ideologies, many of which we got from parents and neighbourhoods we were raised. For some of us its the constant inability to make a decision about a relationship and steak to her, we are too quick to see errors and move on to the girl next door, we feel no lady is good enough hence testing the waters is a good way to find out who deserves us, what a dysfunctional ideology I must say. As a believer in Jesus Christ, we need to be washed by the word, we need to submit ourselves to be pruned, its amazing that we are still begged to attend DTI and prayer programs, we seem not to see the direct correlation between committing to God and attaining the needed height in life. Its a truth that not meaningful result can be achieved solely using our human effort, alienating God from the processes involved in fulfilling your dream is tantamount to failure. The emptiness we seek to fill with the next big SUV or the pretty girl next door is a function of a broken relationship or dysfunctional commitment with God. God in my view is the only constant in a sucess story. Seeking to achieve without him(God) is like building on sandy ground.
Guys let's tell ourselves the truth, the cars and cloths can get us the girls but it won't keep them, the ladies I see around lately seem to have stepped up, the know better now, the pray and work as well, we cannot dangle the flashy cars and the hope of a better life without the substance of character anymore and hope she'll give in. The stakes are higher and we need to be older and bigger men;driven not by lust or arrogance but by the revelation of God that produces integrity,character and excellence. Investing your time in God and allowing yourself to be mentored by decent older men would not only guarantee your sucess but would secure your place in history. So am getting old+er and my hair is showing grey but my consolation is in the journey, I have hope cos am daily seeking out how to be older better and a bigger man. I shed weight by exercising daily yet I gain weight in the spirit by tarrying in the place of prayer. Exposing yourself to Gods word would furnish you with all you need for the older you.
Getting older is a reason for the natural man to panic but for the man led by God, its just a great transition, our strength is renewed daily, Gods mercies are new every morning. We are endowed with wisdom as we get older so long as we stay connected.
Like I said, am getting old+er better and bigger. God is dealing with me on every side and I know that all things work together for good for them that love God and are called according to his promises. The is the security of an Old+er man.
God bless you.
Igonoh Godwin
23rd May 2012
Dynamics of Tongues (2)
The most effective or efficient way to pray when your understanding is
jammed with contradictory opinions that seem to or seek to negate the
position of Gods word is praying in tongues.
Praying in tongues simply put is the ability to operate on a higher frequency in the face of bad or poor weather conditions
It makes praying easy. The limitations of words are better dealt with using the abundance of words groaned in the spirit.
Understanding tongues is best when you practice it. Shut your human understanding to avoid negotiating with logic. The logic of tongues is a spiritual thing just like faith.
Approaching the principles that are inherent in the new birth with human logic is tantamount to wallowing in confusion.
That's why we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Obviously using Gods word.
Human logic is a hindrance to divine revelation.
1corth 1 vs 18.... Read it all the way down. For the message of the cross is foolishness to them who perish but unto those of us bn saved it the power of God unto salvation.
Release your heart to believe and there would be a release from within to speak. For out of thy belly shall flow a river, where so ever it goes, what so ever it touches, it shall live.
So like Pastor Amanda said; neglect of gifts accounts for reason for poor or lack of results. If you work it;you'll see results.
Aight guys. Its all yours, go for it cos we are all sons&daughters. He(Jesus) loves all of us the same way. Yes even you. Enjoy your weekend.
Igonoh Godwin
08062012
Praying in tongues simply put is the ability to operate on a higher frequency in the face of bad or poor weather conditions
It makes praying easy. The limitations of words are better dealt with using the abundance of words groaned in the spirit.
Understanding tongues is best when you practice it. Shut your human understanding to avoid negotiating with logic. The logic of tongues is a spiritual thing just like faith.
Approaching the principles that are inherent in the new birth with human logic is tantamount to wallowing in confusion.
That's why we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Obviously using Gods word.
Human logic is a hindrance to divine revelation.
1corth 1 vs 18.... Read it all the way down. For the message of the cross is foolishness to them who perish but unto those of us bn saved it the power of God unto salvation.
Release your heart to believe and there would be a release from within to speak. For out of thy belly shall flow a river, where so ever it goes, what so ever it touches, it shall live.
So like Pastor Amanda said; neglect of gifts accounts for reason for poor or lack of results. If you work it;you'll see results.
Aight guys. Its all yours, go for it cos we are all sons&daughters. He(Jesus) loves all of us the same way. Yes even you. Enjoy your weekend.
Igonoh Godwin
08062012
"The Arrogance of Success"
BEWARE of "The Arrogance of Success".
Quickly let me pen down few lines on the above topic; I feel strongly about the above topic, in fact its a topic I remind myself of daily to ensure I don't become lost as a result of my emerging achievements.
The arrogance of success scares me, I say so because I know God hates arrogance, I judge myself daily to ensure I don't fall prey to this evil. There was a story of the rich fool who arrogantly celebrated is farm earning, God demanded of his soul that very night, now that should scare you.
When you are successful or think you are, its can be a very interesting thing, the problem certainly is not the success but the way we respond to success. Success is a very tricky thing, the moment we achieve, we tend to begin to drift away from the erstwhile humble spirit we once had. In fact we soon forget how low we were before God lifted us up. All of a sudden, We become the standard, nobody knows it better, its either our way or no other way.
The amazing thing about such display of arrogance is that you don't even know you have lost it.
Ok briefly let's take time to read a long scripture, it depicts a similar case but this time a nation that came from a low background or a slave threshold is about to enter into abundance and God deemed it fit to warn them of the result or impending danger of the arrogance of success.
Deuteronomy 8v 11- 20
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
20 As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.
When I read that scripture, I replace all the achievements with my dreams and it becomes a direct email from God to me. Its not an old testament warning, its a fresh message for each of us today, all you need do is replace the farms and vines with six figure jobs and an SUV and probably a harvard degree and a pretty wife or handsome man to go with and you see the warning is for people of 2012.
God said elsewhere that his glory would he share with no man, simply put God is a jealous God. Whenever we make ourselves into a god on the things that God freely gave us, it sets us apart and against him and the moment you pitch your tent against God, you begin to fade. Its that simple, God does not have to plan your failure, you just start failing; the reason is simple, the source of what you have is God, when he withdraws his presence from your success, you simply do not have enough fire to keep alive what you are holding unto so its starts falling apart.
This explanation goes for everywhere God has departed from, from king saul to modern day countries that ignore God, any society that turn its back against God never make it far, some times we see them moving around like they have life whereas they are dead corpses parading as elegance.
We are not exempted from the above warning, in fact it is more for us than for unbelievers. The arrogance of success is the quickest way down the ladder of success.
When God choose Saul as king, he was a nobody, after a while, he felt he could replace Prophet Samuel by performing the functions of the priest. Similarly when the ark of covenant was being moved in 1Chronicles 13v10 Uzzah felt a need to help the ark from falling, God got angry with him and struck him and he died. The problem with arrogance is that if you are not sober and vigilant, you won't know when it would creep into you, multiply and begin to manifest in divers way.
In just a few years, big businesses were reduced to stories told to teenager across Nigeria, not because the economy was so bad but because the owners broke the rules and you break rules when you feel above the law; that's arrogance. Its so easy to trace failed businesses and relationship to arrogance, a case where a lady believe the man that would date her must lay golden eggs, she would end up spending her lifetime single while she prays for God to send the right man. Same goes for the man who believes he must rule a lady with an iron fist, he would end up jumping from lady to lady without knowing why none is willing to commit to him at age 40. The case of arrogance of success is on the front burner and God wants your and I to reassess ourselves and set things right before we step into the next level in life.
What have we that we did not receive of God? When Pilate told Jesus don't you know I have power to set you free? John 19v11 "Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."
The truth is that whatever we have was given to us freely and God expects us to live in humility and not bask in the arrogance of success which certainly would amount to loosing the very thing thay made us proud. So like I said earlier on, the fastest way down the ladder of success is undermine the arrogace of success. Its my prayer that God would instruct and remind us constantly through the holy spirit on the need to shawn arrogance.
Godbless you
Igonoh Godwin
05/08/2012
Quickly let me pen down few lines on the above topic; I feel strongly about the above topic, in fact its a topic I remind myself of daily to ensure I don't become lost as a result of my emerging achievements.
The arrogance of success scares me, I say so because I know God hates arrogance, I judge myself daily to ensure I don't fall prey to this evil. There was a story of the rich fool who arrogantly celebrated is farm earning, God demanded of his soul that very night, now that should scare you.
When you are successful or think you are, its can be a very interesting thing, the problem certainly is not the success but the way we respond to success. Success is a very tricky thing, the moment we achieve, we tend to begin to drift away from the erstwhile humble spirit we once had. In fact we soon forget how low we were before God lifted us up. All of a sudden, We become the standard, nobody knows it better, its either our way or no other way.
The amazing thing about such display of arrogance is that you don't even know you have lost it.
Ok briefly let's take time to read a long scripture, it depicts a similar case but this time a nation that came from a low background or a slave threshold is about to enter into abundance and God deemed it fit to warn them of the result or impending danger of the arrogance of success.
Deuteronomy 8v 11- 20
11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
20 As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.
When I read that scripture, I replace all the achievements with my dreams and it becomes a direct email from God to me. Its not an old testament warning, its a fresh message for each of us today, all you need do is replace the farms and vines with six figure jobs and an SUV and probably a harvard degree and a pretty wife or handsome man to go with and you see the warning is for people of 2012.
God said elsewhere that his glory would he share with no man, simply put God is a jealous God. Whenever we make ourselves into a god on the things that God freely gave us, it sets us apart and against him and the moment you pitch your tent against God, you begin to fade. Its that simple, God does not have to plan your failure, you just start failing; the reason is simple, the source of what you have is God, when he withdraws his presence from your success, you simply do not have enough fire to keep alive what you are holding unto so its starts falling apart.
This explanation goes for everywhere God has departed from, from king saul to modern day countries that ignore God, any society that turn its back against God never make it far, some times we see them moving around like they have life whereas they are dead corpses parading as elegance.
We are not exempted from the above warning, in fact it is more for us than for unbelievers. The arrogance of success is the quickest way down the ladder of success.
When God choose Saul as king, he was a nobody, after a while, he felt he could replace Prophet Samuel by performing the functions of the priest. Similarly when the ark of covenant was being moved in 1Chronicles 13v10 Uzzah felt a need to help the ark from falling, God got angry with him and struck him and he died. The problem with arrogance is that if you are not sober and vigilant, you won't know when it would creep into you, multiply and begin to manifest in divers way.
In just a few years, big businesses were reduced to stories told to teenager across Nigeria, not because the economy was so bad but because the owners broke the rules and you break rules when you feel above the law; that's arrogance. Its so easy to trace failed businesses and relationship to arrogance, a case where a lady believe the man that would date her must lay golden eggs, she would end up spending her lifetime single while she prays for God to send the right man. Same goes for the man who believes he must rule a lady with an iron fist, he would end up jumping from lady to lady without knowing why none is willing to commit to him at age 40. The case of arrogance of success is on the front burner and God wants your and I to reassess ourselves and set things right before we step into the next level in life.
What have we that we did not receive of God? When Pilate told Jesus don't you know I have power to set you free? John 19v11 "Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."
The truth is that whatever we have was given to us freely and God expects us to live in humility and not bask in the arrogance of success which certainly would amount to loosing the very thing thay made us proud. So like I said earlier on, the fastest way down the ladder of success is undermine the arrogace of success. Its my prayer that God would instruct and remind us constantly through the holy spirit on the need to shawn arrogance.
Godbless you
Igonoh Godwin
05/08/2012
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