ARYA STARK; If She can, You can

- AYOOLUWA OYELERE

This is Maisie Williams a.k.a Arya Stark 7 years ago when she started featuring in our darling Game of Thrones. She looked quite young even though she was around 14. Young as she was, she was very smart and quick-witted.

 Seven years ago when she started, she was in her very early teens and seven years after, she's in her early twenties. In between the seven years ago and seven years after is stardom, several awards, fame, recognition, money and lots of prospects.
But also, in between these seven years were sacrifices, hundred of scripts, locations upon locations in odd places, missed fun times and holidays. Then, inconvenient orders from perfectionist movie directors, to mention just a few.

So many things to learn for the life of a child star, one of which is the fact that the purpose of every child is in him and written all over his face in large letters. Plus, many a time, children come with requisite infrastructures for the fulfilment those innate purposes. Every child wears his assignment like his skin, it's almost undeniably clear to everyone whose eyes can see. Whether or not he or she would fulfil those assignments is a question of parenting. Parenting is such an enormous task with many a heavy responsibility attached, one of which is need to; recognize and train up a child in the way he should go. If a child is meant to go in the way of theatre, he must never be made to go in the way of medicine, lest he becomes a mediocre doctor.

If he's forced or misled to go Hippocratic when he's meant to go thespian or Shakespearean, he'd very likely spend the rest of his life playing catch up; trying to relive his dreams at 16 now that he's 36

I believe children like Arya got lucky to have had parents and custodians who knew enough to help then find their paths very early in life.

But, you being on your path doesn't mean that your road will not be rough. Even when you are operating in your natural habitat like a fish in the ocean, it is not uncommon of you to face hard times and encounter plenty of troubles.

Maisie got the Arya role after 299 other applicants were screened out. So even in your strength and assignment, you must strive to be the fittest, else you'd lose out on survival.

Assuming you didn't have the opportunity of finding and following your path at all or early in life, now as a parent, a leader and a custodian of younger lives, make it one of your purposes in life to help them find out theirs very early in life.

If we must get there in time, we must set forth at dawn.

See you @ work.

PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION || Isaac Olawole JOSEPH | @aizikjoseph

This is deliberate! 

You are your own architect and the design of your life is dependent on the mental picture you can foresee. Nobody would fuel your dreams. Your choices determine how sustainable and greenery your life would be. If you are poor, it is your poor choice. If you are rich, it is your rich choice. Every man is a product of his decisions.

Personal transformation is a pathway to endless opportunities. How much you invest in yourself is a predictor of how much people would be willing to invest in you. Many a man has good intentions but good intentions are not good enough until they are being acted out. Every transformation comes with a price. But not every man is willing to pay such a price. 

Transformation could be positive or negative. A man can never be empty. Hence, he is either progressing or retrogressing. Whichever position he chooses to stay, he is his own best adviser. Talking the talk is obviously different from walking the walk! Thus, every man is responsible for his choices. Success is never accidental, it is intentional.

A man can undergo positive transformation by feeding on the right content. The inner virtues of a man dictate his outward dispositions. There is no explanation for ignorance. It is garbage in, garbage out! For every right input, there is always a corresponding right output and otherwise. You have to be mindful of the kind of information you allow into your mind. The human mind is like a processor that can be corrupted. You have to be alert.

John Maxwell said, “Most people are married mentally to the status quo. They want what was, not what can be”.  For every unique transformation, there is a conscious reflective mindset to make things happen. You have to be deliberate about making a change. Real men challenge what is in existence and call into existence what never existed.

Personal transformation is sustainable when there is utmost discipline. You have to be conscious of it until it becomes a part of you. Transformation could be lost if a wrong turn is taken. It is possible for a man to be running so fast and comfortably in the wrong direction. It is not enough having a direction to turn to, you must have a destination.

Finally, be observant and consciously learn from other peoples’ endeavours. Nothing just happens. 

Always seek to make amends when you need to. Take heed to instructions as experience might be expensive. 

Personal transformation is simply re-branding oneself.

Be Intentional! 

Isaac Olawole JOSEPH

Innoventor, Vision52 Initiative

My President Says I’m Lazy

BY VICTOR TERHEMBA

I am a young man under 30, I struggle every day just to get by. Every day, I work hard using my intellectual ability and skill to make a living legitimately, toiling under the unbearable and harsh conditions of my country, yet my president says I’m lazy and want everything free.

I take care of my bills pay house rent, pay tax and settle extended responsibilities. I do for myself what my government is supposed to do for me but has failed to do, yet my president says I’m lazy and want everything free.

I Am not registered at a gym but my biceps are not lacking healthy muscles, because I exercise them every night (and almost every other time) when I have to draw my generator just to have light, yet my president says I’m lazy and want everything free.

When I’m sick I’m treated at the local hospital where I risk being injected with overdose or with the wrong medicine by the nurse, but when my president has a headache, he travels to London to buy panadol, yet he says I’m lazy and want everything free.

My brother wakes up every morning at 4:30 to set out for his office in Ikoyi and returns back home 10pm at night, yet my president says he is lazy and wants everything free.

While I sit tight in a Lagos traffic, trying to block out the cacophony of blaring horns from other motorists, I see young people hawking variables- sometimes under the unfriendly sun and sometimes in the dead of the night, yet my president says these people are lazy and want everything free.

Every year, thousands of youth struggle to graduate from the University, the females one who were unlucky get sexually harassed by male lectures but they finally pull through, then they are sent to strange lands to serve the country, when they’re done, the big government official tells them to go and be self employed so that they can create job opportunities for others, yet my president says we are lazy and want everything free.

My heart bleeds for those young Nigerian entrepreneurs who cannot get access to soft loans because they are not connected to a big man in government, but my President believes they are lazy and want everything free.

Qualified young Nigerians cannot be employed in the CBN or NNPC or NIMASA because they are not sons and relatives of governors, senators or ministers, yet my president says they are lazy and want free things.

I feel sorry for those young Nigerian inventors who have been going to the ministry of science and technology to present their life-changing inventions to the big man in office but can’t because the big government man is either out of office, or he is busy, or he has travelled, and when he finally sees them, he tells to come back tomorrow… tomorrow that ends. I feel sorry for them because my president believes they lazy and want everything free.

The senators in my country earn a lump sum of N14.250 million (minus other allowances) every month. They sat down in their “hallowed” chambers, unperturbed, and watched how some armless youths strolled into the senate, seized the mace and walked out unchallenged, yet my president says it is me that is lazy and wants everything free.

I am not a minister, I don’t collect estacodes for travelling to nowhere in particular and for doing nothing, yet my president says I’m lazy and want everything free.

My president said he was going to fight corruption to a standstill, but my president harbors corrupt people in his circle and in some, cases rewarded them. My president said he was going to build a prosperous and vibrant economy for us, yet our economy has fallen deeper but he blames it on the past government. My president said he was going to create three million jobs yearly, in under three years, over 7 million Nigerians have lost their jobs. My president said he is now a reformed democrat but severally my president has displayed a flagrant disregard for the rule of law. Yet my president says I am lazy and want everything free.

My president is the 75 years old Muhammadu Buhari of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

As an African that respect for elders has been ingrained our culture, I cannot argue with elders. I’m not interested in proving to the president that I am not lazy, I will save all the energy so that in 2019 I can have enough strength to go to my polling unit, wait patiently in line, get the ballot paper and vote out my president. #MyPVCmyPower

Source-The Cable

WILL IT FLY? -Emmanuel

Human nature does not allow a state of absolute conviction. At least not without a lot of effort. That we have second thoughts about our decisions make the task of decision making even more daunting. Some of us for this reason suffer analysis paralysis - analysis after analysis yet no action.

Will it fly or will it not fly? What if it doesn't work? What if it's the wrong step? The list of questions that leave us feeling handicapped is endless.

Nobody likes to fail hence we sometimes refuse to act. Flip the coin, ask more of the reinforcing question - What if it works? What if it flies? What if it becomes hit? And having done your due diligence, make up your mind.

There are more failures of the kind who never tried at all than those who attempted and failed. The latter gained experience, the former lost time.

The best way to live life is to - Go on and spread your wings, who knows if you might just fly. -Emmanuel Olawale

Where are you living today?

THE WORD FOR TODAY

‘To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…be glory…forever.’
Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV

Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land illustrates three different places you can choose to live:
1) The place of ‘not enough’. As slaves in Egypt they were forced to depend on Pharaoh for everything. And when you have to keep relying on anyone but God, you’re not truly free. Until you understand that God is your provider, you’ll live with a ‘not enough’ mentality. Elijah was living by a stream in the middle of a famine, and ravens brought him meat each day. Then one day the ravens didn’t show up, and the brook dried up. Why? God dried up a temporary source to drive Elijah back to his true source. Understand this: regardless of what or whom He uses – God is your source. He is called ‘Jehovah Jireh’, which means ‘the Lord will provide’.

2) The place of ‘just enough’. In the wilderness Israel had just enough manna for each day. It’s no fun struggling to just get by. But we appreciate what we have to struggle for, and we learn to trust God more. Plus, living through such seasons builds into us a tenacity to keep moving towards better things.

3) The place of ‘more than enough’. God’s plan for Israel was ‘a land in which you…will lack nothing’ (Deuteronomy 8:9 NKJV). And His goal for you is abundance in every area of life (see 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV).
Is that so you can hoard it? No, it’s so you can bless others and fulfil your assignment in life. So, stand on this Scripture: ‘To Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…be glory…forever

THE DAY MY STUPIDITY SAVED ME OF A BROKEN ARM - Oluwaseun David ADEPOJU

Walking through a popular semi ghetto in Ibadan in 2012, I noticed that some street roughians were gathered on the main street thereby making it tedious for people to pass.

I managed to pass through their rank when one of them called me a stupid person for walking through their rank. I asked him if it was right for them to stand on the main road. He called me stupid again. I looked at myself and looked at them, I noticed that we were world apart. They were just looking for who to fight. I walked away. Afterall, we know who was stupid here.

Before I walked away with the insult, another guy had started dragging with them when of them also called him stupid. The guy was well dressed and looked prim. He was replying them verbally and shouting with them. Before we knew what was happening, they pounced on him and a fight broke out. People gathered to intervene in less than 2minutes but the deed has been done. They broke the young man's right arm already with a heavy flow of blood from his nose and his head.

 The lesson here:
 1. Always know your worth when it comes to some people. They will do things that will make you angry but see them as those who have their yam burnt already and they are looking for those who will bring their fresh yams for burning as well.

2.Eagles don't play with chickens. Never waste your energy on those who just want to drag your dignity into the mud.

3. Verbal abuse don't reduce your monthly salary neither will it reduce who you are. Walk away from trouble makers. It is good to be stupid for some people because where you are going is far. They have reached their own destination and their destination is to debar others from going forward.
Be stupid. It pays

That Line Between Faith and Foolishness

Someone once told me that there is a thin line between Faith and Foolishness. I could not agree with him then but I have grown to know the statement is true. In order words, in one's attempt to apply faith, one could end up being foolish. Now, as Christians, let us not misconstrue this foolishness to the fact of the world thinking we are foolish for believing in the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. The foolishness being referred here is that resulting either from ignorance or failure to utilize discretion.

The emphasis is not on appearing foolish, but actually acting foolishly. A typical example is engaging in premarital sex then praying and hoping that God will cause you not to be pregnant. This is ridiculous because a drop of semen contains millions of sperms that have been assigned one sole responsibility of getting you pregnant.

Paul, as a new believer and disciple (Acts 9:22), grew in strength and even ended up confounding the Jews at Damascus by proving to them that indeed Jesus is the Christ. However, no matter how strong Paul became in faith, he and the other disciples did not make fool of themselves when they learned that the Jews had planned to kill Paul (see Acts 9:24).

What did they do? They applied wisdom! The scripture says:

"Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket" - Acts 9:25.

Obviously, what happened in Acts 9:25 above, is not an act of faith but that of wisdom, the God-given wisdom. The disciples could have thought that because they are Christians with a strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the death threat by the Jews in Damascus is but a mere joke. Instead, they took the threat seriously and applied discretion. I am particularly glad that this scripture is recorded in the book of ACTS, it clearly shows that we as Christians in our generation must learn this act of wisdom to complement our faith in Jesus Christ.

Faith does not come to replace our senses and I believe to walk successfully in faith, we must know the times and seasons. Just as there is time and season for everything under the Heavens (Ecclesiastes 3:1), there is also a time to apply faith and a time to apply wisdom. Thus, we must not be overly enthused with our faith in God that we fail to use our senses when we have to. Shalom!‎

He's Taking Me Home!

A pastor had been on a long flight between conferences. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: Fasten Your Seat Belts. Then, after a while, a calm voice said, "We will not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. 

Please be sure your seat belt is fastened."

As the pastor looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice on the intercom said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us."

And then the storm broke... The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightning lit up the darkening skies, and within moments, that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash.

The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, "As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.

Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and everything within her small world was calm and orderly.

Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm; when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity; when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid." The minister could hardly believe his eyes.

It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, our pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time. Having commented about the storm and the behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.

The child replied, "Cause my Daddy's the pilot, and he's taking me home."

There are many kinds of storms that buffet us. Physical, mental, financial, domestic, and many other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into apparently uncontrollable movement. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.

Don 't worry! Our Father is the Pilot. He is in control and He's taking us home.

6 Bible Verses That Teach Us What To Pray For

Here are 6 Bible verses that may help you to know what to pray for. Which verses could you add that would be helpful?

Luke 11:2a “Father, hallowed be your name.”

When the disciples came to Jesus they didn’t ask, Lord teach us how to preach, teach us how to heal, or teach us how to multiply bread and fish but they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray so they knew how important prayer was. Here Jesus begins with what is typically called The Lord’s Prayer with hallowing or revering or reverencing God’s name. God seeks to have His name be held to the highest form of respect and to honor (hallow) His name and why shouldn’t He? He is God and there is none like Him.

Luke 11:2b “Your kingdom come.”

This also is part of The Lord’s Prayer and we are to seek for His kingdom to come. Jesus was responding to the disciples request for how to pray and so we should be praying for God’s kingdom to come and of course that means praying for the King of that kingdom to come and that would be Jesus Christ. When we seek for the kingdom to come we seek to have the knowledge of God fill the whole earth, as it will someday (Hab 2:14).

Ephesians 6:19-20 “and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Paul asked the church at Ephesus to pray for him that the words might be given to him when he opens his mouth and to proclaim the gospel boldly as he ought. This is a very good thing to pray for because when I am witnessing I need all the help I can get to say what needs to be said and to do it boldly and to use the right words in proclaiming the Savior to the lost. Paul also asked the Thessalonians to pray for him so that the Word of God may be speedily accepted and honored (2 Thess 3:1).

Second Thessalonians 1:12 “We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Most students of the Bible know that God seeks to be glorified. Jesus prayed to the Father to have His own name glorified and that is what Paul writes to the Thessalonians about. We should pray that God is glorified because Jesus prayed “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you” (John 17:1). We know that is the will of God to have His name and Jesus’ name be glorified.

Ephesians 3:14-17 “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love.”

Paul bowed his knees (prayed) before the Father that we might be strengthened with His power by His Spirit so that Jesus will dwell in our hearts in order that we could be “rooted and grounded in love.” That is something that we ought to pray for our fellow saints and for us.

Romans 10:1 “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”

Is there any doubt that Paul’s desire was that the “they” who he prayed for to be saves where his fellow Jews (see Romans 9:30-33) and that is what God’s Word teaches us to be praying for? God desires none should perish (2 Pet 3:9) and that should be our desire too. How many godly mothers who for years prayed for their lost children finally came to faith is too many to count. The Bible clearly teaches us that we should pray for the lost.

Conclusion

The Bible teaches us to pray for the lost, to pray to have Christ and His love in us, to have God be glorified, that the gospel be proclaimed with boldness, that God’s kingdom and the King of that kingdom would come and that God’s name be hallowed or revered. There are more things that the Bible teaches us to pray for so why not read the Word and find out which other things we ought to be praying for are

Lagbaja's Tale

Lagbaja hadn't time to pen a note,
Lagbaja hadn't time to cast a vote,
Lagbaja hadn't time to sing a song,
Lagbaja hadn't time to right a wrong,
Lagbaja hadn't time to love or give,
Lagbaja hadn't time to really live.
Yesterday, he decided he'll have time on end,
He died today, my 'busy' friend.

Thou Shall Not Be Late!...You should see where it is

Has anyone ever kept you waiting before? Have you ever been late to church? In fact, I'm a culprit too. I'm sometimes late to church so I'm concerned too. But really, What does the Bible say about being late or lateness?

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There is no commandment in the Bible that says, “Thou shall not be late, ever,”..abi e dey ya own? so it’s not as simple as one Scripture reference to determine God’s view on tardiness. Everyone has been late to something at some point, often due to unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances. But, if someone is habitually late and unconcerned about being on time, especially if that person professes to be a Christian, then scriptural principles do apply. As with all things, God looks at the heart, “for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).‎

For one thing, continual lateness does not express love for others. Forcing others to wait for us time after time is simply rude. Christians are to love one another and love our enemies as well, and “love is not rude” (1 Corinthians 13:5). When others perceive that we are unloving and unconcerned about them, our reputations as Christians suffer. “A good name is better than precious ointment” (Ecclesiastes 7:1). A good name, a good reputation is important for a Christian. This means that we should be known as people of our word, trustworthy and dependable, and not be known as always late, slothful, or unconcerned about others. Our actions as Christians point back at Christ. Do they glorify Him? Do they bring Him honor? “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23).

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For the person who is habitually late, there is hope. For many, it is simply a matter of overcoming bad habits built up over time. Sometimes it’s just a matter of changing those habits to be more aware of time, planning ahead, and leaving ample time for the unexpected. Recognizing the spiritual impact on others is the first step in understanding the importance of reversing the bad habit of tardiness. If we are motivated by love for others and a desire to maintain a good reputation for Christ’s sake, then prayer for wisdom and help is the next step. God has promised wisdom to all who ask for it (James 1:5), and He is never far away from those who call upon His power for godly living.

Happy Sunday Morning!.....and don't be late to church. 

I love you *winks‎

Keep Your Anger in Check

The Word For Today

‘A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.’Proverbs 29:11 NIV

Anger is a God-ordained emotion, but it’s meant to be your servant instead of your master. So keep your temper on a leash. Any time you’re tempted to give in to anger, stop and ask yourself two questions:

(1) Is this really worth my anger? Much of the time you’re working only with partial information. Furthermore, when you view someone in the context of their best qualities rather than their worst ones, you usually respond differently.

(2) Is this the best way, place and time to express my anger? It’s hard to ask yourself this in the heat of the moment, but your emotions can be tamed and your temper can be trained. The Bible says one of the fruits of the Spirit is ‘self-control’. (Galatians 5:23 NLT) When someone wrongs you, the question isn’t whether you are big enough to do something about it; the question is whether you are big enough not to?

The story’s told of two brothers who got into an awful fight and their mother ran upstairs to break it up. When she asked how the fight got started, the older brother said, ‘It all started when he hit me back!’ If you’ve an anger management problem, write this Scripture down, carry it with you and try to read it before you lose your temper: ‘Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.’ (Proverbs 19:11 NLT) You say, ‘That’s hard to do!’ Yes, and you’ll never do it perfectly. But if you do it more often, God will be glorified—and you’ll feel better too.

What I've learned...

I’ve learned-‎
that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.
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I’ve learned-‎
that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back.‎
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I’ve learned-‎
that you should never ruin an apology with an excuse.
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I’ve learned-‎
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something.

I’ve learned-‎
that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do. (2nd Cor10:2)‎

I’ve learned-‎
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I’ve learned-‎
that I need not struggle for what others have the grace to do....e.g Singing‎😋😋

I’ve learned-‎
that I should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I’ve learned-
that I can keep going long after I can’t.

I’ve learned-‎
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
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I’ve learned-‎
Godliness with contentment is great gain
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I’ve learned-‎
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I’ve learned-‎‎
that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.
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I’ve learned-‎
that God is good all the time but you have to be good too. ‎‎
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I’ve learned-‎‎
that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.
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I’ve learned-‎
that it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.‎
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I’ve learned-‎
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
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I’ve learned-‎
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I’ve learned-
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.
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I’ve learned-‎
that God is God anyway, irrespective of what you think.

I've learned-‎
that it's possible you've learned something from what I've learned

Awesome Evening!‎
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'Saved Through Faith'‎

‎The Word For Today

'You have been saved through faith.' Ephesians 2:8 NKJV

The Bible says, ‘By grace you have been saved through faith.’ Faith in Christ alone gives us the assurance of Heaven. Poet Henry van Dyke put it like this: ‘I am standing upon the seashore. A ship… spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch until… she hangs like a speck of white cloud where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, “She’s gone!” “Gone where?” Gone from my sight. That’s all. She’s just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left… Her diminished size is in me, not her. And just at the moment when someone says, “There, she’s gone!” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the joyful shout, “Here she comes!” And that is dying.’ You say, ‘But I wasn’t raised in church. Where do I go to find faith?’ 

DL Moody said: ‘I prayed for faith and thought it would come down and strike me like lightning, but faith didn’t seem to come. Then one day I read the tenth chapter of Romans, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” I closed my Bible and prayed for faith. Then I opened my Bible and began to study— and faith has been growing ever since.’ You say, ‘But I don’t know how to pray.’ Simply say, ‘Lord Jesus, I repent of my sin. I place my trust in You today and accept You as my personal Lord and Saviour.’ 

Did you pray that prayer? Did you mean it? Yes? Then you are ‘saved through faith’.‎

How to Overcome Anxiety (2)

The Word For Today
‘And the peace of God…will guard your hearts.’
Philippians 4:7 NIV (2011 Edition)

Here are three more steps you can take to overcome anxiety:

1) List your worries. For one week, make a list of the things you worry about most. Children? Health? Money? Marriage? Job? These aren’t one-time worries that come and go quickly. They’re things that make you ‘perpetually uneasy’ (Matthew 6:25 AMP), so begin to review them. Ask yourself how many of them have actually turned into reality? Charles Spurgeon said, ‘Our worst misfortunes never happen…most of our miseries lie in anticipation.’

2) Analyse them. You’ll detect recurring areas of preoccupation that may become obsessions: what people think of you; the fact that heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s run in your family; the fear that you won’t have enough to live on when you get old. Identify each fear and pray specifically about it.

3) Live in today. God has promised to meet your needs daily, not weekly or annually. He’ll give you what you need - when you need it! ‘Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV).
 The old hymn goes: ‘Not so in haste my heart! Have faith in God, and wait; although He lingers long, He never comes too late.’ When the word ‘worry’ is mentioned in the Bible, it’s almost always following the words ‘do not’. If ‘worry’ features in your vocabulary, it should be as part of God’s words to you: ‘do not worry’.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV 2011 Edition) says to you, ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer…present your requests to God. And the peace of God…will guard your hearts.’

Speak Up!

The Word For Today
‘There is…a time to be silent and a time to speak.’
Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7 NIV (2011 Edition)

The Bible has a lot to say about not criticising and passing judgment. But there are times when silence isn’t ‘golden’, it’s deadly. For example:

1) Silence is deadly when you use it as a passive, retaliatory means of expressing your anger or displeasure. That’s called ‘emotional manipulation’. Jesus said, ‘If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother’ (Matthew 18:15 NKJV). Jesus is recommending pretty assertive behaviour by commanding us to take the initiative in addressing the ‘trespass’. Trespassing is the unauthorised crossing of a boundary, and many times we feel like we’ve been trespassed against or wronged. However, rather than addressing the issue directly with the offender, we resort to sulking and pouting. Jesus says, ‘Don’t do that!’. Your lack of communication can leave the wrongdoer unaware of their behaviour and make them more likely to repeat it.

2) Silence is deadly when you fail to defend someone against unwarranted criticism or vicious rumours. Don’t let fear of alienation and rejection cause you to let slander and character assassination go unchallenged, especially when you’re aware of facts to the contrary.

3) Silence is deadly when it results in your making an undesirable decision by default. The fact is, silence can indicate consent.

Prayer was taken out of public schools in the United States because the majority stayed silent instead of speaking up. The Scripture says, ‘There is…a time to be silent and a time to speak.’ So have the courage of your convictions and speak up!

Esther's Corner; My Love Story

I should have done this yesterday,
But my television wouldn't let me,
I was about to type it yesterday,
And phew! !!!!
The generator went off,
So did my television.
Anyways,
Join me on this train,
I will never forget my experience meeting Him,
The first time I met Him,
He asked me out on a date,
Just imagine! !!!!!!
But hey,
I shroved him off,
I told Him not to ever disturb me,
But He wouldn't listen,
He kept coming
And coming,
And I then begun to imagine,
"What kind of love is this?
Could it be real?
Am I dreaming?
Just look at me,
I don't deserve this,
He is too perfect,
And too good for my likeness,
Why will such a perfect gentleman keep disturbing me?"
At this point,
I became worn out
due to His persistence,
And asked Him what He wanted from me.
He told me He only wanted me,
Just then,
I smiled quizzically at Him,
That smile of disdain and disbelief,
I decided to tell Him about the ugly-me,
But He told me,
"He doesn't care about the ugly-me,
He accepts me just as I am,
And loves me very much,
A love that is unconditional and unquenchable"
I stopped smiling at this point,
And
I couldn't help myself anymore,
And so I eloped with Him.
Today,
I am enjoying in the embalm of His love.. ..
And I have such peace just been with Him....
You might have guessed whom I am talking about,
JESUS,
Don't let fear prevent you from embracing Him,
He loves you very much,
Don't ever condemn yourself,
He did not need to create you,
But chose to create you,
To show you that you are valuable in his eyes
And very important..... .
SO FAR, THIS IS MY BEST LOVE STORY! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Esther Precious Aderinto

Don’t Let Fear Stop You

The Word For Today
‘…Matthew got up and followed him.’
Matthew 9:9 NIV (2011 Edition)

Collecting taxes for the Romans was a lucrative job. But for a Jew like Matthew it meant betraying your own people. As a result he was despised and excluded from religious worship. But that didn’t stop Jesus from calling him to be a disciple. And when He did, Matthew didn’t hesitate; he ‘got up and followed him’.

Sheila Schuller Coleman points out: ‘Where everyone else saw a pariah, Jesus saw a promise…where everyone else saw a traitor, Jesus saw a loyal follower. Where everyone saw a loser, Jesus saw a champion of the faith…It matters not who we are…our education…our pedigree…our connections…or our history…Jesus has a plan…and He needs every one of us to fulfil our God-given, divine purpose.’
 It’s natural to be apprehensive when you’re facing change and uncertainty, but God says, ‘Take courage!…Don’t be afraid’ (Matthew 14:27 NIV 2011 Edition). One Bible teacher writes: ‘God knows it involves a challenging stretch…He knows our abilities and resources aren’t what strengthen us for the journey (Philippians 4:13).

When we fear we can’t do the things God calls us to do…that He won’t protect and provide…we embrace the lie that our circumstances are bigger than God, and our faith gets placed on the altar of our own perceptions. If you’re like me you often fear what’s behind the curtain of God’s call, and – frustratingly – He won’t let me peek…

He keeps the curtain of our future drawn so we’ll learn to live by faith and not by sight, so we’ll become certain of what we hope for, and become sure of God even when we can’t see how He’s working in our current circumstances.’

Awesome Lessons From Mother HEN:

1. She first lays enough eggs before sitting on them: GOOD PLANNING.

2. When she starts sitting on her eggs, she minimizes movement: DISCIPLINE.

3. She physically loses weight while sitting on her eggs due to decreased feeding: SACRIFICE and SELF DENIAL.

4. She can sit on eggs from another hen: INDISCRIMINATE and GENEROUS.

5. She sits on her eggs for 21 days, patiently waiting and even if they don't hatch she will still lay eggs again: FAITH, HOPE and COURAGE.

6. She detects unfertilized eggs and rolls them out: SENSITIVE and DISCERNING.
7. She abandons the rotten eggs and starts caring for the hatched chicks even if it is only one: WISE, CONSCIOUS and REALISTIC.

8. No one can touch her chick: PROTECTIVE LOVE.

9. She gathers all her Chicks together: UNITY of PURPOSE.

10. She doesn't abandon her chicks before they mature: MENTORING

Live your dreams, one day they shall hatch and you shall see them grow. Let this start your resolution for 2016. Live long and prosper!

Happy first monday.....

Don’t Be Afraid, God Is with You ‎

The Word For Today 

‎

‘l am your shield, your very great reward.’ 

Genesis 15:1 NIV

When God sends you into a new situation, or asks you to do something you’ve never done before, you’ll experience uncertainty and fear, and have a lot of questions. God knows that; that’s why the promise He gives you is always equal to the project He gives you. Imagine selling your house, packing up your belongings, putting your family in the car, and heading down the road without having a clue where you’re going. 

Sound crazy? That’s what God asked Abraham to do. But He told him, ‘Do not be afraid…I am your shield, your very great reward.’ The word ‘shield’ means God will protect you, and the word ‘reward’ means He will provide everything you need. Does that mean you won’t experience fear? No, it means you must trust Him in spite of your fears! 

Dr Bernard Vittone says: ‘As we age we lose the ability to distinguish between the negative anxiety associated with work, stress, and tension, and the positive type that’s a natural and exciting part of trying something new. As a result we become more fearful and avoid anxiety-producing situations. When that happens, the desire for safety keeps us stuck in neutral. Trying to avoid risk is like trying to avoid living; without a goal to strive for you stop growing altogether.’ 

If Abraham had refused to obey God because he feared the unknown and the untried, he’d have missed his ‘very great reward’. So press through your fear today and claim the blessing God has promised you on the other side of it. 

Don’t be afraid; God is with you!