GOD DEY!

My Dad of blessed memory taught me a lesson once when i was quite young. I remember I had to replace the batteries in a TV remote control and I fixed the batteries facing the wrong sides. So obviously it did not work. My father noticed this and instead of correcting it himself here reprimanded me for acting ignorant. He said if you want to do something then do it well or don’t do it at all. Because in the battery slot was clearly inscribed the positive and negative signs. If I had taken the time to read I would have noted my mistake. I learnt that day that most of the time you have no excuses for ignorance or for doing something halfheartedly. I thank him for that valuable lesson early on.

But as you grow up you realize also that life is not all black and white. It is not always positive and negative signs.There are shades of grey in between and as brutal as life can be you learn from the experiences that come your way. It is really up to you to turn your test into a testament.

I have had the unfortunate non-privilege of being taught some hard life lessons in my lifetime and most especially in the past month. I have been made to feel I am not good enough at times or that I am not as efficient as I thought I was. I have felt at times like giving up because I am just not up to scratch. I have fixed my batteries the wrong side in and have cried knowing that my daddy would have disapproved. I have lain in bed wondering why I bother at all. I have lain in bed asking questions with no answers and in my moments of bitterness I have thought up plans worthy of a Hollywood movie. All this is just melodrama really when you step back and really think of it. But in my moments of darkness I have thought again of my daddy. He had been through much worse in his life and been hurt by the very people he so cherished. Yet never a day did I see him turn anyone away from our house. Never did he refuse a helping hand to those who caused him pain. He always rose above the occasion.

We say we are Christians yet when we are presented with opportunities to walk the talk we panic and we run. 

How else can you show the fruits of the spirit in you if you are not tested. How else can you say you have love if you cannot show love to your detractors? How else can you show joy and gentleness if you cannot let go of a pain so deep. How can you have peace if you cannot let God reign in all your affairs and just stay calm knowing indeed he is God? But talking is cheap. Acting is harder. I am human and I admit that I am struggling each day. I am struggling to shine in the midst of my darkness. I am struggling not to let fear envelope my heart and rather to let go and believe that God has got my back. Like I said talking is cheap for We Christians. I pray my daddy has peace and rest and I pray I can teach even half of the lessons he taught me to my children and other generations. But I also pray I learn my own life lessons and I come out victorious at the end knowing that indeed I walked the talk. To be honest one of the lessons you learn is to be more careful of people around you. Do not push them away or direct your anger towards them. But learn to draw a clear line and trust in God to watch your back.

I pray today for everyone hurting and in a less than desirous situation. That is life and some of these happen.  Am holding on believing God is going to come through for me and so should you. Let’s make a promise to each other to believe and have faith. We have no other choice but to do so. Because quite frankly experience or no experience, ignorance or knowledge, positive or negative signs, we can never match up to the infinite love and knowledge of the most high. May he lead and fight our battles for us. Remember no matter how dark the night may be......the dawn shall surely break bringing with it a new day. Once there is life there is hope.

Ps// everyone needs help once a while. its good to have a trusted network of friends and family to get you through tough times. God placed them in your life for a purpose.

Philippians 4:6-8

New Living Translation (NLT)

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

By Sharlon Owusu 

If she agrees to cut the crap, Still WALK.

I seriously don't understand why anyone would ask me for relationship advice, but every now and then an innocent soul comes along, it never ceases to amaze me. how do i spell this out. Ok! check this out, am sure you're telling yourself "Johnny has an angle to what he's about to say, he's gonna say something ‪#‎SPIRITUAL‬, but i wont. he's gonna give me closure and tell me all is well, but seriously i wont. What am about to tell you, you won't like it, it might anger you, it is not #SPIRITUAL, but it's scriptural. Its going to be a "SEMI-LONG" post so bear with me.

A young guy walks up to me, seeing am so "#SPIRITUAL", and full of wisdom, and intelligence, and every good spice. He's having troubles in his relationship, the girl is giving him a hard time, she materialistic, mummy's girl, a diva, nearly feminist and seemingly "#SPIRITUAL, "how bad can one guy have it".

-- I Told you it will be semi-long --

So he looks up to me waiting for an answer, i'm trying to hide all the insults in my head, but am sure he see hope in my eyes, not my fault though God gave me beautiful eyes. Anyway so i tell him what any guy in his right mind will tell him considering his situation, the problem is this guy ‪#‎LOVES‬ this girl more than life, he apparently convinced himself this is the only girl for him, *sad *sad, just *sad. Lets look at the statistics:

1.Ratio of men to women, 1:6..."need i say more".
2.99% of the time your so called first love is you feeding yourself with rubbish.

-- I Told you this is not Spiritual --

At this point the guy is almost in tears, no no no! i don't comfort him. Not my style. So i do what any good guy will do, i give him three pearls.

1. Tell her to cut the crap, or u ‪#‎WALK‬.
2. If she agrees to cut the crap, Still #WALK.
3.#WALK no matter what, #WALK.

But you guess right, he doesn't listen to me. He claims he's in ‪#‎LOVE‬, so i let him be. Couple of months later he's back, his heart torn to shreds, put on an altar [not sacrificed, that will be mercy, no] beat to death. At this point you don't wanna know the insults i rained on him, very very bad. But it was all done in Love.

Let me quote a friend of mine, when i was going through my storm. "Sometimes when God is trying to tear you away from someone, dont be so bent on keeping it glued"

"Two cannot walk, unless they agree..."

-- I Told you it was Scriptural --

By Tawiah Dolphyne

"Jesus Take The Wheel"

"Jesus Take The Wheel"

She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati

On a snow white Christmas Eve

Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy with the baby in the backseat

Fifty miles to go and she was running low on faith and gasoline

It'd been a long hard year

She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention

She was going way too fast

Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass

She saw both their lives flash before her eyes

She didn't even have time to cry

She was so scared

She threw her hands up in the air

Jesus take the wheel

Take it from my hands

Cause I can't do this on my own

I'm letting go

So give me one more chance

Save me from this road I'm on

Jesus take the wheel

It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder

And the car came to a stop

She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock

And for the first time in a long time

She bowed her head to pray

She said I'm sorry for the way

I've been living my life

I know I've got to change

So from now on tonight

Jesus take the wheel

Take it from my hands

Cause I can't do this on my own

I'm letting go

So give me one more chance

Save me from this road I'm on

Oh, Jesus take the wheel

Oh, I'm letting go

So give me one more chance

Save me from this road I'm on

From this road I'm on

Jesus take the wheel

Oh, take it, take it from me.

Oh, wow, ohhhhh. 

CARRIE UNDERWOOD Lyrics

it's in the valleys i grow

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe
It's then I have to remember
That it's in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top

And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God's love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it's in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing.
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan's loss.

Forgive me Lord, for complaining
When I'm feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it's in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord
And use my life each day
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know
The mountain tops are glorious
But it's in the valleys I grow!

don't forget to smile

A little girl walked to and from school daily. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to the elementary school. As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning. The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school and she herself feared that the electrical storm might harm her child.

Following the roar of thunder, lightning, like a flaming sword, would cut through the sky. Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove along the route to her child’s school. As she did so, she saw her little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and smile. Another and another were to follow quickly and with each the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile.

When the mother’s car drove up beside the child she lowered the window and called to her.

“What are you doing? Why do you keep stopping?”

The child answered, “I am trying to look pretty, God keeps taking my picture.”

May God bless you today as you face the storms that come your way.

Favor: The Transporter

Favor is necessary for you to complete your God ordained destiny. It is the transporter from your current season to your future destiny. But, what is favor?

And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.Luke 2:51-52

Jesus increased in wisdom, stature and favor as He matured. As you and I mature in Christ, so we also mature. Favor is not just an experience. It is the divine current that takes you from your present season to your future destiny. Favor is undeserved access. It will put you at the right place, to meet the right person at the right time. We need favor to get to our destiny. How do we lay hold of favor? First, let’s examine what God says favor is.

Favor has multiple meanings in Greek and Hebrew.

It means to:

Delight in Satisfy a debt Bend or stoop in kindness Grant Have mercy

Graciousness Liberality Friendly regard, approval or support A privilege or concession Be partial to

If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, God delights in you. Jesus Christ has satisfied your debt. Jesus bent and stooped down to Earth’s level when he came down here to die on a wooden cross and rise again undefeated. God will and does have mercy on you. God wants to be, is, and will be gracious to you. God gives to you liberally, and will give when you ask Him. God views you with friendly regard, approval and support. God grants you privileges and concessions and is partial to you, because of your acceptance of His son Jesus Christ. Children of God, you have God’s favor!

Jesus is the “pattern son.” He is our role model to follow.

In the text above, the KJV uses the word “increased.” This word has an interesting meaning. It means “to cut or drive one’s way forward.”

We need to keep “cutting our way forward,” as through a forest or jungle, like the pioneers did. But to arrive at my destination point, I need the favor of God to be upon me. How do I get favor?

Proverbs 8:35 says, “For whoso findeth me, findeth life and shall obtain favor of the LORD.”

Who is the “ME” the Holy Spirit, through the psalmist, is referring to? Prov 8:1 provides the answer already: “Doth not wisdom cry? And understanding put forth her voice?”

Wisdom and understanding are the entry into favor.

“And unto man he said, Behold the FEAR of the Lord, that is WISDOM, and to depart from evil is understanding.”Job 28:28

Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord; a “fear” meaning reverence and respect that is felt and acted upon. When you respect God, and you live by that felt respect, then you have wisdom and understanding – and favor.

Wisdom is as infinite as God himself, as we increase in it, it increases in us. Understanding refers to the ability to arrange facts. It has to do with insight. Knowledge is the accumulation of facts. Wisdom is the correct application of those facts. If you want to be knowledgeable, then study God’s word. If you want to be wise, do God’s word. A wise man has the combination of knowledge and understanding at work in him.

Favor is necessary for you to complete your God ordained destiny. It is the divined current, or the transporter, from your current season to your future destiny. In order to have God’s favor poured upon us in abundance, we must obtain wisdom and understanding. When we grow in Christ, and gain wisdom and understanding, we also grow in favor – like Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came before us.

Abundance

Ultimately, God wants you to prosper! The Word of God says it like this: “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2). How does our soul prosper? We come into abundance by being faithful, and we become faithful by having an “attitude of gratitude.”

What you appreciate, appreciates! When we learn to magnify the value of what we already have by praise to God, we will truly see the value in what we have. When we perceive our value, we are faithful to care for and be responsible to ourselves and what we have. So gratefulness flows out of grace. Grace shows you your value. Your value causes you to be faithful. And being faithful brings you into abundance!

“His lord said unto him, well done, good and faithful servant;
thou hast been faithful over a few things,
I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”Matthew 25:23

Faithful in the Greek means “trustworthy, trustful.” Isn’t it interesting that part of being trustworthy means also being “trustful”? Since we are faithful people, we believe others are faithful, too. Not because we become an easy target, but because filled with faith, we see the good in others. To the pure, all things are pure (Titus 1:15).

See what happens to the fearful servant:

“Take therefore the talent from him,
and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: 
but from him that hath not shall be taken away
even that which he hath.”
Matthew 25:28-29

According to the determining factor, to have “abundance,” we must be faithful - “trustful and trustworthy.” This means you are safe and can be trusted. You make a promise and don’t change, even if keeping your word is unpleasant due to unforeseen circumstances. Abundance is given to a healthy vessel of “trust.” The implication here is that “I am responsible for, and am thankful for what I carry, possess or contain, because I know it has value.”

It’s impossible to feel grateful for something or someone that we do not value. What do you value? What do you notvalue? When we depreciate something, we devalue or diminish its worth.

When we appreciate something (or someone!) we give value with approval and praise. When we appreciate things, we “mean” to increase their worth. This is the attitude we need to cultivate for our souls to prosper and to be counted worthy to be a ruler over many.

Imagine that a leader comes into power who devalues and diminishes the people under them. That leader would be detrimental to the people they led. That leader would be seen as critical and destructive to those around him. This kind of leader could not cause their people to grow and prosper.

In order for you to become the leader God wants you to be, you have to become an “appreciator” of the people and things around you. When we see the treasure in others, we have true admiration and respect for them. When we act faithfully, we open the door for them to become who they are in Christ!

This was the secret of the man with the 5 talents.

The man with 5 talents who gained another 5 did so by “appreciating” the value of his own talent and using it to gain other valuable talents. We can bring out other people’s talents by “appreciating” those around us and being gracious to them. When we do this, we come into abundance, because we are being both trustful and trustworthy! These are the leaders God is raising up!

God desires for you to appreciate your family, friends, material things and even your enemies. We can’t do this without the work of God in our hearts by faith in Jesus Christ. The grace of God can work in us and others when we are gracious, grateful people. When we make it a way of life to be gracious, grateful people, we are faithful, and can be trusted with more. Body of Christ, we must become grateful people, and then faithful..only then will we be ready to possess the abundance of the land He has for each and every one of us!

The Woman of Grace

“A woman in that town who lived a sinful life
learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, 
so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 
As she stood behind him at his feet weeping,
she began to wet his feet with her tears. 
Then she wiped them with her hair, 
kissed them and poured perfume on them.”
Luke 7:37-38

When we look at this woman through the eyes of truth, we see that she is a powerful, bold woman. She recognized the value of only two things in her sad life – that was Jesus Christ and the alabaster box of perfume.

She praised Him in the highest way she knew. She threw herself at his feet, praising Him with her tears, serving Him by cleaning His feet with her hair. She was saying, “I’m sorry,” “thank you” and “I love you,” all at the same time.

She abandoned herself in complete praise to Jesus Christ in front of anyone who was watching. What could they say that they hadn’t already? She crashed their highbrow dinner party uninvited, attended by the most judgmental people in all of society. She knew she was about to do something inappropriate. She still made a beeline for him without batting an eye.

The room stopped. She poured her anguish out at His feet, and she could feel His acceptance, strong love, and warm presence fill her heart. She knew He had accepted her, an experience she had never known but always craved! Time stood still as she made peace with her Creator, the only Man she knew would or could ever love her.

The leaders felt dwarfed by her display. Is this man a prophet, and yet allows a prostitute to make this strange display at His feet? Criticisms arose in their hearts, a defense mechanism for the conviction already weighing heavily upon them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this,
he said to himself, 
“If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him 
and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
Luke 7:39

The second these thoughts formed in the leaders’ minds, Jesus breaks the silence with a question designed to prick their conscience even further.

40 … “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. 
One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. 
42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. 
Now which of them will love him more?”
Luke 7:40-42

With a question, Jesus brought the consciences of the leaders to their knees. He forced them to admit that she was in the right.

43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Luke 7:43

But Jesus doesn’t just remove her scarlet letter. He doesn’t just validate her and justify her in front of her enemies. Heglorifies her and praises her openly, while rebuking her enemies.

44 “Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, 
‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. 
You did not give me any water for my feet, 
but she wet my feet with her tears 
and wiped them with her hair. 45 
You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, 
from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 
47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. 
But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
Luke 7:37-47

Jesus used the woman of grace to convict an entire room of Pharisees who had followed Hebrew law their entire lives. She was not only cleared of all wrongdoing; Jesus glorified her in front of her accusers!

Even if you only have 2 things you see value in today, be encouraged! The woman of grace only had 2 things of value – Jesus Christ and the alabaster jar of perfume. Though she was weak, God used her to convict an entire room full of powerful Pharisees. There is no limit to what God can do through you, even if all you have to be thankful for is Jesus Himself.

(By Bonney Rosas)