"Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, members of the scouting party, ripped their clothes and addressed the assembled People of Israel: “The land we walked through and scouted out is a very good land—very good indeed. If God is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land that flows, as they say, with milk and honey. And he’ll give it to us. Just don’t rebel against God! And don’t be afraid of those people. Why, we’ll have them for lunch! They have no protection and God is on our side. Don’t be afraid of them!”"
Numbers 14: 6-9
Good morning. As I studied today's Bible reading, these verses jumped out to me. I have read and quoted this passage at least a hundred times. Today, it took on a new meaning.
There are many "cheap" battles that God's children engaged in and lost. There are many "hard" battles that God's people engaged in and won. The determinant of how the battle ends is our standing with the Lord as we engage in the battle. Some of us are living as we please and we're expecting the Lord to follow our lead. Hmmm. Lord means Master. We are the followers, He is our Leader.
We were created for the Lord's pleasure; God is not like your water dispenser knob that you turn on and off as you please. He is Lord! It is our will that should bend to His will.
Enjoy your day
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
NO TITLE
Let me start with my MFM discussion. MFM in this post means Mountain of Fire and Miracles. For a long time, I won't touch their materials with a long pole. I was certain that they were perverting the gospel of Jesus Christ. Life happened and I relaxed my anti-MFM rules. I began to eye their materials suspiciously and I realized that though I still disagree with some of the "doctrines", the points of disagreement are not as I thought there would be.
Anyway, this morning, as I was at the bus stop, waiting to be picked up, a lady came around sharing a Christian material. She wasn't disturbing public peace with that disdainful megaphone (I wonder what the creator of the megaphone was thinking... Mallam El-Rufai missed my most detested source of public nuisance out in that objectionable Bill of his). She decently told us she had a material for us and spoke to us as she shared out the material. I'll share article by article and give my feedback on each article. It's a magazine. The lady has my respect...
Then I found myself reading a lengthy teacher-bashing post. I think the OP must have reread the article, realized it was a teacher bashing post then slapped a "shout out" to great teachers at the very end...I'll try to ignore the OP's weak attempt to justify their own bigotry. The fact that you had a bad experience with someone does justify your bigotry targeted at people who share similarities with the person/people that hurt you. The problem is that you are a bigot...#TheEnd. Please deal with the hurt and lose the bigotry, they are weights that'll keep pulling you down.
Let me gist you about the woman, who in the midst of many men, decided that the lesson she wanted to teach them was that they should not have mothers who object to their wives' decisions/actions. She told the story of a man who had told his then girlfriend (now wife) that his mother disagreed with something the girlfriend/wife did. He still went ahead and married the lady. Now that they're married, the Jezebel's granddaughter doesn't allow the man do ANYTHING for his mother...
Except it's the woman's money that the man is spending, I can't understand how she can stop him from caring for his mother. If it's her money, erm, I think the man should get a job/start a business and get his own money. If it's his money, the man is Ahab's grandson. He has allowed his wife become his husband...I was telling some men the other day that there are ways to handle a "stubborn" woman without hitting or abusing her. I know because I used to be that "stubborn" woman and without raising his hands or voice, my husband (along with the Holy Spirit) tamed me. If she stubborn pass me and she no free yield, you have my support if you choose to give her space after you've exhausted peaceful options. Just don't abdicate your responsibilities. If you have kids, maybe you need to take them with you. (I actually watched a movie ran with his kids away from his terrible first wife. The daughter was happy to follow her dad and stepmom).
If you have a better title than "No Title", please help with it. I've been drawing blanks since. Lol. Enjoy your day.
Anyway, this morning, as I was at the bus stop, waiting to be picked up, a lady came around sharing a Christian material. She wasn't disturbing public peace with that disdainful megaphone (I wonder what the creator of the megaphone was thinking... Mallam El-Rufai missed my most detested source of public nuisance out in that objectionable Bill of his). She decently told us she had a material for us and spoke to us as she shared out the material. I'll share article by article and give my feedback on each article. It's a magazine. The lady has my respect...
Then I found myself reading a lengthy teacher-bashing post. I think the OP must have reread the article, realized it was a teacher bashing post then slapped a "shout out" to great teachers at the very end...I'll try to ignore the OP's weak attempt to justify their own bigotry. The fact that you had a bad experience with someone does justify your bigotry targeted at people who share similarities with the person/people that hurt you. The problem is that you are a bigot...#TheEnd. Please deal with the hurt and lose the bigotry, they are weights that'll keep pulling you down.
Let me gist you about the woman, who in the midst of many men, decided that the lesson she wanted to teach them was that they should not have mothers who object to their wives' decisions/actions. She told the story of a man who had told his then girlfriend (now wife) that his mother disagreed with something the girlfriend/wife did. He still went ahead and married the lady. Now that they're married, the Jezebel's granddaughter doesn't allow the man do ANYTHING for his mother...
Except it's the woman's money that the man is spending, I can't understand how she can stop him from caring for his mother. If it's her money, erm, I think the man should get a job/start a business and get his own money. If it's his money, the man is Ahab's grandson. He has allowed his wife become his husband...I was telling some men the other day that there are ways to handle a "stubborn" woman without hitting or abusing her. I know because I used to be that "stubborn" woman and without raising his hands or voice, my husband (along with the Holy Spirit) tamed me. If she stubborn pass me and she no free yield, you have my support if you choose to give her space after you've exhausted peaceful options. Just don't abdicate your responsibilities. If you have kids, maybe you need to take them with you. (I actually watched a movie ran with his kids away from his terrible first wife. The daughter was happy to follow her dad and stepmom).
If you have a better title than "No Title", please help with it. I've been drawing blanks since. Lol. Enjoy your day.
Monday, March 14, 2016
FROM A SISTER TO HER SISTERS
Hello ladies. How are you doing? I hope you'll still consider me your sister after I'm done. This matter is weighing heavily on my mind...What do you think about eating Eba and Cheese Balls? Lol.
Okay, seriously, my issue is with the overarching need that many women seem to have to engage in unhealthy competition. I've been privileged to watch women in a few groups.
There's the "I'm in the abroad" and you're not group (Sis Olubunmi Layode and Sis Arinola BA are 2 sisters I can vouch for that they are NOT in that group. I love them for many reasons and this is one of the major ones). There's a lady that I believe must have blocked me now who is the poster child for this group. I would just keep quiet as she goes on and on about how "over here" is better than "home'. I think she got tired of my silence and blocked me.
Then there's the "I'm married, you're single" group. The major achievement the members of this group have is their marriage certificate. I think marriage is great but I frankly agree with Paul, the apostle, that it is better not to marry but if you cannot "hold yourself", then marry. I can write tons on this subject but I won't.
Then there's the "I have (a) child(ren) and you don't" group. I read about the insensitive comments by a lady as she was taunting her friend, who is trying to conceive. The friend's crime was to mention that sucking mucus from a child's nose is yucky. So, Mama Pikin judged that it was the reason why God hadn't given her children. Sigh!
This group has more subsets than the Universal Set, lol...
Then we have the feminists vs non-feminists; those that think it's okay to use artificial hair versus natural hair; those that have relaxed hair versus those with virgin hair bla bla bla...It feels like secondary school over again...
I'm not asking you to ditch your beliefs and value system. For people that expect inclusion, we're rather unreceptive to people who don't see things the way we do. This was one of the points of strong disagreement between my husband and I in the early days. I was a "My way or the highway" person. I'm gradually easing up, though there are principles I won't compromise on, so help me God.
To every brother that has read this, please help me share with my sisters in your sphere of influence AFTER you've given an offering for eavesdropping on #GirlsTalk, lol.
I trust you've had a great day so far. Mine has been rather busy...
Okay, seriously, my issue is with the overarching need that many women seem to have to engage in unhealthy competition. I've been privileged to watch women in a few groups.
There's the "I'm in the abroad" and you're not group (Sis Olubunmi Layode and Sis Arinola BA are 2 sisters I can vouch for that they are NOT in that group. I love them for many reasons and this is one of the major ones). There's a lady that I believe must have blocked me now who is the poster child for this group. I would just keep quiet as she goes on and on about how "over here" is better than "home'. I think she got tired of my silence and blocked me.
Then there's the "I'm married, you're single" group. The major achievement the members of this group have is their marriage certificate. I think marriage is great but I frankly agree with Paul, the apostle, that it is better not to marry but if you cannot "hold yourself", then marry. I can write tons on this subject but I won't.
Then there's the "I have (a) child(ren) and you don't" group. I read about the insensitive comments by a lady as she was taunting her friend, who is trying to conceive. The friend's crime was to mention that sucking mucus from a child's nose is yucky. So, Mama Pikin judged that it was the reason why God hadn't given her children. Sigh!
This group has more subsets than the Universal Set, lol...
Then we have the feminists vs non-feminists; those that think it's okay to use artificial hair versus natural hair; those that have relaxed hair versus those with virgin hair bla bla bla...It feels like secondary school over again...
I'm not asking you to ditch your beliefs and value system. For people that expect inclusion, we're rather unreceptive to people who don't see things the way we do. This was one of the points of strong disagreement between my husband and I in the early days. I was a "My way or the highway" person. I'm gradually easing up, though there are principles I won't compromise on, so help me God.
To every brother that has read this, please help me share with my sisters in your sphere of influence AFTER you've given an offering for eavesdropping on #GirlsTalk, lol.
I trust you've had a great day so far. Mine has been rather busy...
Thursday, March 10, 2016
TO SINGLE MOTHERS
As important as marriage is, I don't believe it's one of the things that qualifies one to "make heaven" or not. I don't see any sense in staying married at all costs. If you're married to an abuser or an UNREPENTANT philanderer, I RECOMMEND that you walk away. If you choose to stay, NEVER compromise your well-being just to "keep your marriage". Forget that thing about doing it for the children... Children that grow up in abusive two-parent homes are usually worse off than children raised by RESPONSIBLE single parents. The key issue for kids is STABILITY. They also learn from the adults around them. Believe me, they need RESPONSIBLE fathers and mothers...Responsible is the key word...
Are single fathers better than single mothers? Are single mothers whose kids don't stay with them better than single mothers whose kids stay with them or vice versa? Why all these attacks on SINGLE MOTHERS? Are widows with kids also part of the "causes of all the nation's ills"? (They are single mothers too, you know). What of those that were raped and chose to keep the child?
Do you know that after Hagar was sent away by Abraham and Sarah, she became a single mother YET God was with her child? God still loved Ishmael...
To every single mother reading this, you have my respect. If you choose to get married, make sure it's not because you want to "roll away the reproach of singleness". You are a queen; you're not "damaged goods". If you choose to stay single, you are still a queen.
Whether married or single, please stay godly. And if you've lost your way, there is a Father who keeps looking out of the window, waiting for you to come home. Why not reach out to Him? Please send me a message so we can take the journey together. My email address is womentellingafricanstories@gmail.com.
Enjoy your day.
Are single fathers better than single mothers? Are single mothers whose kids don't stay with them better than single mothers whose kids stay with them or vice versa? Why all these attacks on SINGLE MOTHERS? Are widows with kids also part of the "causes of all the nation's ills"? (They are single mothers too, you know). What of those that were raped and chose to keep the child?
Do you know that after Hagar was sent away by Abraham and Sarah, she became a single mother YET God was with her child? God still loved Ishmael...
To every single mother reading this, you have my respect. If you choose to get married, make sure it's not because you want to "roll away the reproach of singleness". You are a queen; you're not "damaged goods". If you choose to stay single, you are still a queen.
Whether married or single, please stay godly. And if you've lost your way, there is a Father who keeps looking out of the window, waiting for you to come home. Why not reach out to Him? Please send me a message so we can take the journey together. My email address is womentellingafricanstories@gmail.com.
Enjoy your day.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD
Good morning friends. I have been thinking about the spate of killings and deaths in the country. I am convinced that it is a spiritual attack (without absolving the human beings that have offered their bodies to be used of guilt). I believe that whatever physical efforts are being put in place should be backed up with spiritual efforts (prayer, fasting, thanksgiving, giving etc) and vice versa. I know it's a sign of the end times but the end time prophecies aren't all doom and gloom. You can shine as a light in this dark and perverse generation.
To shine, you NEED to be led by the Spirit of God. Your best way to fellowship with the Holy Spirit is to fellowship with God's word. I will be touching on a VERY sensitive topic today. I expect a lot of push back but it won't stop me from saying what I'm led to say...
A colleague whom I know is the epitome of "My pastor said" made a statement that shocked me. He is one of those that will say "My pastor said" a minimum of 3 times per paragraph. So, you can imagine my shock when he finished one of his long sermons with "It's not every (church) program that you should attend"...
When Israel came out of bondage and watched the chariots of Pharaoh and their horsemen perish in the sea, Moses sang a song of victory. In that song, he made reference to his father's God. That's the way many believers relate with God. He is their (spiritual) father's God, ie God is their Grandfather. They need to maintain their relationship with their (spiritual) father to maintain their relationship with God. No wonder they easily strayed away from God whenever their relationship with Moses was strained/stressed.
Moses got to know God as His Father quickly. That is why we're told in Psalms that Moses knew the WAYS of the Lord whereas the Israelites only knew His ACTS. Moses cultivated his relationship with the Most High, the people of Israel told God to speak with Moses and they'll listen to whatever He told Moses.
David experienced God as his...The Lord is MY Shepherd, He is MY Shield, By MY God etc litter the book of Psalms. He discovered Yahweh as His own. It didn't matter to David if Eliab considered God able to deliver Israel from Goliath. It did not matter to David that Saul did not trust the God of Israel to deliver them from Goliath of Gath. All he knew was that God was on his side and that was enough. He did NOT use Saul's armor in that battle, though Saul offered it. Imagine if he went to battle with that armor and got the victory. I believe Saul's armor would have become an object of worship just like some cannot leave home without their "annointing oil" or handkerchief or the special award they received from the man of God in recognition of their dedication to the ministry.
If you recollect, David collected 5 stones and only 1 was used to kill Goliath. Who knows what happened to the remaining 4? Who can guess what would have happened to them if the David and Goliath story happened today? Is anyone wondering why a lot of bread sellers are asking where the next TY Bello photoshoot is holding?
As a writer, my imagination is quite active. So, come with me as I imagine Phillip dressing up for "The Greatest Crusade Of Our Time", ministering Apostles Peter, James and John. Notable guest ministers include Lazarus, the man raised from the dead by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Barnabbas, the apostle chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. Ministering in song - Mary and her Alabaster Box. VVIP - Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, a voice told him "Go to the way called Straight NOW". Imagine him telling the voice that he would go after the program. Imagine him getting there after the program and meeting no one. He would never have known that he just missed the opportunity to meet the Ethopian official and minister the gospel to him and possibly get the gospel to Africa...
Am I saying it's wrong to go for church programs or to follow your pastor's guidance? An emphatic NO....What I'm saying is that you should ensure that you get to know God enough to know when He is leading you to go elsewhere, even if He's the One that sent your pastor to organize the program. He may just have a different assignment for you at that time...It's okay to follow your "father's God" for a while but if after 2 years, He is still your "father's God", dear friend, your growth is stunted. It's time to grow up and learn to hear the Holy Spirit's voice without interference...
Enjoy your day.
To shine, you NEED to be led by the Spirit of God. Your best way to fellowship with the Holy Spirit is to fellowship with God's word. I will be touching on a VERY sensitive topic today. I expect a lot of push back but it won't stop me from saying what I'm led to say...
A colleague whom I know is the epitome of "My pastor said" made a statement that shocked me. He is one of those that will say "My pastor said" a minimum of 3 times per paragraph. So, you can imagine my shock when he finished one of his long sermons with "It's not every (church) program that you should attend"...
When Israel came out of bondage and watched the chariots of Pharaoh and their horsemen perish in the sea, Moses sang a song of victory. In that song, he made reference to his father's God. That's the way many believers relate with God. He is their (spiritual) father's God, ie God is their Grandfather. They need to maintain their relationship with their (spiritual) father to maintain their relationship with God. No wonder they easily strayed away from God whenever their relationship with Moses was strained/stressed.
Moses got to know God as His Father quickly. That is why we're told in Psalms that Moses knew the WAYS of the Lord whereas the Israelites only knew His ACTS. Moses cultivated his relationship with the Most High, the people of Israel told God to speak with Moses and they'll listen to whatever He told Moses.
David experienced God as his...The Lord is MY Shepherd, He is MY Shield, By MY God etc litter the book of Psalms. He discovered Yahweh as His own. It didn't matter to David if Eliab considered God able to deliver Israel from Goliath. It did not matter to David that Saul did not trust the God of Israel to deliver them from Goliath of Gath. All he knew was that God was on his side and that was enough. He did NOT use Saul's armor in that battle, though Saul offered it. Imagine if he went to battle with that armor and got the victory. I believe Saul's armor would have become an object of worship just like some cannot leave home without their "annointing oil" or handkerchief or the special award they received from the man of God in recognition of their dedication to the ministry.
If you recollect, David collected 5 stones and only 1 was used to kill Goliath. Who knows what happened to the remaining 4? Who can guess what would have happened to them if the David and Goliath story happened today? Is anyone wondering why a lot of bread sellers are asking where the next TY Bello photoshoot is holding?
As a writer, my imagination is quite active. So, come with me as I imagine Phillip dressing up for "The Greatest Crusade Of Our Time", ministering Apostles Peter, James and John. Notable guest ministers include Lazarus, the man raised from the dead by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Barnabbas, the apostle chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. Ministering in song - Mary and her Alabaster Box. VVIP - Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then, a voice told him "Go to the way called Straight NOW". Imagine him telling the voice that he would go after the program. Imagine him getting there after the program and meeting no one. He would never have known that he just missed the opportunity to meet the Ethopian official and minister the gospel to him and possibly get the gospel to Africa...
Am I saying it's wrong to go for church programs or to follow your pastor's guidance? An emphatic NO....What I'm saying is that you should ensure that you get to know God enough to know when He is leading you to go elsewhere, even if He's the One that sent your pastor to organize the program. He may just have a different assignment for you at that time...It's okay to follow your "father's God" for a while but if after 2 years, He is still your "father's God", dear friend, your growth is stunted. It's time to grow up and learn to hear the Holy Spirit's voice without interference...
Enjoy your day.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
A Beautiful Testimony - Tough Love
I'm watching 700 Club and it's Question Time. Interesting questions.
Someone says the world is so corrupt and they don't like to get involved with the junk in this world. Apparently, there was a call on June 4 (2015?) that believers should stand up and allow their voices be heard. He was wondering HOW! The person answering says he should start in his area. Get involved... We're IN this world, not OF this world. I'll add that you can start with your social media account(s). Stand up for Christ.
Then there was a question about what the Bible says about aliens and the answer is that the only aliens in the Bible are either angels or demons.
Then there is a testimony from an ex-drug addict. He and his wife had an infertility problem and after he was given some prescription drugs, he realized that it also helped him get over his problems... TEMPORARILY...After the problem was gone, he kept using the prescription drugs. When they ran out, he started using other drugs.
Soon, he was stealing from his dad (his employer) to feed his addiction. His relationship with his wife started deteriorating. His dad noticed a change in his behaviour but he didn't know what was going on.
One day, his wife found the stash of drugs and kicked him out of the house. Seems harsh, right? I don't think so, considering what it led to. After he was kicked out of home, he checked into a rehab centre and got help. While in rehab, he prayed and asked Christ to take over.
After he was certified clean, he was discharged to his father. He confessed to his dad that he had been stealing from him and like the father of the prodigal son, he welcomed him back with open arms.
He started working on his relationship with his wife and after some time, they got back together. He has been drug free since 2006.
Soon enough, his wife got pregnant and they now have a daughter. They are living happily and healthily.
I like this testimony joo. I actually like the wife's response when she founs the stash of drugs. I think tough love helped him sober up quickly. What do you think? Please share your thoughts...
Enjoy your day.
Someone says the world is so corrupt and they don't like to get involved with the junk in this world. Apparently, there was a call on June 4 (2015?) that believers should stand up and allow their voices be heard. He was wondering HOW! The person answering says he should start in his area. Get involved... We're IN this world, not OF this world. I'll add that you can start with your social media account(s). Stand up for Christ.
Then there was a question about what the Bible says about aliens and the answer is that the only aliens in the Bible are either angels or demons.
Then there is a testimony from an ex-drug addict. He and his wife had an infertility problem and after he was given some prescription drugs, he realized that it also helped him get over his problems... TEMPORARILY...After the problem was gone, he kept using the prescription drugs. When they ran out, he started using other drugs.
Soon, he was stealing from his dad (his employer) to feed his addiction. His relationship with his wife started deteriorating. His dad noticed a change in his behaviour but he didn't know what was going on.
One day, his wife found the stash of drugs and kicked him out of the house. Seems harsh, right? I don't think so, considering what it led to. After he was kicked out of home, he checked into a rehab centre and got help. While in rehab, he prayed and asked Christ to take over.
After he was certified clean, he was discharged to his father. He confessed to his dad that he had been stealing from him and like the father of the prodigal son, he welcomed him back with open arms.
He started working on his relationship with his wife and after some time, they got back together. He has been drug free since 2006.
Soon enough, his wife got pregnant and they now have a daughter. They are living happily and healthily.
I like this testimony joo. I actually like the wife's response when she founs the stash of drugs. I think tough love helped him sober up quickly. What do you think? Please share your thoughts...
Enjoy your day.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
About "Miracle Money"
So, this "Miracle money" thing, how does it work?
You'll just be on your own and money will show up in your pocket/purse/wardrobe/bank account?
I know Jesus fed the multitude IN THE WILDERNESS with a little boy's lunch...Note that they were in THE WILDERNESS and it wasn't a regular occurrence. YOU are in the city and you are ignoring the legitimate opportunities God brings your way daily while waiting for "miracle money". Don't come tomorrow to cry about how you were scammed ooo...
Someone was gisting us about how he was almost scammed. He says he had asked his dad for money for what HE wanted to do. His dad didn't think it was a good idea so he said "No". My friend said he boasted to his dad that he would pray to God and God will send him help from another source. So, he prayed.
He said that about a day after he prayed, he got an email about a lottery he won. The money he "won" was just about what he needed and he woke up the entire household (except his dad) to share the "good news". Then, he decided toshare the testimony in church. He spoke with a very wise woman who asked him if he played any lottery. He said that's when his eyes cleared. He didn't participate in any lottery...
I'm not disputing the fact that God works in miraculous ways. I doubt, though, that He is strolling through Facebook, looking for those who typed "Amen" to a prayer by a fictitious account about "miracle money". I can assure you, though, that being diligent and skillful will cause you to stand before kings and not obscure (wo)men. Amen, somebody?
Enjoy your day.
You'll just be on your own and money will show up in your pocket/purse/wardrobe/bank account?
I know Jesus fed the multitude IN THE WILDERNESS with a little boy's lunch...Note that they were in THE WILDERNESS and it wasn't a regular occurrence. YOU are in the city and you are ignoring the legitimate opportunities God brings your way daily while waiting for "miracle money". Don't come tomorrow to cry about how you were scammed ooo...
Someone was gisting us about how he was almost scammed. He says he had asked his dad for money for what HE wanted to do. His dad didn't think it was a good idea so he said "No". My friend said he boasted to his dad that he would pray to God and God will send him help from another source. So, he prayed.
He said that about a day after he prayed, he got an email about a lottery he won. The money he "won" was just about what he needed and he woke up the entire household (except his dad) to share the "good news". Then, he decided toshare the testimony in church. He spoke with a very wise woman who asked him if he played any lottery. He said that's when his eyes cleared. He didn't participate in any lottery...
I'm not disputing the fact that God works in miraculous ways. I doubt, though, that He is strolling through Facebook, looking for those who typed "Amen" to a prayer by a fictitious account about "miracle money". I can assure you, though, that being diligent and skillful will cause you to stand before kings and not obscure (wo)men. Amen, somebody?
Enjoy your day.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)