Friday, September 25, 2015

Do you stand on your knees?

We can't fully enjoy the fullness of Christ Jesus revealed in us until we are ready to bend to our lowest position for Him to rise to His highest position in us.

Once on my knees, I felt like I was standing in full height. On the outside I looked all surrendered but deep down within I just would not submit. I didn't know how. I felt my strength wanting to play god before the Almighty. Many times, on my knees I stood. I held back so much. But God sent me help. I experienced some level of suffering. It was in this suffering that I learnt what it means to be broken. And what it means to kneel before God. I learned to surrender. God will always send us help in the language each of us will understand.

Do you sometimes find yourself standing on the inside while on your knees?

In our walk with God, we need to really learn to experience what it means for Jesus to be increased in us. And like we know, we can't raise shoulder with His presence in our lives. We have the Holy Spirit to help us.

"He must increase, but I (must) decrease" John 3:30.

Shalom!

Sunday, September 6, 2015

War Room: This Is Not Just About Christianity

For such a time as this-- we have "War Room", a movie with a powerful message that is impacting lives in a way no other movie has done in a while.

"War Room" is not just about Christianity. It addresses the decaying nature of the foundation of every society-- the family. And from that position touches on other key issues that affects you and me-- ethics at the workplace, friendship, finance, forgiveness, repentance, personal responsibility, personal values etc.

It also points out the role we all need to play to awaken the sleeping giant in us, the body of Christ. People gather every Sunday in church and disperse the same way they came. All lukewarm. No power. As long as we can all manage a plastic smile, life is good but the devil is having a great time dealing. Until we get angry as Elizabeth did, take a stand and pray the devil back to hell, nothing will move. Wait, but first, there has to be a Miss Clara... that will help us become a Miss Clara for others.

I have to confess that during the first few minutes into the movie I felt a bit uncomfortable. Am I going to spend two-hours of my life watching a movie about couples struggling with their marriage? But no. The plot did unfold into other key areas that I, a single lady in the academia, bootstrapping a business idea could relate with.

Winning in life is all about having the right strategy. It does not matter who you are or what position you are in at the moment, "War room" is the movie to see this season! You won't leave the cinema the same way-- something will give. Something will spring up.

This review is nothing compared to the actual experience. 

I thank God for Alex Kendrick and the team. Amazing storyline, amazing movie in honor of an AMAZING GOD! You MUST see/watch it!


On a lighter note, is it just me or did Elizabeth [Priscilla Shirer] look like Michelle Obama in this movie?


Saturday, August 22, 2015

I give you all the credit, God

Psalm 30The Message (MSG)

A David Psalm

30 I give you all the credit, God
    you got me out of that mess,
    you didn't let my foes gloat.

2-3 God, my God, I yelled for help
    and you put me together.
God, you pulled me out of the grave,
    gave me another chance at life
    when I was down-and-out.

4-5 All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God!
    Thank him to his face!
He gets angry once in a while, but across
    a lifetime there is only love.
The nights of crying your eyes out
    give way to days of laughter.

6-7 When things were going great
    I crowed, "I've got it made.
I'm God's favorite.
    He made me king of the mountain."
Then you looked the other way
    and I fell to pieces.

8-10 I called out to you, God;
    I laid my case before you:
"Can you sell me for a profit when I'm dead?
    auction me off at a cemetery yard sale?
When I'm 'dust to dust' my songs
    and stories of you won't sell.
So listen! and be kind!
    Help me out of this!"

11-12 You did it: you changed wild lament
    into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
    and decked me with wildflowers.
I'm about to burst with song;
    I can't keep quiet about you.
God, my God,
    I can't thank you enough.



Saturday, August 15, 2015

No need for the false purity... His love is enough



One of the things that lead us to the path of false purity as christians is our attempt to earn God's love. We think we have to be in a particular way to be in God's good book. We appear holier than thou. We do all the good when others are watching [like they are the ones who will appraise us before God] but our hearts are filled with filthy intentions and values- strife/bitterness, hatred, jealousy, anger. We molest others with our gossip and fault-finding tongue. We play the favor-game [help only people who can return the favor/who we can benefit from]. Then we judge others who are struggling with their faith, for not being good-enough christians like us.  We forget that God is God who sees all the hidden things men cannot see. We forget that God created us and He is all-knowing.

There have been many times in the past when, like many young christians, I thought that I have to be PERFECT to earn God's love. The thought of Him just loving me, despite being born in iniquity is sometimes overwhelming. You know, the thought of Him loving me without me earning it does not make sense. Each time I fall short of certain standards, thanks to Mr. Flesh, I get very hard on myself. I feel like hiding from God, forgetting that He is omnipresent.

Yet I feel and hear Him tug gently at me, saying: it is okay... no need for the false purity my love is just enough.

God sent His only begotten son, Jesus, to die for our sins. Not just the sins of the people in the generation of St. Peter or St. John. He died for the whole world, including our unborn children, in order to reconcile us with Himself. This means, we need to stop trying to redeem ourselves by playing the goody-two-shoes with God.

Our righteousness [especially when we try to earn it] before God is compared to a filthy rag-- it was compared to a woman's menstrual rag [yup, you know how that stinks]. We don't need the false purity. What we need to do is to consciously embrace the love and grace that God has made available to us. It is through the sufficiency of this grace that we are able to grow in faith. Of course, we are not to keep falling and falling into sin because Jesus is interceding on our behalf. The grace is to empower us to live above sin and trump the baby-christian lifestyle, while helping others up, while lighting the lamp for others to see the light.

This morning, a new song came to me-- it is a new love song to God. It is not enough to say thank you to God for opening my eyes. My inadequacies are no disqualification for who God has called me to be. Today, I choose to embrace His love and grace, in all its fullness.

God is God all by Himself, yet He has called me by name--unto a higher ground. I hope you share the same testimony?

LORD I THANK YOU:

I thank you Lord
for loving me just the way I am 
I thank you for loving me
despite who I am 

Lord I thank you
Lord I thank you
Lord I thank you
Lord I thank you [x2]. 

You love me I cannot say why
Lord you love me I cannot say why. 

Lord I thank you
Lord I thank you
Lord I thank you
Lord I thank you [x2].

I thank you for loving me despite who I am
Lord I thank you for loving me despite who I am [x2]

Lord I thank you
Lord I thank you
Lord I thank you

Lord I thank you [x2].


Shalom!




Saturday, July 4, 2015

31 - I Give Thanks


If you refuse to tell ur story or share your testimony, others will do it for you. And most times, they don't tell it right! So always testify!!!

I give thanks:

I'm thankful for God's mercy, 
extravagant grace and love! 
I'm thankful for life.
I'm thankful for light.

I'm thankful for my lovely family,
and good friends.

I'm thankful for wisdom.

I'm thankful for every boy, girl,
man and woman,
Who invested in me,
and gave me a lift.
I'm thankful for the Klines.
I'm thankful for my Pastor,
the Church and gospel of Christ.

I'm thankful for the valleys that
has helped me grow stronger.

I'm thankful for Nigeria.

I'm thankful for #CSJ16.
I'm thankful for heartfelt love,
cheerful laughter and safe travels.
I'm thankful for provision and
protection so divine!

I'm thankful for beauty,
and patience.

I'm thankful for talent, 
opportunities and favour.

I'm thankful for you.
May you always find a reason
to give thanks too.

I'm thankful for the best,

which is to come.


Monday, June 29, 2015

Light Up Your World With The Word

More than even before, I feel we are in the season of Daniel 11:32 "...but the people who know their God shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do exploits [for God]." What is your spiritual condition? Is there a hole in your armor (Ephesians 6:10-18)?

The strategy of the enemy these days is to keep us busy. To consume us with all sorts of activities so that we can barely have time to have an individual fellowship with God.

Dear friend, as we transition into the 2nd half of the year 2015, please increase your communion level. Increase the number of hours you study your Bible and pray.

Daniel 11:32. To know God, we have to seek Him. The Bible is a good place to start. As well as the place of prayer.

For someone who has experienced great deliverance from the power of darkness, I have learned that life is very spiritual and by the power of Jesus Christ in us, we can slay any giant. But we have to stay connected to God and remain charged through His Word.

Arise and light up your world with His Word!

Shalom.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Let us pray...

The devil feeds on sin. Starve him.

Put on the whole armour of God.

Pray.

Pray for yourself
Pray for your neighbour
Pray for your family
Pray for the church of Christ
Pray for your friends and colleagues
Pray for the government
Pray for those in need
Pray for those who are mourning
Pray for the lost
Pray for the prisoners
Pray for the hurting
Pray for the hearts of kings
Pray for the salvation of men/women/boys/girls
Pray for your enemies
Pray for all.

Have faith in God.


Pray without ceasing.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Fast Money: The Taxi Driver And His Magic Ring

In a bid to get a good price for a taxi ride from Ogba to Ikeja the other day, I told the driver to stop overcharging me because he assumed I have money. After successfully beating the price to a reasonable amount, I hopped in for the short ride.

I remembered that I had snacks in my purse. So I brought it out and started munching on it.

Then the driver started his story.

He said he picked a lady up some weeks back and that she was a very cheerful fellow. For everything she bought --from Gala to IceCream, she bought some for him as well.

Oh. Sorry. Please, have some. I offered him the half-eaten snacks.

He refused the offer and said he wasn't referring to what I was eating. He said he was just trying to have a conversation.

Anyway, he continued.

He dropped the lady off and was about to speedoff when she pleaded with him to wait. He didn't tell me if he charged her extra. But he waited. Patiently in front of the Opebi home where the lady was visiting her boyfriend.

She came out a few minutes later, according to him, disappointed. Her boyfriend was not home.

To cut the long story short. The lady confided in the taxi driver. She told him her boyfriend was a multi millionaire. But he was too tight fisted. She wished he would spend more on her.

That was how Baba taxi driver said he offered to help. He told her where and when to meet him. According to his version of the story, the lady came to his house and he gave her a ring and other items to rub whenever she was going to meet her boyfriend.

It worked. He said.

A few weeks later the lady testified to him that the boyfriend has signed 500k cheque in her name. A gift he has never given her before.

The taxi driver cum "Babalawo" said she generously gave him 25k as appreciation for his help.

He encouraged her to keep "rubbing the ring".

A few months later he was told by the lady that her boyfriend was sponsoring her "abroad". She again bought expensive things for him upon her return.

The taxi driver then suggested I try him. It is not good for beautiful ladies in Lagos to be walking around broke. It was then I realised my error. My "araroro" gave the baba an impression that I was another Lagos hustler.

Okay. I said to him. You have told your own story. Let me share mine.

Then I started to narrate how I experienced God's redemptive power and grace. The whole time I was speaking Yoruba. I ran words backward and mixed it with English. At the end of the day, I made my point.

Money is not everything. It is overwhelming to keep hearing strange things people do to make money, and more money.

The baba's magic ring will fail one day.

The only power I know that never fails is the name of Jesus.

I ended my story.

Are you a Christian? I asked him.

His response almost sounded like, "I am a certified christian." He called the name of the group he belongs.

Who am I to judge? The Lord knows those who are His.

The point of this story? We need to rid ourselves of every timidity hindering us from making our faith public.

Take me back seven months ago or so, I probably will just giggle at his story and give him a "high five" for being a brilliant marketer.

But as I listened to him, I realized it is about time we all also learn to counter such satanic advertisement with the goodnews of Christ. No one is perfect right? But God's love must never be kept secret.

Don't miss the moment. Shalom.

Yours growing in grace,

JE.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Thank You Holy Spirit! [Testimony time]

"Something" woke me up.

I checked the time. 12.03am.

I stood up from my bed and the words that came to mind was...

"To You O Lord I have come to take refuge..." Psalm 71:1 (When I said these words my mind was on Psalm 46:1).

These past couple of months, I have come to learn not to take lightly times when something jolts me to wake up, for no reason.

So I spent the next hour praying and worshipping God.

About 12.55am.

I stopped. Scrolled through my phone and saw a 12.21am missed call from a colleague. I texted him at 1.05am, teasing him for being a midnight caller.

Then I spent the next couple of minutes ironing my clothes. Preparing for the week.

As I laid down to sleep again, dogs started barking. Very disturbing. Then I heard someone banging on my neighbors' gates. We live in a private Estate so it was very unusual to hear so many movements at that time of the night/day.

I couldn't tell if they came to our house. But "T", our dog, was barking angrily throughout the time. I heard other dogs in the neighborhood barking as well.

They barked, barked and barked.

I called my brother. The intention was to ask him to help us alert the police. His phone rang. No response. Looking back, I am glad he didn't pick. That would have put him in an unnecessary state of "panic."

Fist banging gates. Feet jumpimg over fences. Heartless men stealing from neighbours. Dogs barking. Me: ordering my heart to trust that God is in control. I thought of hiding under the bed, just incase.... but then I asked myself, and where is your faith?

And yes God did it!

A few hours later, I heard some neighbours recounting their experiences. Their houses were ransacked. Fences were pulled down/jumped over. Doors with burglary protection were broken. The thieves stole their material things but harmed none of them physically.

I thank God for divine protection over us. I thank God that I wouldn't have to go to my neighbor's house in the morning to weep over a dead relation or to tell them sorry for a broken bone. The stolen items are replaceable. I thank the Lord for His divine protection.

It wasn't my prayers that stopped the thieves from coming into our house. It was God who answers my prayers. And to Him be all the glory and honour and power forever!

Amen. Amen.

The next time you wake up without knowing why, please take advantage of it and pray, praise victoriously! Even if you have nothing to pray about yourself, pray for Nigeria.

There is a God!

Stay under His refuge.

Psalm 16:1, 31:1, 71:1.

Psalm 91, aloud!

Shalom.