a Leap of Faith

Faith works. Whatever it is you are believing God for, just don't stop believing. Confess the word and start operating like it is already done because it is done! When we ask God for something by faith, the impossible becomes possible. 

Are you trusting God for divine healing? Has the doctor told you that your case is beyond medical expertise? Remember by the word in Isaiah 53:5 "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Speak this word to your body, spirit and soul! By the stripes of Jesus you are healed!

Or are you a student? Have you beed struggling to pass a particular exam? Or your teachers have written you off by calling you a retard and tagging you as the no-future-ambition student? Well guess what? The Bible tells me that there is a Spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty makes Him Intelligent! (Job 32:8). Do you have faith that God can re-ignite His breath in you and give you understanding? You have to liberate yourself with His word! Speak it and walk the talk! Study with that mindset that you have the Breath of God in you that makes you intelligent! You'll be amazed- things will changed!

I know faith works. Even in my most fearful moments I have acted by faith and seen God move. Trust me, it can be so for you too! Holding on to God's word has never failed. Be courageous! Take a leap of faith!!

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. Most Christians are familiar with that portion of the Bible- Hebrew 11:1. Has it become a cliche? Has that word lost its vitality? I hope not. The amplified version puts it this way:

Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, ^[a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].

Sometimes, we have faith that God is going to do that which we trust Him for. But just when we are believing, doubt crawls in and we start freting again. But trust me, others have been in this path before us. What matters is how we respond. Are we going to let the doubt overwhelm us?

We can always cry out to God. He is aware of our weaknesses and able to strengthen our faith.

Remember the story of the man who believed Jesus could heal his son?

Mark 9:13-24:

14 When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15 When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.
16 "What is all this arguing about?" Jesus asked.
17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, "Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won't let him talk. 18 And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.[a] So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn't do it."
19 Jesus said to them,[b] "You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.
21 "How long has this been happening?" Jesus asked the boy's father.
He replied, "Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can."
23 "What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes."
24 The father instantly cried out, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!"

What are you trusting God for this very minute? Do you have faith that He is able to turn things around for your good? There are times unbelief will always crawl in, but like this man, we must never let it overwhelm us, instead we must always cry out to God and by speaking our faith allow God's word to take root in our lives! 

Mark 11:22-24

²² Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. ²³ I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. ²⁴ I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours.

Faith works! All we need sometimes is faith as small as a mustard seed! The day I saw a mustard seed, I was like "really?" The experience changed my life forever. That is a story for another day. Trust me, there are times I still doubt but like the man in that story I have learned to always cry out "I believe Lord, please help my unbelief!"

May God help us overcome our unbelief!! Amen.

Standing in the Gap: Who are you praying for?

Who are you praying for? Who is praying for you? As Christians, we owe it to one another to always stand in the gap for others. No matter how short the prayer is, standing in the gap for others is a powerful weapon.

Standing in the gap, means: to expose one's self for the protection of something; to make defense against any assailing danger; to take the place of a fallen defender or supporter (according to the dictionary)

When you pray for others, you call on to God on their behalf. It can be asking God to have mercy on them. For God to give them increased wisdom, strength, grace etc. It can be prayer of divine protection from the devices of the evil one. We have heard testimonies of people who received salvation because their grandmother, parents, or friends stood in the gap- praying for God to show them His salvation. Many lives have been saved from destruction, sickness and disease because someone somewhere was praying for them.

Instead of condemning others, stand in the gap for them.

When our prayers reaches the powerful God who answers prayers, there is a miraculous turn around, always.

The Holy Bible gives examples of how people stood in the gap for others. One of which is in the book of Exodus.

Exodus 4:24-26
New International Version (NIV)
²⁴ At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses^[a] and was about to kill him. ²⁵ But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it.^[b]“Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. ²⁶ So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)

When you read this passage for the first time, the first question that may pop into your mind is, "WHY will God want to kill Moses (him)? Is he not the "chosen one"? The man who was going to lead the children of Israel to the promise land? Why will the same God who called him, groomed him, and instructed him all of a sudden want to kill him?

We know our God is a righteous God. Perhaps Moses sinned against Him by not living according to the standard he was setting for the Israelite. In the passage, we are told that the minute Zipporah circumcised their son and touched Moses' feet with the blood, God let him go. This is the act of interceding. Zipporah stood in the gap for Moses and the plague of death passed over him. 

If Zipporah had slept through the battle, perhaps we would have been telling another story today. Thank God for the power of standing in the gap!

Who are you praying for? Who is praying for you? If God search for a man, will he find one?

"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none." Ezekiel 22:30

Please, always remember to stand in the gap for others. I am learning too. God is our strength!

I love this song:

Standing in the Gap by Babbie Mason

I heard that you were hurting

That you were suffering pain

But I didn't dare just turn my head

And look the other way

For when your heart is aching

My heart is aching too

Let me help you bear your burden

That's the least that I can do

CHORUS

I'll be standing in the gap for you

Just remember someone, somewhere is praying for you

Calling out your name

Praying for your strength

I'll be standing in the gap for you

Right now you may be troubled

But everything will work out fine

For the Spirit knows before you speak

What is on your heart and mind

So I'll be interceding

Til your standing strong again

The peace that passes understanding

Is going to be yours, but until then

CHORUS

BRIDGE

So hang on my friend

It won't be long

And you have the strength

To carry on

For when two or three are walking together

It will be a much lighter load

For isn't that what a brother and a sister are for...


GOD BLESS YOU! Have a great week!!

The Help of a Stranger, Gives Speed

The help of a stranger is what keeps our world spinning with kindness. The help of a stranger gives speedThe help of a stranger receives great reward

Reuel's seven daughters set out one morning to fetch water for their father's flock. But some bully came by and chased them away. But a stranger who witnessed the injustice came to their rescue. Moments later, they were able to water their father's flock.  All done with the day's business, they happily swung back to town.

Perhaps in the past the bullies usually cause these ladies delay in minding their father's business. Because when they got home their father was surprise to see them back so early. A stranger's help gave them speed! They narrated the story to him. And yes, their father asked them to go invite the helper to dinner!

Have you ever experienced the kindness of a stranger? That moment you find yourself in a hot mess, when fear and anxiety overwhelms you. Only for you to turn around and find a kind hand stretched out, ready to give you a lift, out of your mess!

Or maybe you have been or you are that kind person offering help to strangers. Please don't stop.
And if you, at one point in your life, experience the help of a stranger, please extend the kindness to others- pay it forward. But don't forget to appreciate the stranger, like the Priest encouraged his daughters to invite Moses for dinner.

The story:

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
18 When they came to Reuel their father, he said, “How is it that you have come so soon today?”
19 And they said, “An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.”
20 So he said to his daughters, “And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.”
21 Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. 22 And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom,[b] for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land.”  

EXODUS 2:16-22 via BibleGateway

This week, may you experience the help of a stranger! May God open your heart to indeed be kind to others around you. Spread His love around!!

Happy living!!

Hello Mr. Water Pass Garri (Spoken words)

Hello mr water pass garri, 

Why do you sit there looking at me as if I’m heaven?
I know, the problems you carry
are heavy, I mean really heavy.

You have been in that position for the past 52 years-
Squatting over one hand of garri in a one liter bowl filled with 75cl of water.
Counting them in days, that will be 18,980 days plus extra for the leap years.
Your brothers across the border
Are worried about you.

Look around you Mr water pass garri,
No, not in the direction of those beautiful maidens!
Look around at the virgin land behind your backyard.
Do you doubt it is fertile?

But how can you tell
When you have never ploughed and planted?
Can there be a harvest if you do not sow a seed?
18,993 days is gone man, and that one hand of garri in a one liter bowl filled with 75cl of water is not rising!

It is time for you to rise and try something new-
Like farming for more cassava to have abundance of garri
That you so much crave for.
And have enough for the babies unborn
You will not have to worry.

Tighten your sandals to your feet, for your road will be rough.

No man is heaven- so keep your eyes on almighty God at all times.
I would have wished you good luck
But I hear the luck changes after a new pair of designer shoes.
But pick up and keep going
We are at the top waiting for you!

(c) Jennifer Ehidiamen

Spoken words

Graced

On the first day of the month of my birth,
I sat back and felt the sun on my cheekbones.
Then it rained-
a steady drizzle rolled down like broken beads.
  
I pulled out the scorecard for self assessment-
there was a pass mark,
here and there.
But where I failed, it was a woeful fall-
I learned to rise,
took note of what tripped me over,
the unhidden roots.

Today,
I clothe myself with a garment of praise,
thankful for another year gone by
and many more to come.

I, too sinful a creature to knock on Heaven's gate,
embrace grace, the mercy that renews a life.

Speaking as the eighteenth child of a man who once walked the earth,
speaking as a daughter now adopted by the Most High,
speaking as a friend, sister, and my mother's daughter,
speaking as to-be wife,
a rebellious-dreamer, a doer,
speaking just as I be- graced-
I thank the LORD for looking beyond my filth,
for not giving up on me.

I thank the kind hearts who have taught me to climb steady,
and be still, when chaos peep through the back door.

With a strength renewed like the Eagle's
wrapped with a fresh God-confidence,
I step into a new dawn,
graced to bear good fruits, I fear not.
I have come to know, there is a God who never fail.

Arise

Do not fret
for the prison is not a threat
but your route to the palace.

Arise;
a King's butler
will make mention of your name
and the King will call you to fame.


(c) Jen Poet 2011

Forbidden

FAMILY TREE (Forbidden)

I am your mother
but also your sister.
We share the same father.

I mean,
Your grandfather is your father.
Your grandmother is your step-mother,
and your aunties are your step-sisters.
Only the word cousins make sense in this nonsense.
We are one big happy family to the world.

Don't grieve with me,
my world caved in
the night it all began.
All nights are like the first night,
It will remain so because I have no voice.