Good Morning!

Good Morning! 

Good Morning is a common greeting we all use during the early hours of the day. Obviously when said, it simply means that you're wishing the person you are relaying it to - a pleasant morning.

 As people of God however, such common placed pleasantries that we don't give a second thought to or don't even mean if we do, but say just to fulfill social norms, should not be our case.

 Such pleasantries, if conveyed with sincerity of purpose should be used as veritable avenues in which we can bless everyone around us.

 In an imperfect world where people wake up with so many issues that they are bogged down with, a simple greeting said with all sincerity of purpose and more importantly, by faith, can go a long way into turning around the issues people face and affording them a better day. 

In Genesis 12:2-3, having demanded Abraham's obedience in doing the unthinkable to most of us, as stipulated in the first verse, God Almighty blessed Abraham with these 6 pronouncements:
 1. I will make you into a great nation,
 2. I will bless you;
 3. I will make your name great,
 4. You will be a blessing.
 5. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and
 6. all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

 As heirs to Abraham's blessings by faith in God, which is therefore our heritage in Christ Jesus, we need to commit to heart what it confers on us, so that we can live in expectation of every part of it manifesting itself in our lives and also go about bringing about it's fulfillment in the lives of people around us by what we say and do.

 It may seem to be easier said than done but with all godly things a purposeful sacrifice is usually needed. We need to at a hearts level, consciously make up our minds to remember to ensure this important opportunity impacts the lives of those around us.

 So next time you say "Good morning! " to someone or any other pleasantry of the likes that gives you an opportunity to speak a blessing into the life of another, don't hesitate to consciously say it like you really mean it. Shalom.

the UNSAID prayer

THE UNSAID PRAYER.

God Almighty, even if people of different religions  don't agree on a lot of things

for some of us there is a baseline

and that baseline is that You are God Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth and all the living creatures therein, including we ourselves.

For ages there have been religious conflicts and wars  between mankind over You, those they perceive to be your followers and ultimately the true purpose for mankind on earth.

Humanity has done all sorts of good and heinous things in Your name because they believe in one cause or the other that they were thought to believe in.

We sincerely and submissively turn to You, God Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth and the souls of men, who is the Arbiter of all Truths and desires the best for us on our brief sojourn on earth and that we spend eternity with thee in Heaven's paradise,

to in Your mighty power reveal to us and cause us to follow the true religion that you have prescribed for all mankind that we may live happy and fulfilled lives here on earth as you created and purposed us to, actively doing your bidding till our journeys end.
Amen.

.... Adekanmbi Ogunsanya

Wisdom

Wisdom
(Godly Wisdom).

Wisdom is the most important characteristic an individual must have in order to make judgements that as much as possible, positively affects everyone involved.

Our decisions per time not only affect the quality of our lives but that of others, so we can therefore ill-afford to make rash, callous or wrong judgments at the detriment of ourselves and others.

As the social beings we are, we will always have to make decisions that affect others, and the quality of those decisions will go a long way into shaping one's character in the eyes of others.

How we are perceived by others with regards to how trustworthy, responsible, etc., that we are is usually based on the quality of our judgements.

Human Wisdom is the ability to make good decisions concerning a matter based on one's knowledge,  experience and intuition about it.

Godly wisdom on the other hand is the ability to rightly apply knowledge in a just and good manner that is consonant to the will of God. Such wisdom may not seem fair to the disobedient or those who choose to reject God and His Christ but nevertheless It is what God desires His people operate with.

In whatever level you find yourself in life, whether you are in a leadership position or serving another, your ability to apply relevant knowledge from the information you have with regards a subject you must make a judgment about and more importantly, God's divine input in the matter, is instrumental in ensuring God's will is established rather than just maintaining a cordial relationship with those involved.

To those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God and as in 1 Corinthians 1:25, ".. the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,.." 

What this means is that no matter how foolish we may think the wisdom of what God desires us to do is; at our best - our finite human wisdom is still all the more foolish.

Godly wisdom unlike human wisdom or human knowledge, which is the acquisition of facts, or human understanding, which is the ability to discern good from evil, wright from wrong, etc., cannot be acquired but is a gift from God, that is why we are commanded in James 1:5 thus: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

The same author who wrote the book of Proverbs, who is reputedly the wisest king that ever lived from the Old Testament times, in Chapter 16 verse 16 advised men that, It is much better to get wisdom than gold, and insight rather than silver, the reason being that he knew that for most men, as in Ecclesiastes 7:12, 
"Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it." 

The truth is that money is a shelter as is wisdom but money can only go so far in meeting one's needs while wisdom and understanding will not only help one get riches as in Ezekiel 28:4, but the latter will preserve one's life where one's money fails him.

How would you rate your Intelligence Quotient on a scale of 1 to 10?
Do you see yourself as a wise person, able to make sound decisions with regards to most issues in life?
Are the decisions you make per time centered on you alone or people-centered and Godly?

The truth is that Godly Wisdom is the principal thing and we are aptly advised in Proverbs 4:7 KJV to get wisdom and with all our getting to get understanding that God may be glorified through our righteous judgments, in bringing about His heavenly purposes for our lives by serving our fellow men as we ought.

Shalom

Let Go

Let Go!

By default every human being is a bundle of needs and no one can be all-sufficient no matter how wealthy he or she becomes. As no one is an island in himself, everyone will from time to time require the help of others to meet one need or the other.

We are redeemed to share our resources with others so everyone's needs and wants can be met by sharing our common wealth. 

In God's scheme of things, if you choose to clasp your hand and hold on to things meant for others and fail to let them go you in turn won't be able to open them to receive more from Him.

As people of God we must get rid of any inordinate propensity to hold on to or store things we don't need which is actually at the detriment of those who are really in need of them and more so our very selves.

It's an unwritten rule in several quarters to let go of what one has not used in more than 3 to 6 months. The items could be sold at a garage sale, pawn shop, online, etc., or could be simply magnanimously given away.

As Christians however because we are just stewards of all the possessions God has so graciously allowed us to have, we are expected to seek out those in need of the items we don't need, and meet their needs accordingly.

Can you remember the last time you  desperately longed for  something but it took quite a while before the need was met? The delay could have been as a result of your own inaction to meet the needs of others who lack something that you have in abundance, don't need or shouldn't be in possession of.

Then imagine how your fellow man, whom God had purposed that you meet his need would have felt waiting for an item to be provided for or a service to be rendered.
Are you getting the big picture now?

In Proverbs 19:17, it is aptly written, "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done."

What this means is that, if you choose to be kind to other people in need you gladden God's heart and He in turn will bless you with more of His possessions so you can always have what you need to continue to be of service to Him and humanity.

Some Christians are not thriving and enjoying the abundant life Christ Jesus wrought for them. They are just getting-by, merely surviving on the brink of poverty, because of their inactions to render the services they were redeemed to render on God's behalf to their fellow man.

If you are the type of person that waits for people to ask you for things that you don't really need or have in abundance and can afford to help others with, then this wake-up call is for you, for we will all have to give account for how we spent our lives and possessions here on earth.

We are individually pressed for time with regards to the short period we have on earth to fulfill God's will for our lives and when we will be re-called, although most are not aware of it, and as in Luke 3:9, "The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Therefore as John the Baptist said once to the crowd around him, we must proactively adopt this attitude to the things in our possession from now on, for the benefit of those that lack them and ourselves: “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” (verse 10).

So Let Go, now!

As is God's word that goes out from His mouth and does not return to Him empty, but accomplishes what He desires and achieves the purpose for which He sent it, so will God's desire for us to willingly let go, identify and meet the needs of others be fulfilled in our lives in Jesus name. Amen

Patience

Patience.

Patience like every other godly virtue requires the uncommon wisdom to know that it pays to be composed and show restraints than let one's emotions get the better of one in most situations. It is a virtue that proves that we have complete confidence in God as in  Romans 8:28, that in all things, God works for our good because we  have been called according to his purpose.

It gives one time to think things through and ponder over what one ought to do; what God would have us do and not what one would do in the heat of the moment.

Patience affords one the opportunity to allow God wade into a situation rather than use one's finite wisdom and power without a complete understanding of a matter and end up acting rashly to the point of making matters worse.

It is a virtue of the Holy spirit we all need to work on as there's no shortage of trying times that will test our resolve.

Patience usually requires greater endurance than our finite thinking can handle. It is indeed a god-factor we need to consciously, desire, ask for and build up on.

We are aptly admonished in Proverbs 14:29 that,
"Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly."

There's no better way to exude this quality than to try to have understanding concerning a matter, as to why one needs to restrain oneself from acting prematurely with regard to any issue.

Indeed as in Proverbs 19:11,
"A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offense."

Are you having a hard time keeping your cool from time to time? Then you need to get understanding so you can have a god's-eye-view concerning people or situations and therefore be able to handle things better when such situations arise again.

We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirits promptings to be able to decipher when we need to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry (James 1:19)

There are a lot of things we are required as people of God to overlook for the salvation of others and to avoid bringing God's name into disrepute.

Finally, As God's chosen people, let's always ask Him to clothe us with compassion for others and patience, the ability to bear with each other and forgive others our grievance against them like the Lord forgave us. (Colossians 3:12-13)

Shalom

Where's your Heart?

Where's your Heart?

Your heart is referred to as the seat of your emotions and drive in life. What you desire is where your heart is per time.

What tickles your fancy? What do you treasure most in life? What do you think about when you are free to think about what you want? What you desire most speaks of your values in life.

What are those things that interest you most in life? What paramount purpose do you ultimately seek to achieve or be remembered for when all is said and done?

As human beings we are all born with the propensity to treasure things and desire them in a scale of preference.

There are just two things you can ultimately value in life. You can either value this world or the things of God. While your value for the things of this world as a means to an end is healthy but when that end does not benefit your neighbour and give glory to God then know that your heart is definitely in the wrong place.

In Luke 12:34, it is written, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

What you treasure most in the long-run determines where your heart will be, so if you treasure God's Word and therefore His will for your life above all else, then your heart will be in the things of God but if you treasure the things of this world then your heart cannot be in the things of God.

Where your heart truly is determines the quality of life you'll have on earth and ultimately where you will spend eternity so you cannot afford to harbour inordinate attachments to this world and all it's trappings at the detriment of your soul.

King Solomon in Proverbs 19:17, reminds us that:
"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done." while Jesus admonished in Luke 12:33-34 to:
1. Sell our possessions and give to the poor and by so doing,
2. Provide purses for ourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

As we divest what we have in giving to the poor and needy around us, because we sincerely choose to treasure God's Word and therefore His will, above all we can ever desire, treasure or accumulate from this world, we truly have Jesus, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, and that will ensure that all grace abounds to us, so that in all things and at all times, having all that we need we will abound in every good work with regards to improving the lives of others and glorifying God as a result.

Shalom

By Strength Shall No Man Prevail

By Strength Shall No Man Prevail.

God has blessed mankind with talents to achieve all sorts of things by the strength and gifts He has given us, according to our ability as in Matthew 25:15.

Our existence is for the sole purpose of doing God's bidding while on earth as is spelled out in Colossians 1:16 - 17, which goes thus:
16. For in him all things were created: ...through him and for him. 
17. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

As human beings we always get inspired to achieve one goal or the other, and work towards their fulfillment, but the truth is that if they don't originate from God to glorify Him by positively benefitting us and our fellow man, and if He doesn't create the opportunity to do so we will not be able to achieve them successfully and find true satisfaction from our labour.

That is why the author of Ecclesiastes 3, said God's timing and chance happen to us all, with regards to the "God factor" in a man's life that no man can control.

In God's scheme of things, we were not born or called to do things and live our lives on our terms, as we want to, but as we ought to, according to God's council; in line with His good, pleasing and perfect will for us, anything else ends up being short-lived and regrettable.

Success has it's good side and bad side. While good success is fulfillment of godly purpose, anything other than that, that is ultimately done selfishly and for vain glory, in the long run won't profit the achiever, other people or bring glory to God.

In 1 Peter 4:10-11, we are admonished thus:
10. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.
11. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ...."

We have finite powers and abilities and it takes the Almighty intervention of God to truly prevail with regards to any activity we want to embark upon and be successful in under the sun.

The truth is that we were made for a time and a purpose and as such, we were not made to operate beyond the ambit of the purpose of the One who created us.

We can truly do nothing meaningful, that is of earthly importance for our fellow man or of heavenly significance that will give God the glory due Him if we are not following the dictates of our Creator and the Author and finisher of our faith.

Have you been using your finite strength and wisdom to try to achieve things?
There's still time for you to do an abrupt turnaround NOW, for as it is written in 1 Samuel 2:9, "by Strength Shall No Man Prevail."

Have you been going through life oblivious of God's desire for you to reach out to Him and get acquainted with His purpose for your existence through a personal  relationship with Him and His living Word, Jesus Christ? then know this, in John 15: 5, our Lord and Saviour emphatically said with regards to all His creation, "I am the vine and you are the branches, without me you can do nothing."
The terms of the peace and prosperity we desire for our existence is spelled out in this verse.

Finally, indeed by one's own strength shall no man truly prevail but by faith; by complete confidence in the empowerment only God Almighty and His transformative word gives.

My sincere prayer for you is that through what you have read and what God Almighty will reveal to you as a result, you will accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ and by faith in Him prevail in this world and finally obtain the crown of eternal life that awaits all God's faithful ones, when your sojourn from this ephemeral life is over, Amen.

Use that Injustice to Save that Soul

Use that Injustice to Save that Soul.

We often use avenues afforded us by what God has endowed us with to wilfully give towards the expansion of His kingdom.

These interventions whether in season (that are easily given) or out of season (in sacrifice, usually when we are not too buoyant and have other needs that we desire are met as well), go a long way to introduce Jesus to others through alleviating their suffering and meeting their needs. 

It is aptly written in 1 Peter 4: 9 - 10, 
9. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 
10. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

We need to earnestly pray and learn to use the Injustice of others to bring them back to God by showing love instead of seeking revenge.

One of the ways we can do this is by consciously coming to the realization that of a truth, nothing we have or own actually belongs to us and that we are only stewards of them for the benefit of others in need and that we ultimately have to give account to the master for their  use. If we can stop holding on to possessions at our disposal, that God has graciously enabled us to have for a time, then whenever they are stolen rather than curse, we will bless the erring party the way the real owner of our possessions would have wanted us to.

In Luke 12:42-44, Jesus Christ asks us this pertinent question with regards to the possessions he has afforded us on behalf of the needy:
42. ., “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 
43. It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 
44. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

As people of God we need to do away with the inordinate attachment we have to everything we own, no matter how expensive,  so that we can quickly forgive and turn the injustice into a tool to harvest sinful souls for Christ.

We can deduce from Colossians 1:16, which says, all things were created through Christ and for him that if we belong to Christ then so do our possessions and as a result we are to seek out how we can distribute them to the poor and needy as he would desire of us.

We are commanded in James 5:20,  to remember that, "Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins." 

We can therefore I'll-afford to destroy God's work of salvation in the life of sinners, that we once were, because we chose not to forgive them because of our bitterness over what really does not belong to us but that are entrusted to us for a season for the sole purpose of doing to others what we desire they do to us by helping them out when they are in need. 

God grace is available to mend your ways pertaining this so may God Almighty bless you for your obedience, in Jesus name.

GIVE ALWAYS (2)

GIVE ALWAYS (2)

The purpose of all the endowments God has given to you can be understood in the question He asks everyone who comes across Luke 12: 42 - 44, which goes thus:

42. .., “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? 
43. It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. 
44. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

We need to understand and therefore remember at all times that all we have originated from God and therefore actually belongs to Him. 

We are mere stewards of what He has so graciously bestowed upon us for the purpose of living an abundant life and blessing others and we should also have in mind that we will have to give account to God for the breath of life He gave us and how we have handled His possessions like the men in the Parable of the bags of Gold found in Matthew 25: 14 - 30.

It is noteworthy to add that after reading that parable, people deceive themselves by failing to see themselves in anything but the position of the wicked and lazy servant, who knew what his master (Jesus) desired of the wealth he was given but was disobedient in its fulfillment.

The parable is a warning and wake-up call to us all to remember the various talents and numerous endowments God has blessed us with and be faithful in using them to bless others and therefore fulfil the Great Commission as the Ambassadors of Christ we were born to be in our brief sojourn on this earth. 

Finally,
May the grace of God made available to you as a result of reading this message and taking to heart the scriptures within about Giving Always empower you to do just that, in Jesus name.

Amen.

How much is too much? (Ungodly Gain)

How much is too much?
(Ungodly Gain)

There is this age-old, generational debate and confusion about "How much is too much?" when it comes to making a profit in business. It is indeed one that may never go away for generations to come as it has really never been dealt with because it fundamentally borders on one's acceptance of the concept of godly gain or the extent of a person's greed.

We all have needs and wants as well as disproportionate obligations we need to meet up with in our daily lives, and how we go about addressing them all goes a long way to fueling one's propensity to make an extra buck at the expense of another or not.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with making an honest gain in business but when it comes to  excessive profit or as the financial term goes, "making a killing" then one is definitely in the murky waters of greed. 

While there may be no yardstick in ascertaining the harm or good or opportunity cost of a business transaction to the parties involved, one principle or another drives each of them in the overall transaction but a man's scruples, his concept of morality goes a long way into addressing this. 

Profit from transactions in goods and services can be seasonal and are usually driven by the simple market force of demand and supply but how much profit one makes is usually driven by a need for one to meet up with needs, wants and obligations usually to the point of being comfortable enough to do so with little or no effort at all. This however comes at a cost to the other person as one's gain is always someone else's loss.

The truth about, "How much is too much?" is that as long as someone on a personal level has not made-up his mind over what constitutes an honest gain then the propensity to tip the scales to one's favour will always exist. 

In everything that is illicit in God's scheme of things as documented in the Holy writ, one needs only justify one illegality and it's really downhill from there.

It is commonsense to have a budget that will help govern one's expenses with regards to one's income and expenditure but when one's income is not steady or is seasonal then there's definitely a need for the person to aim for enough profit to compensate for the downtimes he experiences or envisages so he can balance accounts and remain viable as a person who is involved in a business to make a living. 

As always, the end always justifies the means so we need to come to terms with the all-too important question of purpose and why we ultimately do the things we do to hit the nail on the head with regards to this issue of How much is too much?

The truth is that if you have not submitted your desires and control of your pocket to God, then you really have not yielded wholeheartedly to His lordship over your life, His purpose for your life which is to use your substance to help others make heaven (Luke 16: 9) and therefore His desire for you to be fair and honest in your dealings in order not to thwart His work of salvation in the life of others through your indiscretions. 

May God Almighty fan into flames your  love for your neighbor by causing you to have a healthy love for yourself in order to ensure that you do to others as you desire others do to you for this is the only way the fleshy desire for ill-gotten and dishonest gain can be dealt with.

Shalom.

GIVE ALWAYS

GIVE ALWAYS

You MUST Give Always, in season and out of season, that is, whether it is convenient or not, and at all times and in all places because God Almighty is able to empower us to do so.

Most of us are conversant with God's injunction such as found in 2 Corinthians 9:8, which reminds us that "God is able to bless "us" abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that "we" need, "we" will abound in every good work."

We however must understand that  it is written that God "is able" to bless "us" abundantly, and not that God "will" bless us abundantly.

Indeed God Almighty has the ability to make all grace abound to us but He needs people who consciously choose to make themselves available for His service and in turn He will make them capable enough to meet the needs of others so that they may be emancipated, His name be glorified and the willing vessel blessed.

Myriads of God's people have issues with giving, talk-less at all times. Some of these issues stem from a genuine apathy to give generously to others because of the propensity for people to abuse such opportunities.

We may have experienced or come across an account of how a person helped another who was seemingly  in need with money only to find out that the funds that were given out of genuine concern and not because one was particularly buoyant at the time, was used frivolously for another purpose entirely different from what it was requested for.

Such experiences can stop people from helping those genuinely in need but unfortunately if allowed to continue will also stop the tap of blessings from God's end to us if we refuse to render help to others as frequently as God has purposed us to.

So the question now is, "How do we get ourselves out of such dilemmas?"

We are admonished to be discerning of what God's will is so that we can know how to relate with everyone we come across accordingly and know how to dispense God's grace in its various forms but if discernment fails us the only option we have is still to give.

Our attitude at all times should be like that of Peter whose reply to a beggar expectant to get something from him and his colleague john in Acts 3:6 was, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

In this case, Peter didn't have material wealth to bless the beggar with but healing, which actually far outweighed what the invalid actually desired.

When someone requests assistance from us and we are in doubt of the veracity of it, we should never the less give and pray to God to use what was given to His glory, just in case your doubt is unfounded and more importantly, because as in 1 Peter 4:8, deep love (compassion) covers over a multitude of sins.

We must get to the point of praying to God to use the wealth given in doubt to bless the person it was given to - no matter how disingenuous the person is.

A simple but heartfelt prayer like this will suffice:
"God, If the recipient was deceptive please use the opportunity afforded me by giving to your glory to ensure that the person comes to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and is saved as a result. Amen"

We are admonished in Luke 16:9, to use the worldly wealth we have in our possession to gain friends for ourselves, so that when it is gone, we will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

We come across so many soul-winning opportunities when people deceive and cheat us out of our God-given possessions but rather than use them to expand God's kingdom we get bitter and curse them like if the possessions lost really belong to us, and by so doing work against God's will and desire that all men be saved.

Finally, as in 

1. Matthew 5:42, 

"Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."  and 

2. Luke 6:30, 

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

May God Almighty help us not to twart His will anymore, to no longer hold on tenaciously to anything we have in our possession that He has blessed us with for the sole purpose of blessing others with them, in Jesus name.

* All Scriptures quotes are from the New International Version (NIV) unless stated otherwise.