Monday 19 September 2016

The Power of Faith

God has given us a special gift and this gift, we all have different measures of it. The more we study the Word of God deeply and continuously hear the word of God, the more this special gift increases and the more it will do tremendous things in the lives of those that are around us and in our own lives.

This special gift is called Faith.

Faith is when you believe and trust in what you can't see the evidence but you have a positive belief that it is real. The more you believe, the more you see the evidence that it is real.

Amplified Version of the Bible explains Faith as “the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality--faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].” 
HEBREWS 11:1 AMP.
God reminded us in Hebrews 11:33 (English Standard Version) that Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, Samuel and David conquered kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions and obtained promises from God due to their faith in Him.

KEYWORD: * FAITH*

What are you using the faith in you to do? 

Have a great week! 

Take time to study the word of God this new week.

Photocredit: www.cubsindia.com

Monday 12 September 2016

Shaped By Adversity

Dear Readers & Followers, 

Have you ever experienced any difficulties in life? How did you overcome it? 

Are you waiting on the Lord for something? 

Using our human understanding, nobody wants to experience any adversity, trials or difficulties and nobody wants to significantly wait on God for anything, we would prefer our wishes to be granted the moment that we had asked, isn't it? Nevertheless, have you ever thought of how you are being shaped in the process of waiting? And in the process of trials? 

Usually during the process of trials, our characters experience a lot of pruning, this means our character is being shaped, our understanding and knowledge should also be improving, our insecurities are likely to be replaced and permit me to say when you come out of the trials, you become more confident in God. 
Do you know what Satan wants? He wants children of God to faint/give up/crumble in the place of adversity. God warned us against this, the Bible says that if you fail in the days of adversity, your strength is small (Proverbs 24:10). 

In the place of trials, it's an opportunity for you to learn about yourself, to grow, to discover various biblical ways to cope with the trial.

How are you being shaped in the trials that you are experiencing? 

-  Be mindful of how you are being shaped when you are going through trials and when you are waiting on God.

-  Are you allowing your emotions to take over? Or the Word of God? Remember, believers are guided by the Word of God not by their emotions or other people's emotions. The just shall live by faith and not by emotions. The just knows that the vision is yet for the appointed time and it shall come to pass. The just knows that God makes all things to work together for their good.

- As painful or sometimes time-consuming as some trials can be, it's an opportunity for you to discover yourself, shape your character and depend on God.

The Word of God says in Romans 5:3b -5: 


"We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
Hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (English Standard Version). 

The Message Version gives a clearer explanation, it says: 

"We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. 
In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"

Be encouraged! I pray you will find comfort and rest in God even in your most difficult times in Jesus name.

If you are living a life that is pleasing to God and you are experiencing sufferings, it means that you are precisely where Jesus predicted you would be.  He knows exactly what you are going through and He would see you through.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13). 

Have a great week! 

Sunday 4 September 2016

The Word of Who?

Hi Readers & Followers,

It's a new week and a new dawn. Apologies for the long break, the blog has now fully resumed.  This week's post stemmed from an incident that occurred last month and my lessons from the church Sunday sermon that was preached at Christ Church, Royal Leamington Spa, England.

I recently travelled to a number of countries and prior to travelling, I was informed that the particular airline that I was planning to use were known and still known to misplace people's suitcases and they are also known to delay delivering people's suitcases back to them.

I'd read a number of poor reviews about people's dissatisfaction about their suitcases being misplaced and their precious items. Wouldn't it be right for me to be anxious about the fact that I had booked to fly with the same airline that a large number of people had raised concerns about? Nah! I held unto God! I wasn't shaken by the reviews. Nevertheless, I decided to share all that I'd read with my husband; he confidently and boldly said: "we are children of God, our bags cannot go missing as God has it all under control." His sharing of God's word reaffirmed my own conviction in God's faithfulness to His children. Furthermore, I remembered the perks and amazing benefits of being a tithe payer, I told God that tither's rights must follow us and God must set rules, boundaries and take charge of everything that pertained to our trips. I kept reminding myself of the word of God in Malachi 3:10-11 which says:

"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts."

I told God that our lives are built and guided by His Word and I was convinced that tither's blessings would follow us. Upon our arrival at our first  destination, a number of passengers were informed that their suitcases did not arrive and they would be contacted within the next two days with regard to their luggage. I patiently starred like a hungry Eagle seeking a prey as I kept observing the Baggage carousel and within a twinkle of an eye, our bags arrived. I gave thanks to God for honouring His Word. Furthermore, God also surprised us with other freebies from the airline. In other words, all the negative views that I had been informed about the airline did not affect us.

The preacher in church shared that children of God should conform to God's rules and views as our own views change because various things such as; time, circumstances, culture, among others things are likely to impact our views while God's views do not change. He advised us to allow the word of God to transform our lives and we should avoid being influenced by the rules and norms of this world especially those that contradict the word of God.

Apostle Paul encouraged us in the book of Colossians 2:7 that we should let our roots grow down into Christ, and let our lives be built on him. Once our lives are built on him, then, our faith will grow strong in the truth we were taught, and we will overflow with thankfulness.

When happy, let the Word of Christ dwell in you.
When faced with any difficulties, let the Word of Christ dwell in you.
When you are feeling anxious, let the Word of Christ dwell in you.
When what you are seeing does not make sense to you, let the Word of Christ dwell in you.
When counselling others, let the Word of Christ be your source.
When encouraging others, let the Word of Christ be your guiding point.
As the Word of Christ dwells in you richly, you will be transformed positively to who God wants you to be, you will experience joy, victory and you will be fulfilled.

May the word of God dwell in you richly from now and forever in Jesus' name.

Have a great week! See you next Monday.