God Can Speak Anywhere and Anytime

Hello Readers & Followers,

How are you? How really are you doing? I hope you are well. Thank God for preserving our lives to see a new week. 

Recently, my husband and I were discussing the uniqueness of our God Almighty, and how we are still learning and knowing about Him every day. We also spoke about how God can speak with us anywhere and at any time, and we reminded each other of the importance of not limiting where we think God should speak to us and the timing that He should speak to us. God does not sleep, so He can speak at any time. The Psalmist says in Psalm 122:4 that "Indeed, He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps."

I have written a number of books and in each of the books, God told me the title including the content of the books and He said He had prepared people that would be blessed by the books. My books are available on Amazon. You can search for my name (Funke Ogunoiki) on Amazon to purchase any of my books. 

Also, there had been times that a Bible verse keeps coming back to me over and over again through my personal Bible study time or in church or through an online sermon that I listened to or through an article that I read or through something that someone had shared. God always finds a way to speak to us and to get our attention.

God can speak to you anywhere about anything and at any time. I remember a time when I was looking for my ring and how God directed me to where my ring was. I also remember a time God told me that the kingdom of darkness was angry with a message that I taught and how the devil was going to use a fellow Christian to come and attack me. By the time the person was used by the devil to say something, I was alert and I prayed for the person. 

With some of my books, God spoke to me about the content while I was looking after my children, feeding them, some, while I was in the kitchen cooking, and some while I was sleeping. My husband recently told me that there was a time that he was in the shower and God spoke to him about a message that we needed to write to produce one of our evangelism tracts. Isn't it amazing to know that God can speak to us anywhere, about anything, and at any time?

I'd like to encourage you to be ready to 'catch' from God as He can speak anywhere and at any time to you. Spend time in His Word so that you can be sure it is God that is speaking to you as God does not contradict Himself. 

Prayer: 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for reminding me that You can speak to me anywhere and at any time no matter where I am,

When you are speaking, Lord Jesus, help me to recognise your voice,

When you have spoken, help me to follow your Word

In Jesus' name,

Amen. 

Action

When God speaks to you, type His Word to you on your electronic device or in your journal or diary so that you can remember what God has said to you.

I love hearing from you in the comment section. Please take a minute to say ‘hello’ by leaving a comment. 

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download it on Google Drive for free, click here.

Back To School Prayers

Dear Readers & Followers,

I hope you are keeping well.

I know most of our children are back in school, right? I know you are likely to have prayed for them already or you may have been a part of Back to School Prayers.

I would like to encourage you to keep praying for your child/ren whilst they are in school. A daily prayer for your children will help your children draw close to God and to walk in God's alignment for their lives. Equally, you will draw close to God. However, I know that daily prayer is easy if you have something to pray to God about. Right? I'd love to recommend this prayer book. This prayer book is what I have been using to pray for my children and all the children at The Vine Church. I also pray other prayers as the Holy Spirit leads me.

I would like you to stretch yourself in the place of prayer. I would like you to keep praying for your children. I don't want you to think that because they are back in school, you are done with prayers. Pray until there's a shift.

Using a prayer book can help you to do away with distracting thoughts and it can help you to concentrate. It will also deepen your knowledge of God.

Get a copy of this book on Amazon US using this link>> https://tinyurl.com/USBacktoSchoolPrayerBook

Get a copy of this book on Amazon UK using this link>>https://tinyurl.com/Backtoschoolprayerbook

Your prayers matter to God.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download it on Google Drive for free, click here.

The God Who Gives Breath to all Creatures

Hello Readers & Followers,

It's a New Week! How are you doing? In England, today is a bank holiday. A bank holiday is an official public holiday when banks, schools and many businesses are closed for today. Most people take time to relax. If you are in England and you are reading this post today, how do you plan to spend your bank holiday? I will be going shopping shortly as our children need a number of things.

Today's article is an opportunity for us to reflect on God Almighty, the giver of our lives. I believe as Christians, we do not thank God enough or we sometimes assume that saying "Thank You Jesus" sounds like a simple prayer to God. Can I please encourage you to keep lifting up your voice to God by saying thank you to Jesus?  God is the one that gives you breath.

Isaiah 42:5 says "God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth and it is He who says."

Job 12:10 says "For the life of every living thing is in God's hand and the breath of every human being."

Numbers 16:22a says "But Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground. “O God,” they pleaded, “you are the God who gives breath to all creatures."

Acts 17:25b says "God Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need."

How wonderful that God Himself gives us life and breath, and He gives breath to everything. Glory be to God Almighty!

I love hearing from you in the comment section. Please take a minute to say ‘hello’ by leaving a comment. 

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download it on Google Drive for free, click here.

A Life Built on The Word of God

Hello Readers & Followers,

It's a new week! Happy New Week! I hope you had a lovely weekend. I remembered a sermon that my husband (Pastor Adebola) preached where he made reference to the importance of staying connected to the Word of God. I love how he explained that when a flower is connected to its root, the flower will blossom. However, if the flower is no longer connected to its root, steadily and gradually, the flower will wither. I was challenged by the sermon. 

As a reader of my faith blog, I would like to challenge you to build your life on the Word of God. Jesus said in Matthew 7:24 that anyone who LISTENS to His WORDS and PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

1) A life built on Scripture shapes your character to become more like Christ.

2) A life built on Scripture helps you to be a person of integrity.
3) A life built on Scripture helps you to forgive easily and not to be easily angered.
4) A life built on Scripture increases your wisdom and helps you to live a life that is the opposite of this world.
5) A life built on Scripture does not envy or become jealous of others.
6) A life built on Scripture does not focus on petty things.
7) A life built on Scripture is not ignorant of the strategies of the evil one.
8) A life built on Scripture grants you joy and peace, not as the world gives.
9) A life built on Scripture lasts for eternity.

Take a pause and reflect on who you are, and your everyday choices. Are you building your life on the Word of God? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to build your life on the Word of God when it is convenient and not convenient.

I love hearing from you in the comment section. Please take a minute to say ‘hello’ by leaving a comment. 

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.

Is Having A Good Reputation Important To You?

Hello Readers & Followers,

I hope you are well.  I have been reflecting on the Word of God in the Book of Proverbs 22:1 which says that "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold."

The wisdom of God is advising us that if we must choose between having "a good name" (not our names literally but the reputation that is associated when our names are mentioned) or riches, we should choose a good name.

When your name is mentioned, what is the character that is associated with your name? Are you a person of integrity? 

Think about those within your network, either at church, at work, or in your friendship groups, you probably have opinions about who they are from the moment their names are mentioned. Some could cause you to smile, some could cause you to be scared, some could cause you to frown, and some could cause you to be irritable. However, let's flip it around when your name is mentioned by others, what do you think their thoughts are? Are you living a life worthy of a good reputation? Can the love of God and the wisdom of God be seen in your actions?

What reputation goes with your name among your family, your workplace, at church, and in your neighbourhood?

Seek God and not just His Promises

Dear Readers & Followers,

I hope you are well. I would like to encourage you to seek (a deep longing) to know God. When you spend time seeking the Lord, He reveals Himself to you, and you get to develop a relationship with God. 

This is what the Lord says in Jeremiah 29:12-13, God said "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

We don't want a situation where we only call upon God to tap into His promises but we do not know Him. Do you know the God of the promises that you rely on?

God is not a vending machine that you go to ONLY when you want something. God loves you and longs to be in a relationship with you. Do you seek God in your prayer? Or do you ONLY come to God with a shopping list? Seek God as well as His promises and not just His promises only.

I'd like to ask you, how do you seek God every day? 

I love hearing from you in the comment section. Please take a minute to say ‘hello’ by leaving a comment.

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.

How You Should Use Your Mouth As a Christian

Hello Readers & Followers,

How is your week going? I hope you are well.

I'd like to briefly teach on how we can use our mouths as Christians. What does the Word of God say about the use of our mouths?

Ephesians 4:29 says "Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."

God is wanting you to say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say. The Bible says that the words of a wise person's mouth are gracious (Ecclesiastes 10:12). Are your words gracious?

When you speak, don’t say anything bad but say the good things that people need—whatever will help them grow stronger. Then what you say will be a blessing to those who hear you.  

Proverbs 21:23 says "Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity."

• Are you saying the things that will help others grow stronger?
• When you are frustrated, what comes out of your mouth?
• When you are happy, what comes out of your mouth?
• When you say something behind someone, what comes out of your mouth?

I'd like to encourage you to avoid using your mouth when:

God can do Far Beyond Your Imagination

Hello Readers & Followers,

It's Friday! Thank God It's Friday. I hope you've had a lovely week.

I'd like to encourage you with the Word of God in Ephesians 3:20, which says "Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us."

God is bigger than your imagination. God is far beyond what you are thinking He can do. God can do what your heart has not conceived. Eyes have not seen nor ears have heard neither has it crossed the mind of any human being what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9). 

12 Reasons You Should Give Thanks to God

Hello Readers & Followers,

It's a New Month! Its July! Happy New Month! Thank God for preserving our lives to see the new month. The Psalmist says in the Book of Psalm 103:2 that "Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me." 

God wants us to REGULARLY thank Him for the numerous blessings that we have in Christ as it is so easy to focus on what is yet to happen. Ephesians 5:20 says "Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything."  When last did you thank God for everything that He has done for you, and still doing for you?

The fact that you are alive, there is hope for you. Thus, there is a reason to thank God. Ecclesiastes 9:4 says "As long as we are alive, we still have hope, just as a live dog is better off than a dead lion."

Let me share 12 REASONS YOU SHOULD GIVE THANKS TO GOD

Do You Have Unsaved Family Members? | Things to Consider with Unsaved Family Members as a Christian

Hello Everyone,

How is your new week going? I have been thinking about what it feels like to be the first Christian in your family. Does it feel exciting or frustrating? Are there things that you have to contend with? Is it easy for you to chat about the teachings of Christ with your families? Or do you try and preach to them and they completely disregard you?

Do you have relatives that believe in the Christian faith but they live contrary to the teachings of Christ? How does it make you feel? I'd like to share 4 things for you to consider when it comes to your unsaved family members.

1) Use Acts 26:18 to pray for them on a regular basis. Acts 26:18 says "Open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in Christ.”

2) Never give up praying for them. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts people of their sins. John 16:8 says that "The Holy Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and righteousness, and judgement."

3) You can also ask God to send daily opportunities for them to hear the gospel or to be convicted of their sins so that they can turn away from their sins and turn to God. The Holy Spirit that stirred the heart of the prodigal son to come back to God after living a reckless life, can stir the heart of your unsaved family members back to God. 

To read the story of the prodigal son/the parable of the lost son where Christ showed us His heart towards those that have strayed from His path, please click here.

4) Show them the love of God. Let them see the beauty of living a life for Christ on this earth through you. It's about how you are living more than what you say. The principle in 1 Peter 3:1-2 can be applied to unsaved family members. Let your behaviour show them that you are a Christian; they may be won over to Christ by your conduct.

Finally, remember that they are watching you and whilst they may be living a life that is contrary to the teachings of Christ, they may be very quick to say to you "I thought you are a Christian, you should do this..."

I love hearing from you in the comment section. Please take a minute to say ‘hello’ by leaving a comment. Feel free to contribute to this topic.

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.

What Is Distracting You From Seeking God?

It's a new week! 

Happy New Week to you! Hope you had a lovely weekend and a great time at church yesterday? 

A few weeks ago, I shared a number of tips on how you can avoid distractions in the place of prayer. Click here to read the article. This week, I'd like us to look into the common distractions that could prevent us from seeking after God. God says that we should seek Him above all else, and we should live righteously and He will give us everything that we need (Matthew 6:33).

1 Corinthians 7:35b says that we should serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.

It is the plan of God's enemy (the devil) to distract you from serving the Lord. When the enemy sends distractions, they never look like distractions until you have been distracted by them. Please, don't fall for his strategies.

Sometimes, distractions come through the following:

• Constant discussions about politics
• Constantly criticising others including criticising believers
• Binge-watching on things that will not build you up spiritually
• Hectic routines and schedules that do not include God or anything to connect you with God or with your fellow Christians
• Spending all day discussing irrelevant things with friends
• Your phone, maybe?
• Reading novels that won't build you up spiritually.

Hebrews 12:1b says that we should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back.  I love the way PHILLIPS version explained Romans 12:2b, it says "Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity."

You Can Pray To God at Anytime, Anywhere and About Anything

 Hello Readers,

What's on your mind right now? Do you know you can talk to Jesus about it right now? Take a pause and share your thoughts with God. God always wants to hear from His children, whether you are on your bed, in the bathroom, driving, walking, about to eat, or on your way out for grocery shopping, you can pray to God. You can talk to God at any time, anywhere and about anything.

Matthew 7:11 says " If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

God's desire is to give you good gifts. Although there are times that God will say no to your request because He has a better plan for you. There are also times that He will say wait because it isn't time for you to have what you are requesting. Also, there will be times that God will say yes immediately. The most important thing is for you to know that God is listening to you and He loves you even if He says no or wait.

Are you a non-Christian and you aren't sure if God is real? Please, say this prayer to God:

Watch how God will speak with you this week.

I am asking God to strengthen your body, soul and mind this new week in Jesus' name.

Have a lovely week!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.

Looking for Peace?

Are you feeling tired? Are you struggling with something? Jesus said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28).

God CAN DO What is Humanly Impossible

Hello Everyone,

How is your day going? I was just pondering on what God did for me, it was something that was humanly impossible. The experience has continued to remind me that God can do everything; He can do the impossible. There is nothing impossible that God cannot do. The dictionary defines impossible as "not able to occur, cannot exist, unfeasible, incapable of being fulfilled, or attained, something that cannot happen or exist." Let's imagine a mug broken into so many pieces, it is unlikely you would be able to put the mug back together, right? So, back to my experience...

Prior to getting married, the health professionals had informed me that it was not going to be possible for me to conceive due to a health condition and even if I conceived, it would be after trying different medical treatments. God showed forth His extraordinary power by healing me of the health condition. My life is a miracle. 

When I got married, my husband and I held unto God's Word (Exodus 23:26) that says that none shall be barren and that none shall experience a miscarriage. I also held unto the Word of God in Malachi 3:11 which says that "“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the Lord of hosts." Thank God for honouring His Word in our marriage and thank God for blessing us with 3 children.

If God can heal me supernaturally, what can't He do?

If God created the heavens and the earth in 6 days, what can't He do?

If God can heal a woman that had a menstrual cycle issue and bled nonstop for 12 years and the medical team could not heal her, but when she met with Jesus and touched Jesus, she was healed completely. If Jesus can heal this woman, what can't He do? (Bible Reference: Luke 8:43-48).

A Prayer For The Crisis In the World

 

Dear Lord, King of all nations, Prince of Peace, I ask that you put an end to the hostility in the world in Jesus' name.

Father God, let Your Peace which surpasses all understanding, guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.

Father God, I ask that you make all the wars cease in Jesus' name.

Father God, I ask that you rescue those who are vulnerable from the hand of their enemies to enable them to serve you without fear in Jesus' name (Luke 1:74-75).

Lord Jesus, have mercy.

Help someone else pray for the world today by sharing this prayer with them. 

I am asking God to strengthen your body, soul and mind this new week in Jesus' name.

Have a lovely week!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.

Why should I make choices that Please the Lord?

Hello Readers & Followers,

I hope your week is going on well and I hope the weather is lovely where you are. It's raining here at the moment, I need to prepare a hot drink as soon as I finish typing this article. 

Proverbs 14:12 (EXB version) says "Some people think they are doing right (There is a path that seems straight to a person), but in the end, it leads to death." 

Let me share something with you. One of my friends recently informed me that, as she was waiting at a bus stop for a mode of public transport, the Holy Spirit asked her not to enter the first mode of public transport that arrived. The Holy Spirit asked her to wait for the next one.

Based on her understanding, she couldn't comprehend why she could not enter the public transport as she had been waiting for a while. Nevertheless, she heeded the instruction from the Holy Spirit and she waited for the next public transport. As the driver was driving to her destination, she noticed the transportation that she didn't enter had been involved in a gruesome accident, she couldn't believe it as if she had not heeded the warning from the Holy Spirit, she would have been part of the casualties.  

Proverbs 3:5-7 (NIV version) says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil."

My friend made the choice to trust in the Lord to lead her. What if she didn't heed the instruction from the Holy Spirit, what would have happened to her?  

When you choose to follow the directions from the Lord, you will be the one to reap the rewards. So, why not allow God to direct your choices?  There will be times that some choices would be right but God is saying, it isn't yet time for you to make that particular choice. 

Behold! The Lamb of God

Hello Everyone,

Happy Good Friday to you! Good Friday is an opportunity for us to reflect on the death of Jesus Christ and what the death of Jesus Christ means to us.

Have a lovely Easter!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.

How To Avoid Distractions In The Place of Prayer

Hello Readers & Followers,

I hope your week is going on well and I hope the weather is lovely where you are. It's raining here at the moment; I've had a hot drink to keep warm. As I was typing this article, my mobile phone was beeping and I was going to look at it. However, I ignored it as I know it was a distraction. Nevertheless, I think it would have been helpful if I had put it on silent mode. How do you avoid distractions when you are spending time with God? Why do we become distracted in the place of prayer? Whose fault is it? The state of our minds? The role of the devil? External factors such as; our friends and families or our business or workplace?

As Christians, Jesus expects us to pray. In fact, in the Book of Matthew 6:5-7, Jesus used the phrase "when you pray" rather than "if you pray." This means God is expecting us to communicate with him. Let me share the scripture in Matthew 6:5-7 for you to read:

"When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again."

Now that we have established that Jesus wants us to pray. Does Jesus expect us to pray for a few minutes, a few hours or can we decide on the duration that we pray for? 

Matthew 26:40 says "Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me for even one hour?"

Can you spend at least 1 hour with God in a day? How can you avoid distractions in the place of prayer?

Fire of the Lord

Hello Readers & Followers,

It's a new week! I hope you've had a lovely weekend. Is there anything that you'd like to throw into the fire of the Lord and for the fire of the Lord to burn up?

Praying for others

Hello Readers & Followers,

I hope your week is going on well and I hope the weather is lovely where you are.

This week's article is about praying for others

Job 42:10 says "After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before."

Galatians 6:2 says "Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfil the law of Christ."

Galatians 5:14 says "The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: "Love your neighbour as yourself."

Colossians 4:2 says "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

There is power in praying for other people, but sometimes it feels tricky to know how to regularly communicate the needs of others to God. Try some of these simple ideas and practical tips when praying for others.  

God Knows All Your Secrets

Hello Readers & Followers,

I hope your week is going on well and I hope the weather is lovely where you are. In England, the weather is sunny and I'm enjoying the sunshine. Whenever it's sunny, I'm always quick to spread our clothes outside for the lovely weather to dry all the clothes. Do you like it when it is sunny? Is there anything in particular that you enjoy doing when it is sunny? 

This week's article is to remind you that God sees what you are doing in secret and He will reward you for all that you do (Matthew 6:4).

Your Daily Routine Matters to God | How to Incorporate God into Your Daily Routine

Hello Readers & Followers,

I hope your week is going on well. My Bible Study group members are currently completing a few activities to connect with God as the Holy Spirit is wanting His children all over the world to spend more time with Him. 

1 Chronicles 16:11 says "Seek the Lord and His strength; yearn for and seek His face and to be in His presence continually!" 

God is wanting His children to continually seek Him. The question is, how often are you in His presence? Is it continually? Take time to evaluate your schedule and find ways to connect with God. 

Do you have 10 minutes free in the morning or 30 minutes or 1 hour free in the morning, in the afternoon or at night? Do things quiet down after 9pm for you? Or are you most alert after your morning exercise or before breakfast? It is usually advisable to schedule your free time to connect with God.

Or could it be you do not have any time to connect with God? I'd say, you probably have a bit of spare time on a daily basis, the question is, what are the things that distract you from connecting with God? Be deliberate to limit distractions that hinder you from spending time with God. 

Are You Like The Rich Man in the Parable that Jesus Taught Us?

Hello Readers & Followers,

It's a new week! I hope you had a lovely weekend. I'd like to share a parable that Jesus taught us in the Book of Luke 16:19- 31. 

Jesus said: There once was a very rich man who had the finest things imaginable, living every day enjoying his life of opulent luxury. Outside the gate of his mansion was a poor beggar named Lazarus. He lay there every day, covered with boils, and all the neighbourhood dogs would come and lick his open sores. The only food he had to eat was the garbage that the rich man threw away.

One day Lazarus died, and the angels of God came and escorted his spirit into paradise (some translations say Abraham’s bosom). The day came that the rich man also died. In hell, he looked up from his torment and saw Abraham in the distance, and Lazarus was standing beside him in the glory. 

The rich man shouted, 'Father Abraham! Father Abraham" Have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and come to cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames of fire! ( Hmm. Even in death, the rich man wanted Lazarus to be in a place of servitude of him. It appeared that he felt he was more important).

But Abraham responded, 'My friend, don't you remember? While you were alive you had all you desired. You surrounded yourself in luxury, while Lazarus had nothing. Now Lazarus swells in the comforts of paradise and you are in agony. Besides, between us, there is a great space set so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' 

The rich man continued, 'Then let me ask you, Father Abraham, please send Lazarus to my relatives. Tell him to witness to my five brothers and warn them not to end up where I am in this place of torment.' 

Abraham replied, 'They've already had plenty of warning. They have the teachings of Moses and the revelation of the prophets; let them hear them.'

What if they're not listening? the rich man added. 'If someone from the dead were to go and warn them, they would surely repent.'

Abraham said to him, 'If they wouldn't listen to Moses and the prophets, neither would they be convinced if someone were raised from the dead!'

There are many lessons that we can pick out from this parable. I'd like to share 6 lessons from the parable with you.

Lessons

1) Everyone must die once and there are no second chances once an individual has died. No wonder the Bible says in the Book of Hebrews 9:27 that "And, just as it is appointed for people to die only once and after this comes the judgment." 

2) Don't assume because an individual is poor, they are not a Christian neither should you assume that they are not living a godly life.

3) Lack of physical possessions does not suggest that a person is not a believer/ a follower of Jesus Christ.

4) If you are rich and wealthy, do not ignore your relationship with God. 

5) What is your attitude towards the poor among you? I'd like you to pause and reflect on how you treat the poor among you. Can you see a bit of the rich man's character in your life?

In fact, the rich man was nameless while the poor man's name was mentioned in the Parable that Jesus told us. This must signify something.

6) We cannot escape judgment once we have died. It is too late to repent of one's sin after death. Jesus has also used this parable to remind us that we should be quick to repent of our sins as this life on earth is short and we cannot come back on earth to repent. 

As a Christian, the Holy Spirit is in you and dwells with you. His role is to help you develop the passion to do what pleases God. The Holy Spirit coexists with God the Father and Jesus Christ (1 John 5:7).  Allow the Holy Spirit to direct every aspect of your life. As you yield to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self-life.

I love hearing from you in the comment section. Please take a minute to say ‘hello’ by leaving a comment and please let me know which of the points above resonate with you the most. 

Also, please feel free to share any other lessons that you have gained from reading the parable.  

May the Holy Spirit give you more insights into this parable in Jesus' name.

Have a lovely week!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ into your life, this is an opportunity for you to accept Him. Please say this prayer:

"Dear God, I do not want to lose my soul in Hell when I reach the end of my life on earth. Please forgive me for all my wrongdoing, unbelief in you and self-righteousness. I repent of my sins and ask for your help to live a life that pleases you. These I ask in Jesus' name. Amen."

If you said the above prayer and would like to know more about Jesus Christ and being a Christian, please contact me: mysseslafunky@gmail.com.

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.

5 Things To Consider When You Are Waiting on God

Hello Readers & Followers,

Thank God It's Friday! 

In the last 2 weeks, I have been writing on waiting on God. Please, click the following links to read the last 2 articles:

Waiting for the Fulfilment of God's Promises

God's Promises for You Shall Come to Pass

A waiting period could mean different things to different people. Some people are waiting on God for a new job, for a promotion, for instructions on the next step to take, some are waiting on God for healing, some are waiting on God to answer a particular prayer that they have been praying over and over again. Some people are waiting to marry, and some are waiting to have their own children. A waiting period could be one month, 2 months, 3 years, 5 years, 10 years, and many more.

How do you wait on God to meet a need that you have been praying about? How do you wait on God when deep down in your heart you would like the promise to come through right now?

The truth is every Christian has experienced a time in their life when they had to wait on God for a prayer to be answered or for God's promises to come to pass in their lives. This is a reminder for you to know that every Christian will experience a waiting period. Waiting on God is one of the things that test our faith in God as not many of us like waiting as our natural human response is to do things at our preferred time and to be in control of things.

What are you waiting on God for? How are you waiting on God? Are you waiting with the hope that God will answer you soon? Are you waiting in fear? Are you waiting with bitterness in your heart? Are you discouraged? Are you doubting? 

I'd like to remind you that God wants the best for you and it is His desire to meet all your needs from His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19).  

There are many examples of people in the Bible that had to wait many years before they saw the fulfilment of God's promises in their lives. Look at what the Bible says about Abraham in the Book of Romans 4:19-21 (NLT version):

"And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this, he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises."

5 Things To Consider When You Are Waiting On God

1) Your waiting time is not wasted time. Your waiting time serves a purpose in God's agenda for your life. In the process of waiting on God, you will learn to trust in God's Word. You will learn to acknowledge that God knows best and He is in control.

2) Your waiting time is an opportunity for your endurance to grow, and your endurance, in turn, will develop your character, and a character of this sort produces a steady hope in God (Romans 5:3-4 & James 1:2-3).

3) Your waiting time is an opportunity for you to spend time with God so that you can build up your faith. You can spend time with God through singing, talking with Him, meditating on the Word of God, prayer journalling, Bible Study journalling, playing musical instruments, praying in tongues, declaring the promises of God on a daily basis, and many more. The more you spend time with God, the more your faith will grow as you get to know Him better and understand His ways (Romans 10:17).

4) Remember, you are not alone, God is with you and He will never leave you. God will never fail you and He will never abandon you (Hebrews 13:5). Keep holding on to God's Word. 

5) When your current situation does not match God's promises for your life, you can trust God is working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28). He is faithful to come through. God is never late, He is always on time!

As I was concluding this write-up, my 4-year-old daughter asked me to teach her what it means to wait on God. I explained what it means to wait for her turn at the supermarket, amongst many other things. After my explanation, I asked her to describe her feeling whenever she is waiting for us to pick her up from school. My daughter explained that she is always excited as she knows that we will definitely pick her up from school. My daughter's description showed the state of her heart towards waiting to be picked up from school. I'd like to ask you, what is the state of your heart as you are waiting on God? 

I love hearing from you in the comment section. Please take a minute to say ‘hello’ by leaving a comment and please let me know which of the points above resonate with you the most. 

Prayer Guide

• Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen you as you wait on God.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you build the right attitude as you wait on God.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live a life that is free of bitterness, worry, doubt, anger and envy as you wait on God.

To expand your learning further, I would like you to engage in the following:

1) Click here to listen to a sermon on overcoming anxiety when waiting on the Lord. 

2) Click here to read different scriptures on waiting on the Lord.

Have a lovely weekend!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.