2 Samuel 22:31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. [KING JAMES VERSION]
Like in the middle of a book, we have come to the middle of this year. Praise God! Despite the antics, plans and scheming of the devil and his cohort, the Lord, we are reminded by the above scriptures has remained faithful to his promises. We should continue to live by faith and push forward. Therefore, let us revisit our write up during the beginning of this year:
N never you look back at the failures, setback of the previous year, you can not be in the past and the present; that is why you do not have eyes on the back of your head. Ahead, forward looking, no-matter what, is the way to win the game of life.
E energies for the now. You are in the present; how you handle it will determine your tomorrow. Stop daydreaming and wild goose-chase.
W winning mentality is a must if you want to leave the rut. Have the mindset, walk it and see it before you.
Y yield, here comes your spirituality. You can not do without reliance on the leading of the Holy spirit. The more you yield, the more He leads you in the way of peace of mind with contentment without resorting to strife or competing with anyone..
E exercise your body regularly. A fit body is a must if you must go far with your plans. A sick body can not guarantee a tomorrow like a fit one. You do not have to be muscular, but just strain every fibre to strengthen them.
A avoid a situation that can put your plans and plots in a spin. Do not get into a situation that can put you in a loop without a way out for a long time.
R revisit,reseve and renew. Look back at how well yo are working your plans and how well it works out. Reserve your virtues. Do not spend all energy, or strength or finance on any project. Renew your strength by taking time off before the year runs out. Go on vacation. It helps a lot, learn to appreciate your God in your secret place, meditate.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The passage above does not mean Peter, a flesh and blood,shall carry the church, a spiritual body on his shoulders. Rather, it means the church shall be built on the revelations from God. spirit begat spirit therefore; the church, being a spiritual body, shall move forward through spiritual revelations received by those who are in spirit. Read this: Romans 8:14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God; they are the sons of God. The enemy shall fight the church. To move forward with the message of the gospel, the church has had to fight battles too many to count. Battles from governments, entities of darkness and territorial demons that controls regions. The church indeed does not see humans as enemies, but potentials to be converted despite what sin they may have committed. The enemies we deal with are the devil and his demons, his instruments of evil and unrighteousness. See Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. So far the church is marching on with the message of the good news. See the report.
Projected size of major religious groups for 2023[1]
One stage in life that a young christian looks up to performing is the one of walking to the altar with the bride/groom. The beaming faces, the look of approval, the joy of those present and most of all, being in centre stage with his/her beloved one and seeing the support and joy in all those present remain etched in their memory.
The father of the bride looks forward to performing their roles; walking down the aisle with their arm extended for their daughters to hold on to for the last time. The christian marriage is a mixed grill of some sort. Many have good stories to tell, testimonies to give and advice to offer after being in this marital union for years. Then others have different experiences, those who have become a mere shadow of their former self after a few years of a marital unification. And there are those who are either too ashamed to talk about the hell they are experiencing so that others who see their marital home from a distance as perfect, will not laugh at them, or would rather, avoid the stigma as a christian that when you are divorced or going through difficulties in your marital life, then you are not a true christian. They say as Christians, your marriage is heaven on earth, filled with all manners of blessings, too many, to name. Yet, when you ask any of them to raise up their hands if their marriage is like heaven on earth, no one would, yet, these are the proponent who push the idea as Christians your marriage ought o be perfect and your children flawless. Ask them why they are not the perfect examples of what they advocate? They point out that their partner is just the wrong one. Many endure unnecessary hardship, and many died in their bid to keep their secret. They flaunt before you that what God has joined together, let no man put asunder. And because the pastor, despite the ugly signs before him, the danger ahead is there to remind them of this verse each time they want to tell him some ranging issues. I have heard a pastor who ordered his wife to go to the backseat because his bible is on the front seat. That is not expected from a pastor, no matter the raging issue or misunderstanding at that point. She is still your wife. I have seen a pastor’s wife who refused to go to church because she has an issue with her husband. Let him face the ordeal of answering his members, who will want to know why the first lady is not around today. Marriage is supposed to bring out the best in the other person, but many do not experience that luxury at all. They have become shadows of their former self and others have become forlorn and sad looking, while others put on a smile yet, inside they feel disappointed and felt trapped in a sordid union with no room for escape, for the rest of their lives for divorce, is not an option otherwise,you are judged! many have taken advantage of this, no divorce for the chrisitan and therefore, can do whatever they like. if the other partner wants a divorce not only would the church see her as an unbeleiver she will be ask to give up whatever position she occuypies in the church. others knowing that he or she stand to gain more financially in terms of divorce, will have the other partner be at his or her mercy; controling, complaing, fretting and bemoaning the woes of this relationship . He will deliberately make the home a hell on earth for the other. if she is not able to carry on let him diovorce if she dare! yet, a little reading of the scripture with understanding will show that Jesus never said you are headng straight to hell if you are a divorcee. What Jesus did was apporves of marrige and highlighted this original plan of God and how men have twisted it to suit thier own selfishness. Why the failure in most union? the answer is found in John10:10
It is one of the gimmicks used by those who consider themselves smart, and those have not had an encounter with christ. And it is an acceptable tool in the world we live. Read with me: Read further, 1 Kings 21:2-4 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
The king of Israel, chosen from many eligible ones , sulking about not having his way to possess what was not his! If you do not see this as coveteousness, then you do not know the meaning.1 Kings 21:5-13 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him:
and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. manipulations and scheming has been here since the days f old. when you manipulate and scheme you may get your way, but not for long. those who indulge in manipulation are building on sands. All those who indulged in this scheme never succeeded for long. 2 Samuel 15:1-6, And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. There goes sceming! The house of Isaac was another place where you motice this scheming and deceit. Genesis 27:15-27 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not. And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed him. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank. And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son. And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: All the above people who endulged in the vile practice failed to have thier way trhough. Those who did had thier way foumd out it was only temporay win and a permanent loss. Brethren, learn to wait on God in all situations.!
The reasons men often resist Christianity and its message of LOVE OF GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE, is not far fetch from the reasons people also resisted in the days when Jesus, the son, incarnated, walked this earth. See further clarification in Matthew 11:18-19: For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.
But wisdom is justified of her children. [king James version] further reading ,Matthew 23:37-39, where Jesus our lord lamented,O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Apostle Paul, told us in one of his epistle why this is so in the book of 2 Corinthians 4:3-5, But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants, for Jesus’ sake.
Another reason is our choice. One way that God expresses his love for us is to allow us to make our choices without manipulation as an omnipotent God. Yet, He warns us of bad choices and, of-course, his ineffable love is always there if we come back! The father of the prodigal son did not hold the boy against his will. see Luke15:11-32. Dear reader, take time to meditate on God’s love for you, read the bible. It is this love that prompted Jesus to come down in the flesh, live among men, and die for our sins. It is nothing but Love. God is love, so says the bible.1 John 4:9: In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
The message. John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. It entrenched the sum and substance of the Gospel in this very passage of the bible. If the preacher can not effectively pass on this message, the listener may not know why he has to believe the gospel. Many lack the basic form of apologetics. Many come out condemning people and zeroing on hellfire and damnation for females for wearing trousers, wearing earrings, and even celebrating birthdays!. they open with an argument and even if they finally, win in the diatribe, that does not mean they have won the person to christ. “Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shall be saved, goes more than mere words. ” It takes the enablement of the Spirt to pass this message into the spirit of the audience.
Worldly pleasures. Read with me, Colossians 4:14, Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you. Demas , mention in the above epistle, later backslide. 2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
Social media. This platform is effective in the message of hate, lies, disinformation, misinterpretation of the bible, and spreading false news about pastors, and thier families or followers. It is a hangout for malice and those who want to spoil the name pastors. Disinformation, lies, their move, and motive is negatively interpreted in social media. There are uncountable bloggers whose sole modus operandi is to seek, garner, and pay anyone who has dirty news about any pastor [don’t matter whether he is a fake pastor]. They do not speak about the contribution they make to education. They hardly mention the donations of police posts and vehicles some of these pastors have made in thier blogs. The many scholarships offered to deserving students hardly, the news hardly goes beyond the four walls of the event.
Signs of the last days. 2 Timothy 3:1-8: This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. These signs abound in every nook and crannies.
Matthew 28:6He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Philippians 3:10-11That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
The power and pride of sin over us is its sting of death.
The holy sepulchre is the name of the traditional ground they buried our lord and saviour according to the book of John’s gospel, the tomb was…
.’.She says they expected both congregants and local pastors at her former church to give a “tithe” of 10% of their monthly income to finance the church and its leadership in Nigeria. And that was besides what was called “first fruit” – their entire pay packet of the first month of the year‘.
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
THe abysmal lack of knowledge of God and his grace as portrayed by some only shows the church of God still has a long way to preach the gospel. Here is a pitiable story:Evarline Okello breaks down in tears as she tells me she is hundreds of dollars in debt, after paying a pastor to pray for her.
She lives in a tiny shack in Kibera, a vast slum in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, and can no longer provide for her four children.
Ms Okello hasn’t earned anything for months, she tells me as we talk on the telephone. So when she heard about a pastor whose prayers could make life better, she wanted to see him. He asked her for $115 (£96; 15,000 Kenyan shillings).This is known as a “seed offering”: a financial contribution to a religious leader, with aspecific outcome in mind.Ms Okello borrowed the money from a friend, who took out a loan on her behalf. She had been told this pastor’s prayers were so powerful that she would see a return on her money within a week.But the miracle never came. In fact things got even worse, [/b]she says. The loan her friend took out has ballooned due to unpaid interest. She now owes more than $300, and has no idea how she’ll pay it back. Her friend has stopped talking to her, and she still has no job.”Things have become so difficult I have lost all hope,” she says..cost-of-living crisis. Food prices rose by almost 16% in the 12 months before September 2022This has increased their desire for supernatural solutions, she says, and [i]many are now willing to pay for a miracl[/i]e, even if they have to borrow the money.
“People are being told that God doesn’t want them to remain poor. So they plant a seed,” she tells me.
The Prosperity Gospel has its roots in America, where it gained momentum in the early 20th Century……
…That’s what happened to 26-year-old Dennis Opili. Feeling disheartened after over three years of looking for work, he asked a friend for help.
“He advised me that there is a church where you go and they pray for you. You give a certain offering, then they pray for you, then you can secure a job,” Mr Opili says.
When his savings ran out, he borrowed about $120 from cash apps and from friends.
“I believed in what the pastor told me, that I’ll be able to secure a job. So I didn’t have any problems with borrowing, because I thought eventually I’ll be able to pay off the money.”
But when no job appeared, Mr Opili suspected that they had tricked him.
…Luckily he has now found piecemeal work, which has enabled him to pay back part of the money, both to the loan companies and his friends.
“I still very much believe in God,” he says. “All I have to do is just be a little more careful.”
Sarah says she saw people paying for “seed money” with their credit cards in church services.
“I remember one time at the church a lady said: ‘I have been paying my tithe, and it seems like I still don’t have enough money at the end of the month.'”
The pastor’s response, Sarah says, was to tell people that giving was more important than paying their rent. And she says anyone who questioned why miracles were not happening was told: “You didn’t pray enough, you didn’t sow seed enough. You didn’t have enough faith.” ….. But it can also appeal to those living in poverty, he says.”A church that says: ‘We know that you’re suffering, and we have a practical, attainable solution for you,’ [/b]will be more attractive than one that preaches some elusive, systemic change.” …… I wouldn’t say that church is bad. The church is good. It is the pastors who are doing wrong. They are the ones who are asking for money.”
Suspected Fulani herdsmen killed three people and injured a dozen others on their farms in Sobe community in Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
Among those that were killed were a pastor and two of his workers who were working on the farm when the herders swooped on them on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
A source told journalists that the latest attack was the fifth in the series of herdsmen attacks on the Agrarian community since January, 2023, when the killer herders launched their first attack.
“The people of Sobe community in Owan West Local government area of Edo State have suffered another attack today following the renewed hostility of Fulani herdsmen in the area. They killed a pastor and two of his workers while they were working in their farm land around Eti Oseh Road, which links to Saboginda Ora,” the source said.
Effort of the Edo State Security Network to rescue the victims before they died proved abortive as the herdsmen numbering 40 open fire on the rescue team and most of them escaped with various degrees of bullet injuries.
“We call on Edo State governor led by Governor Godwin Obaseki and Edo State commissioner of police and her sister agencies to beef up security in Sobe community.
“This is the fifth time Sobe will suffer deadly attacks from Fulani herdsmen this year. Most people living in the suburbs of the community have since left their homes while most farmers have moved from the community,” the source added.
A survivor of the attack, Abel Marvelous shared photos of his injuries on Facebook and wrote;
“I am glad that I escaped the wrath of Fulani herdsmen. They almost do away with me yesterday. God you are great It happens 6pm yesterday Owan West l.g.a. Sobe ward 11. They have almost finished us here,3 person where killed yesterday and 5 people seriously injured, including me and my brother.”
Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
What is this report that men has refuse to heed? That God the son will incarnate as man and walked on the surface of this earth. What is this report?
That Christ shall come to save all who believe in him. What is this report that he will die for the sins of men, that men will be free from the shackles of sin and death. What is this report? that christ shall undo the burden of sin, break the captivity of Satan and thus offer liberty to all who come to him. What is this report? That generational sin that has wreaked havoc in families shall be broken, for christ has become a curse that all those reeling under curses shall be free. What is this report? That the blood of christ cleanse us from all kinds of sin we might have committed. What is this report? That christ came not to condemn the world, but that the world through him shall live. What is this report? that christ will translate our lives from darkness to his marvelous light. What is this report? That we are bought with a price more precious that gold. What is this report that christ has taken all from a debased and notorious family background to be part of a royal priesthood. What is this report? That our works can not save us, but his grace has saved us. What is this report? That those who die in christ shall live again. What is this report? That we have overcome the world as Christians. What is this report? That greater is He that lives in us than he that is in the world. What is this report? That in him we live, move and have our being, as captured by a noble poet.
What is this report? That we shall have eternal life!! What good news that men have turned thier back how men have preferred to go on the wide road that leads to destruction instead of the narrow part that leads to life. But we shall continue to preach, proclaim and announce this report through all available means. They have mocked us; they have despised us,but we shall not deviate from the report nor go the Demas way. We shall continue while it is day, for the night comes when no man can work. GOD HELP US.
Sapphire strokes 