Responding To Controversies

At one time or the other, different debates surfaces and becomes controversial. One of such is the issue about tithing. Please my brethren, do not let us be carried away by the wind of doctrines. Rather, let the Holy Spirit teach and guide you. Do not just follow a man simply because of his eloquence. The things of God are spiritually discerned not with the wisdom of man. We are in the perilous time as the Bible said. So be careful, we are in the days of scarcity of the true word of God. Even demons now quote the scripture and twist it to deceive believers who do not have a solid foundation in Christ.

Here is my counsel 

• Know God for yourself; carry the bible, study and compare scriptures, and pray to the Holy Spirit to open the eye of your understanding, by doing these, you will become  grounded in the word and ways of God.
• Do not join them to judge and castigate the anointed of God. IT IS UNSCRIPTURAL AND UNSPIRITUAL. Remember how God punished Miriam for speaking against Moses. Please take your time to read the following scriptures:

Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?" they asked. "Hasn’t he also spoken through us?" And the LORD heard this. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you." So the three of them came out. Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward, he said, "Listen to my words: "When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions,  I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them. When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Miriam leprous, like snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had leprosy; and he said to Moses, "Please, my lord, do not hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. Numbers 12:1-11 (NIV)

Be wise! Let God in whose name we pay tithe be the judge of those whom He has put in charge of tithe collection. Please save you soul and that of your generation.
Mind you, some churches are still into charity work, just that they do not make it public. So be careful of passing wrong judgment on the men of God. Do not join them to say what you do not know to avoid God’s anger.
In conclusion, we are in the end time. Try to stay connected to God and do away with sin.
Byeeeeeeeee

Facts About Storms Of Life

Christ never promised us a life free of storms, even His disciples encountered storm while Christ was with them. In the last edition I talked about keeping hope alive, and now I want you my beloved readers to know that the ugly situation you may be going through is not
strange in human history, in fact, somebody somewhere has a more terrible situation. So get up and stop pitying yourself. Stop thinking that God has forgotten you or that He is unfaithful to you. 
I need you to know that no matter what happens to you in life, God is God and He is good. So stop judging God unfaithful over your circumstances. You are not the first to go through it and you won't be the last. 
No storm is meant to kill you. The way you handle them will determine the outcome. For instance, someone is going through a very difficult time in marriage or finance, and such a person stops praying because he or she thinks God does not hear prayers anymore. In fact, maybe the person thinks going to church is a waste of time. At that moment, such an individual has opened the door of his or her life to the devil to take charge of the situation that is bad already, and when the devil does take charge, I tell you, he is without mercy, and will finish such a person. 
Storms of life are meant to polish your view about life, situations and your view about how God works in ways beyond our imagination. For instance, it might take somebody somewhere having an ailment to appreciate know that God is indeed able to heal and restore him or her. Such a person would appreciate LIFE by the time they recover from it. You know sometimes we take life for granted, we think it is our rights to live and live healthy, but by the time you fall ill and you almost lose your life, then you will learn to appreciate God better for the gift of life. 
You need to know that storms of life are meant to make you stronger, better and tougher. All these are values or virtues we all need to survive in this world. For instance, if everything you ever desired get to you so cheaply and effortlessly, how would you develop the virtue of patience and endurance? If you have never in your life been grieved before, how would you develop the virtue of forgiveness? Some of these virtues or values are developed through one difficult experience or the other. 
The last thing I want you to know about storms of life is that it make you a coach to others who will go through the same or similar situation later in life. For instance, if you don't know what it is to be homeless and helpless, how would you comfort someone who is going
through such situation? To be frank and sincere with you, it is easier for people who have been through certain situations to comfort or help others that are going through the same situation. Someone who has lived fifty years of healthy life may not feel the real pain of someone who has been living for 30 years in pain and illness. Therefore, the 50-year-old healthy person may not be able to help emotionally, or psychologically, even though he or she may say, "I feel your pain" but that is not exactly true because they are in two different worlds, the 50-year-old has never fallen ill before so he or she cannot really feel such pain except by mouth. However, by the time a man with similar health history comes, he knows what words to use to comfort the sick because he's been through it. 
Dear beloved, going through storms of life is not funny. Sometimes it can be a health challenge, academic failure, loss of a loved one, failed relationship, joblessness, rejection, abuse of any kind, disappointment, bareness, sickness or terminal diseases and the likes. No matter what the storm is, just remember that God is faithful and He does not want you to die in that situation, so don't give up on Him in prayers, fasting, worship and even praising Him. Remember the story of Paul and Silas in the prison and how they praised God and they were miraculously delivered. So please don't let the devil deceive you into thinking that God has forgotten you or that He doesn't answer prayers anymore. Just hold tight your confession, keep your hope alive, lean on the grace of God to see you through and always remind yourself that God is too faithful to fail you. Be full of assurance that He will come to your rescue. 
Also, bear it in mind that it's for a reason, always imagine yourself triumphing over the situation, and don't forget that when you come out of it, you too will help others
come out of their own storms too. Love you all. 

Keeping Hope Alive

Every great man and woman on the planet earth today has a story to tell. It is easier to envy them and desire them after they are made, but nobody cares to know what they have been through. Dear friends, let nobody deceive you that life is easy and cheap, there will be good moments and there will be seriously bad moments, but here are some tips on how to overcome such moments. Remember that the economy on its own can add to the bad moments of an average person at this time where money is not easy to come by and even the little you are able to gather has lost value in the market. 
There is a saying that tough time do not last, but tough people do. Being tough is not just a thing of physical strength; it requires a very strong will to overcome any tough situation that comes your way.
Secondly, you need to stay in a positive atmosphere like the church. No matter how depressing your situation is, please do not stay away from the church, somehow God has a way of communicating hope to you during church services. Keep friends and association of positive people. Some people naturally are hope killers; their words can render you completely hopeless and fearful, identify such people and run far away from them. Rather, choose people who still see good in your situation.
Thirdly be in charge of your thoughts. There could be time that your mind may be playing pranks on you, making you feel miserable and hopeless. When such moments come, use the word of God to deal with it. Remember that the bible says that there is hope to them that are joined to the living and a living dog is better than a dead lion. This means that no matter how terrible your situation is, you are better than those millionaires and successful people who are dead. Therefore, do not allow your mind to cheat you, because when you have life, you have hope.
Lastly, never think your case is the worst. When you manage to listen to other people's stories, you will laugh over yours. Always tell yourself that someone, somewhere, has been through that thing you are going through and they are out of it. So comfort yourself and laugh over it that you too can overcome your own bad moments.
Allow me to round up with this, you need prayer, no matter how terrible your situation is, even though there are moments you are too burdened to pray, but please try to say something to God. No matter how short or uncoordinated your words are, just pour out your mind to him, he surely will understand and hear you because he loves you too much to lose you to hopelessness which is the bedrock of depression and suicide.
NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH, KEEP HOPE ALIVE.

Surviving A Difficult Time

God did not promise us a difficulty free life; he only promised us victory through Christ our Lord. So do not be too burdensome because of this difficult time nations are going through right now. God has a purpose in every situation, including a very bad one like the one we are in right now in this country.
How can we therefore survive this situation?
Be Prayerful
The word of God says that we should pray without ceasing. When you turn to God in prayer in a difficult time like this, He gives you strength to go on. You will also enjoy certain level of favor that will make things quite easier to for you. Through prayer, God gives you direction as per what to do, where to go and probably who to go to for certain assistance with a guarantee of favor.
Be Hopeful
Even when it seems that your prayer is not receiving a quick answer; just be hopeful and steadfast in doing good. God will surely answer when you do not give up too soon. Have assurance that things will be better.
Be Diligent
Bible says whatsoever your hands find to do, do it with all thy might.
Do not be too proud to find certain honorable but small jobs too low for you to do. Remember, the token that comes into your hand at the end of the day is better than nothing. At least it saves you from being totally dependent on people. Moreover, who knows maybe from that small job you will be promoted or you may meet a destiny helper. Despise not the days of little beginning. Do not be lazy.
Be Thankful
This is the will of God concerning us in Christ Jesus. Do not just thank God alone in prayer; let it be a lifestyle. After all, many people who are better and richer than you are dead. Therefore, for every little blessing you get, be thankful for it and see how God will come to your rescue.
Come to think of it, why does God allow us to go through difficult times?
To produce strength of character in us
If you haven't gone through a tough and rough time before, how do you know your strength level? By the time you come out of a difficult situation, there is no way you will not become better or stronger, except you refuse to learn because God will not force you to learn. How do you know if you can resist the temptation of stealing if you are not faced with a situation that will almost leave you with no choice but to steal? However, when you stand your ground not to steal no matter what happens, then you have become stronger in that area of your life.
To strengthen our faith in God
Difficult situations have a way of pushing even the worst sinners to God. Why will you have faith in God if all you want is available at the snap of your fingers? However, when you are faced with lack, disappointment, discouragement, failure, etc., then you surely would have no choice in most cases than to turn to the One who never fails.
To help us know our true friends
Your true friends are the ones that stand by you when the going gets tough, but when things are working out well, everybody is your friend. Difficult situations enable you know those that are worthy to be called friends.
So you now agree with me that God has you in mind in every situation of your life? See you next time!

Vision: Step 2 To Planning Your Future

Now that you have started your journey of life with prayer, then you need to realize the power of vision. Vision is your foresight about your future, it simply means where and how you see yourself in the nearest future. So if I may ask, where do you see yourself in the nearest future? How do you see yourself in the future? What do you see yourself doing in the nearest future? 
Living without a vision equals to roaming about in darkness. Imagine if you have to walk within a house with your eyes closed?You may fall and fall very bad. You may be fortunate not to fall. Nothing guarantees your success in the house when your eyes are closed. That is what happens when you live without a vision, without a foresight of what, where and how you want to live your life in the future.
So have you got a vision? If no then lets discuss how vision can be birthed. You just don’t sit and birth a vision because you watch a movie and you like something about a character that touches you so much, and you want to be like him/her. Vision is an inspiration from God Almighty and when He gives you that inspiration about something you should do, He gives you peace of mind, enhances your level of confidence that enables you to do it. Then inside of you are potentials and talents that are needed to actualize the vision. Major benefits of God given vision are that you are sure that He will help you, give you grace to move on in the face of difficulties and He surely will prosper you at the end if you stay faithful to the vision.
We must know that some people develop their vision and stay true to it, but it is best when you wait on God to give you a vision to run with, because you may not have His support or grace to run a vision He didn’t give you. Sometimes you may be frustrated out of the vision when challenges come. A self-oriented vision is not likely to bring you fulfillment at the end, even when you have prospered and acquired wealth. That is why we have many unhappy millionaires today. 

I guess you will be thinking that how do you know when it is a God given vision? 
God speaks to us in diverse ways, through His word, prophets, dreams, visions or trance. He can even speak audibly to you. However, He speaks to those who have a relationship with Him, especially those who are passionately expecting to hear from Him. In addition, when He speaks to you, He gives you peace of mind that assures you that you are on the right track.
My dear friends, when you start your journey with God praying to Him, wait on Him for a vision to run with, you will never regret doing so in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER: STEP 1 TO PLANNING YOUR FUTURE

Prayer is the number one key to fulfilling your future. Money does not guarantee future, not even intelligence or connection. Remember that none of these can assure you of a long healthy life; after all it takes a living healthy person to enter into the future. Therefore, can you see why you need to pray? It is in the place of prayer you secure your future and tackle any obstacles that may want to hinder you.

You cannot afford not to include prayer in your lifestyle especially if you are from this part of the world where there are many spiritual forces that does not want you to excel. Some of these forces can be family members and they can be friends or people around you that just hate your success, especially when they see that your future is glorious. Therefore, you cannot afford to live a prayer-less life.

In case you are living a prayer-less life, let me tell you reasons why you need to see prayer as your number one key to a successful future.

a) Devil himself does not want you to enter into your future. Have you not been seeing the way young people are killing themselves these days, both home and abroad? It is the devil at work, making young people to kill themselves over nothing, and some times over trivial issues, that does not worth it. May God never allow us to be a victim of such wickedness in Jesus’ name.

b) Some wicked forces that do not want you to succeed. Like I said earlier, some of them can be from your household, some can be from your peers, and sometimes some parents have sown evil seed that will affect the future of their children in one way or the other.

c) Some bad habits are capable of ruining one’s future. Every man has one or two or more habits to deal with, and most times it takes the help of God through prayer to destroy such habits. Just look deep into your life, name those bad habits that can affect you and begin to table them in prayer before God before they hinder your future from becoming a reality.

Here are some issues you need to put in prayers often

ü  Pray for divine protection

ü  Pray against generational curses, iniquities and wickedness. Some families are extremely evil; they rarely allow their offspring succeed in life.

ü  Pray against bad influence.

ü  Pray for direction. Everyone needs direction in life. As per what course to study, whom to marry, what business to do, etc. it is better to be directed by God because you are assured of his protection and provisions when He leads you. 

Your Future Is Now

Many at times the future seems far, especially when we are still young. For instance, a 12-year-old child thinks it takes eternity to clock 30 years of age. Sooner than imagined, they celebrate 25^th birthday and become close to 30 years.

A wise child therefore starts planning now, having realized that the future is nearer than we are thinking. Serious commitment into today guarantees a better tomorrow. Wealth, success and affluence are not accidents, neither are they destined for special set of people. Anybody anywhere can be successful, wealthy or become affluent, if only they can pay the price.

Do you want to become an employer of labor in the future? On the other hand, you want a good marriage, you want to break a record, or you want to be a successful business tycoon, just name it, anything you want to become all starts NOW, not tomorrow. Tomorrow is only a manifestation of yesterday input. Do not think it is too early to start planning, preparing and praying about future NOW. Do not spend your teenage hood or youthful days playing, partying or catching fun. Your future is right at your doorstep, waiting to enter. Remember, early preparation equals early arrival in most cases.

You want to be a medical doctor at 22 years; then start planning NOW. You want to be a PHD holder before 30 years of age, then start preparing for it NOW. Time waits for no man. Time is equivalent to life, so please spend it well so that your future will not be gloomy and full of regrets.

This is just to charge you up. In our subsequent articles, we will discuss keys to planning your future. Until then, remain blessed and be charged up in your spirit to take your future in your hands by planning NOW.