A.W Tozer.

If only.

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Character....

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Happy New Month, Welcome September!

It's the 9th month of the year already. Isnt our God amazing? Isnt He awesome? Oh what a faithful God we serve! Glory be to His Holy name forever and ever.

End of Days.

This is a song by Hillsong's young & free. Its a beautiful one. God is The God of everlasting wonders and His Love outlasts the end of days! 

My Princess....

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Being a people pleaser, The Achilles heel of Saul.

Ist Samuel chapter 15 chronicles the story of Saul and his rebellion against God. He was been instructed to completely and utterly destroy the Amalekites but he hearkened  unto the voice of the people and had taken for himself the good rams, lambs etc and had even spared Agag the Amalekite king as well. When Samuel came and saw him in Gilgal, he told him what God had said already concerning him and the kingdom and all Saul cared about was his honour before the people of Israel. He had decided to gain favour from then permitting them to go on and keep the good spoils that God had told them to destroy. He was a people pleaser. The favour of men meant more to him than pleasing God. This is one characteristic that David didn't have and its no wonder that he was chosen by God to take Saul's place.

The Bible tells us that we ought not to please men. Galatians 1:10 says "Am I now seeking the favour of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ"  Beloved, we cannot please men and God at the same time. We are to seek to please God first in everything. People pleasing will bring a Christian in direct conflict with God and his perfect will. When we are more concerned with pleasing Jesus Christ, then it doesn't matter who gets upset because of that. The people who will be upset are those who aren't interested in pleasing Him.

Salome, The mother who wanted the best for her sons.

Salome, the mother of James and John was an ardent follower of Jesus Christ. She was one of the women who had followed the procession to the mount Golgotha where our Lord was crucified. Matthew 27:55&56 says that she was amongst the women that had ministered unto Jesus and followed him all the way to Galilee. 
  
Her sons had been fishermen just like their father Zebedee before Jesus Christ called them to follow him. They would later go on to be a part of the Lord's inner circle alongside Peter. This must have made Salome a very honoured and proud mother to see her own two sons close to The Lord. Everywhere Jesus went, he took these three along. Even when he went up the mount of transfiguration, they tagged along. In his moment of deep and profound agony in the garden of Gethsemane, they were there as well. We must also remember the raising up of Jarius's daughter, they had been present. All of this must have brought immense joy to Salome.

Now in Matthew 20:20, Salome went with her sons before The Lord as he was going to Jerusalem. She knelt down and asked Him to command that each of her sons be given the seats at either sides of Jesus in His Kingdom. This was a mother who was being ambitious for her  children. She wanted what she believed was best for her two boys and she was determined to do all she could to see that her desire would be fulfilled. I wonder what was going on in the minds of those who has heard her say these things. "Who does she think she is?" *How dare she do this?" What a nerve to ask such of Jesus"  some of them may have said in their hearts but the bible never gives a record of this however what we are told is how Jesus Christ reacts to her demand.

The Lord replied by asking them "Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall I drink of and to be baptised of the baptism that I am baptised with? Then they replied "we will" He then told them surely that would be the case but the decision about who would be allowed to sit at his right or left side was God the Father's own to make. Is it a mere coincidence that eventually James would be the first disciple to be killed and his brother John the last to receive the revelation of Jesus Christ?

I know Jesus Christ knew that Salome only wanted the best for her sons but the motives behind this drive wasn't right. It came from maternal pride and love and not the leading of The Spirit. The Lord corrected that approach and did not get angry with her at all.  Ambitions are necessary in life but they must be in God's perfect will at all times. When our ambitions are outside the will of The Lord they will bring us disappointment, heartache and sorrows. Some people we can learn from in The bible include Absalom and King Nebuchadnezzar. Their ambitions drove them in doing things that they shouldnt have done and they both paid a serious price as a result. 

Beloved, all our goals, desires, wants and ideas should be aligned with the will of Jehovah. It is important and as parents, we must be careful when driving our children to make certain decisions such as "Whom to marry, where to work or live and career choices. We are to help order their steps in the Lord by bringing them up in The Way, loving, cherishing and providing for them. We must not let our own personal and selfish desires get in the way of God's will.  There are so many people today in the world whose lives have been destroyed by the ambitions of their parents. How many marriages have ended up in disaster because parents wouldn't let God"s perfect will prevail over their children's lives? How many young people are in the wrong profession because their parents wanted them to be doctors or engineers to rather than painters or singers. I can go on and on.

It is very necessary for us to know and accept that the ways of God is higher than ours and His thoughts as well. He has a plan and purpose for every soul on the face of the earth and it is important that we as parents do our best to see that His own purposes and plans for our children are fulfilled.

Jesus at the centre of it all.

This song has been playing over and over again in my head all morning. Sweet Jesus be the centre of our lives now and forever more amen! 

Welcome August!!

Happy new month everyone! It's the 8th month of the year! The month of new beginnings. Oh what a Merciful God we serve who has given us the privilege to be amongst the living! Glory be to His Holy Name now and forever more! May all things be made new on our lives this month in Jesus Christ. Amen!

Beware....

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Welcome July!!

I see the work of Your Hands
Galaxies spin in a Heavenly dance oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

I hear the sound of Your Voice
All at once it’s a gentle and thundering noise oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming

I delight myself in You
Captivated by Your beauty
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

I know the power of Your Cross
Forgiven and free forever You’ll be my God
All that You’ve done is so overwhelming

I delight myself in You
In the Glory of Your Presence
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

God, I run into Your arms
Unashamed because of mercy
I’m overwhelmed, I’m overwhelmed by You

You are Beautiful, You are Beautiful
Oh God, there is no one more Beautiful
You are Beautiful, God you are the most Beautiful

You are Wonderful, You are Wonderful
Oh God, there is no one more Wonderful
You are Wonderful, God You are the most Wonderful

You are Glorious, You are Glorious
Oh God, there is no one more Glorious
You are Glorious, God you are the most Glorious.

The truth.

Don't compromise

I am.

Natural hair.....

Happy New Month!!

Half the year is gone already! I can't believe it! Welcome June! Thank you Jesus!

Sermon Jam of the week. Obsessed by Stephen Manley.

Happy 2nd year anniversary Amazing Grace Christian Church!!

This is a video I put together for the church's anniversary last week. It chronicles how the church was planted and what God has been doing for us so far. God is a great God! All Glory to His name now and forever more. Amen.

Without God....

Atheism.

Dear Christian, Guard your heart.

The heart is a very resilient muscle. Out of all the organs in the body, it is considered as the master or king. Why? Because it pumps and helps in transporting blood to other parts of the body. Without it functioning, life would cease in few minutes. Our organs would be starved of very vital nutrients and oxygen, Death would be inevitable. This is one of the reasons why Doctors encourage their patients to eat healthy, excercise regularly and have a good lifestyle. It is no wonder The Bible tells us in Proverbs 4:23 "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life that we are to guard our heart because out of it are the issues of life."

What does this mean? To guard one's heart. I want you to imagine the heart as a fortress. One that houses a very important jewel known to so many other strangers on the outside. Everyone is trying to get in because they know what they can do with the jewel inside but as the rightful owner you stand and defend your fortress. You would do all to see that your enemies don't get in. That dear Christian is the battle we are engaged in daily.

The enemy knows just how important this organ is and he despises it. Remember what the scriptures say in Romans 10:10 "For with the heart man believes unto righteousness. This is why he is constantly attacking our hearts daily with evil thoughts, ideas and so much more. He knows that if he can get into our hearts he can wreck so much havoc that will end up destroying our lives.  We wont be able tp grow, blossom and bear godly fruits. So how can we guard our hearts??

1. Using The Word of God. 

This is the most powerful weapon of the believer. We must know how to use it effectively for insance if a thought about one dying suddenly comes up then that person uses Psalm 118:17 to fight off the effects that may arise. We must study The Word judiciously.

2. Paying attention to what we read, watch and listen to. 

Learn to guard your sight, hearing and your steps. 

For Christian singles still searching or waiting on God for a partner, we must be careful to guard our hearts against falsehood, manipulations and deciet. This is one of the reasons why a lot of people are in terrible situations.

3. Think and meditate over the right things. The apostle Paul instructs us, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). Dwelling on these things will help to build a guard fence around our hearts.

When we do these things, we can be sure that God's grace will be more than sufficient for us. He will see us through. 

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Hold on..

I take Your hand, Sweet Jesus.

When my world falls down around me

and the ground is sinking sand.

When peace can't be found on this earth

Sweet Jesus I reach out for your hand.

When your hands wraps "round my own"

A strength pours from your soul.

It brings to me a quiet calm.

Till once again I am whole.

The walls around me try to give way.

The voice of Sin attempts to deter me away

but Sweet Jesus my gaze is fixed on you.

I know for sure, you won't let go.

A peace beyond all reason

A rest there in your touch.

Something in your quiet words.

My heart yearns for so much.

If I but rest my worries

upon your shoulder there

Strength that pours forth from your soul

will wash away each care.

Like a cool sweet taste of water

For a tired thirsty man

Or the delicious taste of a loaf of bread

for a hungry fellow

My heart finds peace, my soul is calm.

When my hand finally grasps yours.

Run your race!!!

Ever taken part in a marathon race before??? If you have then you will fully understand the scenario I am about to describe here.

Imagine this scenario. A race is about to begin. Thre are hundreds of people at the starting line, all are dressed in their track suits eagerly waiting for the umpire to blow the whistle. Some are bothered with the condition of the weather while others are contemplating the different obstacles that might come their way. For some others all they can think about the prize that awaits all those who finish well. Then after a little while the umpire makes his way to the line and after addressing the participants he blows the whistle and voila, the race begins!!

Dear Christian that is how the race we are on looks like. The bible says in Hebrews 12: 1&2 says "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Beloved, we are on a race. A race where our goal is to win the ultimate prize. That Wonderful prize is eternal life through Jesus Christ. There are important things we must pay serious attention to as believers. They are as follows; 

I We have all a race to run.

II. Many have gone before us.

III. We must lay aside every weight. Always ask yourself this "Does it help me run?" 

IV. We must run with patience.

V. We must be continually looking unto Jesus.

This race isnt an easy one. It comes with its own share of trials but we are able to overcome all of them because of the victory in Jesus Christ. For us to run effectively, We must lay aside sin and anything in our lives that will not let us run as we ought to. These things The Bible refers to as weights. They could be our hobbies, jobs, relationships, goals etc. This can be a bit difficult for some people to do. Some people claim they dont know how to identify weights. I believe that we must always ask ourselves this important question "Does it help me run?" Be honest to yourself and follow the leading of His Spirit. Let Him search your heart and reveal things to you. When He does be obedient too. Lay them aside!!!

The Word of God in 1 Corinthians 9:4-25 says "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." Don't relent, keep on running.

Food for thought.

Funny Christian pick up lines!!

Happy Easter!!!

The King is risen!

The King is risen!

Go forth and proclaim it everywhere you go!

The Christ is alive! The stone that was rolled over his grave has been pushed aside!

Look! Look!

Behold the tomb that held Him is empty!! The King of Glory has conquered death! He lives! He lives!

Who is this King we speak about?

The King of kings is His name! The one all other kings bow down to.

He is the only begotten Son of God! The perfect Lamb who takes away the sins of the world!  His name makes the devils to tremble and crouch back in fear! His garment holds the healing power of God Almighty! He is The Mighty Man in battle; The Lion of the tribe of Judah! No one can shut a door He opens or open a door He shuts. He holds the keys of Heaven and Hell in His hands. He is the way, truth and life. No one can go to The Father except through Him.

He is The Chief Shepherd. The One who bore our sins on The Cross so that we may be saved and called out from darkness into His marvellous Light! He is our High priest; The one who daily intercedes for us before The mighty throne of God. He is Jesus Christ of Nazereth and He sits at the right hand of The Father having defeated the enemy. He is He that said "It is finished" on the cross and sealed the fate of all who believes in Him unto eternal life!

He is alive! He has risen! Don't go seeking him in the tomb! I tell you, you will find no one there! Lift your eyes up! The King lives! All Glory to His holy name now and forever more! Amen 

Trust in The Lord.

Dear single sisters..

Three important chemicals..

Sermon Jam :The Supremacy of Jesus Christ.

I stumbled upon this a couple of weeks ago on youtube while searching for a sermon jam to listen to. i was so blessed by this piece by John Piper!! God bless him.

Happy New Month!!!

Its a new month people!! Its that time of the year again when GOD puts away his paint brush soaked with snow and ceases to release the cold winter wind from His fist. He smiles down upon the earth and commands the flowers to spring forth and the leaves to begin growing again. Then the sun starts to come out more often and wastes no time in releasing its warmth to the inhabintants below. The parks are filled with the laughter of children playing and the cries of babies fussing as their parents take them out for a stroll. The rain come frequently too and the sweet smell of flowers fills the air and we gradually begin to put away those heavy coats that are synonymous with winter. 

Oh Beloved, isnt it amazing how great our God is. He has created the times and seasons for His glory! Oh praise be to The King of kings and Lord of lords for all He has done for us. May march be a month of marching into all He has planned for us in Jesus Name. Amen.

Break out and come forth!!!!

C.S Lewis.

The power or forces influencing our choices.

.Joshua 24:13-16
Deutronimy 30:19
1st Kings 18:21

God doesn't force us to do things! He will not enforce Himself on us! That was why He gave us free will, so that we can choose for ourselves. God however tells us the consequences of our actions, decisions and choices. We see this in The Bible.
There are so many factors affecting the choices and decisions we make in life. They include the following;

1: The pressure of your needs desires pursuits and aspirations.
Eg Esau and Jacob.

2. Pressure from our close relatives.

3. Influences from your close friends and associates.

4. Our culture, tradition and societal differences

5. Times, events and moments

6: The Spirit of God.

7: Advisors counsellors and guidance.

8:  historical factors

9. Spirit of Satan

10:  Pressure from the power that be. Eg political power, religious power.

Out of all these factors the most important one that Christians should be concerned about is The Spirit of God. That is the paramount factor of all. The bible says the steps of the righteous are ordered by The Lord. God pays a great deal of attention to His children. He cares deeply for us.

When we are in any kind of situation and we are faced with the task of making decisions we should ask God for wisdom as James 1:5 says He gives wisdom to any that lack. We must seek His perfect will at all times. Our feet should not stray to the right or to the left (no other factor should pressure us into taking wrong decisions. It must constantly be on the straight path.

The question we need to ask ourselves is what factor is influencing our choices. Is it the care of the world? The pressures from tradition or God Himself!
Let us remember that for every choice or decision we take there will be a reward. The bible says that God cannot be mocked. Whatsoever a man sows, he will reap. Do not be deceived!

Brilliant Parenting tips.

This story below struck a cord in me!!! What a great move on the part of the mother to have given her son a code or password for security reasons. Who would have thought it would come in handy one day? 

This was a note that accompanied a box of leggo a parent picked up at a store for their kids. I liked the effort by The Leggo company to remind parents about how encouraging creativity in every child is important.

This year you shall.....

This was designed by a sister from the church. It portrays the promises of God for His Children this year.