Independence, Influence and Accountability

Ministry Wednesday: Independence, Influence and Accountability

As ministers of the gospel and members of the body of Christ, our independence is limited even within the freedom we have in Christ Jesus.

Instead of independence, we have interdependence where the strength of one compliments the weakness of the other and the abundance of one compliments the lack of another as we bear one another's burden so fulfilling the law of Christ.

Each one of us is equipped with something to offer to build others up while our own building up is done by that which others are equipped with.

The body only grows by that which every joint supplies Ephesians 4:16.

So we are here to influence one another unto good works. We are here to add to one another, we are here to provoke one another to becoming more like Christ.

Independence makes you a lone ranger without accountability to anyone. Not that ministers really love independence that much, but that it is necessary for those who love to rule over others and to be accountable to no one.

The way God had tampered the body is such that we'll automatically be accountable to one another through fellowship. We are a people who would not eat certain food if it offends one of us, as tough as that may be. We are constrained by the love of Christ.

But then we have to be careful what kind of influence we subject ourselves to. It'll be the wrong model to submit to someone who isn't obliged to be accountable to the people who have submitted to him or her. The model does not support submission to those who have no respect for the members of the body of Christ. We are admonished to properly discern the body of Christ so as not to be judged.

Everyone wants to be influential and that's OK. For that reason we have been so equipped. But we have to be sure the influence each person brings to the table either it is towards becoming more like Christ or to serve some carnal and ungodly purposes.

Influence must be balanced with a practice of respect and accountability. The influence that doesn't submit to accountability in the context of interdependence isn't of Christ, it won't build the body, it is self serving and servants of God must desist from such models and the people of God should not follow that.

The rule should be clear, be followers of me even as I am of Christ. 1Cor 11:1. Once the model isn't supporting Christ or modelling Christ, it is discarded forthwith. Even Christ said, I sanctified myself because of them so that they too might be sanctified by the truth. John 17:19.

A leader or an influencer in the body of Christ must be ready to sanctified self because of the people he or she is sent to influence. And if he or she wouldn't follow such model of Christ, he or she should be ready to lose the right to be followed. Such influence won't produce Christ's life.

We have a lot to gain as ministers when we wait on God this way. When we think of the sanctification of those we influence and how our lives affect theirs we brace up to great responsibilities.

We miss a lot of things God sends through people to build us up when we go independent particularly of those we influence who also are members of the body of Christ even if they are "under" us.

We don't choose who God sends, we only receive whoever He sends no matter who that is so s to be built up.

We receive grace to understand and to live to please Christ in Jesus name.

Good day!
Share this with ministers of the gospel in your circle... And every other

ministry Wednesday post on this blog. Thank you.

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No Excuse Works

Motivation Monday: No Excuse Works

Life has our duties cut out for us. Aside self sustenance, we have people to take care of; we always do, and beyond that there's a purpose and or a cause to pursue.
Whatever the purpose may be and no matter how big it is, it is broken down to day to day duties that must be accomplished otherwise someone or something suffers.

Diligence is about being on top of every job or project. Keeping to deadlines, producing to standards and delivering and presenting with excellence. Handling any of that with slack hands won't deliver the expected.

We aren't sent to pursue what we don't have the interest or the expertise of producing. But not reaching the maximum level of productivity has so many reasons that cause it.

These reasons are called excuses.

You might have heard about genuine excuses. Well, there aren't anything like that. No excuse is genuine. There are things beyond our control as humans but none will be good enough reason not to do our duties. That's arguable, isn't it?

No excuse will do your duties for you, no matter how genuine. No excuse will clock in for you, sit at your desk, attend the meetings, make decisions and execute plans.

When your shop is close because of a genuine excuse, the customers still don't get their needs met and you lose market share. When you behave badly to a customer because you are in a genuinely bad mood, that excuse won't help the customer come back next time. When you don't meet your deadlines because of some very good excuses, the deadline remains unmet and the consequences on the company won't listen to excuses.

Why am I saying this? I'm not saying we would never have a reason not to do what we should do, after all, I'm writing this on Tuesday when I should have written it on Monday, I was genuinely busy but the rhythm isn't same, I'm late. I'm now using the time allocated for other duties to handle this. I'll have to double up to catch up, even if I'm 'my own boss'

Don't rely on excuses to escape duties. It won't work, excuses don't work, people do. You won't pass your exams with genuine excuses not to talk of flimsy ones. Don't form a habit of irresponsibility only because people will always understand.

Excuses are very dangerous things that leave duties undone and can create troubles that can be lethal and fatal.

What excuses do you have not to accomplish the expectations placed on you? What expectations do you have for not reaching your goals. What excuses do you have not to produce maximally and deliver within time with excellence? It may sound genuine but what's lost or missed won't listen. The clock won't stop ticking, the moment won't wait.

Deal with your genuine excuses and make it difficult for excuses to cut you off the opportunities God has given you, no reason is tenable for laxity and laziness. None is good enough.

When you are such who would always come with an excuse for not being productive, you generate an irresponsible reputation for yourself and no one will commit valuables into your hand.

Don't use excuses to make life's journey longer. Fight every excuse available to you to give for not being at the top of your game, fight it till you can't fight again. You'll discover that they are ploys of Satan to cut you off the honey in the rock, the throne in Goliath and the sweetness of greatness.

Do you have an excuse for not going to work today? Scrap it! No excuse will do your job for you.

Keep that in mind and you'll never have a down day.

Have a great week. Keep going, without any excuse. God bless you!

Proverbs 26:13 The Message (MSG)
13 Loafers say, “It’s dangerous out there!
    Tigers are prowling the streets!”
    and then pull the covers back over their heads.

The Message (MSG)

Proverbs 26
16. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

Saving your Marriage

Relationship Friday:

Saving your Marriage

Relationships can be as tough as they can be sweet. The challenges of life do not spare marriage. Marriage as an institution come with its own troubles as beautiful as it can be.
The issue however is the ability to handle it the way challenges are handled in other areas of life.

Success in any endeavor is driven by vision and the resolve to drive through the inhibitions and the challenges to arrive at the target, doing everything necessary to get there.

Most endeavours in life would require some interactions with material, financial and human resources to achieve success. When we treat the factors right, dealing with each as it should be dealt with, it produces its potentials towards overall success.

In marriage, retaining, maintaining and growing love is the goal and that's also the target of the challenges which if not properly managed can hurt the heart, drain love and fill the heart with hatred and resentment.

Love makes us vulnerable. When we lose loved ones to death or to breakups we feel hurt and we are pained. When a friend betrays love and trust, we become heartbroken. Love makes us vulnerable, the ones we love the most can hurt the most. And relationships and marriage are driven by love with the potential of being hurt.

If love is not managed and properly maintained, it may break and so lose its contents. It is like a glass jar holding the things we cherish the most which must not be broken.

Saving marriage is saving the love that binds the marriage. Love means care. It means seeking the wellbeing and the pleasures of the other. Love means freedom in the trust that the other won't be disturbed and can accommodate the openness of responsible freedom. Perfect love cast out fear.

Saving marriage is in saving the love that binds. Love must be free to express itself and must be empowered to always have its way against the things that militate against it.

Pride is a major enemy of love. Pride holds one back from expressing love. It makes one feel like begging for love. It makes one feel lower than one is. Watch out for pride if you want to save your marriage. Pride and love don't help one another.

Watch out for fear and distrust if you want to save your marriage. Love and fear don't work together. If your spouse is afraid of you for whatever reason, love won't stay much longer. Whatever is causing that fear must be expunged to save love and preserve marriage. It may be physical or psychological but if there is an iota of fear, love is threatened.
If you are afraid or you have fear or distrust for your spouse, you'll have to bring it up to deal with to save your marriage. Your fear will militate against your love for your spouse. Marriage isn't a place to be afraid.

Offenses threaten love and can hurt marriage badly. When we are offended or we feel offended we hurt. Little things hurt some people but it means those little things matter to them. We must honor our spouses by understanding and being sensitive to the things that matter to them the most so as not to offend them. We didn't get married so that we can be close enough to offend and hurt one another even if it's unavoidable that those who are closer can hurt more.

It's unthinkable that a spouse will deliberately hurt or offend his or her partner. That'll be outright wickedness. But how do we get to that point? When we don't want to see that the other person won't want to hurt us deliberately, we seek to retaliate or to do something that would make them see how bad what they had done is. This threatens love.

We may mistakenly hurt one another but we must ever be ready to forgive offenses. We must seek to heighten the bar of our vulnerability to offenses. We shouldn't take offense before asking questions. And if we aren't satisfied with explanations we may demand an apology and bury the hatchet right there and then.

Be careful not to keep a catalogue of wrongs suffered. It'll eventually hurt love and lose the marriage. Forgive, get healed and move on.

We don't have any right to punish our spouses for offenses they commit as if disciplining children. Of course, we wonder where justice is when those that love us can't pay for the hurts they cause us? These are part of the essence of love. Love suffers long. But we must also understand that in marriage founded on love, you hurt when your spouse hurts, even if that hurt is caused by you directly or indirectly. Our spouses hurt when we hurt.

It constitute an abuse if you have to punish your spouse for offenses. Rather talk it over with the aim of forgiving and moving on in love and in happiness.

Anyone who takes offense too easily, who won't forgive quickly but would rather retaliate and punish a spouse may need therapy before such destroys his or her marriage.

If your marriage is important to you, then make sure you work to save it. Maintain love and care for one another, be slow to anger, let it be for only a moment, forgive quickly, don't seek to retaliate and don't keep a record of wrongs suffered to allow them affect your actions and reactions to your spouse. Beware of offenses, either in offending your spouse or in getting offended.

Being slow to anger, keeping it only for a moment and forgiving quickly are things we inherit from our Father, God, everyone born of God has them... They form the salvation attitude, it'll work also for the saving of your marriage.

[My Offline Bible] Psalms 103
8. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.


[My Offline Bible] Psalms 30
5. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.


Now, go and tell your husband or wife, what you just read and share it with your friends, it'll help someone.

Have a loving and lovely weekend!

Doctrinal Integrity

Ministry Wednesday: Doctrinal Integrity

Irrespective of the ministry office we were called into, preaching and teaching are the fundamentals of the job of the minister of the New Testament. Apostle Paul, though an apostle, was strong in both the teaching and the prophetic gifts, yet he said God had made us able ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter but of the spirit, 2 Corinthians 3:5&6. Meaning it is for the preaching of the word of God that we are called.

And obviously, no minister ministers without talking, the problem is about what a minister speaks. How agreeable to the Spirit of the Word of God are his or her speeches?

There may be eloquent speakers, who have their ways with words, there may be wise speakers, who can unravel mysteries, answer hard questions and win arguments and debates, but they all may not be preaching God's word.

Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians how when he first came to them, he came not with excellence of speech and of wisdom, but that though he was with them in weakness, his speeches demonstrated the power of God so that their faith won't be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Some may have interpreted that to mean that he was just doing miracles and casting out demons without saying a word. No, that's not what happened and that's not what He meant by what he said.

We read about what happened at Lystra in chapter 14 of the Acts of the apostles.

Acts 14
6. They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:

7. And there they preached the gospel.

8. And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:

9. The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,

10. Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

11. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

Paul and the team fled to Lystra. They preached the gospel there. One crippled man, heard Paul speak. And Paul saw that he had faith to be healed and commanded that he stood upright and he stood and was healed.

They just didn't get to town and immediately started ministering to the sick and healing them as if they were a medical team whose primary and sole focus was to administer healing.

They preached the gospel, and the man heard them and got faith through the word preached to be healed.

I see many people teach and preach cultures, moralities, natural concepts and many other good things aside the Word of God in the name of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Apostle Paul warned Timothy this way...
[My Offline Bible] 2 Timothy 2
15. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

[My Offline Bible] 1 Timothy 4
6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7. But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

[My Offline Bible] 1 Timothy 1
3. As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4. Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
5. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
6. From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

He warned him against what he called profane and vain babbling, old wives' fables, endless genealogies, vain jangling and so on. These are things that we can get preoccupied with when preaching. Paul pointed out to Timothy how some have swerved away from preaching the truth unto vain jangling.

Faith in God should be the effect of preaching with the eagerness to do something about what's heard in the direction of trust, obedience and commitment to Christ. It isn't just something that should make people happy and entertained but a call into supernatural and heavenly things through deep awareness of divine operations.

Preaching must be the declaration of sound doctrines and teaching must be of understanding and light into divine desires and instructions not just mere words that tickle the ear.

Hear what Apostle Paul told Titus.
[My Offline Bible] Titus 2
7. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

8. Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

And the same instructions come to everyone of us in the ministry.
In doctrine, we must show incorruptibility, gravity, and sincerity.

Integrity means incorruptibility, reliability, solidity, consistency, something not liable to change, something integral, something whole.

Gravity means seriousness, depth, heavy, something that makes you think, something reflective, something that can preoccupy thoughts.

Sincerity means being truthful and simple, transparent, not crafty, not complex, something plain, that can be seen through.

Meaning we must not handle the word of God deceitfully.
[My Offline Bible] 2 Corinthians 4
1. Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

We, as ministers of God must renounce hidden things of dishonesty, we must put aside craftiness and worldly wisdom, we must not handle the word of God deceitfully...

But then, we must first seek knowledge with all sincerity from the heart. The desire for the knowledge of God's truth must be the driving force of every minister, because that's our stock in trade. When a soul lacks knowledge, it gets spoiled. Ours is to feed people with knowledge and understanding. The priest should have knowledge and out of his mouth should the law be sought.

 Malachi 2
7. For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Let's seek knowledge... Let's seek to be strong in what's true. Let's seek to promote divine truth, then we'll be worth those who should be called ministers of God.

I pray God open to us His treasure of knowledge and wisdom, may He release upon us the manifestation of the Spirit of revelation and make us all He wants us to be in Jesus name.

It's a great week

Must I Marry?

Relationship Friday: Must I Marry?

The truth is that you don't have to marry. Not only is marriage not for everybody, it is also true that many will not marry. The frustration a lot of people experience isn't because they ought to be married and they are not, but that they have been told that they must marry.

A lot don't even want to by themselves, they don't have the temperament, the desire and the urge that are needed to make success of marriage but societal pressure won't let them stay wherein they have been called.

Jesus Christ said in Matthew 19 that there are people who won't marry because God made them so, some made so by other people and some made themselves so.

Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 7 said some people are gifted not to be married corroborating what Jesus Christ said about God not making some people for marriage. Paul called it a gift and that each one of us has his or her 'proper gift'.

Apostle Paul also said some won't be married because of certain negative and unsupportive situations and conditions which he referred to as 'present distress'.

He generally presented marriage as something one may decide not to go into, though I believe it is possible that God compels one to get married, if it is important to His plan for one.

But according to apostle Paul, when one gets married when one shouldn't, 'such would have trouble in the flesh' a situation we see in many marriages today.

The conclusion is that it isn't compulsory to marry.

But then, not getting married, if it is by divine plan and purpose would come with its 'proper gift', which would support being single without defiling the body and living in sin.

And if it is a personal decision, one should be ready to deal with sexual burnings to avoid sexual immorality. Whatever the decision may be, it must never be such that will lead to sinful living.

But then, if one knows that he or she shouldn't get married because he or she doesn't have what it takes to keep a husband or wife, to keep a home and raise children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, it'll be nice to spare others who may want to marry them the troubles their getting married may cause.

If you can't love unconditionally, if you can't give your body to your wife or husband as you ought to, if you aren't ready to lay down your life for your wife as Christ did for the church or you aren't ready to submit to your partner with utmost respect for his person irrespective of the conditions, if you are not ready to keep the marital bed undefiled... I doubt if you have the gift and it'll be better to stay off, it is better not to marry.

And if you see a man or woman who doesn't have such gifts, even if you have them in excess, it is better to wait than to marry such a person.

Lusts, greed and inordinate affections often lead people into getting married when they shouldn't and lead others to marry people who should not be married and in both cases people suffer and have trouble in the flesh according to Apostle Paul.

It's not the whole truth for people to say everyone should marry, we aren't all made for marriage and many of us won't ever get married for different reasons. Quite a number of people, for instance, find it hard to live with others, they find sharing their spaces with others almost impossible, if such get married, there will be trouble...people should be saved such troubles.

Look closely into yourself and ask that question if you were made for marriage. Of course, that you are late in finding the right person isn't part of the things that qualify you for celibacy, if you should marry, then you must have been created for someone. That you are yet to meet such even at 50 doesn't mean you won't meet such and still be fulfilled in marriage.

But if you shouldn't, then discover the purposes for which God had created you and bury yourself into whatever it takes to fulfil it and never be moved by the stigma of society and the pressure to get into marriage that may cause a lot of pain. Being single isn't a sin.

I must also say this before we end this, that if you should marry, with evidences that you are so wired, don't toy with celibacy that would deprive you of sexual fulfillment and that can cause you to misbehave and create unnecessary scandals. It isn't a sin to marry.

And if you are married, don't live like you are a celibate, living separately and distantly even when sleeping on same bed with your spouse. We are warned in 1 Corinthians 7 not to abstain for too long unnecessarily, to avoid Satan tempting through lack of self control. Don't punish a man or woman you had voluntarily married with sex and other marital responsibilities you have towards him or her, if you are married, give each other what's due and expected. If you don't like what married people do together, then don't marry and if you had married, then do what's expected, don't defraud your spouse.

You don't have to marry but if you are in it already then give it all you've got and don't live as if you are not!

Consider this properly, if you are yet to marry. God's blessings be with you always in Jesus name.

Have a glorious weekend!

Examples of the Believer

Examples of the Believer

We are not only sent to preach the word of God but also to practice it as an example to those who hear us. If it isn't good enough for us to practice, it isn't then good enough to preach.

The growth of animals with consciousness, particularly mammals, requires some degree of imitations, we learn with older ones as examples, so also is spiritual growth, we, as teachers and speakers of the word are not sent to be mere speakers but examples of what we speak for emulation by those coming behind us.

Hebrews 13
7. Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.


The New Living Translation renders it as "Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith."

Apostle Paul said to Timothy as a charge,
1 Timothy 4
12. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Examples show possibilities. Without examples, what we say are mere philosophies, they don't get to our hearers as practicable things. If a teacher has no real life scenario to use in teaching the principles he teaches, the students only see the exercise as mere mental exertion that exists only in the imagination of the teacher.

Apostle Paul said the Corinthians should follow him as he followed Christ. Our lifestyle in faith should show how we are following Christ and it is with that we get qualified to be followed. We are those to be imitated in following Christ.

Every minister of the gospel should constantly ask if God will be pleased by his commitment so far, to be qualified as one to imitate. The question should be, "if people imitate me, will God be pleased with them?"

As examples of believers, there are certain things that should never be heard about us. Not that we don't make our mistakes, but those mistakes should be mistakes and not our default lifestyles.

Our mistakes should be presented as mistakes and not as permissible alternatives to Christ's life. The people following must know that they are mistakes and should learn from us the right way of handling such to please God.

Ephesians 5
3. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

The things that should not be named, not even once among us as believers, should therefore not be heard concerning a minister of the gospel as being an example he or she was called to be.

The ministry of being an example is as important as that of speaking the word. People who won't be won by the word can through the lifestyles of those who have been born again be won even without the word 1Peter 3:1.

Just as we seek God's grace to preach the word, we should also seek the Lord for the grace to fulfil the ministry of being examples of believers in all things. To these, we have been called.

Those for whom Christ died should not stumble through our insensitivity. Romans 14
15. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

1 Corinthians 8
10. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 11. And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12. But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

Prominent ministers must come to terms with this, so that none will be the reason for the stumbling of any.

May His grace be multiplied to us all in Jesus name.

Lofty Heights, Lofty Hearts

Motivation Monday: Lofty Heights, Lofty Hearts

The second stanza of the Nigerian national anthem is a prayer addressed to the God of creation, to direct our noble path, to guide our leaders right, to help our youth the truth to know, to grow in love and honesty, living just and true, to the end that we may attain great and lofty heights in nation building.

The last couple of weeks gave one much to think about concerning our great nation. By the way, I'm a Nigerian and I love my country. I desire to see that prayer in the anthem come to pass in the lives of more and more Nigerians, we need not many more prayers for our nation than that.

So, thinking about Nigeria and thinking about that prayer, one phrase, 'Great lofty heights' sticks out for me. It came to me that the writers of the song were yearning for great lofty hearts in the stanza, hearts of nobility, justice, wisdom, honesty, integrity, and knowledge, guided and visionary hearts.

This is because, without it being in the heart, the eyes will never see it. Jesus Christ said, a good or bad man, out of the good or bad treasures of his heart, brings forth either good or bad things. If the heart is weak in nobility, you can't force nobility out of it. If it is full of understanding , it naturally exudes wisdom. A heart full of foolishness can't produce wisdom.

What we see today, is the result of the state of our hearts and if we must see better days, we must load our hearts with the things we want to see.
Jesus Christ also said, make a tree good and the fruits will be good, because a good tree can not bring forth bad fruits which apostle Paul interpreted as walking in the spirit and not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. A good tree and a fruits are mutually exclusive. Everything produces after its kind. If the tree can be made good, you are sure to have it produce good fruits. It's a matter of the heart.

So what have you loaded into your heart? Do you desire lofty heights? Then go for a lofty heart. The hearts full of impossibilities will produce nothing. The heart that believes brings forth things that eyes had not seen. The things prepared for us are in that realm but it takes believing hearts to get there.

A liberal soul shall be made fat said King Solomon. When you have a heart that can accommodate what others see as impossible, then you are ready to take mountains.

Caleb, a man said to have a different spirit, even at 85 was taking mountains, his strength never abated for over 45 years because his heart was indicting great and lofty heights.
Don't be like those who would say what God wants for them is impossible. If God had promised you a land, then go and fight for it, it's yours and you'll get it. Take it to heart that whatever is holding those things now is holding it in waiting for you.
God kept the throne of David inside Goliath, so Goliath couldn't have been too strong for David to take down. God kept the honey belonging to Samson inside a young lion, the lion couldn't have been too dangerous for Samson to take down.

If the height is in your heart, it won't be too high for you to attain. Don't strive for things below the heights God has placed within you. Don't shortchange yourself, it's there for the taking, if you can accommodate it within you.

As for my nation Nigeria, I look forward to our hearts being enlarged enough to accommodate the lofty heights we were made to attain beyond election rigging and mediocre productivity of government. I look forward to a new vision of great things, when we'll conquered the limitations of selfishness and Liliputian mentality. When we'll return to the times of breakthroughs and trailblazing beyond the present frontiers of innovations and technology and create a better life for our people. I look forward to the end of celebrating mediocrity in leadership to a new day of great accomplishments that will lift the poorest of us to a place of envy among the people of the world.

It is possible, if we allow the lofty heights we sing about to expand our hearts to accommodate it. We aren't wimps, we must go for the extra large sizes that can fit who we were made to be.

Good morning, it's a great day and a beautiful week!

Who Should I Marry?

Relationship Friday: Who Should I Marry?

Most singles want to get married someday. Some have been married before or at least gotten involved in a couple of failed relationships. Many haven't had such an experience. Something in every single person tells them what's good in who they should get married to, to have the kind of bliss they had dreamed. But their observations and sometimes the experiences they have had, don't add up to create a sense of possibility of such lives.
The question on the heart of many is 'Who exactly should I marry to enjoy life?'
And its good that question is answered before the journey begins so that the answer can drive and guide the transition. When the answer is wrong, of course, the whole system turns out bad.
Who should I marry? If you will ask me, I'll tell you to marry a Christian. I'm sure that's laughable to many, because those who have caused them grief and suffering in life and in marriage are none other than so called Christians and I am a witness to that.

But studying the scriptures, you'll realise that just identifying with a religion where the name of Christ is mentioned isn't equal to being a Christian in the real sense of it, just as putting on a lab coat and a stethoscope and sitting in an office in a hospital doesn't make you a medical doctor.
You may desire to be a medical doctor, or even studying towards it, and it's OK, yet that doesn't make you one. Same way you may desire to be a Christian, and working towards it, and that'll be great but it doesn't make you one.

The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. So we know that Christians are disciples of Christ. And following the story of Christ, His disciples were different from those who came to patronise Him. Those wouldn't be called Christians even if they were many more than those called disciples. Even if they were always coming, they were not called disciples.
Disciples were those who had forsaken all for Christ, socially, materially and in every other way. They are those who carry their cross, in commitment to the teaching and the lifestyle of Christ.
Now, these are the most pleasant people to live with in earth, you can testify if you have met a few of them. Their lives can be described by their deadly pursuit to be like their Master through their commitment to the teachings of Christ.
You may have met impostors, who are full of religious flamboyance with plenty leaves and flowers without fruits. But Jesus Christ had warned that by their fruits and not leaves or flowers shall they be recognized, don't be scammed.

They aren't wolves covered with sheep's clothing. They bear fruits, they don't hang fruits. It's natural to them to bear good fruits from the good treasure within them. They don't need to make things up, it flows naturally with them to be zealous of good works.

Galatians 5
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Someone who brings forth this fruit is who I'm recommending here. But such must first be one who shares the nature of Christ through the new birth and who lives by the leading of the Spirit, one who is drunken and under the influence of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God through total submission to the Lordship of Christ. Without these experiences, anyone who may seem to be bearing such fruits is most likely an impostor, a wolf in sheep's clothes.

Such a person, I'm recommending has crucified the flesh and the lusts thereof, meaning the appetite for and the control of fame, sex and selfishness have been broken. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life have no hold on his or her life... Now, that's a Christian! That's a disciple of Christ.

What comes to mind quickly is that such is an impossibility? But that's a lie of the devil to maintain the status quo of marital failure. The question should be how to get this and not how impossible it is. If its possible to be a Christian, then it's possible to get one to marry.

The way to getting such is to be one yourself. Because you only find someone like you. Someone that'll be attractive to you is probably someone with your kind of values. Your definition of good is what someone you are drifted towards is, until such stings as an adder.
If you feel it's impossible to be a Christian, then you won't be out looking for one. But to those who believe and are seeking to be, through grace, they will find it in themselves first and in others who already are.

So, marry a Christian but to be sure of what you are getting, you have to be one yourself bringing forth the fruit of love, joy, patience, long-suffering, peace, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, goodness, self control, temperance etc...flowing naturally by the workings of the Spirit of God and the Word of God from within.

If you don't prioritize these things, you may end up marrying someone who is spiritually barren.

2 Peter 1
4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6. And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

10. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

I pray for our singles seeking to marry, that their hearts will seek what's spiritual and not what's worldly, so that they can get the life that affords the peace and the love of God in Jesus name.

Peace to you!