Apr 27, 2009 |
Recently I attended a prayer meeting one cold winter night. It was a beautiful prayer meeting with every indication that God’s presence was there and prayers were answered by the Almighty God.
As we got back into the car to go home the car refused to start. We did all the checks we know/knew how to do but the car would not just move. By this time, around 11 pm, all the other brethren had left and the chilly wind, with the snow, started around 11.00pm. This development was unexpected and I was quiet, and puzzled initially. My wife, who was to drive, started singing but I did not join her immediately as I was still trying to figure out what to do, checking the engine out. Momentarily it started and we moved a few meters/yards from the parking lot to the main road and right there on the road it stopped again. We got out to push the car off the road in that chilly cold night but my wife and I could not, either because our hands were already numbed by the cold or the weight of the car was too heavy for both of us. God sent help; three men, including an aged man who put down his bag by the roadside, came to help us push it off including an aged man who put down his bag by the roadside. By the time we got the car off the road it was well after midnight and as I sat back in the car the song “Only You will I serve I have no other God” came to me and I realize that it is not easy initially to praise God when the unexpected happens.
That night our car could not take us home. In fact while we sat in the car we kept praising HIM and a cab pulled up which took us to another taxi park which eventually got us home by the early hours of the day. We praised HIM with expectations that the car would take us home but it did not. It only took us to the main road only to stop again. We now started praising HIM for HIS Sovereignty because we did not understand why it had to stop again.
We meet many different unexpected situations these days and I know every Christian has his /her own share. To some it might be unexpected job loss .You go to work without anticipating any problem but you are called and given the termination just like that! What do you do? To some you might receive some news that are not within your frame of thoughts like one of my friends will say,” things that did not even show up on your radar screen” that it was coming in. Life has it shares of the unexpected and whenever you are privileged to have that test of life you have to learn how to respond by praising God. You and I do not get to choose the type of test our faith need to go through before we move on to the next level .God who created us and knows our destination allows it to come to us so that we can graduate to the next level of fulfillment. When we take it badly and keep asking God questions like John the Baptist did when Herod put him into prison, we lose focus of God.
Today, I want to encourage you to keep PRAISING God when things are going on well and when the Unexpected happens also Praise HIM. That night in the car my wife started praising HIM immediately the car did not start, it took me a while before I could engage in Praise and I realize that the more addicted we are to praising HIM at all times the better we are at handling the unexpected .As HE that allowed that test will show us a way of escape and we would have moved one more level up in fulfilling our destiny. Weeks later, we now realized for some reasons that the engine oil in the car that night was so low that if we had driven it home the engine would have knocked.
Jan 8, 2009 |
2009 has just begun less than 12 hours over here but I am being led at this time that we are busy saying Happy New Year and Seasonal Greetings to each other to ask you HOW DID YOU RECEIVE THE YEAR ?.There is a saying that says “Morning shows the day” that is how you handle the first few hours might be an indication of how you will likely spend the rest of the day.So by the Spirit of the Lord I am being asked to challenge you today to take charge of this First Day to spend it well Glorifying God, thanking HIM for what HE has done in the previous years and receive concrete wisdom that will make you avoid the mistakes you made in the past.Remove fear from you in all what you start out doing today. Fear of failure must not be allowed in your thought life today.Don’t give up on any of your unfulfilled dreams .The Year 2009 is the Year of Fulfillment .Please make sure that what you are believing God for has the promise of God based on HIS revealed Word attached to it .Anything you are believing God for that is not firmly rooted in the word of God is not Faith. Faith is trusting God for the performance of what HE Has promised you in HIS Word.As you commence 2009 start it right by Making the Right Choices from DAY 1 In all areas of your life.Some people in major parts of the world ushered in the New Year by looking at fireworks of different dimensions and colors and as the days unfold they have nothing in their spirit man to guide them for the year but thoughts of entertainment and pleasure. Gone are the days when what welcomes the New Year in major parts of the World are the bells from the Cathedral Churches and people singing Hymns Glorifying God.You have the unique opportunity now to start right and do the right things today the first day of this brand New 2009HAPPY NEW YEAR
Dec 30, 2008 |
Who Will Bail You Out?
The Global Economic Recession necessitates that various Governments take urgent steps to bail out their financial sectors hence the word Bailout plan has been the household word for most people across the Globe.
The Bailout plan had become necessary as a result of the crash of the stock market on the Wall street in the US .The US Government in other to alleviate the Grave consequences of the chaos in the financial market had put together financial aid to some of the failed institutions.
The reaction of the ordinary man is to cut costs and prepare for the period of depression that will predictably follow and somehow this panic has gripped some Christians and in their thinking of reducing expenses some are contemplating stopping the payments of their tithes and offerings as a prudent measure.
My dear friend reading this message let me ask you this question, when your own economy fails who will bail you out? The Us Government is bailing out critical institutions they considered strategic. Who are you turning to in time of financial crisis? You see as the government felt obliged to rescue these institutions how much more God is ready to rescue you out of the situation you are facing. It is only those that sustain the covenant relationship of tithing along with their regular offerings that God will intervene on their behalf. The Bible says God is a very present help in the time of trouble but its only those who signed up with the covenant of their tithes and offerings that will be bailed out by God.
I read this week in the News that the US Secretary of State was imploring donor countries not to cut off their various aids programmes to various countries because they should honor their pledges and reduce the global hardship on the poor people of the world. That is good in the wisdom of this world. My dear friend, as a child of God you have a greater pact with God than the bilateral agreements governments have with each other or the sense of patriotism that your government may have for you. Tithing is an obligation required by God from you. You are not doing HIM a favor by paying your tithes neither are you making any human being happy by paying your tithes and offerings. Rather you get HIS Favor and unlimited protection when you faithfully tithe. That is HIS Promise to You!!!!
“The LORD is good, A strong hold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7 NKJV
Amplified version puts it as “The Lord is good, a Strength and Stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows (recognizes, has knowledge of, and understands) those who take refuge and trust in Him.”
Just as the government recognizes the critical sectors of the economy that needs to be addressed, so much more, your creator the Almighty God knows you and is willing and able to bail you out.
The most foolish thing you may do in this season is to cut back on your tithes and offerings you will be acting like an army that is intentionally cutting off its line of food, Arms and Ammunitions in the time of war. This is not the first time that the stock market will crash or other economic disasters will hit the US .It occurred in 1819 which was the first major economic crisis in the United States, ending the economic boom that had followed the war of 1812. It also occurred in 1837,1857,1873,1893,1907 1929 (October 24 1929 otherwise known as Black Thursday) 1987 October 19, which was also called “Black Monday “ and the Dot com crash of 2001 and certainly what we are all witnessing now wont be the last before the end of this world.
Interestingly in all these crisis periods faithful Christians in tithes and offerings have emerged victorious and many transfer of wealth has occurred.
An example of this is Rockefeller in the US. He even moved beyond the traditional 10 percent .The more percentage he gave the more God gave him back. Last week Sunday I listened to the testimonies of an elderly Lady Minister who testified of how she continued tithing faithfully during the 1929 depression period and God has lifted her and her 3 children to places of fulfillment in their lives today.
The Bible says in Psalm 37 verse 25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
The Choice is yours- which Bailout Option do you have?
Jeremiah 29 verse 11 says” For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Malachi 3 verse 10 says “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
Get God’s full coverage on you finances by giving your tithes and offerings take it to the place where HE has chosen for you.
Your best Bailout plan is to keep giving your tithes and offerings.
Dec 30, 2008 |
YOU HAVE BEEN DIVINELY DIRECTED TO THE PLACE WHERE GOD IS GOING TO EMPOWER YOU TO FULFILL YOUR DESTINY.
AS YOU READ AND GIVE YOUR HONEST AND SINCERE FEEDBACK THE INTERACTION WILL LIBERATE YOU AND OPEN YOUR EYES TO SEE HOW GOD IS POSITIONING YOU TO FULFILL YOUR DESTINY.
Acts 10:38 (King James Version)
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
GOD IS WITH YOU IN THAT SITUATION OR CIRCUMSTANCE YOU ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW AND HE IS GOING TO TURN IT AROUND FOR HIS GLORY AND YOUR BLESSING AS YOU TRUST HIM
