Johnstone's Blog

Good Friday blessings, 

Luke 23:12 GNB

On that very day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this they had been enemies.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28 ESV)

Happy New Year😍
How has been the past 26 days of the year?
Thank you for staying in touch with me on the blog even during the holidays.

I believe that this year we been a fascinating time as I will continue my reflections from the ordinaries of every day life.

Last year left me with a whole lot of memories, especially memories made out of my mistakes. Disobedience is one of the top things on my 'not to do list' this year.

My first reflection of the year is on wisdom; I spent most part of the last days of 2019 and the first weeks in 2020 reflecting on Proverbs 24, in this blog post I'll be sharing how you and I can get Wisdom (as drawn from my reflections).

For any man to remain relevant in his purpose and community, he needs the wisdom that comes from God. What's the wisdom of God?

According to John Piper, "Divine wisdom is the perfect factual knowledge and the perfect situational insight and the omnipotent resolve that together will succeed in achieving his intended, righteous goals."

Wisdom is a means to a goal! You might have set out goals for the new year; Infact you've already started pursuing some but I just want you to pause and ask yourself; on whose wisdom am I running to achieve this goals?

" The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom"; ignorance is very dangerous and oftentimes we tend to pursue for wisdom ignorantly.

In a very few steps I'll be sharing how to get Wisdom:

1.  Get Wisdom via a Consistent Prayer Life

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5)

Spending time with God in the place of prayer is a key step in getting wisdom. Your communication with God has to be fresh and consistent.

2. Pursue wisdom in the word of God

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. (Psalm 19:7)


The Word was in the beginning! You can't find true wisdom when you ignore the Word.

Read Also:Habits to Develop While Relating With The Scriptures

3. Pursue wisdom from the ordinaries of everyday life

Spend time listening to the voice of silence, God can speak through various media but you need to pay attention to hear him speak.

"Go to the ant, O sluggard consider her ways, and be wise. (Proverbs 6:6)"

4. Get Wisdom from walking with the wise.

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise. (Proverbs 13:20).

 It's true that you can get victory out of wise guidance.

We've spent 25 days out of the 365 days we have. And I want to encourage you to spend time with the Holy Spirit in prayer, the word, the speakings of nature and strategic relationships.

In this year, become a fool to 'your wisdom' and learn of the Lord.

We live in a world where people are judged based on their culture.

Culture is the way of life of a group of people. Christ is the image or likeness of God in us.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT

Among the cultures we have, you would always find something positive and negative about in them. This applies to every culture. Christ came into people's lives and the negative aspects of their culture in their lives began to erase. Because of this we shouldn't judge people based on culture, let's look at them individually. Their personality matters and Christ in them makes the difference.

In Nigeria, they say the Yoruba's love 'amebo' but I've met Yoruba's that have no business with 'amebo'. They say the Igbo's love money too much amazingly, I've met Igbo's who aren't crazy about money.

I've seen people from cultures where immorality is common but they're careful about the kind of life they live. I've seen people from cultures where charm is the ultimate but they're sincere about serving God. I've seen people from cultures known for idolatry but they're different. It doesn't stop here there are many more examples.

It's true culture is a way of distinguishing people but, sometimes what makes the difference is Christ.

Yol Favour,
Makurdi, Nigeria.

Everyone is born with something great. Everyone has a great potential. Everyone has a purpose to fulfil. Isn't it great that the word 'everyone' includes you?

The fact that you're alive today means there's something you have to offer that the world needs. It means you have an answer to a question.

It doesn't matter what people think you are or what you think you are. It doesn't matter what situation you're going through. It doesn't matter what decision you've made, it's not late to make a right choice again. It doesn't matter what wrongs you've done, there's Someone who is willing and would be glad to welcome you to His Kingdom. All you need to do is; make the right decision, be focused and keep moving.

You think you're going through a lot? It happened to Daniel but he made the right choice, was focused and kept moving and guess what? His life glorified God.

You think nothing good can come out of your life again? God empowered Samson again and without eyes he killed more people compared to when he had eyes.

You think you've done too many wrongs or made wrong decisions? David, was later referred to as the man after God's heart.

People may see you as DULL but God sees you as a LIGHT. People may see SCARS but God sees STARS. People may see you as an INSULT but God sees you as a RESULT. All you need to do is trust God and depend wholly on Him.

Don't let your past or what you're going through be a barrier to where you are going or who you're supposed to be. Let me remind you again, you're great.

Yol Favour,
Makurdi, Nigeria.

It is always best we try to find out God's plan for our lives before making any decision.

For many it will be too hard to say 'Lord, let your will be done in my life', but you can't find complete joy doing what isn't God's will for your life.

 Sincerely speaking I know God's will is always the best but sometimes I find it difficult to ask God for His will to be done in my life. Maybe I felt I had good reasons for doing what I do or what I wanted doing. But I thank God for His grace that now I'm willing to say and with a sincere heart 'Father, let your will, your plan, your purpose for my life be accomplished'.

 Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". God is not a man that He would lie. God knows the future and we don't even have an idea what's gonna happen the next minute so why do we bother ourselves about our future when the creator of the universe has a better plan for us?.


Aside all these, there is one major problem or mistake that sometimes we make not until it is too late before we realize them, that is sometimes we block God's will, plan and purpose for our lives without knowing.

 Sometimes we try to force ourselves into something even when we know it can't work just because we want to please people. Sometimes we treat humans inhumanly without caring if the person is part of those that will help in making your purpose come to fulfilment or vice versa. You may not know or see it but that person may get so discouraged about life and live anyhow.

Let's mind the way we speak to people, treat them, mind the words you say to people and live your life by the principle, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".
Above all always pray for God's will to be done in your life and I promise you that you will never regret it.


Yol Favour Nguuma,
Makurdi, Nigeria

Happy New Month,

We all know how sad it feels when we're faced with disappointments in life. Dissappointments sometimes leads to one giving up, getting discouraged, getting depressed etc.

Imagine you have been looking for a job for quite a long and you finally got a job to work abroad. The excitement, happily arranging all you will need to go for the interview after booking your flight. The day of your flight finally came and anxiety made you leave your house very early. Arriving there, you discovered you were too early so you decided to seat and wait then, you suddenly realized that you left your credentials, so you immediately rushed back to pick it. On getting to the airport you watched the plane took off and there is no plane going that way again. Hmm, already you've lost the job all your mind has been on, how disappointed you will be. I'm really sorry if you've gone through something related to this before. I understand how it feels.

One good thing about disappointments in life is that, there's always another chance, opportunity, time and alternative.
How about you finding yourself in another place, while wondering how you got there, you kept moving and suddenly you sighted a very beautiful place, incomparable to that of a palace, streets made of gold, a place full of joy and you thought "wow, what a wonderful place to be", then you moved towards the direction of the place. You got to the gate, with much anxiety to enter you were stopped and told 'sorry, you don't belong here', believe me when I say this is the ultimate disappointment- someone denied entering the gate of heaven simply because, the person lived a nonsense life while on earth.

There is no second chance  no alternative, no repentance when a person is faced with this disappointment. The good thing is that you can avoid this ultimate disappointment while on earth. All you need to do is simply live a life that pleases God. Avoid the ultimate disappointment as much as you can. God bless you.

Yol Favour Nguuma,
Jos, Nigeria

One morning weeks ago, I decided to wear white trousers to school. Bearing in mind that it's raining season, I made a silent prayer "Lord,  please don't allow rain fall today". I said that because if rain falls, my white trousers was going to become red because of mud. I didn't want that to happen hence the prayer.

I survived school till past 5 in the evening, though not as neat as it was in the morning it wasn't in a bad shape because I was extremely careful, I was conscious the seats I sat on for my different classes ensuring that they weren't dusty and so much more. Luckily for me rain didn't fall!! My prayer was answered.

 I boarded a tricycle that evening to go to church and immediately I sat down, I checked my self to ensure my white trousers were in not in a pretty bad shape since the tricycle wasn't clean enough to me. Doing that and satisfied with what I saw, I relaxed knowing I'll have to wash the trousers as soon as I get home.

Then some words hit me! "Patricia just the way you care so much about your white trousers physically, that's what you should do also with your spiritual garmet which is the most important."

The distance from the gate to the church gave me an ample time to meditate.


Below are the lessons I learnt.

i. Every morning when I ask God for Mercy, my garment becomes as white as snow (wearing my white trousers)

ii. Clothed in white setting out for the day, pray not to fall into temptation, to sin. (when I prayed for rain not to fall)

iii. Through the whole day, ensure your garment remains white by being care with the conversation you engage in, the people you mix up with, etc. (when I made sure the seats I sat on were clean enough)

iv. When the day's over, you check, is my garment still clean? Is it still white? Then ask God for a rewash! (Notice, though I was careful, my trousers was not as white as it was in the morning but it was in a bad shape, it wasn't too dirty but I was going to still wash it)

So, even if we feel or think or know that we've not sinned or fallen, let's always remember to ask God for a rewash and He's never tired if showing us Mercy.

Remember,
"His Mercies Endureth Forever".

Okoko Patricia,
Jos, Nigeria.

Connect with her:
Facebook: Okoko Patricia
Twitter: @OAmipat

But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.  And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed. Luke 5:15‭-‬16 KJV

As you continue to get mastery in your sphere of influence, God has already assured us that when you arise and allow your light to shine before men, them and their Kings will come to your light. It's true that a man's gift makes room for him before kings. But how can we sustain our standing with God amidst the fame?

Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.  And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord , according to all that his father Amaziah did.  And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord , God made him to prosper.  And he made in Jerusalem, engines invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.  But when he was strong, he grew proud to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 2chronicles 26.3-16.KJV

We will build on the story of Uzziah, the Scriptures define Uzziah as a righteous man who set himself to seek God in his youth ( Cf Chronicles 26:1-5), and "God made him prosper". That's what God does to any one who diligently seek Him, but the problem lies in the improper management of this prosperity, I will like to refer to as " fame".

When Uzziah grew strong, the Bible recorded that he grew proud. I have been learning about humility recently and I have learnt that humility triggers God to lift a man, but if you fail to manage the lifting you will fall because when you are been lifted you are opposing gravity and the enemy will look for any weight to bring you down.

For you not to die of leprosy like Uzziah, you have to emulate the life of Jesus, when His fame spread abroad; he quickly withdrew Himself to seek the face of the Lord. Spiritual retreat is one of the ways for building stamina in the spirit. Both Jesus and Uzziah did exploit but what made them different was spiritual intelligence, Jesus knew when to withdraw and pray so as to grow in humility but Uzziah on the other hand did not.

Do not become earthly relevant and forget Him who made you, what will it profit you?

Until Uzziah (Pride) dies, you cannot see the Lord.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:10 KJV

God has called us to be light of the world. Light is only useful where there's darkness; we were born for this season.
Even as we complete the first half of 2019 in a few weeks, I urge you to keep the light shinning.

In today's blog, I'll be reflecting on Ephesians 4:25-32, Saint Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote to the Church in Ephesus what I believe should be the "litmus test" for bearers of the Light of God.

   Ephesians 4:25-32

1. "PUT OFF FALSEHOOD and SPEAK TRUTHFULLY to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body."

2. "In your anger DO NOT SIN: do not let the sun go down while you are still angry."

3. "And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harbouring resentment, or cultivating bitterness]."

4. "The thief (who has become a believer) must no longer STEAL, but instead he MUST WORK HARD [making an honest living], producing that which is good with his own hands, so that he will have something to share to those in need"

5. "Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so  that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].

6. "And do not GRIEVE the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him]".

7. "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, faultfinding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]".

8. "Be kind and helpful to one another, tenderhearted[compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you."


These eight tips St. Paul gave the Church in Ephesus should be a manual guide on how we (you and I) should live as Christians, such that we are earthly relevant and heaven bound.
As we carry the Light to the "Gentiles" and their king, may God direct us. Amen!
Happy New Month😘

PS: All scriptural texts are from The Amplified Bible.

As technology continues to advance, I often heard people make claims like; I have a Bible App on my phone, I will read it" while this innovation is fabulous ( in fact, YouVersion has helped me greatly) most people are not self disciplined enough to ignore social media notification buzz et al. Who do you talk to first when you wake up? Who do you listen to first when you wake up? This battle for morning devotions has continued to be a big war for many a Christian (including me). When I discovered that it was affecting my spiritual life negatively, the Holy Spirit helped me out with these habits I am about to share.


Reading Gods word is a habit that begins in ambivalent discipline, however if nurtured, it can grow into the desire for our hearts. In this blog I will be sharing four habits I believe will fan your "word life" into flame.

For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to live it and to teach it. -Ezra 7:10

1. Reading your bible.

The first habit you must cultivate is setting your heart, like Ezra to study the scriptures; until you start reading your bible not as a "ritual but as a "relationship you will not find the remaining three habits useful. Like the Bereans of Acts 17:11, hold the scripture in high regard let it become your daily pursuit and source of truth.

2. Review the Bible.

You become more intentional and committed when you review the scripture with a learning mind. When you place the scripture on one end and your life on the other end, it helps you make the right spiritual adjustment that will enable you to have spiritual stability.

3. Remember the Bible.

"Do this in memory of me!"
I was taught in one of my Educational Psychology class that a permanent change in the behavior of a learner is actually what defines learning. So learning only takes place when there is a permanent change in the behavior of the reader. For every scripture you study; do not allow it to be in your note pad alone, take a step and write it on the tablets of your heart. Meditate on them (Cf Psalms 119: 99)

4. Respond to the Bible.

The entrance of the Word of God gives light, and when light comes it shines. Ezra made up his mind to live the scriptures he was reading. The Word of God must be made flesh in thoughts, Words and action to validate your identity as a Christian. We will not always have to talk to people about Christ, because often times our actions are so loud that our voice cannot be heard.

The whole armour of every Christian must be sharpened by the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God. The Word of God is more than the black and white (and maybe red) colours will see when flipping through the pages of the Bible. The Word of God is our defence. Jesus defeated the devil with the word; Eve was defeated by the devil because she lacked the word. The flame of your prayer life flickers if you ignore any reading of this kind. Whoever looks intently into the scripture continues in it not as a forgetful hearer but a doer, living according to God's prescription.

... But be doers of the word not hearers only, deceiving yourself. Apostle James

Today is Good Friday. The Friday before Easter Sunday.

Good Friday is the second day of the Paschal Tridium; the last days of lent - Lent is a season of 40days (not counting Sundays) of prayer, fasting and almsgiving embarked by mostly Catholics around the world, it begins on ash Wednesday every year. This year's Ash Wednesday( beginning of lent) was on the 6th of March. The day of the year where you see people move about their daily activities with the sign of the cross on their foreheads. Lent represents Christ's time of temptation (40days and 40nights) in the wilderness and as believers we are encourage to participate actively not has a "ritual" but with understanding.

Justin Holcomb, an episcopal priest was asked,
"Why do we (The Church) call Good Friday “good,” when it is such a dark and bleak event commemorating a day of suffering and death for Jesus?"
And he replied,
"Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save his people from their sins."

Happy New Month!

As soon as you wake there's a war to keep you from the Word of God, fight! -Jackie Hill Perry.

As a Christian you have to make time for God, this we enable you to grow more effectively. With the distractions in our world today, one needs to be deliberate about building a relationship with God! It can't come by default, you need to walk and work for it. If you ignore a relationship of this kind, your spiritual muscles are likely to get flaccid.

How do we do this?
I believe there are five things that will help us:

1. Remember that spending time with God is not about ritual, but relationship.
When you and I were born again (If you're reading this and you've not consciously accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, pause and pray before we continue) we entered into a relationship with Almighty God. He is not only our God, he is our Heavenly Father. We have freedom before Him, and access to His throne. We don’t have to be afraid of Him. Rituals might be burdensome, but relationships with loved ones rarely are. Spending time with one that you love is exciting and life-changing — and that’s how your daily time with your Father God should be.

2. Establish a specific time every day when you will spend time with the Lord.
Don’t you find that what gets scheduled usually gets done? I do. Find a time that works with your lifestyle and your family demands, then stick to it! Make it a top priority. That’s how habits are developed. Persevere even when you are tired, and don’t feel like it. Remember, we’d never get anything accomplished if we lived by our feelings alone!

3. Minimize your interruptions.
When you’re spending time with God, give Him all of your attention. Turn off the social media and the television. Find a nice, quiet, cozy spot where you are comfortable. If you have children, teach them to respect your privacy during this time, and explain to them that this is your time with God. Then they will learn the importance of a daily quiet time, and you’ll reinforce its importance in their eyes, too. Pray that they will follow your example, and encourage them to do so.

4. Choose a Bible version and a Bible-reading plan.
This is so important — especially for new Christians. Ask a pastor or friend to help you select a good translation. I like the New International Version or the The Message Bible. Doing a little research to find the right translation for you will help you in the long run. Then get a reading plan. Don’t just open the Bible and randomly skip around. Again, ask a pastor or a friend to help you select a reading plan if you’re not sure. Balance your reading between the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament is rich in history and knowledge — and the New Testament presents the story of Christ and the birth of the church. Both are so valuable — and reading one will help you understand the other.

I advice you download the to YouVersion Bible App 


5. Interact as you read.
The Bible is a living book, written by a living God. For the Holy Spirit to give you understanding, wisdom and revelation as you read. Read the Bible as if it were a love letter, because it is — it is God’s love letter to you! Pray as you go. Take notes, and don’t be afraid to mark scriptures in your Bible itself. Interact with your Bible, and ask God to use it to change your heart and life.

All of these things are important, but the most important thing you can do is to begin — and that you can do today!

Blessings!

PS: I partly cited Lisa Comes.

WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND THIS LENT?

The Ash Wednesday begun the Lenten season with familiar but deep words that will cause you to think about where you will spend eternity - Heaven or Hell - because "you are dust and unto dust you shall return". In the words of Pope Francis on Wednesday, "...focus on what is essential" in this season.

"Set your heart on what is in Heaven, where Christ rules at God's right side. Think about what is up there, not what is here on earth"
(Colossians 3:1-2).

Now... How do I do that?
Between now and Easter Sunday, you ought to grow in intimacy with the Holy Spirit, such that your whole being won't recover from it for the rest of your earthly days.

GIVE:
It's not all about almsgiving but hospitality goes a long way in GIVING especially when it's done with a clear motive. Help those that are tagged "less privileged" around you. GIVE thanks to God and all those that bless you; quit complaining. GIVE forgiveness; "...forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us"; until you forgive those who trespass as against you, God will not!

READ!
Sometimes God speak through the "hand writing on the wall" you can only know when you read. Read the Bible (and other spiritual literatures" , this kind of reading adds fresh wood to your prayer life such that it won't flicker but light continuously in perpetual burning.
"The entrance of God's words gives light".

JOURNALLING!
Writing enables you keep record of what God is saying per time. The bulk of the information you'll receive from God need to be recorded to enable easy access when needed.

CONTEMPLATIVE & AWAKENING SILENCE.
With the hustle and bustle in our physical and online environments, one needs tranquilty from outside and within to enhance good communication with God. Even Chickens don't lay eggs in noisy places. You might decide just take a walk (around a quiet environment; the woods) in the evening and commune with God even as the Holy Spirit broods on you.

SEEK FIRST GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS!
This is the whole duty of man. What exalts a man in God's sight is righteousness. I advice that you study Colossians 3 with all brokenness and a genuine desire to break out of the flesh. Let every detail of your life- words, thoughts and actions- be done in the way of the Lord. Be after God's heart in this season; not the pleasure He gives.

EXERCISE- FASTING & PRAYER.
As exercise is good for your physical health, so is it with your spiritual man. Don't allow your spiritual muscles to become flaccid. During Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness, He was physically tired but His ability to wrestle and win the Devil is a prove that even though He was physically weak; His spiritual muscles were agile because He was in communion with God in the place of prayer and fasting. You need fasting to compliment your fast because, some "kind" needs both prayer and fasting.


As you walk with God in this season, always allow Him to judge your heart. Continually priorities quality over quantity. In God's kingdom, it's not how long you do but how well you do! (Ask the widow that used her "little" account balance for offering).

Share with me in the comment box how you are going to spend your lent.
Have a spirit filled lent.
Pax Vobiscum!

Temptation -
The devil looking through the keyhole

Yes
An everyday battle

It's like having a cut
With the itchy sensation that accompanies it.
So intense is this sensation
So overwhelming is the urge
That it calls to us to scratch.

For scratching gives instant relief.

But did you not know,
That by scratching it gets worse?

Did you not know
That you could have
Dressed the cut from the onset
To reduce the itch?

Or did you not know
That a cold compress
Or something called an anti-itch cream could help defuse the urge to scratch And let you heal properly?

Did you think you were so strong
That you could withstand the urge
Alone or until it itched no more?

Well,I'm sorry to say this,
But this is a cut that never stops itching
Until you either scratch
-------give in and sin-----
Or until you defuse it with a balm
-------turn to God--------

By Antonia Ejuojo

"...But I have low chances of getting pregnant"
My head sank as she pointed to her ovulation cycle mobile app on her device.

I kept wondering which world I was in. I just had sex and it wasn't a dream. It all started when she came over to stay at my place that evening, suddenly it started raining, I innocently suggested she stay back since my room is a single room.
We were watching a Christian movie; "I'm in Love With a Church Girl" on my laptop and all of a sudden we were kissing (maybe because of a scene in the movie🤔), I didn't even know when my pants went down. Alas! I had sex!


"Give not your strength unto women, sexual immorality is very common among your age mates today and you really need to be on guard lest you fall", Like King Lemuel's mum, those were the words of my 'discipler' during my last visit to her before I left for the university. I remember laughing about it in my mind, since I felt I was a "Super Christian" (Could it be that Jesus' temptation never came to my mind?_🤔).

I've always seen myself as a good Christian; too good to fall into temptation (but the devil has a special appetite for the elect). At age 16 when I graduated from high school, I was already in ministry, I was filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and I could hear God, in fact I had counselled victims of sexual sin into righteousness. So I often laugh at any advice along the lines of sexual immorality (I didn't even care praying for grace to overcome sexual sin, "I'm beyond it", I thought).

I met this lady at a friend's place a few weeks ago, we casually exchanged contacts and that was all. " Am I going to lose my 'hair' like samson to this strange woman?" I asked as I quietly monologued.
All I needed to do was flee and repent like David did in Psalm 51.

Glory to God! She didn't get pregnant as she "prophesized" earlier, nevertheless this experience has left a scar that keeps reminding me of my loopsideness.

PS: This story is fiction!

What have you learnt?

As for me I learnt that;

1. "The Flesh does NO GOOD THING!". Absolutely! If he didn't glory in his flesh he would have heard and acted on those advices but the flesh beclouded his mind with pride.

 "And the Devil left Jesus for a while..." 

You might have conquered a number of temptations but the devil only leaves for an appointed time; maybe in a lonely hour like the 'super christian' in the story. Deny the pleasure and pressures of the flesh intentionally.

2. Resolve not to defile yourself. Daniel and his friends made this decision; you backup your decision with efforts not excuses.

"As a man thinks in his heart so he is".

3.Define Boundaries: You really need to define boundaries in your relationships (especially with the opposite sex). You don't have any business staying with someone who is not your spouse into the night or in a lonely environment. You also need to Tame your love language, a good understanding of love language shouldn't be ignored in your relationships. People read various meanings from your innocent words and action.

"Abstain from every form of evil"

1 Thessalonian 5:22.

4. Many a people feel that pre(extra)-marital sex is all about pregnancy so the use contraceptives. It's not all about pregnancy! It's about God and His feelings because your body is His temple.

5. Identify your weakness! The devil capitalises on your weakness. Jesus was tempted with food because He was hungry. Identify your weaknesses and ask the Holy Spirit to profer solutions to them.

6. Edit your association; make unbending principles that will shield you from falling, dissociate from anything or anybody that will misguide you. Discipline yourself on your usage of social media.

7. Build an intimate relationship with God (The Holy Spirit)! The Holy Spirit has been sent to help us in all things. When you end your relationship with Him, you shut down His channels of communication.

"He who dwells in the secret place abides forever!".

What have you learnt? Share with me in the comment section!

Who are you when people ain't watching?
Sometime last year my friend travelled to a very busy city somewhere in Africa to visit her sister, when she returned from the journey she shared with me an experience that left my "sacramental imaginations" on "repeat mode".

During the visit she saw that the road users obediently danced to the tune of the traffic light during the daytime, as the Road Safety Corps were there to punish defaulters of traffic rules. Nevertheless, something happened one night that made her to ponder and pray, she stood at her window to catch a glimpse of the city at night and she noticed a change of character in the road users, the same motorists that stopped when the traffic light went red earlier in the afternoon were driving when the traffic light screamed with a bright RED colour at night.
Could it be that traffic regulations are meant for daytimes only?
Could it be that the absence of Road Safety Corps sponsored this disobedience; since no one was watching?

Anytime I regurgitate her experience, I compare it with our lifestyles today, we are at our best when people are watching but we are beasts when they are not there.
Matthew 6:6b says,

 "...and your Father who sees in SECRET will REWARD you". 

It then means that God is interested in the way we life our lives behind the scene. Psalm 139 talks about His Omnipresence.

Probably the road users thought no one was watching but my friend was. Anytime you shut down your curtains to masturbate or commit any "secret sin" remember that the curtains of Heaven aren't closed.

Don't conform to the standards of the world! Invest your energy in been good instead of pretending because in order to get well you have to get real.

Are you struggling with a secret sin?
Accept that you are a sinner... and talk to God about it. Just pause now and tell God about that/those sin(s).
You cannot fake righteousness!
You pray in tongues and still use the same lips to gossip?
You preach humility but deep within you are proud?

Your secret life matters! Don't be a saint before the world and a sinner behind them. Selah!

"Where shall I go from Your spirit?
Where shall I flee from Your presence?"
(Psalm 139:7)