Today it dawned on me.

Today it dawned on me what it meant to “present yourself a living sacrifice” –it means to present your will to God. To let your life be such that God lives through you. Your life is sacrificed for His.

I was walking past the food display today. God told me not to get rice but I did – I was hungry.  I sat down to eat and remembered that I had just prayed to hear God’s voice clearly. Well, I had heard, and even though he knew why I shouldn’t have eaten the rice, I chose to ignore him.

Being a living sacrifice means I don’t always understand but I’m obedient- in all things.

Today, a prostrated person came to mind – Jesus, who took our pains and bore our diseases; who hung on the cross for us. He was a living sacrifice. He hung there on the cross for us even though we didn’t…couldn’t deserve it. He came so we could have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

Today, it dawned on me that a living sacrifice should be a prostrated person. One who offers himself up for others and lays himself down for others – Jesus.

Today it dawned on me that that was who I was called to be – a sacrifice, offered up to God, clean and holy.  It means that I can’t run my life going: “What should I do in the next four years?” Instead, it should be “What is God thinking about for the next four years?”

The answer you’ll get will excite you! He has big plans for you –big plans - but you’ll have to ask him.  They are amazing plans but they involve you being a living sacrifice - allowing him live through you and consequently, you through him.

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him (Romans 12: 1, The MSG)

More on Isaiah 46

Hi all!

Thank you for your comments! I read the chapter and it seems to me like God is doing a comparison between Himself and Bel and Nebo.

1. God carries himself!
Bel and Nebo were two Babylonian gods. They were handmade, mounted by men and taken down by men.  The beginning of verse 1 states, "Bel bows down; Nebo stoops;"(ESV).
The New Living Translation puts the verse like so:

"Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon, 

bow as they are lowered to the ground. 

They are being hauled away on ox carts. 

The poor beasts stagger under the weight."

These Babylonian gods had to be carried around with the people. Like you would have to do to dismount a huge statue, I imagine long ropes would have been used to pull down the gods from their places. The idols would have to come to a "stooping" or "bowing"position to be lowered and placed on beasts that would then carry them to the desired destination. I imagine that these idols were very heavy and would have put a heavy burden on the animal carrying them.
In the verse, God was saying that the gods that these people worshipped and trusted to relieve them of their burdens were themselves cripples and heavy burdens. Human hands made them, carried them and bore their burdens but God was saying, "I carry myself, thank you very much!"( Haha!)


2. God lifts your burdens! (and He doesn't bow)
Verse 2 goes on to say:

"They stoop; they bow down together; 

they cannot save the burden, 

but themselves go in captivity" (ESV)

Again, God emphasizes that Bel and Nebo themselves have to bow when they are being dismounted. They are loaded unto the animals but cannot do anything to save the poor animals from their weight. Instead, they are carried away into captivity, subject to the porters' (both human and animal) wills. 

God is saying, "These God can't save themselves, they bow! Well, I don't and Guess what? I don't weigh you down, I lift you up!" (Matthew 11:28-29 come to mind)

"Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (ESV).

3. God carries you! Don't be deceived by what you see.

Verse 3 says:                                  "Listen to me, O house of Jacob, 

all the remnant of the house of Israel,

who have been borne by me from before

your birth, carried from the womb;"

God is calling his people, "Listen to me. It's really easy to lump me with these other gods - Nebo and Bel - but I'M NOT LIKE THEM! I have thought about you even before you came into the world. I have known you. I have loved you and I still do" (See Jeremiah 1:5). 

God carries you! 

He promises that when you walk through the waters, He will be with you and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you, and when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you (Isaiah 43:2).

4. God made you!

Verse 3 says that God made you. He's calling out to those "who have been borne by him". Read John Chapter 1! Verse 12 clearly states that God has given all those who believe in the name of Jesus the right to become the sons of God, children born of the will of God, your new Father! 

God created you, He loves you and He has called you! :)

5. God will always save you! (And you're never too old to be saved)

Verse 4 says:                                          "Even to your old age

I am he, and to gray hairs

I will carry you.

I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and I will save."

God is again restating his concern for you. He has made you and He carried you even before you were born. He's also reminding you that as a responsible Father, he will carry you, even till your old age. You never grow too old for his care!

He will carry you, He will save you because He made you!

God loves you!

-Child of Promise

Isaiah 46

The following verses are from Isaiah 46 in the King James Version. Feel free to read the whole chapter and comment about anything that strikes you but we'll concentrate on verses 1 through 4. Let me know what you think!

¹Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, 
their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: 
your carriages were heavy loaden; 
they are a burden to the weary beast.


 ²They stoop, they bow down together;
they could not deliver the burden, 
but themselves are gone into captivity.


 ³Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob,
 and all the remnant of the house of Israel,
 which are borne by me from the belly, 
which are carried from the womb:


 ⁴And even to your old age I am he; 
and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: 
I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Looking forward to reading your comments!

Child of Promise :)

TESTIMONY By Imago Dei

TESTIMONY

So I faced the truth today:

I’d finally hit a brick wall.

I stood face to face with reality, and it made me upset.

But there was no longer any denying it:

I didn’t know everything…

Couldn’t know everything…

Couldn’t control everything…

AND I WAS AFRAID…

Afraid of my shadow.

Afraid of commitment.

Afraid of the mystery

That is my Future.

But the good thing?

…That at the end of the alley,

at this very dead end I’d come to,

and on that very brick wall I now faced,

a sign was suspended.

It was written in vivid red blood,

on a background of pure, white righteousness,

and with gentle direction, it read:

“You might’ve strayed, and reached this wall,

But you can always turn back.

Your exit is from whence you came…”

I faced the truth today:

That I’m OKAY!

…even if I didn’t know everything…

couldn’t know everything…

couldn’t control everything,

It’s ok to be afraid

but it’s even better to admit it

for HIS strength is made perfect in weakness…

So though my heart thumps violently in my chest,

and my confidence drops at the uncertainty of my future,

I will stand…

in faith…

on His word and promises,

Hand him my fears on the platter of my heart,

Blind my eyes to the turbulence around me,

And scream from the pit of my lungs:

I AM NOT AFRAID!!!

…of my shadow

…nor commitment

…nor the mystery that lies ahead.

I AM NOT AFRAID OF MY FUTURE!

⁹But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)

-       IMAGO DEI

Know God.

...And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32

(You are only as free as what you know)

The Bible says that we, as God's sheep, know His voice and the voice of a stranger we would not follow (John 10). It also says in verses 14 & 15 that God knows his sheep and His sheep know Him - just as God the Father knows the Son(Jesus) and God the Son knows God the Father.

That's remarkable! However, while it's understandable that God knows every one of His sheep intimately, it's more difficult to believe that His sheep know Him just the same.

Why? Well, He's God and we're just...human.

Here's the thing: We're not just human!

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12

That makes us, as many as believe on His name, not mere humans but sons of God, not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:13). God, through Jesus, has given us the power to know him as sons would know their fathers - like Jesus, The Son, knows God the Father. That's truth Number 1. We may not feel like sons of God, but the Bible says we are, so we change our thinking.

[As a man thinks in his heart, so he is (Proverbs 23:7)].

We have been given the capacity to know God intimately, but do we really know Him? Have we really come to understand the breadth, length, depth and width of His love? I'll give you my answer: No, I haven't. So what is it then? Why haven't we tapped in to all the resources God has laid up for us in Christ? Simple: We don't know!

Everything God has for us is wrapped up in the Word! It's through God's Word we get to know Him, through his Word that we get know how he talks. Then, we'll be able to identify strange voices and flee from them. But God's Word is only Spirit and life when we read it with the Spirit of God. He opens our eyes to see God as He ought to be seen. Ask for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit today. Be led by the Holy Spirit - that's why you are a son of God!

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:14

We are God's sheep and we have the ability to know God intimately. Do something with that ability! Know God.

PLEASE NEVER STOP

I'm a KC alumnus and came to US to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in Fall 2008. I was on fire for God when I left Nigeria and was just waiting to explode for God in my campus. Prior to my coming I had seen tons of Christian organizations in my school online so was even more excited. However on arriving I realized lots of the Christian organizations were not as mature as any I knew  (cos I spent a semester in UNN before coming) or expected. I wanted to talk about the Holy Spirit and all but the Christians I knew seemed clueless. I remember I had to go and talk to one of the guys because I realized he was always uncomfortable around me. On talking to him he told me it's was cos he wasn't sure if I was going to ask or bring up on topic about God or the Holy Spirit or something..,..lol

I was looking for Pastor Chris' messages but didn't know where to get or listen to them but thank God I now know. I finally committed to a church called the Vineyard after my first semester cos they are the closest I have seen to their understanding of the things of God and the reality that the Holy Spirit dwells and works through and in us. I attended weekly bible studies and Sunday services and they were good but I wanted much much more.

After my freshman year, I was made a small group or bible study leader with my friend so we led small group in Fall '09 and also held a weekly prayer meeting for our campus. It was a blessing but after it I was almost getting burnt out cos it was as though I was pouring out into lives but had no source to receive. In addition to this, I was not doing excellently in my classes and had to retake two classes in my Spring semester. By Spring semester not only had the fire of God I had almost totally extinguished, I was almost running from God and was TIRED. I had tons and tons of doubts about almost everything and began to live in fear. Wanted to change my major, was in fear that I would be kicked out of Engineering(interestingly, a friend had a dream in my freshman year that I was kicked out of Engineering), felt I was not smart enough, was skeptical if my student visa will be renewed and was daily or should i say hourly negative(it was horrible).

Then there came your blogs. I don't even remember how I stumbled upon them but your blogs began to stir the Christ consciousness once more in me. I found myself instead of going to bed, staying up late to read your blogs and I remember checking or looking forward to Deji's blogs on Thursdays.

Now, I'm looking back and smiling, laughing and once more beginning to soar high in the things of God. I was not kicked out of Engineering cos God has called me to it, I went for my visa renewal towards the end of May and instead of an interview, I was gisting with the consular officer, I'm yearning to set curves for my coming classes cos the wisdom of God is in me and I shall be the head and not the tail, the first and not the last, I was born to win.

                                                                                                            

It's a way of life!

     I was responsible, reliable, a role model, smart, and above all, I was religious! Every mother praised me, my teachers liked me, my peers admired me, my juniors wanted to be me, and guys wanted to date me. What more could I ask for? This lady wanted more. I was born into a Christian home. All my relatives are Christians, therefore I accepted the baton of Christianity. I regarded the concept of being a  Christian as a responsibility which I was willing to undertake. I prayed on most mornings, read my Bible, and went to church every Sunday.I was living the religious life. I did all these not because I was interested in knowing God, but I felt it was compulsory, and I would be stricken by God if I disobeyed.  I deemed God to be some improbable figure who was far off, unreachable. Some big guy up in the heavens to whom I could mumble a few words in prayer. How wrong I was. 

          The first time I felt the urge to discover something much more was in my JS1. I dabbled in Islam for a couple of weeks, but was reprimanded by a cousin of mine. After that detour, I diligently persisted in reading my Bible, which I understood not, and praying with a lukewarm attitude. In my final year, I was made the President of a Christian group in school. Apparently I was found worthy of the title, and accepted it with pride. I was pleased to be considered religiously superior. I look back at those days, and all I want to do is spank my younger self for such arrogance. As the day of my graduation loomed, the urge arose in me for something more. I couldn't place my finger on it, so I was easily deceived, by some of my peers, into clubbing and dating. It was an EPIC FAIL. I became more depressed, felt the void in my spirit enlarge. I became moody and short tempered. I graduated without knowing the true love of God for me. 

          During my gap year, I came to the realization that I had been searching for a true relationship with Christ. I gave my life to Christ over and over again, but this never lasted more than a couple of days, because I kept turning back to the ways of the world. My first semester at college was my turning point. I made friends who were not Christians, and was carried away by some of their perceptions. I went to a couple of parties, but I was so disappointed by what I experienced that I declined later invitations to other parties. To God be the glory, I was invited to a particular Christian fellowship, but I made up excuses not to go. 

          On April 24th 2010 I attended one of the Christian services, due to some nudging I received in my spirit. That was it. Oh he (God) touched me!! He spoke to my heart during the sermon, and during our heartfelt prayer at the end, he revealed to me my wrong ways, but assured me that I was forgiven. I wept till I could see no more. I was overcome by his love for me. This love that I couldn't find in guys, in parties, I found in Christ who died upon the cross for my sins. His pierced hands reached out to me, and all I could do was weep and thank him. I love him because he first loved me. Now I read my Bible because I long to know him more. I pray to him because I long to be in his presence and confide in him. I am a new creature, and my old nature has passed away. Joyce Meyer once said "you can get bored with religion but you can't get bored with a relationship with God." It's not a religion, but a way of life!


---Daughter of Zion

Epiphany…

I turned on my telly to watch the news today,

and cozied up in my resting chair,

From one channel to the next, it was all the same:

hatred, chaos, death and despair.

I averted my eyes; I knew I’d seen enough.

I pressed a little button; the telly zapped off…

“There’s none righteous on earth,” I thought; “no, not one.”

…I lingered on.

I stepped outside my house to take a walk today,

but froze when I heard something moan.

I searched; I looked and there behind my neighbor’s gate,

two boys pelted her poor dog with stones.

I averted my eyes, certain I’d seen enough.

Down the block, from where I stood, I spied the coffee shop…

“There’s none righteous on earth,” I thought; “no, not one.”

…I moved on.

I found myself at the city park today.

In the distance, an old lady was in tears.

Her wiry finger pointed at an approaching lad;

for in his hands, he was clutching her purse.

I averted my eyes; in my mind, I’d seen enough.

Pity stirred in my heart; I let out a dry cough…

“There is none righteous on earth,” I thought; “no, not one.”

…I walked on.

I sat behind my desk to read the Bible today,

and opened to “Hebrews” as guided by the Maker.

“Let brotherly love continue…”  Chapter 13 vs. 1 says

“…Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers.”

I thought back to my neighbor’s dog; its pain seared my thoughts…

I thought back to the stolen purse and the thief I could’ve easily caught…

I thought back to the news reports about which I didn’t pray…

I thought back to a suffering world, and efforts I’d refused to make…

I averted my eyes; you could tell I’d read enough.

My guilty conscience emerged; the blow it dealt me was rough.

“There’s none righteous on earth,” I thought; “no, not one.”

…I wept on.

--- Imago Dei 

Light Cannot and Will Not Dwell Together with Darkness

I grew up in a strict Christian home, I had knowledge of the Bible and I knew what it meant to be a Christian. I practised religion according to what my parents had dictated and never really searched for a relationship with Christ. Many times in my past, I had tried to repent. I would hear the Word, take it to heart and “give my life to Christ”. I’m sure those who used to read the “Left Behind” series can relate. After each book I would bawl and pray to God to forgive my sins. For three days or so, I would be a ‘changed girl’. However, it never lasted and before I knew it, I was back to the meaningless life I had come to know. I continued this trend of ‘repenting’ for most of my teenage years.

However, when I finally left my parents’ house and gained the freedom to somewhat dictate what I did with my life, I found out that there was something missing. All my teenage years, I had waited impatiently for the time I would be able to buy what I wanted, party as hard as I wanted and just ‘live MY life’. When all these things I was dying for were all laid before me, I found myself wanting something more. I figured that there had to be more to life than this. Sure, it seemed fun at some point, but at the end of the day, there was just this emptiness I felt in my gut. It was then I went back, once again, searching for God.

I remember that service, I wept during praise and worship. I knew I had found what was missing in my life. It was soothing, sweet and satisfying and I wanted more of it.  It was then I started on my path to actually seeking a relationship with Christ.

 I have now come to understand what it means to GIVE your life to Christ. When we give our lives to Christ, there have to be some changes in our lives. I have also found out what had been hindering my spiritual breakthrough all those years. There is no way we can be of the world and of Christ. There is no accommodation for both! It has got to be one or the other! To progress in our faith, we need the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. If we still hold worldly things or things of the devil dear to our hearts, the Holy Spirit cannot dwell there. Light cannot and will not dwell together with darkness!

In doing that, I have had to let go of many things that I thought was harmless fun, things like listening to a lot of secular music, clubbing, messing around with boys etc. All I can tell you is it that it was not easy. But now I have come to see that those things are actually very harmful. Many of the things that we think are nothing but harmless fun will slowly dull our souls and break all barriers till we are back on the path of being lost.

It is still a daily struggle; nobody said it would be easy. I still fall from time to time, but we have a God of limitless grace and love. The world is a cruel place, people will disappoint, trends are ever changing but God and his Word will never change. He is the only thing we can count on. He is the only thing I will hold on to. 

I am with you

I would close my eyes and they would be there. I would sense the evil, the immense darkness around and with it would come a paralyzing fear. I would try to shout the name I knew saved - Jesus - but my shouts seemed muffled. In the morning, when my eyes opened, light from the sun would greet my eyes. I would look around and see that they were gone. So I came to believe they only came out at night, that they were only a reality when I shut my eyes. I would go to bed with the light on – I had faith that the light would protect me. Unfortunately, where I lived, the light didn’t always stay on - electricity was not consistent enough to be taken for granted. So there were many times that I would go to bed in the dark, knowing that shutting my eyes could either make things worse or slightly better. Either way, I felt stuck and continued to feel this way for many years. At night, going to bed was a struggle and slowly, the fear crept into the day as well. I always had to be with someone because when I was alone, I felt the fear the most. It kept me from doing so many things; from growing the way I think I should have. Like 1 John 4: 18 says, “…fear hath torment”. Someone called it “morbid fear” and probably thought I would eventually grow out of it – all children did. However, for a terribly long time, I stayed in the cage I myself had helped create by believing that there was always something waiting to attack me.

As I grew older, it bothered me that I didn’t grow out of this fear. Sometimes, it took me ages to fall asleep even though I was tired because most times, when my eyes were open, I felt safer. I prayed and cried about it but nothing seemed to change. I knew many Bible verses that talked about God being with me and not allowing any harm to come to me but none ever seemed to really work. When I seriously rededicated my life to God, every thing in my life improved noticeably, every thing but the fear I felt. At a point, I almost believed the lie that this fear was my “thorn in the flesh”, as Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 12:7, that would not go away. Thank God I knew better than to believe God would keep me in fear to show me His grace was sufficient. Why would He want me fearful when so many times in the Bible He says to “Fear not”? So I continued to wait for the day I would be free of this torment but that day never seemed to come. I wish I had known, really known, that Jesus had already set me free!

I meditated more on the passages that talked about God’s continual presence with me. And as they went deeper into my spirit and I really began to believe them, the fear gradually subsided. Still, there were times I would feel overwhelming fear and would cry because at those times, the Bible verses didn’t seem to work. Through it all, God held my hand. In Psalm 139, David says,

⁷ Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence?

⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there.

⁹ If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea

¹⁰Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.

He brought me to a place where I began to learn about His love. I began to see Him as my Father. I thought of my earthly father and how he did everything in his power to make sure I was comfortable and safe. Then I thought of God, my Father, the Father to my father. If my earthly father would do everything to keep me safe, then how much more would God? It boiled down to really knowing that God’s love for me was real and that if He had promised to keep me, He would.

1 John 4:18 - 19 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us”.

God loved us first with a perfect love and when we come to know Him, our love for Him develops and grows unto perfection. As we walk with Him and he shows Himself, time and time again, to be faithful, we trust Him more. As our love for Him becomes perfect, fear is kicked out because we know that He who has called us, is faithful to keep us.

So when fear threatens to come, the Holy Spirit faithfully whispers, “I am with you”. I nod knowingly and shut my eyes because God’s Word says, “…for so he giveth his beloved sleep”.

I am the beloved of God and have overcome fear with the Blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony. Thank you Father!

These Bible verses really minister to me: Psalm 127:2; 2 Timothy 1:7; Luke 10:19; Isaiah 54:15, 17; Psalm 91.

Hurricane

It came down, missing my head by an inch or so. I looked up at the place the ceiling board once was. What was happening? Then it started.

I am jealous for you

What?! The wind began to hit the walls of my house. So strong were they that the floor beneath me seemed to shift. I grabbed the sofa behind me. What was this? The strong wind hit the house again and I lost my grip.

I am jealous for you

There it was again. What was that about? The wind hit again and I found myself bending over on the floor, trying to make sense of what was happening. Then I heard it again. Who was that? This definitely was not the time for pranks. My house was falling apart and someone was obviously having fun.

Another ceiling board fell, then another. I screamed. I had heard about winds like this. I think they were called… Something startled me. I screamed as a hole in the wall formed. I looked through the hole and saw nothing.

I am jealous for you

What was this about? Who was jealous for me? What did I have that the person wanted? Why should anyone be jealous of me? I had nothing! Then again I had heard “jealous for” and not “ jealous of”. I stopped to analyze – I was good at that – but the wind hit again and this time, I felt the foundation of the house shake – really shake.

My love is a…

Hurricane, I completed. Yes, that’s what people called these things – hurricanes. Why hadn’t anyone told me anything? No one had called for an evacuation. Who was in charge of emergency evacuations? Irresponsibility! I could taste the gall in my mouth. I despised irresponsibility. Now, I was going to die because of irresponsibility that was not mine. The sound of the roof coming off stopped my thoughts in their tracks. I ran to my bedroom. I should get out of the house. I grabbed my bag and stuffed a few things into it. I thought of the house – my house. I was almost done with the payments. Now, the house would be gone in a few hours. I ran to the door and surprisingly, it opened easily.

My love is a hurricane.

This was getting rather disturbing. I looked at my house when I got out. It was a mess! I looked at the houses around me. They too looked like they had survived strong winds but then, they had always looked that way. The houses were old and had clearly had more than their fair share of use. Apart from the usual broken windowpanes and holes in the walls, blocked crudely from the inside, they looked normal. I looked back at my house. I had always taken pride in my house because it looked so beautiful beside those old houses. Now, it looked worse than they did. This was either a sick joke or a bad dream. I fumbled in my bag for my car keys as I ran towards my car. I got in and started the engine, wishing it would pick up faster than it was. That’s what you get for asking your neighbor to fix your car instead of getting it professionally serviced. I tried again and this time it picked up. I drove off as fast as I could, wanting nothing more than to be out of that place or to wake from this dream. I was sweating and the car felt stuffy. So I let some air in the car.

My love is a hurricane

The car windows went back up. I would rather suffer near-suffocation than hear that voice in the wind. What? I caught myself. Now there was a voice in the wind?! I had lost my voice and my sanity in the same hour! Wow, lovely day!

After some miles of driving, I stopped to get some gas for my car and some water for my throat. As I walked out of the shop at the gas station towards my car, I saw it - felt it. I started to run but not towards my car. I just ran.

My love is a hurricane

I felt my hair go up and felt the wind on my bare arms. I thought this was over. I ran as hard as I could, looking for a refuge of some sort. The only thing I saw was an old-looking shack, a few meters away. I ran towards it, feeling the wind getting stronger behind me. I got in and latched the door. How was this shack to protect me from this wind that had driven me out of my house? I lurched over to the other side as the wind hit the shack. This was it! I began to cry. I had dreams – big dreams. This was not how I was meant to die. There were still things I had not done.

I am jealous for you

My love is a hurricane

The words came like they were from within the shack – loud and clear. Who are you?!

Jesus

What do you want with me?

I love you

Then why did you destroy my house? Why are you following me around? I have nothing you want - trust me!

And the wind began to talk; the voice in the wind spoke. It told me about my house; that the beauty and order on the outside only concealed the disorder on the inside. How did Jesus know this? Not only was my house not doing well on the inside, its foundation was weak. I had suspected something was wrong and had called someone in to check it. The person confirmed my suspicion and offered to fix it. He did fix it but the fix lasted only a short while. After him, others came, promising to fix my house, fixing it - but never a lasting fix. There were a lot of things I did that I should not have done. For the most part, my house’s weakness was both own doing and my undoing. A deep sense of regret washed over me.

I am jealous for you

It stopped my thoughts again. What did He mean? He told me that he loved me – had always loved me, would always love me. He said that he had built my house and His heart bled every time I called someone else in to fix it. He knew the house more than anyone- even more than I did. As He spoke with such love, I became ashamed. I had wrecked this house so loved by Jesus- wrecked it maybe beyond repair.

My love is a hurricane

How could love be like a hurricane? How? When it comes, He explained, you are not expecting it. You can’t adequately prepare for it because you don’t really understand it. But when it comes, you know it - you feel it - because you are in it.

I began to weep. I really did not deserve this love. I had wrecked my house myself – I had wrecked myself beyond repair. I had done things no one should ever do, wrecking myself as a result.

Shhhhh

I felt the wind hush me. I love you, I heard. I made you and I know how to build you again. I can make you new. That’s why my love is a hurricane. It rips out those substandard roofs and rusty bolts; those things you used to patch the holes up. It takes out those things that you think hold your life together but really only weaken you. It exposes you, so you can feel and know, really know, that I love you! My love overwhelms you and shows you that I’m the only one that can make you new; that I’m the only one that can truly hold you together. You only have to let me.

For a long time, I heard nothing. I still heard the wind, but the voice was silent.

Let me…

Jesus was asking me for permission? I thought of my house - the broken floorboards and windowpanes. I thought of me – of all my flaws, all my brokenness. Yes! I wanted to be new; I wanted to be whole. But was He the One?

Only I can…

So I said yes! I asked Jesus to come into my heart- to fix my house. As soon as I did, I wanted nothing more than to get out of the shack – the restrictions. I felt for the latch on the door and opened the door gently. I looked out and then, the first wave hit me. I fell to my knees and broke out in tears! Then the second wave hit and I found myself on my face. Ah! the bliss! I got up and walked away from the shack, farther and farther away into the wind. I felt newness and life course through my body, through my heart. As wave after wave hit me, I felt even lighter until I felt like my feet were no longer on the ground – I was floating! Every other sound faded except that of the voice in the wind, except Jesus’ voice.

I love you

I have made you new

I love you

I always will

For a long time, I wanted to stay in the wind; to savor the love and peace I felt. And savor it I did!

I was back on my feet again, as I walked back to my car. On my way, I saw a tree bending under the wind. I smiled- that was me. So I sang,

He is jealous for me

He loves like a hurricane

I am a tree, bending beneath the weight

Of His wind and mercy

Jesus is jealous for me. He loves me too much to let anything harm me or take me away from Him. His love is a magnet that keeps me attached to Him.

I love Him because He first loved me.

Victory Sheets are out again!!!

Hi,

I'm glad to announce that the second edition of our Victory Sheet is out!! Hope you enjoyed passing out the first edition. Please send feedback about the first edition and possible ideas for future editions!

I look forward to reading your testimonies about this edition. As you pass these victory sheets out, ask yourself, Religion or Relationship??

As you go about your day, let the word of God illuminate your Spirit:

The entrance and unfolding of Your words give light; their unfolding gives understanding (discernment and comprehension) to the simple. (Psalm 119:130, AMP)

Victory Sheet 2

God bless you!

Child of Promise

YES! I have testimonies!!

I have been meaning to this for the past week but laziness got the better of me. I wanted to give the testimony in church but i was too shy to go out. Here it goes!

I’m a Christian. Yes i can proudly say that. Right from when I was small, my parents have been religious. They go to church but weren’t believers. Thank God that now they are Christians. Being religious help me memorize different bible passages. Anyway when I was young, I made the decision to be a Christian in every sense of the word. I decided i wanted to know God better and serve him with all my heart, mind and soul. That is not an easy task. As i entered high school, it became really difficult to read my bible. I had a devotional which i read every morning but i didn’t understand what i was reading. I spoke to some friends about it and they encouraged me not to give up. At home, my parents taught me to always talk to God about everything in my life no matter how little. That was how God became my best friend. I still have a problem with reading the word with understanding but i thank God that he’s still there for me. I had a problem with speaking in tongues. At first, i felt like people were faking it because they kept saying the same thing but eventually I started to believe. I also wanted the gift. In church, our pastor prayed for us to receive the Holy Spirit and frankly, I was expecting some mighty feeling to come over me and i felt nothing. One day, all of a sudden, i found myself speaking in tongues and i was so glad. Since then i have been able to pray in tongues.

Now my testimony: I had a physics test coming up and physics and I aren’t exactly friends. I struggled with it through high school and here it was again. I had heard stories of how tough the professor was and so i postponed taking it for a while. I decided to brave it this semester. During the summer holidays, i prayed to God about it and made a vow to him. Well it was time for my first test and i was practising, it was like i didn’t know anything. I was still solving the easier questions and yet i wasn’t getting any. I was getting really frustrated as the test was in 2 days. I cried out my heart to God and begged him for help. Well i wrote the test and it turned out well. I didn’t get a hundred but i did well....reasonably well. I remembered God’s word, ‘cry unto me and I’ll hear you and answer me from my holy heaven’. He did exactly just that.

Now another thing is whenever I’m in church, I cry a lot. Am easily moved by any song in church or how people are praying and am not. I didn’t know why exactly until last week Sunday when we had a wonderful service in church. We were told to pray generally and i was praying i started crying. I didn’t know why exactly but i was crying so much, i couldn’t pray again. I have always wondered why whenever the pastors are laying hands on people they never come to me. I still don’t know why. As i was crying, I became afraid that the pastor will come and touch me. Well he did, and he gave me the best news ever. ‘God says He has forgiven you. Go and sin no more. Go and live a holy life. Out of your belly shall flow, springs of living water’. Wow!! I now realize why i was crying, i had always been feeling guilty in front of God. I had always been feeling inadequate and now I’m finally free.

Thank you Jesus!

Yes I’ve finally let it out.

Adaora Alaedu

Religion vs. Relationship

I grew up thinking God was this big guy up there, looking down on us from His throne in heaven. I grew up thinking He was a very difficult person to please and that at the slightest mistake, He would reach down and punish me. So I grew up wanting to please God, not really because I wanted to please God but because I didn’t want to get punished for doing something wrong. So I strove to do all the right things. I went to church, read my Bible, prayed and tried my best to be a good child. By doing all these things, I would always be in God’s good books, or so I thought. As it turns out, this was all religion!

There comes a time when you get tired of doing everything you are told. You get tired of doing all the ‘right’ things and being ‘good’ all the time. So you decide that from that time on, you would do things differently- you would do what you please and in your own time too. So you embark on a journey. This time, it is your journey and you make your own rules. You are excited and you look forward to all the wonderful experiences this journey has to offer. On the way, you meet many people, each different and unique but all like you- searching. These people make your trip more exciting. They add adventure and excitement to the monotony of the undulating road. They are wonderful, you think to yourself, until you realize that a few miles behind, they had taken a detour. Then you realize that you are actually alone. You search for the next fellow traveler but can see none in sight. You sigh, you have acquired so much along the way and your bags are getting heavy- really heavy. You really need someone to help. You won’t really mind anyone, even if the person is all dusty and dirty looking, you say in your mind. You carry on like this for miles. You pass a young lady sitting by the roadside. She smiles at you, you smile back. You wish she would offer to help you but there’s so much worry on her face. You look closely and notice all the bags around her. You realize she’s just like you, with her bags to worry about.

You meet yet another person on the way. The person looks your way but there’s so much going on around that all he can offer is his fleeting glance. So you continue, telling yourself, as you pass by different people all with their own bags, that no one will come to help you. Something beside you suddenly catches your attention. You move your bags around to get a better look. There’s someone beside you and from the looks of his shoes, he’s been walking for a long time, maybe even as long as you have. Apart from his dusty shoes, he looks okay but unlike everyone else you have met, he’s not carrying anything. So you ask him where all his bags are. He smiles and asks to help you carry yours. You are skeptical; maybe he’s a thief. Again, you ask him where his things are and he simply asks to carry yours. You are suspicious, so you keep moving, dragging your bags along with you. Funny enough, this guy keeps walking alongside you. You begin to wonder why this man hasn’t left you. You glance occasionally at him and every time, he catches your glance and reaches out signaling that he wants to help with your bags. Each time, you hold on tighter to your bags; he smiles and keeps walking. Soon enough, you get tired. Seeing your fatigue, he offers again to help you out. This time you agree. He picks up the first bag with ease and then the next one. There are still a couple of your bags on the floor but your shoelace is undone and you bend to tie it. When you get up, you notice that this man has carried all your bags. You wonder how he can still stand upright with all the bags he is carrying. You ask him to give a few to you to carry but he says he can carry them all. From what you can see, he’s telling the truth. So you carry on, grateful for this stranger carrying your bags. You ask for his name and he’s surprised that you don’t know. He says you grew up with him and that as you converse, his name would come back to you. The conversation carries on and you find out that he is an artist, a king, a shepherd, a lover and a friend. You wonder how anyone can be so many things at once. You don’t ask. You find the way he talks rather romantic, but you just met this stranger so your guards are up. He seems more interested in talking about you than about himself and begins to ask about the places you have visited on your journey. You tell him of all the wonderful places you have been and your souvenirs. You decide to rest and use the opportunity to show him all your souvenirs. As you rummage through one of your bags, something falls out. You had not intended to show anyone, let alone a stranger, what fell out so you quickly put it back in the bag. You finally find what you were looking for and turn around to show him. From the first look, you know he knows! He had seen what had fallen out. You try to explain yourself but your words are jumbled up and tears flow down your cheeks. You have no words, only tears, but as you look into this man’s eyes, you are surprised. Where you expected to see condemnation and disgust, there was love- a deep river of love. He opens his arms and strangely enough, you want nothing more than to be in this stranger’s arms. So you walk closer to him, into his arms and you cry. Tears of shame and disgrace roll down your cheeks but he holds you tighter, wiping them away and whispering in your ear. You can’t really hear what his saying but the warmth in his arms is amazing. It calms you until you are ready to walk again.

After a while, you realize that he is one bag short. When you ask him about it, he tells you he dropped a bag along the way- you didn’t need it. You start to protest but restrain yourself- he is right. You don’t need anything in that bag. So you keep walking and several times, you break down because of something in one of your bags. Each time, this man takes you in his arms and hugs you until you are ready to walk again. Every time this happens, he drops a bag. As you continue to talk, you realize that you might actually know this man; parts of his name begin to come to you. At a point, you stop; the man has no bags left! He smiles at you and hugs you like he always had, whispering in your ear. This time, you hear clearly: I love you. The warmth from his voice fills your heart and tears roll down your cheeks. This time they are tears of gratitude, tears of love. You remember where you were before this man came along, the tears and hugs along the way. You love this man! This man is no longer a stranger to you but you still don’t know his name. Your head still on his chest, you ask him for his name. He replies, Jesus. You are amazed! You had heard about this man before. You had heard stories about him from people and from the Bible. Surely, this couldn’t be the same man. Jesus explains that those Bible stories you had grown up hearing were true. They spoke of Him as the Greatest Lover. He tells you that when you read your Bible and prayed and when you didn’t, He loved you. When you were ‘good’ and when you weren’t, He still loved you. He explains to you that He wasn’t looking for Bible-readers or churchgoers. He was looking for friends.

So as I pick my Bible up today, I’m excited. Not because I would have a star beside my name in God’s book but because I can’t wait to hear what my Lover has to say. When I pray, I don’t do it because praying makes me good. I do it because Jesus and I are walking down that dusty road together, hand in hand, conversing. The best part is, I’m not the only one talking. All the while, he says to me, I love you, friend. As it turns out, that’s all relationship!

Are you ready to let Him carry your bags? If you are, please say the prayer on the right and give all your bags to Him.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

(Matthew 11:28-30, Message Bible)

He's never too far away!

“And, behold, I send the promise of my father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” [Luke 24:49]

Grew up a Pastor’s son and that helped a lot; but, until you experience God for yourself beyond “what I heard”, nothing has really begun. But, then came a book that revolutionized my walk with God. All the epiphany I needed to begin an experiential walk with God was unveiled through a book I came in contact with titled ‘Good Morning HolySpirit’.

On the day that I now write of, most of my high school confederates had gone home for a holiday - hardly remember what it was about. At this point, my schoolboy fascination with holidays had waned; my interests dwelled more in the control I thought I had over my life while I was in boarding school. Anyway, back to the day [more like a night it was since, once again, I hardly remember the day part of it] in itself.

I sat there in the large assembly hall all by myself with a book in my hand – one I didn’t want to finish and yet I couldn’t wait to consume entirely. I read, probably for hours, intently. With all my attention focused on that one book, the thought ran through my mind – this just has to be true. With tears in my eyes, a heart pounding in my chest, and my knees knocking together, I read the experiences of the healing minister, Benny Hinn, with the HolyGhost in the earlier parts of his life. He shared the understanding of God’s word, color, beauty, and substance introduced by this precious third person of the Godhead into his life. There was only one True reason why I believed all he wrote, and it was because of the witness. That same HolySpirit now stood there with me, telling me “yes, it is all true…and you too can know me the same way.”

Prior to this day, I had begun nurturing an interest in “something more”. I was never what many considered a bad guy – yet, I wasn’t righteous by their standards either. I had religion – so much of it that I got sick of it. And, by religion, I mean the routine of church, prayer, bible reading, and more of the stuff you may already know. For weeks before the day, I had pondered on the person of the HolySpirit. I took interest in the lives of those who lived the supernatural around me like Rev. Chris Oyakhilome. It may be important to know that, at that time, I had no idea I would ever be in Christ Embassy [presided over by Rev. Chris]. Erstwhile, a couple of alumni of my school had come to our school fellowship and spoken highly about the person, character, and power of the HolyGhost. I knew I had to have it; well, then I thought I was dealing with an “it”. Little did I know!

By the time I was done reading “Good Morning, HolySpirit”, the presence of the HolyGhost had so overwhelmed me. I had come to know that He is more than an “it”. I discovered He’s a rational being co-equal with God. That He is, in fact, the person of the Godhead that brings the Word of God to pass. Though I received the HolySpirit that same night, I did not know it till weeks after this experience. But, one thing was sure that night; I had received life. I didn’t mind telling everyone that I saw. I ran to where a dear friend was doing some laundry to explain my experience, and I am glad till this day that we ran from there together for the HolyGhost! There began my series of fortunate events.

-- St. Burnish

God's Power moves through His people's testimonies

During the very early hours of the morning on 8th of february, I was going through facebook and then suddenly, I saw a new message. You know the feeling of wishing it's a really nice message, all for me to check and it was from the group "I'm a christian because...". I was dissapointed and actually thought about leaving the group to avoid all those 'unnecessary' messages. The message was about a new testimony on the blogpost. Although, it wasn't the first time I was receiving such messages, on this occassion, I decided to check out the blog- little did I know what God had planned out for me. I started reading the various testimonies and I was deeply moved. It wasn't long before I started crying and praying amidst tears. By the time I got to CJ's testimony, I was crying so much and saying lots of things to God. I desired the presence of the Holyspirit- 1 John3:24(Amplified)

²⁴All who keep His commandments [who obey His orders and follow His plan, live and continue to live, to stay and] abide in Him, and He in them. They let Christ be a home to them and they are the home of Christ.] And by this we know and understand and have the proof that He [really] lives and makes His home in us: by the [Holy] Spirit Whom He has given us.

Before long, I was speaking in tongues but I had doubts and I was still praying for what I already had. I always thought that the first time you start speaking in tongues, it would be for about an hour or more, you'll be shouting and stuff like that (remember that this is the case with some people and there's nothing wrong with that). Later that day, I sent a message to Tolu about my experience and my doubts, and her reply was really encouraging and insightful. She gave me lots of scriptures to read about the Holyspirit which stenghtened me greatly. I also sent a message to CJ whose testimony really gave me the burning desire to receive the Holyspirit and hear the Voice of God. He explained so many things to me that centered on the diverse ways God speaks and then he also said the Holyspirit just whispered to him that I was going to hear Him(Holyspirit) tell me things as I read the message. By the time I finished reading, I still didn't hear anything and I was disappointed. All along, I was waiting to hear an audible voice( which I would still hear really soon cos His words are ye and amen and He said my sheep hear my voice), but CJ made me understand that desiring the experiences of others might not always work as He treats everyone differenly and His word(Bible) is one of the many ways He speaks to you(and I've got evidence of that as well). It wasn't until some days later that I understood that reading the message CJ sent about me hearing Him speak was actually Him speaking to me through CJ.

It's been a week now and have developed this strong desire to always read the Bible which prior to now was like a task and routine for me every morning or afternoon, as the case may be. It's like there's so much to know and its so interesting. Know that it's not just about reading the Bible but doing what it says but it's only the Holyspirt our helper that can help you do this, so go ahead, receive Him, make His heart your home as He's making yours His home. John 15:4(KJV)

⁴Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

God loves you and wants you to dwell with Him eternally, that's why He sent His son Jesus to die. I leave you with this, 1 John 3 which is kind of my favourite part of the Bible now.

Tomilola Lawal.