HELPING GOD

ADELOLA EDEMA

Sometimes God gives us a promise and we start struggling to get it fulfilled. Sometimes we find ourselves working in our strength to accomplish a promise we found in the scriptures. Ok maybe it's just me. 
Anyway, I have at least one accomplice in the Bible, Abraham. In Genesis 15, God assured Abraham (he was still Abram at the time, actually) that his son, from his own loins, would inherit him. Thanks to Sarai's advice, he got a son from his loins, but that was not the child of promise. 
I've made such mistakes in my life as well. I have tried to help God so many times. I always knew that fear was the drive, but I would convince myself that God would bless my efforts and I would see the fulfilment of the promise. It always ended badly. And I would repent afterwards. 
For Abram, he got a son, but God wasn't going to endorse the work of flesh. It took him 13 years before the promise was revisited. 
But God is faithful, He gave Abraham the fulfilment of the promise, Isaac came through Sarah.
God still deals with us like that. We may face the consequences of our detour, but God brings us back, and reminds us that His promise is sure. 
Maybe you have messed up, and the promise is looking bleak, know that God is faithful. He gave Abraham Isaac; he took Saul from the path where his zeal for God was making him kill people, to a path where his zeal was bringing LIFE to Nations. 
Just do like I would do, repent and trust God to bring you to the fulfilment of the promise.

Remember The Testimonies of The Lord

Oyeladun Ayorinde

Good evening everyone. I'm sure you had a good day. Tomorrow will be better in Jesus' name.
Pls, allow me to share this revelation with you and I'm trusting that it will bless somebody.
Psalms 103:1-5 " Bless the Lord, o my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. [2] Bless the Lord, o my soul, and forget not his benefits. [3] Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who health all thy diseases. [4] Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies. [5] Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's"
This Psalm happens to be one of my favorite scripture. Anytime I read it, I've always seen David at one of the lowest ebb of his life, a point of despondence.
But David never allowed the circumstances to consume him. He refused to be sunk in the pit of discouragement but began to encourage himself by remembering all the benefits he had enjoyed from the Lord. I'm sure that while he was writing verse 4 of that scripture, he must have remembered how, while running away from Saul, Saul and his men had encompassed him and there wouldn't have been any escape. But at that moment, the Philistines invaded the land and Saul had to turn back to go fight. And David escaped. (1 Samuel 23:26-28)
This is where the difference lies between him and John the Baptist. John was imprisoned by Herod and there seems to be no sign of deliverance from Jesus and he became offended and doubted the authenticity of Christ as the Messiah (Mathew 11:2-3). 
If only he had thought about all his experiences in Mathew 3:13-17 and John 1:29-36. How he had stayed baptizing at the Jordan, waiting for the Messiah, recognizing the Messiah by the Holy Ghost, seeing the heavens opened and the dove descending on Christ, and most importantly, hearing the voice from heaven authenticating Jesus Christ as the Son of God. I'm sure he would have been encouraged.
Everyone of us get to a point in our lives where it seems all hell is turned loose against us, a point where we may even doubt the love of God for us. It can even get to the point of doubting our salvation. Job 14:1. "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble." 
As I ponder this issue, I remember a beloved sister who told me her experience. She was so immersed in her problems that she thought the only way out was to walk out of faith. But thank God for the Holy Spirit who kept encouraging her, reminding her of God's goodness in past times. Thank God, today, she has bounced back and still strong in faith.
Can we learn to always remember the testimonies of the Lord? Knowing that if He had shown up before, He definitely will again. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. 
I pray for multiplied grace for everyone going through one storm or the other. He will come through for you in Jesus' name.

You can still be a blessing in your situation

Adelola Edema
Have you read 1 Samuel 30 before? That was the place in the Bible where David encouraged himself in the Lord. I have read it before, and I have heard sermons based on the scripture, and I know there's so much to learn there.

First of all, David encouraged himself in the Lord, then his men helped an Egyptian servant who led them to recover what they had lost. So many things to learn from David.
B
ut recently I considered the Egyptian slave, and how his predicament was the reason he was a blessing to David, and why the Bible has a record of him. This guy was sick, and had been left to die by those who were supposed to care for him, those to whom he had been a blessing or help. I'm sure he had lost hope for life when David's men found him.
 
Have you been left and considered useless? Are you in that season of your life when you think there's no hope left. Let this Egyptian slave encourage you from God's word; you can still be a blessing in your situation.

Consider that when Jesus was on the cross, it was a painful time for him, but he still reached out to the thief on his right.

Don't let your situation make you shut your bowel of mercy.
 
The people around you may not consider you as useful, you may have lost hope in yourself, but God still has need of you.

He's looking at you, and what He sees is a blessing

JUST A MINUTE PLEASE.....

Adewumi Feyisayo Idowu

The society is always in a hurry to talk women into marriage especially when they belong to a certain social class, a percieved marriageable age and what have you. I have often pondered; is marriage all about age? Must every female child put marriage as a priority as soon as she gradutes from the University and has a good job? Don't get me wrong I'm not anti-marriage. The Bible was clear about it; marriage is honorable.... I'm not contesting that fact at all. What I am saying in very simple terms is this: every woman should get married because God the Author of marriage is leading them and they are ready to get married. Using myself as an example, most people around me are worried that I'm not married when most of my age mates have stopped having children. They have their concerns and I have mine!!! That's the truth. What most people around me don't know is that I have a lot going on in my life and marriage doesn't top that list. Firstly they don't know about my fears because of what I have encountered as a child, in my years as a teen and as an evolving adult. They don't know how hard it is for me to let go of the independence I have enjoyed for a long time by virtue of being single. They don't know how I want my finances to be very very stable. They forget that I have ambitions and aspirations I have always prayerfully told God I want placed in the hands of a man after His heart. The next time you are tempted to talk to a single sister about marriage, pls be more committed to praying for them. Even before you pray be very sure its what they desire most at the moment. Don't assume.

KNOW GOD'S WORD

ADELOLA EDEMA

Recently a brother was speaking, and he would attempt to quote scriptures, saying, "I think the Bible says…" What I did not like was that he would say, after 'misquoting' the scripture "I don't know, I'm not a preacher". And I would open my eyes each time to say "What?! Brother you are a Christian, that’s all that matters"

Have you read Hebrews 11 before? It talks about people of faith; Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses' parents, Moses, Rahab, the children of Israel, Samuel, David and many more people. Have you noticed that Moses and Samuel were the only prophets mentioned there? Actually, the other prophets were just summed as prophets (vs 32). And there's Balak that I think was a prophet, but I am not a fan of, so I cannot put his name with a whole Moses and a whole Samuel (God forgive me). All the rest were just people; Abel was a farmer; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were business men (I think these four were all in the sheep business); Rahab was a prostitute (that’s business too na); Jephtah was a military man, Moses' parents and the other children of Israel were just random people that we can care less what they did for a living (they kuku didn't come and steal my money). Did I mention that David was a shepherd and a king? I know you knew that already.

I hope you already know where I am going with my gist; most of the men of faith were not "pastors" (prophets). So why should being a pastor be the criterion to know God's word or live by faith? Romans 1:17 is one of 4 scriptures that tell us that "the just shall live by faith" and Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes to us through the word of God. How will you conduct your business by faith if you don’t know God's word? Or how will you shine as light if you don’t know what the Bible says? John 11:10 says that when we don't have light in us (note that the light should be in us), we'll stumble in the dark. And Psalm 119:130 says that the entrance of God's word brings light.

As I looked and listened to the brother, I planned to go and share some "truth" with him afterwards, but I was too chicken to do so. So I have brought my thoughts here because many of us think like that. I also have my "I cannot kill myself, I am not the pastor" moments. But I believe that we can desire to be better, and we can get better. That is God's desire for us (Colossians 3:16; 2Peter 1:19; John 8:31-32; Ezekiel 36:26).

LESSONS FROM THE MAN DAVID

Adebola Afolashade Balogun

David did not become the fearless gaint-slayer he became in one day. He did not just wake up and know how to kill a lion or a bear. Have you ever wondered how he became a great warrior without being formally trained? Let us look at Psalm 144:1. "Blessed be the Lord my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight".

When someone is being taught something, they almost always don't get it right the first time. The Bible never records it but I am sure there must have been times when a bear or lion came to attack one of the sheep David was keeping and all he could(as a young boy)was probably throw a stone or stick to chase them away, the stick or stone would only keep them away for so long and they must surely return to try again. David must have been hurt by a wild animal a couple of times, he might have even run away to call his elder brothers for help when he could not handle them on his own. He might have even lost one or two sheep in the process but he never stopped trying to protect his father's sheep.

I can imagine God watching this daily struggle and saying to him, "Hey, let me teach you how to kill this thing and give you a permanent solution". Hence, the training began.

 God watched him grow over time, saw his commitment to mere sheep and must have thought to himself "I think I have found someone I can trust to lead,guide and protect my people. If he can be this dedicated to sheep and goats, how much more humans?"

 What am I getting at you might be wondering? The reason a lot of people give in to challenges or refuse to take on any is because they do not see it as training grounds or opportunities to learn. They do not want to get all messy, they want the reward but not the responsibility but the truth is that both go hand in hand. God himself sought out David and made him a king because he saw a prepared 'man', one he had personally trained, one who went from timid boy to warrior. Remember, he was in the wilderness tending sheep. He was just a boy and could have been playing around or doing any other thing but he chose to take on the responsibility of tending sheep.

We must learn to see every stage of our lives as training grounds and be willing to gather as much knowledge as we can in the process.

We might never know when that big break will come, when that opportunity will come, when that skill will be what a president, king or Governor is looking for.

My charge to us as this new week begins is for us be open to opportunities, to learn new things as often as possible, to develop skills and stay prepared because we just might never know when that skill will launch us into greatness.

Have an exceptional week ladies!!

GOD HAS NOT CHANGED HIS MIND ABOUT YOU

Adelola Edema

Recently I was lining my eyebrows and I remembered when I could have sworn, "I would never line my eyes and my eyebrows". A few years later, even if I want to go without makeup, I line my brows at least. (Yea, I know I need help) I grew up hating ogbono soup. I also hated iru and ede (locust beans and crayfish) with a passion. I was that child that was not ashamed to pick out iru from the soup I was served, anywhere. Now ehn… I am a huge fan of iru and ogbono soup. I still don’t like ede o, but I don’t only eat it, I cook with it sef.

Quite a number of people know that I HATE daddyrising and mummyrising men of God. In fact, I could literally throw up if someone called his pastor Daddy around me. I used to tell people, without shame sef, that I could leave a church simply because members call the pastors Daddy or Mummy. But surprisingly, in my present church, I join other members to call the pastors Daddy and Mummy. It was just recently I noticed that I had been calling them Daddy and Mummy for months and I did not die. So I have concluded that this "Daddy, Mummy thing" is not as bad as I thought (I'm not sure o).

My point is that I am human, and change is the only constant thing. My dear, don’t assume that the Adelola you knew in Ife is the one typing this o… I have changed gaaaaaaan. You could have been able to predict me then, but maybe not anymore, because I have changed; and I am still changing.

But do you know what? God testifies of himself "I am the Lord, I do not change" (Mal 3:6). Hebrews 13 says that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So even if you cannot predict man that can change, you can be rest assured in God that if he said something about himself, then he remains that thing. God has not changed his mind about loving you. Scripture says he has loved you with an EVERLASTING LOVE. He tells you that you can now come boldly before his throne through the blood of Jesus, don’t worry he has not decided that the sins of this generation is too much, and then withdraw his mercy that the blood paid for.

So my dear, yes I know you have changed, but don’t judge God being same as you. He says that he remains the same forever. Trust that he is faithful. Be rest assured in him. He will not deny himself.

Much love,

Adelola