To be or not to be considered ridiculous or just plain silly is the choice that helps us achieve our wildest dreams or keeps us where mediocrity holds sway!
The word impossible is the excuse of cowards. People who do not have the courage to push themselves beyond their comfort zones, over the edge of that which is within easy grasp. To upset our well planned out life is something we are not willing to consider.
Every time I read the place where Jesus said, “… greater things shall ye do.” I get pretty upset because I can tell something isn’t right. I think, “Grand ! Easy for you to say!” Not that I do not believe Him, it’s simply beyond my human mind.
To think the outrageous and the ridiculous demands faith that says you can walk on water or raise a dead man. (Think on that for a second)
But then I read Myles Munroe and he goes off and says something as outrageous as ‘yeah doing greater things should be natural’. Ok! So this is outrageous but not unnatural!
I keep thinking to myself the world is doing it and they don’t even acknowledge God and yes, they are still missing out on something – Greatness. The old testament folks had it figured out and Jesus hadn’t even died. Something’s completely wrong.”
I am not talking walking on water here or even raising the dead which can be done. I am talking about that wild dream in your heart that keeps frustrating the ‘Mondays’ of your life. Myles Munroe says the reason you go to work feeling frustrated is because the counsel of God shall stand. What that means is, if you die without fulfilling your purpose, you die frustrated even if you had all the money in the world.
We need a paradigm shift! It’s not enough to think it’s possible with God only, it is possible with you and I and even more so because we have all this grace available.
There are obstacles but there are no impossibilities.
There are walls but there are no limits.
It's your choice to settle down and be comfortable or shake off your fears and take a risk.
Adventure!
My take is, if a man can think it, it is possible.
It takes a lot of mind stretching and perseverance and just the willingness to apply oneself to see possibilities.
It is a process and a challenging one at that! It isn’t one for the faint of heart or the weak willed and we can understand from Abraham to Jesus, why T.D. Jakes would ask if we can stand to be blessed.
Being blessed as Solomon was demands choosing to have grand resilience or limiting ourselves to a few thousand concubines and missing out on where God would take us.
Impossibilities is the excuse for lazy minds.
There are simply no impossibilities!
If you can imagine it, heaven knows you are your only limitation. That is the story of the confusion of tongues (Babel).
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
.Some distant cousins you should think of killing. Seriously it's legal!
Worry- a subtle foe one needs to deal with constantly.
Worry is the thief of time and energy. Anyone who entertains him knows he is high maintenance. He consumes your time exaggerating every little issue and magnifying every little care.
Worry saps your energy and won't leave until you understand that, "of all men, you are most miserable because you have this little problem. "
Worry seeks to put faith in a corner. ''Face the fact, he insists, your reality is sickness, lack and pain and if you think God cares, then just let me invite my friends over.''
Think on this for a moment if you please. Worry always arrives uninvited, promises to stay for only a minute or two and once you let him in, he stays a day, two or a week. Worry almost never goes anywhere without his buddy Frown.
Frown takes his place on your forehead and before you can even find a Word to counter all that Worry has said, his friends, Guilt and Shame have arrived. They are here to remind you to keep Worry because you failed, ''here and there.'' They point out, with crooked and dirty nails, your failures on this dirty map of your shameful past. ('Crooked and dirty nails' because they had to dig up this buried and forgotten map.)
And shame? Yes she is here to let you know it's ok to stay ashamed. "Forget that God has forgiven you, the shame is yours to keep forever'', she bats her eyes while reminding you with a voice that seeks to comfort or produce some self- righteous or self-pitying feeling.
Worry wants you to deny who you are and what you have in Christ. He wants you to say, 'God I know you care but I don't trust you to take care of this need that I have now.' Worry magnifies his friends, the Cares of this world and seeks to belittle God's ability to fulfill His promise.
The truth is God has already provided all you need but worry keeps you from finding the faith to receive what you need.
Worry is persistent and never gives up and if you must overcome him and his friends here's how.
When next worry comes to visit, tell him about the last time God came through and how He amazed you with His faithfulness (Praise and Worship). Tell Worry about the promises God made to take care of you, to never leave or forsake you ( confession of your faith). Tell him about the address God gave you to always drop off the Cares of this world. (Casting all your cares on Him for He cares for you.) Invite your friends, Peace, Faith, Hope and Joy over for tea.
Worry hates nothing more than a smile and a person who refuses to be anxious about tomorrow. He'll come again to remind you of the Cares of this world and insist you think of ways to resolve them. Take him aside and give him the address you dropped off his friends, the Cares of this world - at God's.
Isn't it amazing how we allow worry keep us awake at night only to find out in the morning that God had already supplied our needs and keeping company with Worry was such a waste of precious time.
Imagine the cost of housing worry and his gang. Get careless around them and they open your door when Depression comes knocking. Now this isn't just a petty thief like worry, shame and guilt whom you are comfortable with just because someone told you they are your distant cousins and you have to treat your family right. Right?
Wrong! Depression is an armed robber and he can kill you just as well as worry, guilt and shame. These are cousins you tie to the drum and practice shooting with, so when Depression comes, you are armed and ready.
We forfeit Peace and yet we have a friend, Jesus, who has taken it upon Himself to bear our burdens.
I've learnt that "taking it to the Lord in prayer" doesn't require beads and a long winding worry-encouraging-prayer.
I know worry can be persistent so I simply go to Jesus with a simple, 'Jesus help, this is beyond me and you promised to take care of me. Thank you.'
If worry keeps nagging, I simply remind him that God has never failed and won't start with me first. I send him to God with, "I forgot your friends, the Cares at His feet, see I'm careless! Go ask Him about it, if you can and must. I have a book to read or I need to sleep...''
Redeem the time!
Worry knows when he is no longer welcomed and he always leaves with a sullen face and if you are wondering why, it's because Frown hopped on his forehead.
Worry is the thief of time and energy. Anyone who entertains him knows he is high maintenance. He consumes your time exaggerating every little issue and magnifying every little care.
Worry saps your energy and won't leave until you understand that, "of all men, you are most miserable because you have this little problem. "
Worry seeks to put faith in a corner. ''Face the fact, he insists, your reality is sickness, lack and pain and if you think God cares, then just let me invite my friends over.''
Think on this for a moment if you please. Worry always arrives uninvited, promises to stay for only a minute or two and once you let him in, he stays a day, two or a week. Worry almost never goes anywhere without his buddy Frown.
Frown takes his place on your forehead and before you can even find a Word to counter all that Worry has said, his friends, Guilt and Shame have arrived. They are here to remind you to keep Worry because you failed, ''here and there.'' They point out, with crooked and dirty nails, your failures on this dirty map of your shameful past. ('Crooked and dirty nails' because they had to dig up this buried and forgotten map.)
And shame? Yes she is here to let you know it's ok to stay ashamed. "Forget that God has forgiven you, the shame is yours to keep forever'', she bats her eyes while reminding you with a voice that seeks to comfort or produce some self- righteous or self-pitying feeling.
Worry wants you to deny who you are and what you have in Christ. He wants you to say, 'God I know you care but I don't trust you to take care of this need that I have now.' Worry magnifies his friends, the Cares of this world and seeks to belittle God's ability to fulfill His promise.
The truth is God has already provided all you need but worry keeps you from finding the faith to receive what you need.
Worry is persistent and never gives up and if you must overcome him and his friends here's how.
When next worry comes to visit, tell him about the last time God came through and how He amazed you with His faithfulness (Praise and Worship). Tell Worry about the promises God made to take care of you, to never leave or forsake you ( confession of your faith). Tell him about the address God gave you to always drop off the Cares of this world. (Casting all your cares on Him for He cares for you.) Invite your friends, Peace, Faith, Hope and Joy over for tea.
Worry hates nothing more than a smile and a person who refuses to be anxious about tomorrow. He'll come again to remind you of the Cares of this world and insist you think of ways to resolve them. Take him aside and give him the address you dropped off his friends, the Cares of this world - at God's.
Isn't it amazing how we allow worry keep us awake at night only to find out in the morning that God had already supplied our needs and keeping company with Worry was such a waste of precious time.
Imagine the cost of housing worry and his gang. Get careless around them and they open your door when Depression comes knocking. Now this isn't just a petty thief like worry, shame and guilt whom you are comfortable with just because someone told you they are your distant cousins and you have to treat your family right. Right?
Wrong! Depression is an armed robber and he can kill you just as well as worry, guilt and shame. These are cousins you tie to the drum and practice shooting with, so when Depression comes, you are armed and ready.
We forfeit Peace and yet we have a friend, Jesus, who has taken it upon Himself to bear our burdens.
I've learnt that "taking it to the Lord in prayer" doesn't require beads and a long winding worry-encouraging-prayer.
I know worry can be persistent so I simply go to Jesus with a simple, 'Jesus help, this is beyond me and you promised to take care of me. Thank you.'
If worry keeps nagging, I simply remind him that God has never failed and won't start with me first. I send him to God with, "I forgot your friends, the Cares at His feet, see I'm careless! Go ask Him about it, if you can and must. I have a book to read or I need to sleep...''
Redeem the time!
Worry knows when he is no longer welcomed and he always leaves with a sullen face and if you are wondering why, it's because Frown hopped on his forehead.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Truth and Crazy Philosophy
Is your mind vast enough to ponder Truth as it is?
There are different kinds of truth: The absolute truth or the truth as presented by known facts which are, in very truth, reality. And then we each have our truths - the truths we tell ourselves based on our experiences, our backgrounds and the model upon which we form our opinions.
There is that popular saying, ''Truth is what is and that is the beauty of it!'' That is a factual statement that should not but can be argued.
This statement brings two questions to the fore. The first is, 'What is Truth?' The other is, 'What is?'
I believe, and strongly too, that the answer to the latter provides the basis upon which each person can define his truth. So by your philosophy or, if you please, based on your values, how would you answer the question - What is?
Philosophy can be toxic if it has no tangible evidence or a foundation upon which to build its claim. Philosophy cannot be for and against. Philosophy does not call for diplomacy and tolerance; it is either for or against.
Diplomacy and Tolerance are philosophies – yes, but they have been the source of many disputes and to take sides on any matter is to be extremist. It is to pitch Obama’s diplomacy against Hilary’s intolerance and yet have them on the same team.
To be Liberal is to be too liberal and to be conservative is to be too conservative. There seem to be no common ground and although Philosophy, on the one hand, preaches diplomacy and tolerance, on the other hand, it demands that you not be Machiavellian.
What are we then to do? Toss out these crazy schools of thought and create our own philosophies?
To every man his truth!
There’s my abiding tenet. We each can insist on the validity and the absoluteness or fixedness of our truths but do not try to force your truth on me. My truth is absolute to me because I have tested it and found it to be true. If your truth is true, hold on to it.
Truth is its own proof!
Philosophy on grand issues such as these can be long and winded and can rouse cutting debates and men have been known to engage in them from the beginning of time.
If Truth is what is... what is, therefore, for me is the source of truth. I bring my philosophy to a quiet close by agreeing that Truth is indeed what is and that is the end of the matter. And if you are wondering, ‘how and why’, my answer simply is, Jesus is Truth and God's word is where I find conclusion to everything. Indubitably!
There’s the source of my philosophy! It can be argued but I insist on its authority.
There are different kinds of truth: The absolute truth or the truth as presented by known facts which are, in very truth, reality. And then we each have our truths - the truths we tell ourselves based on our experiences, our backgrounds and the model upon which we form our opinions.
There is that popular saying, ''Truth is what is and that is the beauty of it!'' That is a factual statement that should not but can be argued.
This statement brings two questions to the fore. The first is, 'What is Truth?' The other is, 'What is?'
I believe, and strongly too, that the answer to the latter provides the basis upon which each person can define his truth. So by your philosophy or, if you please, based on your values, how would you answer the question - What is?
Philosophy can be toxic if it has no tangible evidence or a foundation upon which to build its claim. Philosophy cannot be for and against. Philosophy does not call for diplomacy and tolerance; it is either for or against.
Diplomacy and Tolerance are philosophies – yes, but they have been the source of many disputes and to take sides on any matter is to be extremist. It is to pitch Obama’s diplomacy against Hilary’s intolerance and yet have them on the same team.
To be Liberal is to be too liberal and to be conservative is to be too conservative. There seem to be no common ground and although Philosophy, on the one hand, preaches diplomacy and tolerance, on the other hand, it demands that you not be Machiavellian.
What are we then to do? Toss out these crazy schools of thought and create our own philosophies?
To every man his truth!
There’s my abiding tenet. We each can insist on the validity and the absoluteness or fixedness of our truths but do not try to force your truth on me. My truth is absolute to me because I have tested it and found it to be true. If your truth is true, hold on to it.
Truth is its own proof!
Philosophy on grand issues such as these can be long and winded and can rouse cutting debates and men have been known to engage in them from the beginning of time.
If Truth is what is... what is, therefore, for me is the source of truth. I bring my philosophy to a quiet close by agreeing that Truth is indeed what is and that is the end of the matter. And if you are wondering, ‘how and why’, my answer simply is, Jesus is Truth and God's word is where I find conclusion to everything. Indubitably!
There’s the source of my philosophy! It can be argued but I insist on its authority.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Mothers and God
How would you define motherhood? Motherhood is a never-ending job. It takes eternity and a day!
Every time I call mother, she always has a word of encouragement to give. She always says, ''It is well my dear, I am praying for you. I am praying for all of you.''
Being a mother cannot be an easy job. I look at mothers and think, ' A woman needs Jesus!'' A woman needs Jesus to be her very best friend. Anything less, in my judgment, is courting trouble.
Mothers, in my view, do experience a little bit of what God must feel bringing up children. Teaching them and guiding them in the way they should go, correcting and loving them, anyway, when they fall short of the standard, forgiving them when they disobey and hurt you. Mothers, and by these I mean truly Christ-like mothers are God's gifts to us.
A mother's job is never done. She is forever going to God with a request or the other and oftentimes it is hardly ever for herself. She is constantly reminding God to keep her children, save her children, bless her children. God must have an earful of Mothers' requests and tears and pleas!
Mothers and God are a formidable team and if you have one like mine, you can say like me on the one hand, '' If mummy said it, it is as good as done'' because I know she talked to God about it and on the other hand, '' If God promised, it's already done'' because He never fails.
To every mother holding out hope for a child, my take is, ''Motherhood is a full time job and you need a strong ally - Jesus.'
A toast to Mothers and God!
Every time I call mother, she always has a word of encouragement to give. She always says, ''It is well my dear, I am praying for you. I am praying for all of you.''
Being a mother cannot be an easy job. I look at mothers and think, ' A woman needs Jesus!'' A woman needs Jesus to be her very best friend. Anything less, in my judgment, is courting trouble.
Mothers, in my view, do experience a little bit of what God must feel bringing up children. Teaching them and guiding them in the way they should go, correcting and loving them, anyway, when they fall short of the standard, forgiving them when they disobey and hurt you. Mothers, and by these I mean truly Christ-like mothers are God's gifts to us.
A mother's job is never done. She is forever going to God with a request or the other and oftentimes it is hardly ever for herself. She is constantly reminding God to keep her children, save her children, bless her children. God must have an earful of Mothers' requests and tears and pleas!
Mothers and God are a formidable team and if you have one like mine, you can say like me on the one hand, '' If mummy said it, it is as good as done'' because I know she talked to God about it and on the other hand, '' If God promised, it's already done'' because He never fails.
To every mother holding out hope for a child, my take is, ''Motherhood is a full time job and you need a strong ally - Jesus.'
A toast to Mothers and God!
God Doesn’t Play Safe!
God doesn't play safe; He pushes you off the edge to help you grow.
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Be careful what you ask for?” You need to heed it! Every enlargement comes with a challenge and we find ourselves complaining in the midst of our blessings.
'God I asked for a child but please could you make him stop crying and whining and demanding?
‘God, I know I asked for a husband but where did you find this one?’
‘God thank you for this job but please how long before I get another?’
God, God, God... we complain all day. I imagine God smiling and saying, 'Well you asked me to bless you and I have. I see a blessing in this challenge and all you see is a problem.'
We need to learn to find our blessings in every challenge. No wonder we are admonished to always be thankful even when making our request known to God. I believe it is because nothing is too wonderful for God. Our little minds and small thinking are putting enough limitations on God already. It is after all God's good pleasure to bless us.
God does not play safe at all and unless you are willing to play along you better be careful what you ask for! Think for a moment, if you please; if the Israelites knew the route God would choose and the IQ games He'd play to test their faith, do you think they'd have cried for deliverance from Egypt? You and I know they complained and murmured and piped till old Moses lost it. IQ level on a scale of 1-10.... Zero!
It isn't easy at all! You and I would have done no differently, limited as our view is. I admit that God's ways and thoughts are way too wonderful for me. But to know God is to know that if it is God it isn't going to be normal it will be extraordinary. To know God is to be strong and to do exploit. To believe Him is to have no impossibility. To have the mind of Christ is to know that God's store is open to me, all I need do is ask and believe and I'll have what I need.
I believe that the waiting period is the period we build trust. Trust does not come easy. A million years of faithfulness can be destroyed with one minute of distrust. Doubt, maybe...doubt always comes but we chose to believe. Distrust? No. We are safe with God. He never fails but God has never played safe. We play safe; we talk safe, walk and work safe, save safe, think safe, live safe, love safe, give safe. Safe is good when it keeps us from evil and it is bad when it keeps us from experiencing the abundance of God's blessings. And, because we like the comfort of our safe zone, we go about with our, let-me-manage-what-I-have attitude and disgrace the grace of God.
The great men of faith certainly did not make it to the hall of fame riding through life in a limousine of bliss. No, they trekked through blizzards of hopeless situations bearing hope and believing God against all odds. They were pushed over the edge and they grew. And today, we allow ourselves be driven through life suspended in hummer jeeps while life hums by and we are left wondering why we never experience God as they did. God help you should you have this thought sweating in a molue!
The words of Jesus when He said, ''...greater works shall ye do'' seems like the distant echoes of a long forgotten movie and here we are trying to remember what comes before it. 'How in the world am I ever going to do anything greater than what Jesus did? Was He really serious? No no no... Did he even say that?' No wonder T.D. Jakes asks, ''Can you stand to be blessed?''
We, like Jesus, need to set the joy of God's blessing/reward before us before we take up the cross. You can't ask for your tent to be enlarged if you are not willing to set the pegs and pitch the tent when God marks out the territory. You may never understand the depth of what's yours, if you are unwilling to count the stars or at least try to wrap your mind around what number could possibly be used to quantify them.
Risk! God does not play safe. He would not be God if he did! God is wonderfully so God, it is an insult to go to Him and hope He'll play safe. How do you intend to grow or ever be who He wants you to be? Or... what do you think? If Abraham knew you'd call him father, he'd be bothered; being a hundred? And Sarah? Well is it safe to give birth at such grand age?
See! That’s why se say, “This is God!”
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Be careful what you ask for?” You need to heed it! Every enlargement comes with a challenge and we find ourselves complaining in the midst of our blessings.
'God I asked for a child but please could you make him stop crying and whining and demanding?
‘God, I know I asked for a husband but where did you find this one?’
‘God thank you for this job but please how long before I get another?’
God, God, God... we complain all day. I imagine God smiling and saying, 'Well you asked me to bless you and I have. I see a blessing in this challenge and all you see is a problem.'
We need to learn to find our blessings in every challenge. No wonder we are admonished to always be thankful even when making our request known to God. I believe it is because nothing is too wonderful for God. Our little minds and small thinking are putting enough limitations on God already. It is after all God's good pleasure to bless us.
God does not play safe at all and unless you are willing to play along you better be careful what you ask for! Think for a moment, if you please; if the Israelites knew the route God would choose and the IQ games He'd play to test their faith, do you think they'd have cried for deliverance from Egypt? You and I know they complained and murmured and piped till old Moses lost it. IQ level on a scale of 1-10.... Zero!
It isn't easy at all! You and I would have done no differently, limited as our view is. I admit that God's ways and thoughts are way too wonderful for me. But to know God is to know that if it is God it isn't going to be normal it will be extraordinary. To know God is to be strong and to do exploit. To believe Him is to have no impossibility. To have the mind of Christ is to know that God's store is open to me, all I need do is ask and believe and I'll have what I need.
I believe that the waiting period is the period we build trust. Trust does not come easy. A million years of faithfulness can be destroyed with one minute of distrust. Doubt, maybe...doubt always comes but we chose to believe. Distrust? No. We are safe with God. He never fails but God has never played safe. We play safe; we talk safe, walk and work safe, save safe, think safe, live safe, love safe, give safe. Safe is good when it keeps us from evil and it is bad when it keeps us from experiencing the abundance of God's blessings. And, because we like the comfort of our safe zone, we go about with our, let-me-manage-what-I-have attitude and disgrace the grace of God.
The great men of faith certainly did not make it to the hall of fame riding through life in a limousine of bliss. No, they trekked through blizzards of hopeless situations bearing hope and believing God against all odds. They were pushed over the edge and they grew. And today, we allow ourselves be driven through life suspended in hummer jeeps while life hums by and we are left wondering why we never experience God as they did. God help you should you have this thought sweating in a molue!
The words of Jesus when He said, ''...greater works shall ye do'' seems like the distant echoes of a long forgotten movie and here we are trying to remember what comes before it. 'How in the world am I ever going to do anything greater than what Jesus did? Was He really serious? No no no... Did he even say that?' No wonder T.D. Jakes asks, ''Can you stand to be blessed?''
We, like Jesus, need to set the joy of God's blessing/reward before us before we take up the cross. You can't ask for your tent to be enlarged if you are not willing to set the pegs and pitch the tent when God marks out the territory. You may never understand the depth of what's yours, if you are unwilling to count the stars or at least try to wrap your mind around what number could possibly be used to quantify them.
Risk! God does not play safe. He would not be God if he did! God is wonderfully so God, it is an insult to go to Him and hope He'll play safe. How do you intend to grow or ever be who He wants you to be? Or... what do you think? If Abraham knew you'd call him father, he'd be bothered; being a hundred? And Sarah? Well is it safe to give birth at such grand age?
See! That’s why se say, “This is God!”
Self Pity and the Rest of the Suffering World!
Every time I find myself complaining, I pause to think about those who have it worse.
The world is so full of suffering to complain about not having, even for a short period of time, something as grand as light, water, a little clean space and air (in special reference to Lagos) to breath seems totally wrong.
It suddenly becomes, ‘Self pity and the suffering millions in the world!’
Frustration and anger, in times like these, are feelings I beg to have. I found myself in this catch-22 or dilemma, if you please, some days back it made me totally upset. I love nothing more than peace, quiet and a clean space and stress of any kind, at such a time, irritates me. A quiet prayer to Jesus and a smile are enough antidotes.
To come home to a ‘claimed’ family member who wants to know if I truly fasted (even though she's bent on the fact that I'm lying), to my space being messed up by some space agents, to food getting bad because PHCN refuses to share electricity demands that I be frustrated. Add to that the suffocating stench of Lagos and you have a recipe for, ‘How To Go Insane. ‘
Tired and hungry, I refused Jesus and a smile.
Do you know what is worse than depression? Anger. Not just any kind - anger that is unfocused. Nothing is worse than being angry with no one in particular. So I refused all manner of reasoning, I begged God not quote scriptures and just cried my frustrations out till I found myself laughing. That's when I got it... I chose the wrong feeling.
I thought to myself, “There are people that have it worse than me.” Truth is;
Time doesn't wait for you to feel sad and depressed and then come out of it
Time doesn't wait for you to make the choice to be happy.
Time doesn't wait for you to make a decision to go on or give up.
Time keeps ticking, demanding that you keep up or fall out
Time is now and now may be all you have.
Thank God I have the gift of life, the opportunity to be of service and most importantly the grace to forgive, my anger, after all, was not without sin. I counted my blessings, wished self pity good bye, called my friends and loved ones, found Jesus and apologized, I even put in a good word for the suffering millions in the world. Need I say I slept like a baby? God had His arms wrapped around me all the same!
Abasiama! That's my swear word! It means God loves me...
The world is so full of suffering to complain about not having, even for a short period of time, something as grand as light, water, a little clean space and air (in special reference to Lagos) to breath seems totally wrong.
It suddenly becomes, ‘Self pity and the suffering millions in the world!’
Frustration and anger, in times like these, are feelings I beg to have. I found myself in this catch-22 or dilemma, if you please, some days back it made me totally upset. I love nothing more than peace, quiet and a clean space and stress of any kind, at such a time, irritates me. A quiet prayer to Jesus and a smile are enough antidotes.
To come home to a ‘claimed’ family member who wants to know if I truly fasted (even though she's bent on the fact that I'm lying), to my space being messed up by some space agents, to food getting bad because PHCN refuses to share electricity demands that I be frustrated. Add to that the suffocating stench of Lagos and you have a recipe for, ‘How To Go Insane. ‘
Tired and hungry, I refused Jesus and a smile.
Do you know what is worse than depression? Anger. Not just any kind - anger that is unfocused. Nothing is worse than being angry with no one in particular. So I refused all manner of reasoning, I begged God not quote scriptures and just cried my frustrations out till I found myself laughing. That's when I got it... I chose the wrong feeling.
I thought to myself, “There are people that have it worse than me.” Truth is;
Time doesn't wait for you to feel sad and depressed and then come out of it
Time doesn't wait for you to make the choice to be happy.
Time doesn't wait for you to make a decision to go on or give up.
Time keeps ticking, demanding that you keep up or fall out
Time is now and now may be all you have.
Thank God I have the gift of life, the opportunity to be of service and most importantly the grace to forgive, my anger, after all, was not without sin. I counted my blessings, wished self pity good bye, called my friends and loved ones, found Jesus and apologized, I even put in a good word for the suffering millions in the world. Need I say I slept like a baby? God had His arms wrapped around me all the same!
Abasiama! That's my swear word! It means God loves me...
Three Sales Men and the Distance They must Travel (A Poem)
My past came knocking last week
I admit, I thought of opening the door
Then I remembered
I am dead!
I am dead to my past
I am alive to Christ!
God is the distance between my past and I
Guilt kept hammering on my door
Insisting that I open
He just wanted to remind me
“Of something I might be forgetting”
I thought, “Oh well, I’ll just entertain him a while!”
I was prevented by Calvary’s Cross
Jesus is the distance between guilt and I
Shame was the most persistent of all three visitors
He had witnesses and facts, he claimed
Justice, alleged he, and the law would have it no other way
I deserved to be put death, he pointed out
I opened the door and smiled at him
“I am dead already and the price paid in full”, I said straight from the shoulder
“And one last thing before you go”, I asserted
Mercy is the distance between you and I
With stunned faces they left, completely disheartened
I heard them arguing among themselves
“We cannot litigate her”, shame cried, “it’s out of the question”
“Why not?” asked guilt
Nothing pleased my listening ears the most
Than to hear my past admit
“God’s grace is the new law applied in this court
And His love is an impossible distance to travel!”
Written by Abasiama Ette
Started on the 23rd of Jan 2010 and completed on the 18th of Feb 2010
I admit, I thought of opening the door
Then I remembered
I am dead!
I am dead to my past
I am alive to Christ!
God is the distance between my past and I
Guilt kept hammering on my door
Insisting that I open
He just wanted to remind me
“Of something I might be forgetting”
I thought, “Oh well, I’ll just entertain him a while!”
I was prevented by Calvary’s Cross
Jesus is the distance between guilt and I
Shame was the most persistent of all three visitors
He had witnesses and facts, he claimed
Justice, alleged he, and the law would have it no other way
I deserved to be put death, he pointed out
I opened the door and smiled at him
“I am dead already and the price paid in full”, I said straight from the shoulder
“And one last thing before you go”, I asserted
Mercy is the distance between you and I
With stunned faces they left, completely disheartened
I heard them arguing among themselves
“We cannot litigate her”, shame cried, “it’s out of the question”
“Why not?” asked guilt
Nothing pleased my listening ears the most
Than to hear my past admit
“God’s grace is the new law applied in this court
And His love is an impossible distance to travel!”
Written by Abasiama Ette
Started on the 23rd of Jan 2010 and completed on the 18th of Feb 2010
All That Fuss About Love
Is there really more to love or is this frenzied act and feverish feeling all there is to it? That rush of adrenalin or that chemistry a confused man has for everything in skirt?
Love has been given a million and one definition and today, love is just another word. This demands careful thinking and I agree with the saying, ''fools rush in where angels fear to tread.''
Love is so watered down today, it is piped in every street corner, it's expression grandly televised and God forbid that I should show an anonymous act of kindness or be damned enough to offer a quiet prayer for someone in need or say I love you only when I'm convinced it's true.
We need to pull the wool out of our eyes and tell ourselves some practical truth!
If God is love and He gave His son to die for you and I, I'll tell you what love isn't;
love isn't selfish,love isn't arrogant, love does not place self first.
If God is love and He did what He did for you and I and still puts up with our sheer stupidity, I'll tell you what love is; love is a choice, love is sacrifice, love is painful and that is what makes it worthwhile.
We all know the Bible quote on love;
“Love is patient; love is kind
and envies no one.
Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude;
never selfish, not quick to take offense.
There is nothing love cannot face;
there is no limit to its faith,
its hope, and endurance.
In a word, there are three things
that last forever: faith, hope, and love;
but the greatest of them all is love.”
Everything else is a waste of time and energy and we all know, time's short.
Love has been given a million and one definition and today, love is just another word. This demands careful thinking and I agree with the saying, ''fools rush in where angels fear to tread.''
Love is so watered down today, it is piped in every street corner, it's expression grandly televised and God forbid that I should show an anonymous act of kindness or be damned enough to offer a quiet prayer for someone in need or say I love you only when I'm convinced it's true.
We need to pull the wool out of our eyes and tell ourselves some practical truth!
If God is love and He gave His son to die for you and I, I'll tell you what love isn't;
love isn't selfish,love isn't arrogant, love does not place self first.
If God is love and He did what He did for you and I and still puts up with our sheer stupidity, I'll tell you what love is; love is a choice, love is sacrifice, love is painful and that is what makes it worthwhile.
We all know the Bible quote on love;
“Love is patient; love is kind
and envies no one.
Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude;
never selfish, not quick to take offense.
There is nothing love cannot face;
there is no limit to its faith,
its hope, and endurance.
In a word, there are three things
that last forever: faith, hope, and love;
but the greatest of them all is love.”
Everything else is a waste of time and energy and we all know, time's short.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Nigeria: The government. The people
I am not a John Grisham fan but last Christmas, The Innocent Man was my gift. I am an avid reader and I was not going to allow my not so great affection for JG keep me from reading this book.
The Innocent Man is a true story of how a corrupt system can rub men of their rights to freedom, even in a free country like the USA. The story was at once annoying and frustrating as it was eye-opening. You read that book and you find yourself praying never to run against the government, the law and the police.
Bring it home. Nigeria is a great country full of potentials and indeed a great collection of smart people who, I strongly believe, if offered the right sets of opportunities could stun the entire world and if it were possible, God Himself. Given what we have, Nigeria is a woeful tale because the opportunity does exist to excel but our growth is stunted by the weeds we vote into office and refer to as our government. We are slowly becoming a failed state and yet we agree to be swept along by the tidal wave of corruption, injustice and plain malevolence.
Over the past 15 years and more Nigeria has had its fair share of questionable comic characters in government and you have to look no further than the National Assembly to find these comic strip characters with different accents and spectacularly confusing 'Englishes'. It leaves you wondering if you have truly been educated.
By these representatives are we saying one or all of the following things:
-It is difficult and almost rare to find a well educated leader in Nigeria?
-Every Nigerian is corrupt and even if they are not, power will definitely corrupt them?
-There is no hope for a better Nigeria?
We have been headless for sometime now and according to most people, 'the witch of Endor runs Nigeria from Saudi Arabia'. It is truly appalling to read from a National Paper that the Vice President is running the affairs of the state with directives from the first lady. (http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201001171114681) Is this constitutional? Really, what does the constitution say? The Vice President has since denied this but Saturday Punch insists on the truth of this account.
We have heard series of talks. It is the only thing we Nigerians know to do best… talk. We have seen pro Yar Adua campaigns and all manner of lunacy. Where are the oppositions in all of this? Where is our democracy? Are we in need of a Niger- Delta-type revolution? Do we continue in prayer or is God waiting on us? Are we taking a step forward or a thousand steps backward?
Away from politics; is Nigeria really suffering from this Economic Crisis or shall we find 2 years from now that someone was siphoning our money?
As far Education is concerned, we see what slapdash group of people represents us so there is no point investing in education. Anything goes?
As far as Agriculture is concerned, when the oil no longer counts, we will look into it.
Employment? Get a skill. Be an entrepreneur.
Poverty alleviation? Talk about it, get a vote.
Terrorism! New to Nigeria? Well we live with terror everyday in this country. Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab just slapped us in the face because he took it outside the shores of this country. We are terrorized by our government, our armed forces, registered and unregistered. We are terrorized by PHCN, CBN, NNPC and every 'N'd thing you can think of! Terrorism isn't new, no; we are terrorized even in the name of religion, houses of worship and kiosks are daily erected to everything above and beneath the earth.
Nigeria is a tale that only God understands but I believe that I understand Nigerians. We are witnesses to the crimes committed in this country, they never get solved and none of us wants to go sniffing for TRUTH, we know what happens to truth seekers. Nobody wants to be at the fore front of this fight, we don't want our lives to end suddenly in mysterious ways.
In this country, you are allowed to complain as long as you don't disturb anyone else.
In this country democracy means a government of the few, for the few, by the few. And we all know who these few are.
In this country, we believe in God because we look forward to heaven, see, hell is not a place you want to be in twice.
In this country, some day soon, children will take the reins and God help us, hell may loose its bounds.
Nigeria is a tale waiting to be told! So as individuals, we seek and hope to rise above...
For the fun of it, think of the 7 Point Agenda!
Have you watched 2012? Is it surprising that after the 'end of the world' Africa still stands? I mean, it must be because Africa is not part of the known world. Anyway, it is referred to as the 'cape of hope'. Funny, huh? Maybe our many issues and backwardness is a blessing in disguise? I know, Nigeria is better than most African countries and we have so much to be thankful for. So much believe me, except, of course the 7 Point agenda.
In my opinion, Nigeria is in need of serious action. I was no OBJ fan, but the man at least got me listening to and reading the news. This present government and its 7 point agenda is the most dreary, uninteresting thing that has ever happened to us as a country. So here is my 7 Point Action Proposal for Nigeria:
1. In the upcoming election, if we read about or hear anyone talk about something as stupid and as nationalism-destroying as, '' It is time to take the national cake to the north, south or further south (south-south)'', such a person should be declared a terrorist and shot in clear view of all. That is an example of a corrupt leader aiming to waste our tax.
2. Before voting anyone into office to represent us, can we at least ask that they read the English text we read in primary school? You know the one with Simbi and the rest... So if we need to dialogue with our representatives, we can at least say we understood each other. Dora could really get to know when to pause (you know... observe the English law of punctuations).
3. Can we sack our lecturers and professors and the NUTs and shut down all those progress- flagging unions and teach ourselves? I have a feeling we could do better by research, trial and error. For God's sake information is at our finger tips.
4. Is there a policy regarding employment in this country? What exactly can foreign companies do and not do to employees? Does the Nigerian work force in the public and private sectors have rights? If not can we please, seriously please, do something about it?
5. Can we do away with the registered army, train the unregistered army and hire them on a 2 month contract basis without arms? I'm not sure on this point, I think we should just pray for what we have.
6. Farm lands. Can you please start one in your backyard? Very funny right? Wrong, get a hoe and a spade!
7. Yar’ Adua! Can we ‘unvote’ him and his wife? If we can do this I believe Nigeria can be part of the 'Cape of hope' by 2012.
Wow, I have this all figured out right? Wrong! I'm just saying!
The Innocent Man is a true story of how a corrupt system can rub men of their rights to freedom, even in a free country like the USA. The story was at once annoying and frustrating as it was eye-opening. You read that book and you find yourself praying never to run against the government, the law and the police.
Bring it home. Nigeria is a great country full of potentials and indeed a great collection of smart people who, I strongly believe, if offered the right sets of opportunities could stun the entire world and if it were possible, God Himself. Given what we have, Nigeria is a woeful tale because the opportunity does exist to excel but our growth is stunted by the weeds we vote into office and refer to as our government. We are slowly becoming a failed state and yet we agree to be swept along by the tidal wave of corruption, injustice and plain malevolence.
Over the past 15 years and more Nigeria has had its fair share of questionable comic characters in government and you have to look no further than the National Assembly to find these comic strip characters with different accents and spectacularly confusing 'Englishes'. It leaves you wondering if you have truly been educated.
By these representatives are we saying one or all of the following things:
-It is difficult and almost rare to find a well educated leader in Nigeria?
-Every Nigerian is corrupt and even if they are not, power will definitely corrupt them?
-There is no hope for a better Nigeria?
We have been headless for sometime now and according to most people, 'the witch of Endor runs Nigeria from Saudi Arabia'. It is truly appalling to read from a National Paper that the Vice President is running the affairs of the state with directives from the first lady. (http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201001171114681) Is this constitutional? Really, what does the constitution say? The Vice President has since denied this but Saturday Punch insists on the truth of this account.
We have heard series of talks. It is the only thing we Nigerians know to do best… talk. We have seen pro Yar Adua campaigns and all manner of lunacy. Where are the oppositions in all of this? Where is our democracy? Are we in need of a Niger- Delta-type revolution? Do we continue in prayer or is God waiting on us? Are we taking a step forward or a thousand steps backward?
Away from politics; is Nigeria really suffering from this Economic Crisis or shall we find 2 years from now that someone was siphoning our money?
As far Education is concerned, we see what slapdash group of people represents us so there is no point investing in education. Anything goes?
As far as Agriculture is concerned, when the oil no longer counts, we will look into it.
Employment? Get a skill. Be an entrepreneur.
Poverty alleviation? Talk about it, get a vote.
Terrorism! New to Nigeria? Well we live with terror everyday in this country. Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab just slapped us in the face because he took it outside the shores of this country. We are terrorized by our government, our armed forces, registered and unregistered. We are terrorized by PHCN, CBN, NNPC and every 'N'd thing you can think of! Terrorism isn't new, no; we are terrorized even in the name of religion, houses of worship and kiosks are daily erected to everything above and beneath the earth.
Nigeria is a tale that only God understands but I believe that I understand Nigerians. We are witnesses to the crimes committed in this country, they never get solved and none of us wants to go sniffing for TRUTH, we know what happens to truth seekers. Nobody wants to be at the fore front of this fight, we don't want our lives to end suddenly in mysterious ways.
In this country, you are allowed to complain as long as you don't disturb anyone else.
In this country democracy means a government of the few, for the few, by the few. And we all know who these few are.
In this country, we believe in God because we look forward to heaven, see, hell is not a place you want to be in twice.
In this country, some day soon, children will take the reins and God help us, hell may loose its bounds.
Nigeria is a tale waiting to be told! So as individuals, we seek and hope to rise above...
For the fun of it, think of the 7 Point Agenda!
Have you watched 2012? Is it surprising that after the 'end of the world' Africa still stands? I mean, it must be because Africa is not part of the known world. Anyway, it is referred to as the 'cape of hope'. Funny, huh? Maybe our many issues and backwardness is a blessing in disguise? I know, Nigeria is better than most African countries and we have so much to be thankful for. So much believe me, except, of course the 7 Point agenda.
In my opinion, Nigeria is in need of serious action. I was no OBJ fan, but the man at least got me listening to and reading the news. This present government and its 7 point agenda is the most dreary, uninteresting thing that has ever happened to us as a country. So here is my 7 Point Action Proposal for Nigeria:
1. In the upcoming election, if we read about or hear anyone talk about something as stupid and as nationalism-destroying as, '' It is time to take the national cake to the north, south or further south (south-south)'', such a person should be declared a terrorist and shot in clear view of all. That is an example of a corrupt leader aiming to waste our tax.
2. Before voting anyone into office to represent us, can we at least ask that they read the English text we read in primary school? You know the one with Simbi and the rest... So if we need to dialogue with our representatives, we can at least say we understood each other. Dora could really get to know when to pause (you know... observe the English law of punctuations).
3. Can we sack our lecturers and professors and the NUTs and shut down all those progress- flagging unions and teach ourselves? I have a feeling we could do better by research, trial and error. For God's sake information is at our finger tips.
4. Is there a policy regarding employment in this country? What exactly can foreign companies do and not do to employees? Does the Nigerian work force in the public and private sectors have rights? If not can we please, seriously please, do something about it?
5. Can we do away with the registered army, train the unregistered army and hire them on a 2 month contract basis without arms? I'm not sure on this point, I think we should just pray for what we have.
6. Farm lands. Can you please start one in your backyard? Very funny right? Wrong, get a hoe and a spade!
7. Yar’ Adua! Can we ‘unvote’ him and his wife? If we can do this I believe Nigeria can be part of the 'Cape of hope' by 2012.
Wow, I have this all figured out right? Wrong! I'm just saying!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Genesis: Be Deliberate and Specific
In my last note, I asked us to make a list of what matters most to us and then spend the rest of our lives going after them. Top on my list is God and this morning I read something revealing about Him: He is deliberate and specific! In the book of beginnings, the creation story shows how God created the heavens and the earth, He spoke.
God spoke, it was, God saw it was good.
God did not say to the earth and the heavens, 'Be as I have imagined you to be', no he was deliberate and specific, He acted by design. For six days He spoke what He wanted and the results were exactly as His words would have them be
What good do you want to see in 2010, start speaking them forth and you will have what you say! God made us to have dominion and commanded us to be fruitful, be and do just that this year! 2010 demands that we be purposeful and explicit.
It is a great year for creativity!
Live deliberately!
Learn with intent!
Love consciously!
Act on purpose!
Pursue your dreams intentionally!
God spoke, it was, God saw it was good.
God did not say to the earth and the heavens, 'Be as I have imagined you to be', no he was deliberate and specific, He acted by design. For six days He spoke what He wanted and the results were exactly as His words would have them be
What good do you want to see in 2010, start speaking them forth and you will have what you say! God made us to have dominion and commanded us to be fruitful, be and do just that this year! 2010 demands that we be purposeful and explicit.
It is a great year for creativity!
Live deliberately!
Learn with intent!
Love consciously!
Act on purpose!
Pursue your dreams intentionally!
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