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Tag: faith

  • Walking by faith and not by sight – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Paul says: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7). He is not telling us how we should walk. He is telling us how we walk. This is like telling a boy that we don’t walk with our hands.

    We walk with our feet. Believers walk by faith. Those who believe in God walk by trusting Him.

     

    Jesus says: “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3).

     

    Little children learn to walk and talk. Like them, Christians must learn to see.

     

    All men are born blind. As a result, we cannot see God. Because we are blind, we steal right in front of spiritual CCTV cameras, foolishly thinking no one can see us. Because we are blind, we cannot see that God is standing right there looking at us while we are engaged in all manner of ungodliness.

     

    Therefore, Jesus says: “‘For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.’ Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore, your sin remains.’” (John 9:39-41).

     

    This means we need to admit we are blind and pray that God would open our eyes. “The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord has made them both.” (Proverbs 20:12).

     

    The ability to see is a privilege given to those who are disciples of Christ. To them, Jesus makes this promise: “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” (John 14:19).

     

    Then we will discover that the invisible attributes of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made. (Romans 1:20).

     

    Trusting God

     

    A workman quoted a certain sum for a job I wanted him to do. I responded by drastically slashing the price. The man protested, saying: “You don’t trust me.” I replied: “Of course, I don’t trust you. Why should I? I don’t know you.”

     

    What about God, do you know Him. Has he earned your trust? If not, we need to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God. As we grow in the knowledge of God, our trust in Him grows.

     

    God told me a storm was coming. I believed Him because He had told me so many things in the past and they all came to pass. Therefore, when He told me a storm was coming, I not only believed but told others to prepare for it. Then the storm came in the form of a violent EndSARS protest in Nigeria.

     

    Certainly, if He tells me something else in advance tomorrow, I will believe. I will see it even if I cannot see it, if you know what I mean. For this reason, Paul says it is possible for our faith in God to grow. The correct translation for faith here is trust.

     

    It is necessary for our trust in God to grow from faith to faith. As we see daily the workings of God, we need to get to a point where we trust God in everything. Has He said it? Yes! Then we know He will do it or bring it to pass.

     

    Holy Spirit tutelage

     

    As a new believer, God will give you some revelations. Thereafter, they will disappear. But then: “The gifts and calling of God cannot be revoked.” (Romans 11:29). Therefore, do not worry. You are just undergoing training. The training can last for many years. At the end of the training, the gifts will reappear.

     

    I thought I was a slow learner, only to discover that God is a slow teacher. He does not like novices. Therefore, He takes us through an exacting period of training. Now, after over 25 years, my gifts have blossomed. For example, now I see things before they happen. Now I am fully inducted into the office of a prophet and a seer.

     

    As a new believer, God taught me a new song. I woke up singing: “When the Spirit of the Lord is upon my soul, I will dance like David danced.” I thought it was a one-off. But now, the Holy Spirit chooses praise songs, and He sings them all day long in my heart.

     

    Use the gift you have. Let nothing discourage you. If it does not seem to work, don’t give up. God is not mediated through results. Jesus says: “Whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” (Matthew 13:12)

     

    Faith’s good report

     

    How can I travel from Lagos to London in the confidence that my plane will not crash or be blown out of the sky by terrorists? I can do so by trusting in God.

     

    The writer of Hebrews says: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.” (Hebrews 11:1-2).

     

    By faith, we obtain the good report that if we travel by air from Lagos to London we will not die in an accident on the way.

     

    Do you have the good report of faith? What does it tell you? It tells you that you can face any challenges because God is your helper. It tells you that, because of Jesus, you can overcome the world. It tells you that whatever God brings before you providentially, He will give you the measure of faith to handle it.

     

    Will things get better for you or will they get worse? “Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come.” (Hebrews 9:11).

     

    It all depends then on what you can see. Can you see that you can pass through the Red Sea? Can you see that you can defeat Goliath? Can you see that you can feed the multitude with five loaves of bread and two fishes? Can you see that you can walk on water? Can you see that you can turn water into wine?

     

    You can see all these things if you know that God is with you. That is why we walk by faith and not by sight. To walk is to live. We live by faith. We live with God and we walk with Him. That is the essence of Christianity. True Christians are the people who live with God and walk with God.

     

    Jesus’ name is Immanuel meaning God with us. God is with believers. He is always with us. He never leaves: He never forsakes. He said to Joshua: “I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5). He says to all believers: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).

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  • Eid-el-Fitr: Don’t lose faith, courage in God because of Coronavirus, Buhari tells Muslims

    Eid-el-Fitr: Don’t lose faith, courage in God because of Coronavirus, Buhari tells Muslims

    President Muhammadu Buhari has charged Muslims across the country not to let their faith in God be dampened by the scourge of the global health crisis caused by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic.

    President Buhari, in his message to the country in celebration of this year’s Eid-el-Fitr, regretted the fact that Muslims had suffered harsh conditions in a bid to keep themselves and the world around them safe, including being prevented from the important traditional practices that would usually go along with the Ramadan fasting.

    The President, according to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said “no government would intentionally impose these tough and demanding measures on its citizens if it had a choice.”

    He, however, urged Muslims to keep their spirits up in spite of the (COVID-19) pandemic, “which caught the world off guard, and has put a damper on what would otherwise have been a time of celebration for the Muslim faithful to mark the end of the Ramadan fasting period.”

    In his Sallah message to Muslims on the occasion of Eid-el-Fitr, the President noted that “for the first time in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the people’s spiritual, social and economic lives.”

    According to President Buhari, “this year’s fasting period was particularly challenging for Muslims because they had to forgo many important aspects of their daily worship, including the routine congregations for prayer and the recitation and interpretation of the Holy Qur’an as well as traveling for the lesser pilgrimage to Makkah.”

    He said that “it is not easy to give up many of these important duties and activities, but it became imperative to do so in order to control or limit the spread of this deadly disease.”

    “Let me use this opportunity to commend the sacrifices of both Muslims and Christians for their cooperation in the enforcement of the social distancing guidelines. I am well aware of the inconveniences these tough measures have brought on the lives of Nigerians, including limiting religious activities and gatherings in large numbers,” the President noted.

    President Buhari also appealed to other Nigerians “whose businesses and means of livelihoods were badly affected by the prolonged lockdown measures for their understanding and cooperation.”

    He assured Nigerians that the lockdown measures would not go on longer than necessary because they would be reviewed from time to time to ease the increasing hardships on the people.

    He also exhorted people with means to continue helping their neighbours and the less well-to-do “so that we can all come out of this pandemic stronger and more united.”

    President Buhari told the Muslim faithful that “this year’s Eid event is an occasion for sober reflection rather than celebration because of the long shadows of gloom that the coronavirus has cast on people’s lives.”

    He prayed to Allah to ease the hardship among the people as they struggle hard to flatten the curve, while wishing all Nigerians “Eid Mubarak.”

  • Don’t allow coronavirus bury your faith in God – Kaigama tells Christians

    The Metropolitan Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, on Sunday urged Christians not to allow the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to bury their faith in God.

    He admonished Nigerians to be their brothers’ keepers and assist one another to curb the spread of the disease.

    He advised all to continue to assist government in the fight against the pandemic, which has claimed lives across the globe.

    Rev. Kaigama gave the advice in his homily at the Twelve Apostles Church, Abuja, which was made available to The Nation.

    He said: “The ravaging coronavirus even though brought the whole world to its knees, is not powerful enough to infect or bury our faith; the social distancing is not enough to disorganise our church and take away our sense of caring for one another as the Christians of the early Christian community did in today’s first reading in Acts 2:42-47.

    “The early Church grew everyday because of the acts of mercy shown by its members sharing genuine love. Coronavirus or no coronavirus, our faith and our Church de kanpe! You are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

    Please keep the Church going in your hearts. The Church is not just a physical building. If anything, this tragedy is a kairos, a time God has set aside for all of humanity to know that He alone is the Lord.

    “I am the Lord your God, you shall not serve any other God but me”. You may be physically separated from one another, but please be spiritually bonded, in communion.”

    “That a tiny virus even though can make the world super powers tremble, cause

    economic stagnation and make science and technology seem impotent, God

    remains Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. He can, with the blow of air, cause the virus to cease to exist.

    “The Archdiocese of Abuja has provided the opportunity for spiritual and pastoral support by giving dedicated telephone lines to 10 priests and sisters who can support you during these trying moments. Please, call them and share with them

    what you are going through. Keep your faith alive. Social distancing because of coronavirus should not cause spiritual distance but create a spiritual bond”.

    He said with the lockdown many Nigerians are in need of palliatives, adding: “With the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitating the lockdown of some states and restriction of free movements among other measures that have been taken to combat the spread of the virus, many Nigerians are in dire need of food and drink, and many more may soon exhaust their meagre resources that sustain them.

    “The number of those who need material support and palliatives are on the rise. This is a moment to complement the efforts of the government and other generous groups to come to the aid of these needy brothers and sisters of ours. We need to identify and unite with our suffering brothers and sisters. We have asked those who are able to donate into the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja Emergency Account opened to support those infected or affected by the pandemic, through a committee headed by St. Vincent de Paul”.

  • Covid-19: Humanity and faith on Trial – Hope Eghagha

    Covid-19: Humanity and faith on Trial – Hope Eghagha

    By Hope Eghagha

    COVID-19 is a test on our humanity, our faith and the limits of science. It shows how limited our knowledge of the cosmos is, how weapons of war are vitiated by a little challenge posed by one of the vagaries of nature. Nature? Mutilated nature or pristine nature? Of course, there are conspiracy theories about Covid-19, details of which I don’t intend to inflict on the reader.

    Ever since I sat in a screening room in University of Louisville Kentucky to watch a movie centred on the military establishment killing JFK, I have learnt how to dismiss conspiracy theories. Suffice it to say that the globe is at the mercy of a monster which if not promptly and methodically contained could wipe millions from earth’s surface. While it raged in China, it was a Chinese disease. And the rest of the world did not prepare for it. It was theirs; not ours. And the man who occupies the highest office in the world’s most powerful nation in the world virtually gloated over China’s adversity! Humanity was missing. As at press time, America has overtaken China in rates of infection. The scare is if it descends on Africa, what would the end be?

    Often adversity tests our humanity. It tests humanity on how humane or human humanity is or can be in extreme conditions. Codes of cultural and social engagements are tried when our humanity is stretched by circumstances beyond our control. And I remember Lord of the Flies by William Golding. It is a frightening novel of children caught in an island without adults that anyone who is interested in human behaviour should read. Man often ‘conquers’ (read destroys) himself, disregards the niceties of civilization in extreme situations. And he offers no apologies. In a queer manner I also remember The Plague by Albert Camus.

    Our generation had not really witnessed a global test or trial of faith until COVID-19. Until Covid-19 I never really gave a thought to the Spanish influenza which was taught to us very early in church as we studied the return of the Saviour. At the religious level, that influenza was a marker of the end of times, when Jesus Christ took on the reins of ruler ship over the world and Satan threw the world in the First World War. So, it was a spiritual thing. I did not feel. The casualties were just statistics to me. Eighteen million people dying killed by a single influenza was and is incomprehensible till now! Now, if Covid-19 plans to annihilate half the victims of the Spanish influenza, then we have only just started a downhill slide that will alter humanity forever.

    It is true that vicariously and individually there have been experiences, life altering experiences that have affected our way of thinking, our assumptions and beliefs. Some of these experiences are local. Yet the lessons are universal. But that which is felt, experienced is different from that which we see in a movie. Or which we read in books or watch on the news, especially cable news. We will never forget the planes that flew directly into the twin towers in New York. But the African too will never forget the trauma of slavery and how four hundred years of slavery altered the mentality and personality of the Black man. Yet, except we visit monuments or engage physical relics of the encounter slavery is a distant blur in our memory.

    The current pandemic is real. In this period, virtues are on trial. Ironically, faith is on trial. Science is on trial too. So, there is a meeting point, an intersection of sorts that make us pause to reflect on the nature of things. That is, to ponder on how the fate of man is determined and how his faith is challenged in the current scheme of things. Has man forgotten God and His rules?

    Is God now an old man whose ways are no longer fashionable? Covid-19 therefore is a call to faith in a Creator, owner of the universe whose grand plan is to bring man back to Him. Covid-19 therefore is like a call to return to the ways of the Creator whose presence is scantily acknowledged in the developed world. God is a private experience. Not for the State to acknowledge. Secularity rules the day, even in the big established orthodox Christian groups.

    Here in my homeland, ignorance is bliss. Not my portion. Social distancing is European. How can we social-distance in Mushin, Igbudu Market, Oshodi, Mile 12 market? Well-nigh impossible they assert. So we must search for an indigenous solution. Hunger threatens the mass of the people who live by the day. Hunger, they say, will kill us more than the virus. So, let us into the market place and consume our local brews and coronavirus will return to sender. These are practical issues confronted daily. Not theories. Not the beautiful pictures we see on TV.

    Group meetings are banned. Collective worship in physical form is a threat to humans. So, we resort to virtual meetings, made possible by the very achievements of science. Therefore, science promotes our capacity to express and disseminate faith in a time of adversity. Yet the science we have promoted in place of faith which has produced tonnes of arms and ammunitions that can destroy the world several times over was not prepared for the menace of a tiny virus that started in China. Science has been humbled. Governments have been humbled. It is not the weapons of war that will guarantee safety. It is investment in our humanity, our faith and the meeting point between science and religion.

    To bring the issues home, faith is stronger here in Africa perhaps due to the absence of the wonders of science. And poor leadership too! So, necessarily, the poor people of my continent rely on the supernatural, on God, blind faith that though the plague could come to the world (though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death), there is a shield of protection over the poor relations of the developed world whose faith is largely in science. Not in God. God is not mentioned in public. If the indices supplied by the advanced world are anything to go by, the African continent is doomed to a repeat of the Spanish influenza. But the abundance of faith and the tiny efforts of our determined doctors, the world might just be proved wrong. God is God. Science is science. In the final analysis God will triumph over science. My blind faith in action?

    Eghagha can be reached on 0802 322 0393 or heghagha@yahoo.com

  • Can your faith overcome the fear of Coronavirus? Femi Aribisala

    Femi Aribisala

    We are living in unusual times. But not to worry, we are born again precisely for a time such as these. We are created to show forth the glory of God. At no time is the glory of God more magnified than in times of adversity. God says in his eternal word: “Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.” (Isaiah 43:7).

    Since that is the case, I have a question for you. Why are you afraid? Why are you afraid of Coronavirus? Why are you afraid when you know he created you and formed you for his glory? Why are you afraid when it was Jesus who raised you from the dead?

    You were dead in trespasses and sins, you were locked up and imprisoned in the grave, but the Lord Jesus called your name. You came out wearing graveclothes and then he issued a decree. He said concerning you, even as he said about Lazarus: “Loose him, and let him go.” (John 11:44).

    Then suddenly; instantaneously, you came back alive. You were quickened by the Holy Spirit, and you received newness of life.

    Should you then fear sickness after such experience? Should a Lazarus fear death? Should the man endowed with a resurrected life be afraid of Coronavirus? Certainly not!

    Fear not!

    Therefore, fear not! Jesus says: “Do not be afraid; only believe.” (Mark 5:36).

    It does not matter if you already have some nagging symptoms. It does not matter if you are already a bit feverish. It does not matter if you are already coughing. It does not matter if you already feel heavy in the chest. Jesus is the Lord that heals you.

    There is only one purpose that is purposed in all this nonsense: that the Lord may be glorified by healing you. That you may know that the Lord is God. That you may know Jesus, the king of glory.

    And so, by the power that raised Jesus himself from the dead, I speak this into your life right now as you are reading this:

    “Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.” (Psalm 24:9-10).

    Faith or fear?

    The disciples of Jesus asked him why a man was born blind. What is responsible for his blindness? Was it as a result of his sins? He could not have sinned before he was born. Was it then as a result of the sins of his parents?

    Jesus provided them and us with a fundamental understanding of why sickness is in the world. He gave us an existential reason why diseases and epidemics are in the world. He says: “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.” (John 9:3).

    He said the same thing when he was told Lazarus was sick: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4).

    Beloved, you never have to be afraid of sickness again. Don’t be afraid of Coronavirus. Don’t be afraid. Fear Not! Remember this: “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7).

    How much of your faith is motivated by fear? Many people pursue powerful faith out of fear. They are afraid to be poor, afraid to be sick, afraid of old age and afraid of the future. Fear can be a powerful motivator. But fear, in the form of worry and anxiety, is not of God. A Christian must master his fears, he must never allow his fears to master him.

    “The Lord spoke to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people. He said: ‘Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, and he will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel he will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare. Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured.” (Isaiah 8:11-15).

    Don’t believe a lie

    The fearful believe a lie. The word of God says: “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:2). That name is Jesus. It is a wonderful name. It is a powerful name.

    God has highly exalted Jesus and given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11).

    Coronavirus is a name. COVID-19 is a name. So, I speak this word into your life. At the name of Jesus, every coronavirus in your life, in the life of your children, in the life of your siblings, in your home, in your neighbourhood, in your office, I command it to bow now. Bow, in the name of Jesus.

    Sickness is no longer your portion. “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27). You have already died and Jesus raised you from the dead. You cannot die a second time. You have already come into judgment. You were sentenced under the law of liberty. You were sentenced according to the grace of God to eternal life.

    So, don’t believe the lie. Coronavirus cannot kill. Sickness does not kill. The only thing that kills is sin. But you are redeemed of sin.

    God says: I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.” (Isaiah 44:21-23).

    If you are reading this and you don’t yet know the Lord, go down on your knees and invite him into your life. Ask him to forgive you your sins. Tell him you believe the report that God raised Jesus from the dead for your justification. Ask Jesus to become the Lord of your life. It is as simple as that.

    This is what happens immediately: “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus will make you free from the law of sin and death that is in coronavirus. (Romans 8:2), Amen and Amen!

  • Faith in Christ compels disdain for money – Femi Aribisala

    *Money is not of God. Indeed, it is an idol*

    By Femi Aribisala

    A Nigerian footballer signed a lucrative contract to join Monaco Football Club. Flush with his newfound wealth, he bought a ticket from Monaco to Istanbul, in order to get a haircut from a famous barber. Thereafter, he flew back to Monaco.

    When I read this, I became concerned for the poor man. My concern is because the man has been deceived into believing that he is now a rich man. However, money does not make any man rich. On the contrary, money has a tendency to bring people into poverty. The richest people in the world often turn out to be the poorest people in the kingdom of God.

    Therefore, James says: “Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?” (James 2:5).

    Money is not a currency of the kingdom of God. The currency of the kingdom is righteousness. Accordingly, God does not bless with money. But true riches only come from the blessing of God. (Proverbs 10:22).

    Deceitful money

    Jesus calls money “unrighteous mammon.” (Luke 16:9). This means money is fundamentally ungodly. He also says earthly riches are deceitful. (Matthew 13:22). They promise what they cannot deliver. They promise prosperity but impoverish the soul. (Matthew 16:26).

    Solomon, the richest man that ever lived, provides this indictment on riches: “Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth- except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep.” (Ecclesiastes 5:10-12).

    Money is not of God. Indeed, it is an idol; the very antithesis of God. Money rules over men, ensuring that it competes with God for human allegiance. Therefore, faith in Christ compels a disdain for money. Jesus insists: “No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24).

    Jesus’ position is that we are required to love God “with all our heart.” (Matthew 22:37). If our heart is set on worldly riches, we cannot at the same time have God as our heart’s desire. It is God, and not earthly riches, that must be “the Desire of All Nations” (Haggai 2:7).

    Therefore, Jesus warns: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21).

    Heirs of God

    God is interested in who we are and not what we have. He says “I am who I am.” (Exodus 3:14). He does not say “I am what I have.” This life is not about ownership; it is about stewardship. Worldly possessions are the believer’s stewardship. We are managers of our finances, without the burden of ownership.

    In the Day of Judgment, God will require us to account for how we spent the money that came into our hands. Did we use it to secure our temporal “future” here on earth, or to safeguard our eternal future in heaven? Therefore, Jesus asks: “If you have not been faithful in the unrighteous money, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” (Luke 16:11-12).

    What then belongs to us? “The LORD is (our) portion.” (Lamentations 3:24). When a man sought Jesus’ help to secure his inheritance, which was being monopolized by his brother, he replied: “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15).

     

    But how could the man have been guilty of covetousness when all he wanted was his portion of his inheritance? The man failed to understand that we are not heirs of men. We are: “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:17). He was guilty of insisting on what belongs to another man, while neglecting what is rightfully his portion in God.

    According to Jesus, money belongs to Caesar, which is why his image and inscription is on it. He says: “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21).

     

    What then belongs to God? God’s image is on man, so man belongs to God. Man is created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, we should give and dedicate ourselves to the Lord; while money should be given and dedicated to “Caesar.”

     

    False riches

     

    The riches of this world belong to the wicked. The psalmist declares: “Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.” (Psalm 73:12). The wicked prefer the temporal to the eternal. Therefore, God is content to make this vainglorious world their inheritance. Thus, David talks of “men of the world who have their portion in this life.” (Psalm 17:14).

     

    It is not surprising then that God’s judgment is often proclaimed on those who handle money. (Zephaniah 1:11). Rich men who are not prepared to give away their wealth to the poor cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven and become heirs of God. Instead of amassing earthly riches, Jesus counsels that we should endeavour to be rich towards God. (Luke 12:16-21).

    What money buys is not of God, and that which is of God cannot be bought with money. (Acts 8:20). The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22). But money adds sorrow for the simple reason that it fails. Money failed in Egypt and in Canaan. (Genesis 47:15). Sooner than later, money grows wings and flies away like an eagle towards heaven. (Proverbs 23:5).

     

    Wisdom of God

    This is what I have learnt at the feet of the Lord. Money is not valuable; we are always giving it away in one transaction or the other. The most valuable things in this world are free. The most important tasks in Christ are the ones for which we receive no wages whatsoever. The poor are far more generous than the rich. (Mark 12:41-44).

    Martins Hile urgently needed to get somewhere, so he asked the Lord for money for transportation. But the Lord said to him: “Stop asking me for money.” The Lord told Martins to go and stand by the side of the road. As soon as he did so, a car pulled up in front of him. “Martins, where are you going?” asked the driver, who happened to be someone well-known to him. He then took Martins exactly where he was going.

    The Lord said to Martins: “You don’t need any money. I am all you need!”

  • Overcoming faith – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Where do you live? Do you live in this world or do you live in Christ? If you are a Christian, then Christ must now be your life. (Colossians 3:4). Moses says to God: “You have been our dwelling place in all generations.” (Psalm 90:1). Paul amplifies this: “In (God). we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28).

    Permit me to put this more graphically. Some Nigerians live in Nigeria, while some live in Christ. Those who live in Nigeria are affected by the situations and circumstances in Nigeria. They suffer under the adverse economic condition. In the last few years, their standard of living has been significantly degraded. Like Martha, they are worried and troubled by many things. (John 11:41).

    Overcoming the world

    But those who live in Christ live in a kingdom that cannot be shaken. (Hebrews 12:28). Therefore, we live in peace: “For (Christ) himself is our peace.” (Ephesians 2:14). We sleep even in storms. We do not eat the bread of sorrows because God gives his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:2). So, Jesus says to us: “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

    If your saviour cannot overcome the world, then he cannot be your saviour. It means he cannot save you from the troubles and problems of life. But if he comes into the world and overcomes the world, then you know he can easily save you from the world.

    That is what Jesus did. He came into the world and overcame all the challenges of the world. He overcame life, he overcame death. He overcame sickness, he overcame sin. He overcame the devil, he overcame men. Through every kind of provocation, he never lost his peace. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15).

    Therefore, we can be confident that Jesus can protect us from the world; all the more so because he now lives in us and never leaves us nor forsakes us. The abiding presence of the Holy Spirit fulfils this promise: “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2-3).

    Open invitation

    For this reason, Jesus gives an open invitation to everyone who lives in this world of trouble: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).

    This open invitation must be heeded with alacrity. This world is evil and we must not conform to it. “All these worldly things, these evil desires- the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance- these are not from God. They are from this evil world itself.” (1 John 2:16). God is not going to transform the world, but he requires that we: “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that (we) may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2).

    Only God can bring about the requisite transformation, therefore Nicodemus, you must be born again, this time of God. Only then can you see what God is doing as opposed to what men are doing. Only then can you see that, in spite of all the terrible things going on everywhere in the world, God is relentless: “working salvation in the midst of the earth.” (Psalm 74:12). Only then can you see that: “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13).

    Therefore, those who believe in Jesus are never troubled. Jesus says: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1). Confronted with inconvenient situations and circumstances, those who believe in Jesus simply pray and remain in the peace he gives. “They are anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, they let their requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guards their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).

    Mountain-moving faith

    For years, the American government was looking for Osama Bin Laden but could not find him. The reason was that he was hiding in the mountains of Afghanistan. They only got him finally because Bin Laden became lazy. He decided to trade the mountains for the comforts of Abbottabad, a city in Pakistan. Had he stayed holed up in the mountains he would have remained impregnable.

    In short, the United States, most powerful military power in the world, could not move the mountains of Afghanistan in order to expose the hiding place of Bin Laden. But now let us compare the so-called powerful United States to a believer in Jesus Christ. Jesus says: “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” (Mark 11:22-23).

    In effect, what is impossible to “powerful” United States is possible to a believer. The believer can move mountains: the United States cannot. A prayer of faith could easily have moved the mountains to expose the hiding place of Bin Laden to the Christian. When you believe in the God of the impossible, nothing will be impossible for you. Jesus says: “If you have faith as a mustard seed, … nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:17).

    This indicates the most powerful weapon in the world is not the hydrogen bomb but faith in God. The most powerful people are not presidents but Christians. Presidents cannot do the impossible: Christians can. The president of the United States cannot overcome the world, but the child of God is an overcomer. John says: “Every child of God overcome this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 John 5:4-5).

    Paul puts it even more elaborately. He says we are “more than conquerors” through Jesus’ love of God: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39).

  • The prayer of faith – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Jesus says: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).

    But can we pray without Jesus? Certainly not! Prayer is only acceptable in the name of Jesus. Moreover, when we want to pray, the host of spiritual wickedness in the heavenlies is determined that we should not. Therefore, we fall asleep, are distracted and “buy and sell.”

    Offensive prayers

    When we offend God, we cannot even pray. The sky over our head become bronze, and the earth beneath us iron. (Deuteronomy 28:23). Our vitality is turned into the drought of summer. (Psalm 32:4).

    Therefore, we are desperately in need of God’s help even in order to pray to God. The psalmist confirms this. He tells God: “Quicken us, and we will call upon your name.” (Psalm 80:18). This means before we pray for anything, we need to pray first for the grace to be able to pray. Otherwise, our prayers become a waste of time.

    As a matter of fact, our prayers easily become offensive to God. This is what happened to Israel. As a result, the psalmist pleaded: “Lord God All-Powerful, how much longer will the prayers of your people make you angry?” (Psalm 80:4).

    For this reason, the disciples came to Jesus with a simple petition: “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:1). They did not ask him to teach them how to pray. Prayer is simply talking to God. They asked him to teach them to pray. This is because, as with everything else, the grace to pray comes from God.

    Many do not know that the acceptable prayer is always according to the will of God. Therefore, Jesus answered the prayer of some disciples by saying: “You do not know what you ask.” (Matthew 20:22). Paul also observes that: “We do not know what we ought to pray for.” (Romans 8:26). Therefore, before we can pray, we need to ask the Alpha and Omega to give us the grace to pray and to direct our prayers aright.

    Healing prayers

    How does this relate to healing?

    When the disciples of Jesus could not cast out a dumb and deaf spirit, he rebuked them, saying: “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.” (Mark 9:19). When they asked him later why they were unable to cast out the demon, he tells them that type of demon does not go except through prayer.

    However, prayer by itself does not heal. Certainly, the prayer of a faithless generation is ineffectual. What heals then? It is faith in God that heals: “The prayer of faith will save the sick.” (James 5:15).

    Jesus emphasized this again and again. When a woman with an issue of blood touched his garment, believing she would be healed by so doing, Jesus pointed out to her that her healing did not come from his garment. He said to her: “‘Daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was made well from that hour.” (Matthew 9:22).

    .

    It is our faith that heals. As a matter of fact, if you have faith, you don’t have to pray for healing. You simply decree a healing and the healing is established. (Job 22:28).

    Jesus says: “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:22-24).

    Gift of faith

    So, the critical issue is faith. How do we get it? Faith comes from God. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17). Jesus is the author of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2). When some Jews asked him: “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” he told them: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent.” (John 6:28-29).

    But we cannot just decide to have faith and then get it. Faith is not of works. It is, first and foremost, a gift of God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8).

    Therefore, we need to ask God for faith and pray earnestly for it: “Ask, and it will be given to you.” (Matthew 7:7). We must come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to have faith in God. (Hebrews 4:16). When we do this, God gives us individually “a measure of faith” required to fulfill our petition. (Romans 12:3).

    If you want the faith to fight cancer, he will give you the faith to fight cancer. If you want the faith to fight a headache, he will give you the faith to fight a headache. The faith to fight a headache is not the faith to fight cancer. The faith to move a car is not the faith to move a mountain.

    Prayer of faith

    So, let us go back to the earlier question we started with. Why could the disciples not cast out the dumb and deaf spirit? They could not because they did not have the faith to cast it out. They did not have the faith because they did not ask for the grace to have it. They did not pray for the faith.

    James explains this common predicament: “You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss.” (James 4:2-3). But he notes that to those who ask aright, God gives “more grace.” (James 4:6).

    How do we ask amiss? With regard to healing, we ask amiss because we ask for healing instead of asking for more grace and for more faith. If you have faith, you will be healed by decree. If you don’t have faith, you won’t be healed. According to your faith, so will it be unto you.

    For those who have been paying attention, Jesus emphasized this again and again. When two blind men asked him for healing, he asked if they have faith. When they answered in the affirmative, he opened their eyes by saying: “According to your faith let it be to you.” (Matthew 9:29). When blind Bartimaeus came to him for healing, he healed him by saying: “Your faith has made you well.” (Mark 10:52).

    Therefore, it is imperative for us to keep coming to the throne of grace to receive more grace and more faith to deal with the vagaries of life. When the disciples understood this, they said to Jesus: “Increase our faith.” He replied: “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Luke 17:5-6).

  • One, two, many fears – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala
    Imagine this scenario. Someone under your authority is caught in an infraction. When the matter is brought to your attention, he denies complicity and invokes the name of God in his defense.
    Reject this as emphatically as you can. Don’t allow even the slightest impression that you, and not God, are to be feared.
    God asks: “Of whom have you been afraid, or feared, that you have lied and not remembered me?” (Isaiah 57:11). “Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die, and of the son of a man who will be made like grass?” (Isaiah 51:12).
    Because man is visible and God invisible, men often commit the blunder of fearing men more than God.
    Fear of man
    “The fear of man is a dangerous trap.” (Proverbs 29:25). It leads men astray. Fear is a sin that leads to other sins.
    Moses said to Israel: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19). Nevertheless, all Israel chose death. That is the work of fear. Confronted with what you fear; you end up making ungodly choices.
    Fear makes a university student sleep with her lecturer. Fear prompts a man to make a covenant with the devil. Fear drives us away from the presence of the Lord. “The Lord God called to Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ So he said, ‘I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.’” (Genesis 3:9-10).
    Fear of the Lord
    The fear of the Lord, on the other hand, leads to righteousness. Solomon says: “By the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.” (Proverbs 16:6). Blessings abound to the one who fears God: “The fear of the Lord prolongs life.” (Proverbs 10:27). The fear of the Lord is “a fountain of life.” (Proverbs 14:27). The fear of the Lord “leads to life.” (Proverbs 22:4).
    No wonder God himself says: “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear me and always keep all my commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29).
    How can the Lord God Almighty express a wish that we would fear him? Is God’s wish not his command? Of course, it is! God works all things “according to the counsel of his will.” (Ephesians 1:11). Therefore, take the hint: go down on your knees and ask God to give you the heart to fear him and keep his commandments always.
    Remember this: God’s wish is also God’s promise: “I will give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I will remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I will put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands.” (Ezekiel 36: 25-28).
    Fear or faith
    Fear and faith do not mix. If you have faith in God, you will not fear. If you fear, it reflects lack of faith in God. Just think about it. How can we have God and still be afraid? To fear anyone but God is an insult to God. Isaiah says: “Look, God is my deliverer! I will trust in him and not fear.” (Isaiah 12:2).
    Jesus was asleep in the stern of a boat and there was a terrible storm. The disciples were so afraid, they woke him up and complained: “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are all about to drown?” (Mark 4:38). But Jesus said to them: “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). In effect, their fear nullified their faith.
    Jesus commanded the waves to be still. Immediately, the sea became as still as glass. Mark then says: “They feared exceedingly, and said one to another, ‘What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’” (Mark 4:41). Thus, when Jesus mastered their fear, they stopped fearing the waves and now feared Jesus exceedingly. They could not fear Jesus before because something else was their fear
    Too many fears
    God is: “the Fear of Isaac.” (Genesis 31:42). Jesus says: “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” (Mark 12:17). What belongs to Caesar? Money; for the image and inscription of Caesar is on it. What exactly belongs to God? Fear; for man is created in the image and likeness of God. Isaiah says: “Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” (Isaiah 8:13).
    Who do you fear? Do you fear your parents, your boss, your husband or witches and wizards? Are you afraid of the dark, of dying young, of not getting married, of not getting a job or of falling sick? Christians have one, two, many fears. Like the idolatrous Israel of old, we fear the Lord, yet serve our own gods. (2 Kings 17:33).
    However, whatever we fear automatically becomes our God. Are you afraid of losing your job? Your job is your God. Are you afraid of losing your husband? Your husband is your God. Are you afraid of losing your life? Your life is your God. Are you afraid of poverty? Then wealth is your God.
    But there can only be one God. If there were two Gods, one of them would not be God. If you fear something, it becomes an object of worship. It preoccupies the mind. You dwell on it, you magnify it and extol it. What you fear inevitably becomes an idol in the temple of your heart. It dethrones God in your life and occupies the throne of your heart. Certainly, it must be more powerful than God for you to fear it.
    No other name
    Peter says about the name of Jesus: “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). However, the fearful believe a lie. He believes salvation can come through other names.
    Therefore, he foolishly thinks: “I will be saved if I tell a lie, or pay the bribe.” “I will avoid punishment; I will avoid arrest.” Thereby, a man attempts to save his life through a compromise to integrity and not the righteous name of Jesus. But Jesus warns: “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25).
    A Christian must master his fears and not allow his fears to master him. John says: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18). Jesus says: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19).
    “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

  • Have a little faith in God – Prince Ufford

    Have a little faith in God – Prince Ufford

    Prince Ufford
    LUKE 17 :5-6.” And the apostles said unto the Lord, increase our faith. And the Lord said. If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree. Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it should obey you”. Meaning what you say will happen if you believe.
    *I don’t have money.
    *I don’t have a job
    *I am not married.
    *I don’t have children
    *Nothing is working for me
    *Who will help me?
    You have refuse to employ your little faith to do something. The storm of Life comes to every body. Your little faith has power to create something for you, your little faith has power to make what looks Impossible to be possible. Notice they said unto the Lord, increase our faith. You have not been able to use what you have effectively, you are asking for an increase in faith.
    *God is aware of your trouble, that’s why He said: When you will pass through waters, He will be with you. Through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burnt. Neither will the flame kindle upon you.- Isaiah 43:2,4.
    *HERE IS THE SECRET. Jesus said have faith in God. He wants to help you naturally. Can you understand this. If your situation, circumstances is bigger than you, it cannot be bigger than God. It’s your faith in Him that makes all the Difference.
    ASSURANCE FOR VICTORY STANDING IN FAITH WILL GIVE YOU VICTORY OVER YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
    *YOU are precious to Him
    *YOU are honourable to Him
    *He loves you as a person.
    *His kindness toward you is great
    Consciously looking at this verse (MATT 6:25 – 34), it reveals the thought of God towards you. Heaven is deeply concern about your well being in Life naturally. He will meet your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. Your little faith will open doors for you if you are depending on Him. If you can trust Him.
    *God is your refuge and a very present help in the time of trouble. Your little faith is the key to obtain help from Him. Jesus said have faith in God. Believe he can help you through your faith, God is concern about your living naturally. God said call upon Him, He will answer you, he will open your eyes to show you how to use your faith to obtain victory.
    GOD IS SINCERELY FAITHFUL WHO WILL Not ALLOW YOU TO BE TESTED BEYOND Your ABILITY. HE LOVES YOU DEARLY.
    *Sometimes we are press down so hard by circumstances, situations that we hardly remember to approach God. Whatever you are going through is for a moment, do not run away from God rather run to Him. If God so clothe the grass, how much more you. In His words contain God’s promises to you as his child in this world which is full of trouble and uncertainty.
    *when the journey seens long and unending have a little faith in God that you will arrive your destnation safely.
    *Understand that God is your Heavenly Father with a caring heart towards you. So, He said you should come to Him with your concern. If you decide to trust in Him, excellent. If you decide to believe Him, that’s wisdom. Hello Mr. and Mrs. little faith, do not under-rate yourself or your little faith which carries power. You do not need to worry or be anxious if you seek God and you allow him to have control over your life. You can be sure he will assume Full responsibility of you because you have wholly allow him. O you of little faith!
    *LOOK AT GOD’s CLASSIC EVALUATION OF CITIZENS OF THE KINGDOM. HE SAID YOU ARE MORE VALUABLE THAN THE BIRDS.
    *He says to you take no thought. Understand that he is not saying that it is wrong for you to make provision for your future physical needs, but he does forbid anxiety, worry which demonstrate lack of trust in Him, in God’s Fatherly care of love. Phil 4:6. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your (make) requests be made known unto God. Your little faith can make victory available for you. You can rise up again if you are down through faith.
    *The Holy Spirit speaking through Peter in 1Peter 5 :7. Amplified Bible says. Casting the whole of your care (all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all on Him,for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.)to cast all your cares on Him is because you have knowledge and understanding of His will. Then rest in Him. Consciously learn to submit your cares to Him, allow him to help you because he has the ability to do them. Take Him by His word.
    *Here is a great call from God to you.
    The trees daily thank God for being alive. The birds sing songs of appreciation to God for providing for them daily, the birds are grateful. There are things God is doing in your Life daily you do not see, you do not know because they are not physically seen with Natural eyes.
    *He said in His word, come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will will give you rest. This is the promised of God to you. REST IS GOD’S PROVISION FOR HIS CHILDREN WHO WILL DARE TO PUT THEIR TRUST IN HIM WITH ALL THEIR HEART. THE Fatherhood of a good Father is the ability to demonstrate his care for the children. David said in the time of trouble he cried out to God for help and God helped him because he had a walking relationship with God.
    *David said this poor man cried because poverty had taken hold of him, he did not know what to do, so he cried out unto God, God heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. His trust in Him made God to help him. Submit yourself first to God, do not allow the circumstances to take hold of you to the point of dominating you, address your circumstances with the word of God by faith without doubt in your heart, believe in Him that you may have victory. You have faith with you. The woman with the issue of blood said in her heart, if I can touch Him I will be healed. She acted based on her thought, she received according to her faith, because she believed.
    *In second Corin 4:13. We HAVING THE SAME SPIRIT OF FAITH, ACCORDING AS IT IS WRITTEN, I BELIEVED AND THEREFORE HAVE I SPOKEN :WE ALSO BELIEVE, THEREFORE SPEAK. What are saying? . What is your imagination like? Jesus asked the young man what do you see? He said I see men like trees walking about. Jesus had to anointing him again to see clear. The circumstances, situation no matter how hopeless it may look naturally, with faith and believe in God can be change. JESUS SAID TO THE MAN IF YOU CAN BELIEVE ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE TO THEM THAT BELIEVE.
    *God is able to help you if you can have faith in Him. What you hear will build your faith, increase your strength to believe Him for a way out. He promise to make a way where there is none. What you say will make positive result available to you. If you will believe in Him O ye of little faith. In 2 Kings 4:1-.A woman Came to prophet Elisha.
    *My husband is dead said the woman.
    *THE creditor has come to take my two children away from me as a ransome.
    ELISHA asked her this question.
    *What can I do for you?
    *What do you have in the house?
    *I don’t really have any thing except a small Oil, she replied.
    *Fine said Elisha to her
    *Go back to your house, on your way, stop at your neighbour’s house. .
    *Borrow empty containers, borrow plenty.
    *Go into your house, shut the door
    *Start pouring the oil into those empty containers, until all the empty containers were filled with the oil from small pot. Since there was no more empty containers, the oil stopped flowing. She came back to Elisha to inform him of what has happen. Elisha upon hearing the miraculous result , saith to her go sell the oil, pay your debt and live on the rest. If you borrow money to start business, make sure you understand what you are doing.
    *It pays to obey instruction. She had something in the house yet unknown to her. LORD open my eyes that I may see my breakthrough in Jesus name. From poverty to prosperity, from nothing to something. Poverty killed the husband. She listened carefully to Elisha’s instruction given to her, instead of poverty to continue to disgrace her. All the containers were filled with oil. She started oil business, she became talk of the community. She was no longer addressed as the poor woman by her obedience to instruction. Grace changed her story. Jumping into the lagoon is not the answer. The answer is sit down, engage yourself in serious thinking to bring out solution. The answer is in knowing through meditation. Jesus said you are more valuable than the birds of the sky.
    *Stop running a way from the challenges of Life. How long will you continue to run? Stop looking for who will solve your problem for you. If I have somebody to help me it will be better. Excuse me, every body has their own challenges. Who will leave his or her own to come and handle your own for you. He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread :but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding. Prov 12:11.
    *When you worry, you have decided to go into partnership with the satan. Many years ago I was down completely down because of the wrong decision I took. To eat was a big problem but in the midst of all these, I keep looking unto God for a way out. Sincerely speaking, God helped me. He can help you. Those who worry cannot receive any thing from the Lord. Jesus said which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his or her stature. Faith says I am bless. Faith says I have it. Faith says I know my redeemer is a Liveth. consciously learn to thank God for what He has done in your Life.