The Golden Rule.

Jane loved to listen to stories about her co-workers and she so loved talking about people and every thing around her, nothing gave her greater pleasure than gossip. She talked about people's issues, private affairs, people's marriages and families, and everything that sounded sweet to her ears as long as it wasn't about her.
She would hear a story and broadcast it, may be add a little fake detail to spice it up, thus increasing the sweetness of the gist.

What baffled me was the fact that she never bothered to authenticate her stories, i.e if those things she said about people were actually true. She had her clique of friends, girls who loved to listen to lies. As long as they kept each other entertained with the latest gist, everything was fine with then. In their minds, they were the most current and informed people in their office.

The infuriating thing was that they never had great gist about people, all their stories were negative and often ridiculous. If they attended a colleague or friend's wedding, on returning, they'll begin to scrutinize the newlyweds or their in-laws. For instance, you'll hear stuff like '' I didn't even know his wife was so ugly''  ''It seems her husband is poor and from a wretched home'' or '' did you see the way her mother in-law looked at her, it seems she never approved of the marriage''.

If they visited a colleague to welcome a new baby, the gist went like this, '' did you see how skinny and hungry the baby looked? seems her husband isn't bringing home enough money, '' or  '' seems the baby mama isn't happy in her marriage, by the way, I never knew her husband was that old!''

If they visited an unmarried female friend, the gossip would go like this; '' I know this house was furnished by Tony, it seems she and John are no longer together, in fact she has finished using him!, By the way, I saw her at Mathew's place yesterday''
Back in the office, the stories were always about Mr A, having an affair with miss/Mrs B an so on. I wondered if it never occurred to them how often they ruined friendships and relationships,because most of the things you say about people often gets back to them somehow.

One faithful day, Jane walked up to me in tears, I was so concerned and curious to know what had befallen  her. She said to me,
''Chi, you can't imagine what my closest friend (her gossip mate) did to me''
I was all ears! ''yes?'' I queried for a response.

''She went around telling people about me, saying all sort of stuff that I never said or did, I never even had an affair with....bla, bla, bla''
Wheeew!

I didn't know whether to laugh or not. Did I just see Jane shed tears over mere gossip? The chief gossip herself, being stabbed with gossip! Inside me I wondered, had she never for once thought about what it felt like to be talked about, how it feels when people spread wrong stories about you. Trust me, I'v been a victim so much that I already have immunity to gossip... Lol.
I didn't know what to say to Jane, so I just consoled her and pleaded with her not to pick a fight... well,  she did!
As I thought about it all, I pondered about how the world be a better place if we all lived by the golden rule;  ''Do unto others as you'll have them do to you''  (Luke 6:31)
It's not nice to say stuff about people, stuff you wouldn't like people to say about you, even if they were true. Also, remember that the things you say about people almost always gets back to them.

by Chioma.

Short Cuts, they aren't always the best.

Have you ever tried  to take a short cut that turned out to be a wrong turn? or in real life, may be you have tried achieving a goal through a shorter abnormal means only to find yourself in a complicated situation, a terrible one that kept you wishing  you had gone about that thing the normal way. I'm sure it has happened to almost everyone at one point or the other in their lives.
Some people are so strong minded that they can take chances with almost anything. Even when things fall apart in their lives due to their wrong moves they can be like ''well,  so what? Life is all about risks!''

It's true that one can never be too careful in life, but I personally hate some repercussions and regrets, so I try to follow the necessary protocols or due process in achieving my goals. I only use short cuts when I must, but it also has to be a good means.

There are numerous short cuts we take in our daily lives that ends up as bad decisions.  For instance, when you tell a big lie to your partner/Lover, hoping it would promote the relationship/marriage, only to lose that person when the truth finally explodes in your face. Or telling your boss that you are sick and on admission so you can have a few days off only for your boss to sight you somewhere in town doing something else. I bet he/she would never trust you again.
Fraud is now the order of the day, illegal "runs", €€and akward businesses that fetch you loads of money in a blink of an eye at any cost. This is what my people call "ego mbute" (heavy money! not peanut change)

All forms of  malpractices can be seen  among the youth, even adults in our society. Students are no longer willing to study hard. They do all sort of things before and during an  exam. But, is it really worth it struggling to achieve things by ''all means''?

Do we still remember that our heavenly Father is equally putting us through rigorous exams here on earth to know those that are worthy of heaven?

An old friend of mine who was eager to get a wife said to me '' Chi, I really want to get married asap but you see, I don't have time and patience to court a girl at all. What I do now is, every weekend, I invite a different girl over because that's the easiest way to find out which girl I'm physically and sexually compatible with''
Wow!
What a way to chose a wife! I just wonder what happened to the days when a young man would woo the one girl he wants, study her, rub minds/heads together and prayerfully hope on God...some say I still Live in the 19th century, what ever!
Jesus took the longer route of THORNS to the THRONE. On the way to calvary, he could have bursted those soldiers, "kicked some butts" and freed himself, but he knew that climbing that cross was the right thing to do for your sake and mine.

The point is; Taking the elevator instead of the stair case doesn't always help, it helps doing things the right way.

by Chioma

My Love Poem To Jesus

I love you Jesus, always have

You are my first love

The first one that ever held my heart

The first one I ever leaned on

They say the first cut is the deepest

I love you Jesus, I still do

You came into my life when I was down

You filled that deep hole within me

You were with me even in my deepest valley

You held my hand and walked me through

I love you Jesus, always will

How can I forget those lonely nights

The nights I constantly wet my pillow with tears

The times I felt I had come to the end of the road

And life Just wasn't worth Living anymore

The pain and tears were all I knew

Loneliness and misery engulfed me day and night

What lay deep within, despite outward smiles, only I knew

I used to wonder if i'lld make it through

The long nights that never seem to end

I couldn't fathom why you let me go through all that

I knew you never forgot about me

Though the pain made you seem so far away

It was hard for me but I made that decision

Never to let go off you

A part of me knew you were working it out

Oh how I love You So much, Jesus

Nothing can take your place in my heart.

by Chioma Morah

When I got to heaven

I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's door
Not by the beauty of it all
By the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp
The thieves, the liars, the sinners
The alcoholics, the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.

Uncle Bill, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, "What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must have made a mistake."

"And why is everyone so quiet
So somber? Please give me a clue."
"Hush, child," said He. "They're all in shock
No one thought they'd see you


heaven will be full of suprises!

Noah in the 21st Century.

And we thought we had problems!  If Noah had lived in the United States in the last ten years, the story may have gone something like this:

     And the Lord spoke to Noah and said, "In one year, I am going to make it rain and cover the whole earth with water until all flesh is destroyed.  But I want you to save the righteous people and two of every kind of living thing on earth.  Therefore, I am commanding you to build an Ark."  In fear and trembling, Noah took the plans and agreed to build the ark.  "Remember," said the Lord, "you must complete the Ark and bring everything aboard in one year."

     Exactly one year later, fierce storm clouds covered the earth and all the seas of the earth went into a tumult.  The Lord saw that Noah was sitting in his front yard weeping.  "Noah!" He shouted.  "Where is the Ark?"  "Lord, please forgive me," cried Noah.  "I did my best, but there were big problems."

     "First, I had to get a permit for construction, and your plans did not meet the building codes.  I had to hire an engineering firm and redraw the plans.  Then I got into a fight with OSHA over whether or not the Ark needed a sprinkler system and approved floatation devices.  Then, my neighbor objected, claiming I was violating zoning ordinances by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission."

"Then, I had problems getting enough wood for the Ark because there was a ban on cutting trees to protect the Spotted Owl.  I finally convinced the U.S. Forest Service that I really needed the wood to save the owls.  However, the Fish and Wildlife Service won't let me take the 2 owls.  The carpenters formed a union and went on strike.  I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board before anyone would pick up a saw or hammer.  Now, I have 16 carpenters on the Ark, but still no owls."

     "When I started rounding up the other animals, an animal rights group sued me.  They objected to me taking only two of each kind aboard.  This suit is pending.  Meanwhile, the EPA notified me that I could not complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood.  They didn't take very kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of the Creator of the Universe.  Then, the Army Corps of Engineers demanded a map of the proposed flood plain.  I sent them a globe."

     "Right now, I am trying to resolve a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that I am practicing discrimination by not taking atheists aboard.  The IRS has seized my assets, claiming that I'm building the Ark in preparation to flee the country to avoid paying taxes.  I just got a notice from the state that I owe them some kind of user tax and failed to register the Ark as a 'recreational water craft.'  And finally, the ACLU got the courts to issue an injunction against further construction of the Ark, saying that since God is flooding the earth, it's a religious event and therefore  unconstitutional.  I really don't think I can finish the Ark for another five or six years."

     Noah waited.

     The sky began to clear, the sun began to shine, and the seas began to calm.  A rainbow arched across the sky.  Noah looked up hopefully, "You mean you're not going to destroy the earth, Lord?"

     "No," He said sadly.  "I don't have to.  The government already has."


- AUTHOR UNKNOWN -











GOD'S LITTLE ACRE
Copyright (c) Rusti 2002, 2003
All Rights Reserved

It's The Thought That Counts

Choosing a gift for an elderly mother…

Three sons left home, went out on their own and prospered. Getting back together, they discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother.

The first said, “I built a big house for our mother.” The second said, “I sent her a Mercedes with a driver.” The third smiled and said, “I've got you both beat.

You remember how mom enjoyed reading the Bible? And you know she can't see very well. So I sent her a
remarkable parrot that recites the entire Bible. It took elders in the Church 12 years to teach him. He's one of a kind. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot recites it.”

Soon thereafter, mom sent out her letters of thanks:

“David,” she wrote one son, “The house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house.”

“John,” she wrote to another, “I am too old to travel. I stay most of the time at home, so I rarely use the Mercedes. And the driver is so rude!”

“Dearest Jeffrey,” she wrote to her third son, “You have the good sense to know what your mother likes. The chicken was delicious.”

by annonymous

.

The Church Lady.

There was a little old lady who was very spiritual who would  step  out on her porch every day, raise her arms to the sky and  yell, "Praise the Lord"

One day, an atheist bought the house next door to her, and he
 became very irritated with the spiritual lady. So after a month
 or so of her yelling, "Praise the Lord" from her porch, he would go
  outside on his porch and yelled back, "There is no Lord."

 Yet,  the  little  old lady continued. One cold, wintry day,
 when  the  little  old lady couldn't get to the store, she went
 out  on  her  porch,  raised  her hands up to the sky and said,
"Help  me  Lord, I have no more money, it's cold, and I have no
more food."

 The next morning, she went outside, and there were bags of  food  on  the porch, enough to last her a week. "Praise the Lord," she yelled.

  The  Atheist stepped out from the bushes and said, "There is
no Lord, ha ha ha, I bought those groceries!"

:)    (Hold on . . the ending is VERY good!).

  The  little  old  lady  raised her arms to the sky and said,
  "Praise  the Lord, You sent me groceries and you made the Devil
   pay for them!"

from clearvisionbiblestudies.

Trust the Signposts.

Most people would agree that it is unwise to ignore signposts. Sadly, though, that is what some do on the road through life when the direction given does not fit their personal preference. Consider the case of certain Israelite in the time of Jeremiah. The nation was at a crossroads, and God advised them: "Ask for the roadways of long ago, where, now, the good way is; and walk in it." But the people stubbornly responded that they were "not going to walk" that way. (Jeremiah 6:16) What was the "end afterward" of their rebellious course? In 607 B.C., the Babylonians came and completely destroyed the city of Jerusalem and took its inhabitants to Babylon as captives.

Ignoring signposts that God has set up will never work for our good. The Scriptures urge us: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight." —Proverbs 3:5, 6.

Some of God'
s warnings are like "Do Not Enter" signs. For instance, the Bible says: "Into the path of the wicked ones do not enter, and do not walk straight on into the way of the bad ones." (Proverbs 4:14) Among such harmful paths is the one described at Proverbs 5:3, 4: "As a honeycomb the lips of a strange woman keep dripping, and her palate is smoother than oil. But the aftereffect from her is as bitter as wormwood; it is as sharp as a two-edged sword." To some, an immoral relationship—may appear exciting. But ignoring "Do Not Enter" signs that should regulate moral conduct can lead only to disaster.

Before taking the first step down such a road, ask yourself, 'Where is this leading me?; Just pausing to contemplate the potential "end afterward" may suffice to prevent you from taking a course that can have serious consequences. AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, abortions, ruined relationships, and guilty consciences litter the path of those who have chosen to ignore such signposts. Sometimes it is difficult to see where a path is taking us. How thankful we are, therefore, for God's loving concern and clear direction!

"This is the Way"

God has said, "walk in it, you people." (Isaiah 30:21) What is at the end of the path that God is showing us? Though the path is narrow and difficult, Jesus said that it leads to life everlasting.—Matthew 7:14. Take a moment to think about the path along which you are traveling. Is it the right one? Where is it headed? Seek God's guidance in prayer. Consult the 'road map/ the Bible.

You may even feel the need to consult an experienced traveler, one who has been endeavoring to walk in God;s way. If you see the need to change direction, do so quickly. A traveler is often encouraged when they see a signpost that reassures them that they are on the right road. If an examination of your course in life reveals that you are walking the right path, be encouraged to continue. The most rewarding part of the journey lies just ahead.—2 Peter 3:13.
Every path leads somewhere. When you reach the end of the course that you have chosen, where will you be? Little will be gained by standing there wishing, 'Oh, if only I had chosen
another way!' So before taking your next step down the path of life, ask yourself, 'What is going to be the "end afterward

The power of words. 1

Death and life are in the power of  the tongue. I bet we've all heard this wise saying of |David like a hundred times and we must have re-echoed it severally in the past.  These words never pierced my heart the way they did sometime ago when something happened in a family in the little town I live in, that re-kindled my consciousness of the words of my lips.

One early morning, a father and his young son had a very intense argument over something I really don't know. I understood that this pair were fond of disturbing the neighborhood with their early morning scuffles.
From the information I gathered, this young boy was a very amiable fellow, always smiling and singing and he went about his affairs, he was dearly loved by his neighbors and all who knew him. I thus wondered, why the frequent fights with his father, some said the man was totally unlovable and controlling.

On that faithful day, the young lad had another heated argument with his dad. In the process, he walked out on his infuriated father towards his bike .As he started the bike, the voice of his furious father echoed behind him  ''you stupid son, you are starting your motorcycle while your father is talking to you, you'll not see the end of today, this motorcycle will kill you today! ''
That afternoon, I was strolling past the accident and emergency unit in a hospital, on my way to my office when I met a wailing crowed. I made enquirers and that was when a  relative of the young lad narrated the above story to me. she said to me with tearful eyes '' Afam is dead, he died on his motorcycle today while trying to avoid a little girl on the road, he was the only victim''
As I peeped through the glass door of the emergency unit in an attempt  to get a glimpse of his badly mangled body, stone dead and already covered with a white cloth, I pondered; Is this a mere coincidence, or really the power of words.

Many lives, friendships, relationships, marriages etc have been ruined by words spoken.Great opportunities in life have equally been lost. |Once wrong words are spoken you cannot take them back, it spreads like wild fire & keeps on causing damage behind you, even long after you have left a scene.
Watch your lips!


Death & Life are in the power of the tongue, ( prov 18: 21)
Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble (prov 21:23|)
whoever guards his mouth preserves his life, he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. ( prov 13: 3)
I tell you, on the day of judgement, people will give account for every careless word they speak.( Mathew 12:36 )
by chioma

Forgiveness, An uneasy virtue.

A Lagos based female evangelist (names witheheld), recently kidnapped and gang raped by her abductors around Ogijo area of Ikorodu Lagos, left everyone speechless when she told two of her abductors arrested by the Lagos State Police command that she had forgiven them for their sins.

The traumatized evangelist who is still trying to come to terms with her nine days despicable experience in the hands of nine kidnappers, even went further to lay her hands on the arrested suspects, advising them to turn new leaves in order to make heaven at the end of their sojourn on earth.

The woman, as gathered, was abducted early this month and kept in the kidnaper’s den; an uncompleted building in Ogijo, Ikorodu, alongside other kidnapped victims, among whom was a Briton. It was gathered that her abductors tore her clothes into shreds and left her in her nude throughout her nine days stay,where they had her in turns and at any given time.

While the dehumanizing act was on, one of the kidnappers reportedly put a call through to the evangelist’s husband, demanding for N20 million ransom. But her husband reportedly dropped the sum of N2 million in an undisclosed location the fourth day but did not have his wife released to him as expected.

On the ninth day, eight members of the kidnap gang drove out in two vehicles to collect a ransom of N25 million, for the release of the Briton , at Caterpillar bus-stop, Ojota, leaving one of them,(Emeka) behind, to guard their victims. Moments later, the armed kidnapper was said to had gone to the exhausted evangelist to ease his sexual urge. But he got more than what he bargained for as the exhausted woman, in what could be described as a miracle, flung him away,and he hit his head on the brick wall.

According to the woman evangelist who initially bluntly refused to speak to anyone , other than the arrested kidnappers and Police, “ I do not know where the strength came from. But as he was about penetrating… I pushed him and he hit his head on the wall and passed out. Without caring whether I was naked or not, or whether I would be shot in the process, I rushed out of the uncompleted building shouting for help. To my surprise, I discovered that the building was even located among residential buildings.”

It was learnt that one of the curious sympathizers who gathered round her, gave her a wrapper to cover her nakedness.

Back inside the uncompleted building, the kidnapper,on regaining consciousness, reportedly scaled the fence and fled,abandoning his AK 47 riffle, apparently afraid that his escapee could have blown the lid. An irate mob stormed the building later, where the Briton was rescued and the duo taken to the Area N Command,Ijede.

Meanwhile, the rest members of the gang who had earlier gone to collect the ransom for the release of the Briton at Ojota, met their waterloo at the designated point of receipt.

Unknown to them, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, who got wind of their escapades, intercepted them, resulting in a gun duel which forced the kidnappers to abandon their loot and escaped.

One of them identified as Emeka was, however, arrested and he took the operatives to their hideout from where their victims were discovered to have been taken to Area N Command, Ijede. Police sources told Crime Guard that Emeka’s confessional statement led to the arrest of another suspected member of the gang known as Ikechukwu Ibe.

In his confessional statement, Emeka exonerated him self from the gang rape,saying: “ I could not do it because she kept shouting the name Jesus! Besides, when I discovered she was married, I refused to take part. I even told my colleagues to let her be, since her husband had already paid N2 Million. It was Sam, Innocent, Ikechukwu,Ugo and the rest that raped her . She was kept permanently naked to allow them easy access.

Sam is our leader while Ikechukwu is his deputy. Ugo is the messenger and ‘pointer’. What he does is to identify our victim after which we would intercept the vehicle. My job is to alight from our operational vehicle, get the victim inside before zooming off. At times, we kidnap our victims through information from their drivers,” he said.
One AK 47 and one pump action rifle were reportedly recovered by the policemen at the kidnapper's den.
I'll say she has a golden heart, I wonder if I can do such. One thing i'm sure of is that God'll give her total healing & peace.

The story of Bishop Oyedepo & His wife + 20 things you didn't know about their marriage.

1. She met him at a Motor Park.

2. She was a university student – GREAT IFE while he was only a Polytechnic student in Kwara poly (Remember the discrimination) – she could have snubbed him – but she responded.

3. His friends complained that he was carrying Christianity too zealously as if he was the only Christian – she became zealous too.

4. He took her to church in 1976 and made her sign an agreement (SAILING UNDER SEALED ORDERS) to marry and follow him whether he becomes blind, lame or handicapped… she signed.

5. Just before he married her, he told her God had sent him to LIBERATE THE WORLD (while he was still hopping between jobs) and went on to resign his job; his elder brother lambasted him, she stuck to him.

6. He told her God had shown him the key to prosperity – she believed.

7. He told her they would build a 50,000 capacity tent and preach the gospel from private jets-she believed her dreamer lover.

8. He was too ‘buoyant’ to afford a hotel room on his wedding eve, he slept in his rickety Volkswagen Beetle – she married him.

9. During a moment of insane faith, he ordered a mad man to be put in his car alone with her while she was pregnant; she remained.

10. She saw she was dripping blood while pregnant and explained to him that she had a miscarriage, he shouted “It CANNOT Happen, Can I have my food please” – she served him food.

11. She just had their first baby and there was no food or money at home. He refused to borrow or ask or take church money and they were drinking/eating “CERELAC Baby food’ for 3 days – she ate with him.

12. She came to church one day and saw him so excited with few members while waiting for service to start; he explained to her that service was actually over – she laughed.

13. People kept praying for her and her husband as they seemed to be crazy and needed deliverance-she kept faith.
14. He announced a new Bible school and she knew there was no facility; she asked him and he replied “Is it your school”? She kept quiet. IT DOESN’T END THERE!

15. She didn't know they were going to be flying in customized jets round the world.

16. She didn't know he will pastor and she, co-pastor the largest church auditorium in the world.

17. She didn't know he will be a father to millions all over the world.

18. She didn't know he will be hosted by Presidents and Heads of States of nations.

19. She didn't know he will be a Chancellor and Pioneer of one of the best Private-owned Universities in the world…..and six others.

20. She woke up one day on her sick bed in the USA and unexpectedly saw her hubby who had flown in quietly from Nigeria and had refused to wake her up. he was kneeling on the floor by her legs and crying ‘Lord, heal her and prove that you sent me”- She got healed miraculously… …TWICE!. She didn’t know. #All she saw was a Man with A BIG GOD inside him. Her name is “FAITH”!

It is sad to see that many ladies of these days can’t stand by a man with purpose and vision like this today. Most ladies want a man that has ‘arrived’ but forget that most men that walk with God need to grow in Himeven as they (The ladies) grow with him (The husband).
Some of our mothers married our fathers when they had nothing to their names and together they grew to where they got to. Sadly, some of those parents will not accept a spouse that doesn’t have much to his or her name when their child wants to be joined with one.
Who upturned our values? Who said you need to ‘arrive’ before taking a helping hand and obtaining blessings from God?Hey, marriage is not an achievement like one of ur degrees or acquisition like a car or landed property.
Some marriages bring the completeness a man or woman needs. Let’s get our priorities right.
Thanks mama Oyedepo for not forming #Tushgirl now we all see the #TushQueen you have become to that king – Bishop David Oyedepo.
Written by Leke Beecroft

Incredible! That's what praise can do.

A 10-year-old boy managed to escape the clutches of a kidnapper by singing a gospel song until the suspect couldn't stand it anymore and let him free.
Police say Willie Myrick was abducted by a man from his Atlanta, Georgia driveway, on March 3 .The suspect allegedly lured him with cash and then, when he was close enough, grabbed him and pulled him into his car.Saved:

 Willie Myrick, pictured, managed to escape the clutches of a kidnapper by singing a gospel song until the suspect couldn't stand it anymore and let him free They then drove around for three hours before the man dropped Willie off unharmed in East Point.But Willie's actions during that terrifying time probably saved his life.
Willie said he sang the gospel song 'Every Praise' repeatedly until the man told him to get out of the car.Willie said while he was singing, the man kept cursing and telling him to shut up before eventually kicking him out.Sketch: Police have not yet tracked down the man who abducted Willie, but they have released a sketch, pictured, of the suspect and are appealing to the community for leads'He opened the door and threw me out,' Willie told WXIA-TV. 'He told me not to tell anyone.'

On Thursday, community leaders came together to warn other parents and children about the kidnapping and celebrate the little boy's bravery and quick thinking.The man who wrote the song - Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Hezekiah Walker - even traveled from New York to congratulate Willie in person.'It's just emotional to me because you never know who you're going to touch,' Walker told 11Alive.He said after hearing the moving story and how his song had potentially saved a life,  he wanted to meet Willie.'I just wanted to hug him and tell him I love him,' Walker said.Tears streamed down Willie's face as Walker hugged him.
Walker then led the church, and Willie, in singing 'Every Praise.''I really believe that God spoke through me to save that young man's life,' Walker said.Police have not yet tracked down the man who abducted Willie, but they have released a sketch of the suspect and are appealing to the community for leads.

- See more at: http://couplesandco.blogspot.com/2014/04/incrediblekidnapped-boy-10-sings-gospel.html#sthash.oyacyBPb.dpuf

The Free Cheese is in the Mouse Trap.

As a kid back then, I was addicted to watching cartoons especially Tom & Jerry. Even as a grown up, I would sometimes watch them in the office and my colleagues would often tease me calling me a baby. But seriously, I watch them not just because they are hillarious and entertaining, but also educative. It is from cartoons that I got to learn about catching a rat with a bait in a mouse trap. It was really amusing because the mouse always succeded in taking out the cheese without getting hurt. The trap would then end up catching or hurting the fingers of the cat who would set the trap and almost always forgets about it.
The devil uses the same means to trick us into sin.
I used to think that all these mouse and cheese stuff was all stories made up for kids until I did some little research. I realised that rats really do adore cheese and would do almost anything to have it, even the ones in a mouse trap. But you see, cheese isn't really good for the intestines of the mouse due to its high fat content. . Rats are lactose intolerant. (The rat wouldn't know that anyway...hahaha)
I was pondering on this rat and cheese connection and I came to some realisations.

A trap is set to catch a prey. Have you ever gone fishing? The fish doesn't just cling to your hook and say ''Hey, i'm here! and i'll just love to be your dinner''. No, you have to put a bait on the hook, something that the fish would love to eat.
The rat is never a welcomed inhabitant in our houses, and the cats and we humans would constantly prey on them.
Man also has a constant enemy, the devil. he's everywhere with his agents, always looking for people to destroy. He creates horrible situations, circumstances and storms to pull us down. He tempts and lures us with our hearts desires, beautiful things and the pleasures of life, baits. If we fall into satan's traps, it will take only God to effectuate our deliverance.

''Be sober,  be vigilant, because the devil your adversary as a roaring lion walked about seeking whom he made destroy "  (1 Peter 5: 8 ) 
The devil never comes to you as that beast with horns,a tail and a pitch fork in his hand.

He'll come to you as that handsome man, those pretty ladies, some super hero who'll make you believe that your success, future, or life is in his/her hands. He could present as a stranger, a friend, or an aquintance with a ridiculously lucrative business proposal.
I had some interesting observations about this prey & trap things.
- The bait is always free,
- like the cheese, it is always sweet and attractive, nice aroma
- The preys doesn't usually deserve the bait (never worked for it)
- Traps are laid in secret, are set so they can't be seen (Ps 142: 3) (64: 5)

It's common among men to desire free things, want free quick money, free food, free house, free sex, free enjoyment, free and quick promotions, raise or appointments that you never really deserved.
Actually, there's nothing really wrong with recieving free gifts, that's if there are no sinful or wicked motives behind the giving and recieving. God gives free gifts and every one likes gifts, even me.
But God also wants us to work for the things we want.
The problem with many so called ''free things'' these days is that they come with hidden conditions, they are concealed traps. I read horrible stories of young people lured to their death with free offers.
Whenever I get weired offers or even seemingly normal ones, I don't just jump at it like ''hurray! God has just made a way for me!'' No, I ask questions. I also ask my self some questions too like; what does the word of God say about that particular thing?, do I deserve it? is it normal? could there be any hidden intentions behnd this offer? Are there any repercussions/detriments involved, etc. For me,these questions go before the question ''so, what is in it for me?''
Ok, its not like I have all I need in life, far from it. Neither am I trying to sound like a saint. I just like being careful. I cannot begin to count all the dangerous traps the devil has set for me, litttle traps here and there, but God is faithful.
The devil never rests until he sees people fallen and caged. The higher and stronger one gets in life, the more careful one should be.
Satan doesn't give gifts. If at all you get things from him, you pay with your tears, your life and your soul.

Every good and perfect gift is from God.

by Chioma

Woman, Where Are They?

She was somewhere in a secret corner hidden from the sight of her husband and loved ones, enjoying the forbidden embraces, consumed by passion and lost in the pleasure of the moment right in the arms of another man. It might have been her first time or maybe not, but that faithful morning was an unfortunate one for her.
suddenly, the door bursted and a group of furious young men rushed in and dragged her out, maybe half dressed or even naked, nothing was said of her partner in sin. Terrified, and with tears in her eyes, she must have pleaded for mercy but her plea fell on deaf ears as they dragged her out and lead her into the streets leading to the temple court.
As they dragged her through the streets, heads poked out of the windows in curiousity and eyes stirred at her in dissappointment, friends, relatives and family. She was a wife, a mother, how could she have stooped so low.

I wonder what must have been going on in her mind as she shamefully went along with her accusers. Was she thinking of her lost reputation and the shameful death that would soon be her lot, or about her family, her husband whose name she had dragged into the mud and her children whom she had failed and would soon be left motherless. what could she do? her fate wasn't in her hands now. If she ever goes through this, her life would never be the same. She would forever be tagged a whore.

 It was very early in the morning and a crowd had just gathered in the temple courts to listen to the teachings of the great teacher Jesus. The scribes and the pharisees (religious leaders) brought in the adultrous woman. They made her stand in the middle of the temple amidst all the curious eyes, eyes filled with contempt and condemnation. Fright, shame and disgrace was all hers.

The religious leaders said to Jesus ''teacher, this woman was caught in adultry. In the law, moses commanded us to stone such a woman to death, now what do you say?''
Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his fingers. At this point, the woman must have realised that she was just a bait, her lips sealed as she awaited her judgement.

Her accusers persisted and continued to question Jesus in anticipation of a response  Jesus sat up, and said ''If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her''
He continues writing on the floor, there was silence.
The accusers began to depart one after the other from the eldest to the youngest, until only Jesus was left with the woman.
Jesus sits up and asks her ''woman, where are they, has no one condemned you?''
At that momment, she looks up and  finds out that her accusers are gone, unbelievable!
''No one sir, she responds''
''Then neither do I condemn you, go now and sin no more'' Jesus said
Amazing grace!

Stoning to death, was a brutal form of execution in those days . The first stones had to be thrown by the witnesses to the adultry, after that each member of the community in which the two adulterers lived had to come foward and throw a stone. The thinking behind that is that since every person in the community threw stones, no one person could be held responbsible for the death of the pair. This was so, in a society that practised vandetta, and where payback would happen if a killing occuered.
The adultrous woman was brought as a bait to trap Jesus. The religious leaders wanted to know if Jesus would spare her life by condemming the law of moses, or if he would contradict His message of mercy and grace by condemning her to death by stoning.

Jesus reflected the merciful nature of God. He doesn't support sin in any way, he forgives on the condition that we sin no more. We  must not take his grace and mercy for granted.

We have all failed God in one way or the other in the past. There could be things you did in the past that you haven't gotten over or forgiven yourself for, or even forgiven others for. Sometimes you may look at your situation  and feel like there's no hope for you, or you feel so so horrible and dirty.

Jesus is asking you the same question now, ''where are they that accuse you or point fingers ?''

He wants you to open your eyes and see that there's no one there. It's just the devil himself, the accuser of the brethren who enjoys enslaving people, holding them down with the past, and far away from the saving hands of Jesus. devil always reminds us of our past failures.

Grab the amazing grace of God, while you still can, no one knows tomorrow. The grace of God abounds today.

by Chioma Morah

Those Loop Holes.

Talking about rats again, a couple of months just after I moved into my new apartment, I was thrown into a state of misery, mild depression and sleeplessness by rats. They were very bold, heartless and merciless, they roamed around my appartment even in broad daylight. They scattered my things, not only did they bite into every stored food item causing enormous wastage, but they also pooed into everything they saw, even my pot of food!
At nights, it was dreadful because they would scream and screech endlessly. Most disturbing was the sound of them pecking and biting into my window frames and wooden fixtures or trying to drill more holes for their easy movement. It was pretty embarrasing each time I had visitors and one or two rats would come around to say 'hi'
Day and night I pondered on what to do with them rats and how to eradicate them.I bought all sorts of rat traps and yes, it did catch me a couple of rats, but they kept on coming around.

One morning, my next door neighbour came visiting and I complained about the rodents. I was suprised he had never seen any in his flat because our apartments shared the same wall and he lived on the other side of the wall. My neighbour was of the opinion that the rats could be coming from inside my walls not from outside, they could be breeding inside dark isolated holes, and so he suggested that I search for holes and cracks in my walls and seal them up.
I decided to spy on the rats especially at nights. I was shocked to discover so many deep holes on my walls, close to the ceiling, and most of them were inter connected. I watched the rats at night move in and out of the holes  and was also able to detect the main entrance to the breeding ground.
 The next day, I got me some cements, mixed it with sand and began to seal every single hole. Guess what, the night came and my problem was solved. As I lay down on my bed anticipating a sweet peaceful sleep and the dawn of a new rat free day, I could hear them rats biting hard and screeching from inside the walls, they were trapped!  I settled down peacefully to enjoy my appartment.

Every experience I have in Life teaches me something. Thinking about this experience, I learnt something very vital. Like the rats, there are so many unwanted people, things, and reccurent incidents in our lives. There are problems we repeteadly encounter and each time we fight them, we forget to tackle the sources of the problems first.
All that rat poison and rat traps didn't do much for me, until I discovered and destroyed the breeding ground within. I sealed up all those loop holes through which they penetrated my appartment.

Some storms and calamities are not natural. Many atimes, we unconciously leave lots of loop holes for satan to come in and bug our lives and then we keep on wondering what is happening, despite all our prayers, fasting and commitments to God.
According to Rev O.A. Areogun of Life Oasis International Church, Nigeria. ''The devil can't do anything against you until he sees  a loop hole in your life from where he can touch you. Meaning Satan really has no place in your life except the one you give to him''
Loop holes are majorly sin; lies, degeption, all forms of rebellion and disobedience to God, Ignorance and incomplete knowledge of God's word

Screaming, yelling and stumping are not what's required to defeat satan. They will accomplish nothing if you are not living a consecrated life. Negligence in dealing with one's sinful life, secret sins, and weaknesses will continually give your enemies and satan himself the very loop holes he needs to ochestrate your defeat.
Spiritual warfare is serious business 

By Chioma

By Their Fruits you shall know; part 2

A pastor was fighting for his life in early June last year after he was beaten into a coma when condoms fell out of his bible during a preaching session in a bus in lagos, Nigeria. While preaching to the passengers, he was uttering statements such as ''If you wear trousers, you'll go to hell! Make-ups and weavons are from the marine kingdom! If you have pre-marital sex, you will burn in hell!''  While he was preaching and laying hands on passengers (Usual practice of Nigerian bus preachers), two Durex Condoms fell out of his bible.
The angry men in the bus who had been feeling guilty due to the preachings against fornication, suddenly got mad and pounced on him. While they were battering him he started shouting, ''I also preach safe sex, safe sex is good!''  He was beaten into unconciousness before the police arrived.

(Curled from our daily manna, by Dr Chris kwakpovwe.)

After reading this story, I had a good laugh. On the other hand, I gave a serious thought to the story and the different possibilities. That a condom was found in his bible didn't necessarily mean he was commiting adultry or fornication. what if it was meant for his wife? what if he wasn't aware that it was inside his bible, or what if it was a set up. I also pondered on his response when he was being beaten  ''I also preach safe sex! ridiculous! Did he really mean that? or did he just say that out of fear of being beaten to death.
Well, whatever the case is, I grabbed two important lessons here;
First,
 Nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest,  neither is anything hidden that will not be made known (Luke  8: 17) 
Secondly,

God knows them that  are  His, those thst name the name of the lord or profess Jesus must stay away from evil or whatever resembles evil "  (11 Tim 2: 19)

Believers are targets of the devil who always wants to oppose God and make God look like a like a liar.

There's a nursery rhyme that says ''He that is down needs fear no fall.....I cant remember the complete lyrics but I remember that song each time I face huge temptation that can make me fall or can lead to my disgrace/shame if not properly handled.
As a believer, It helps to bear in mind that there are lots of things unbelievers can do and get away with it, nasty stuff that they do and no one would raise an eye brow or talk about it, but you cannot dare the same as a child of God. Infact, the very first time you attempt same thing, the devil will not only plot your downfall but will so disgrace you that you'lld not be able to forgive yourself for what you did.

I remember having this discussion with a friend who was upset with her boss. She said to me ''Chi, why is it that everyone in the office does this and gets away with it? why must my own case be different? why does my boss have to confront me and place me on surveillance, even after I've explained  my situation to her?.''
I said to her, ''dont complain my dear, it's because you are different'' I could easily connect with her because I've had similar experiences. I therefore try to follow the right routes and protocols to almost everything I do, why? because the devil knows that I'm different.
When the bible said we should count it all joy when we pass through trials and tribulations, I'm sure it wasn't refering to the mess we find our selves in due to our sin. There's absolutely no joy in paying for one's own sin or mistakes.

 For instance, It definitely would have made a big difference if the preacher was beaten because he said some truths that offended people in the bus, or for preaching Jesus (as happens in some islamic countries) instead of for Condoms!

We know that as humans, we have flaws and weaknesses that struggle to have control over our lives all day long. We are the devil's target every second we breathe, and he fights to ensure we dont bear the fruit of God in us.
Every morning when we wake up, we need to ask God for the grace to overcome the temptations the day will blow our way.

by Chioma

It's not Love!

The word Love is one of the most  misused words in existence. For centuries, men have searched for the meaning of love but even great philosophers with their esoteric definitions were unable to fully touch its true essence.

Love is a word that every human tries to/have tried to identify with at different stages of their lives, irrespective of age. It is a word that has severally been misconceived and misapplied.
The word Love can be so efficacious and overwhelming. Its one single word that can evoke even the most extreme of emotions;  excitement,  enthusiasm, anger, fury or wrath.
To different people it means different things.To some, it brings light, hope and treasured memories, while to others it's infuriating and means nothing but pain and disappointment.
Many say that love doesn't exist, some say it's for the weak minded. I think that's cynical anyway.
Ancient Greece has four distinct words for love; agapé,  eros,  Philla,  storge.
Thus, the four categories of love

Storge (Affection)

This is family love, characterized by the display of affection. eg the bond existing between siblings or between mother and Child.
Lewis,  CS described storge as natural (in that it presents without coercion) and emotive (in that it results in fondness due to familiarity)

Eros (Erotic love or Romantic love)

Physical passionate love with sensual desires and urges. It is based on strong feelings. Erotic love alone is based on self benefit and is deficient and fragile. It may not last very long except if it's tested by hardships,  then it can progress to a higher form.

Phillia (mental love)

Close friendship or brotherly love.  It's a higher form than eros because it involves mutual sacrificing.
Friendship is the foundation of every successful relationship and marriage.

Agapé (Unconditional Love)

The highest and deepest form of love. It is selfless; gives and expects nothing in return. Whether it is acknowledged/appreciated or not, the person keeps on loving.  This is the love one shows to a spouse when he/she is being unfair, stops caring, cheats, maltreats or even abuses the partner yet that partner remains faithful,  caring, loving and keeps on praying for the erring spouse.

It's interesting to note that these forms of love were all acknowledged and represented in the bible.
Storge can be seen in the love of Joseph for his brothers, and love of Mary and Martha for their brother Lazarus. (John 11: 21-22)
Eros love is portrayed in songs of Solomon. In Christianity, the expression of this love is only permissible in marriage.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7:9   "....but if they cannot control themselves they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion"

By passion he means the sensual desires and urges of erotic love.

Philia is the brotherly love that Paul exhorts us to exhibit to our fellow christians (Romans 12:10)
Agapé is the love that God has for us which made him sacrifise his only son.
It encompasses all forms of love.  It's the form of love that God himself is identified with.
Agapé defines the very nature of God. For God is Love. ( 1 John 4:7-8)

Genuine love is summarised as thus;

Love is patient, Love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love doesn't delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Many a times,  people have confused love with lust, with various  forms of deceptions and self centered emotions. How can these things be confused with the real meaning of love which is so glaring.
When someone i'v met or known  for a while says "I love you" I don't have to ask "do you really mean it ?" Because  it's something I should have known already.
Love is obvious in the way someone talks to you, they way they treat you, react to you, and respond to things that concern your life.
Love is shown in how people rate you, and where they've placed you in their hearts and lives.

What we call love ain't love at all because love shouldn't hurt or harm.

Love is not, sharing your close friend's secret with the whole world, or using the information to plot his/her downfall.
It is not keeping a record of all wrong done to you, waiting for the right moment to strike with revenge.
It's also not it, when you broadcast your charity to a friend in need.
With love, you don't intentionally say stuff that will hurt other people's feelings.
Love is not telling a hungry friend that you have just a packet of noodles whenyou actually have a carton under your bed.
Love is not telling your poor parents back home that you are suffering €€€and dont have a dime to send to them, wheras you are living in luxury and spendng lot of money on your numerous girlfriends.
It's not borrowing when you have it in mind that you'll never return.
Love is not, engaging someone when you have no intention to marry that person.
Love is not, telling your partner that he/she must give you his/her body for the relationship to continue,  nor is it telling her that she must get pregnant to prove her fertility ( and for the guys to prove their sterility) before you decide to marry.
Love is not telling your fiancé that you are a virgin when you've had four abortions and maybe a child in the village.
Love is not trying to drain his bank accounts because he asked you out or proposed marriage.
Love is not violent
Love is not what you have if fear grips you each time your spouse or partner comes around you because you don't know what next he'll do to you.
Love doesn't see two best friends and tries to destroy them for selfish interests.
Love wouldn't do anything that'll put tears of pain  in your eyes.

Love is the greatest of all commandments.
It's not so easy loving genuinely.  The easier way to learn to love people is first fill your heart with the love of God and His Word, then gradually you'll learn to love and tolerate people around you and in your lives.


by Chioma

When God is silent.

One of the most difficult periods in the life of a Christian is when God seems to be silent. There are often times of trials when we desperately need God's intervention and waiting on Him can be really frustrating.
These perilous times are simply trials of our faith.

When God is silent, the devil snaffles the opportunity, comes in and tries to play with our faith and minds. First, he torments your mind and accuses you, telling you what you did or failed to do making you feel guilty about your present condition.

"Satan is the accuser of the brethren and accuses us even before God" ( Rev 12:10)

Then he whispers all sort of lies into our ears, thoughts,  opinions and seemingly brilliant ideas.
"...For there is no truth in him, when he lies, he speaks his native language,  for he is a liar and the father of all lies. " (John 8:44  )

You know, at some point in the storm when all we need is just answers,  it can be pretty difficult discerning the voice of God from that of the devil.  Satan doesn't always come with plain lies, he can present you with What I call "truth-coated lies" or "placebo lies". These are lies that sound so genuine that they make you feel better psychologically.  But beware! Their after effects can be devastating.

Frankly, there are one or two prayer points I still have with me, needs I've been praying for since I was a child, some since my  teenages, others spanning through years now. I'v done all kinds of fasting, sown seeds and I'm still waiting on my ever faithful God.

Really, I've had times when I felt like climbing up to my roof top, raising my hands up to the sky and screaming  "Lord where are you? Why don't you just come down now let's talk face to face, you can't tell me you haven't got a plan, why are you taking me through all these?"
But then, I always remember that God's ways are mysterious, he does his will and no one can question Him.

According to David A. DePra,  A trial of faith is not God tempting us to see if we'll break.  No, it's the way God builds our faith.  Faith can only be built if we are faced with every question and every challenge. Faith isn't real unless it's tested by circumstances, tested by our own flesh and emotions.
Do you think the devil doesn't know this? That's why he asked God to permit him to tempt Job and see. He thought Job would fall ( Job 1:9 -11 )

The trial of faith will always include the silence of God. In fact, I like to see it this way;  God is trusting me with his silence because he knows (and hopes) that I'll come out of my trials victoriously.  God trusted and boasted about Job to satan.
I concur with DePra that the ultimate reason for God's silence is because he wants to give us a revelation of himself and testimony in the end. He wants to take all the glory for Himself
During our trial times, we expose our true selves to God though He knows us already. All our motives and self interest will be brought to light.
Interestingly,  I even noticed that during such times, I develop a better understanding of who I am.  It unravels to me, things I never knew about my self and personality.
Everyone goes through such a period at some points in their lives. It feels like God suddenly packed up, moved far away and left you no forwarding address.

But why does God seem silent sometimes?

Its not because He's unaware of what you're going through,  indifferent or unable to rescue you. He's all-knowing, cares and has all authority.  He may just be testing your faith.

God wants to prove his authority and faithfulness to his children.
Jesus delayed by two days after receiving news of Lazarus' sickness so that Lazarus died. This was so that God will be glorified at the resurrection of Lazarus (Luke 11:4-6 )

Sometimes  when God seems silent, He's busy working things out for you though you might not perceive it immediately.
When God seems silent, it's also possible that we are not tuned into hearing him. We are surrounded by background noises and countless distractions..........Rev. Darryl Mathis.

Also, it may be that we are not approaching God with the right attitude.  We might be approaching him on behalf of our works, on the basis of our knowledge, or because we just feel it's our right and God must give us what we want whether it's in his plan for us or not.

We can equally do things to provoke God to answer us or come to our rescue. Solomon did it when he sacrifised 1000 bulls as burnt offering and God had to appear to him that night in a dream asking him to request for anything he desired.

Here's what I do when God seems silent concerning my situation;

I'm never in a hurry to take action,  I try discerning the voice of God inside me, I try to reason, pray and find inner peace.
I put on a filter to my ears, against the lies and deception of evil people and the devil.
I just try to engage myself spiritually to avoid depression.

If you are going through difficulties, a terrible loss, heart break, disappointment or whatever,  just know that you are not alone. God Loves you and he'll make everything beautiful for you at  the aappropriate time.
God's silence never means absence.

by  Chioma

By their fruit you shall know; part 1

I went aboard a bus going to a particular city. It was an eighteen seater bus filled with all sort of passengers majorly traders and market women. I had just taken a five-day casual leave from work and decided to go for a short vacation.
First thing we did at the park was to pay our fares at the cash point and get our tickets. We were not usually given sit numbers so normally,  the earliest passengers would have to go in and sit down to secure their sits.

The passengers that arrived later would have to make do with the less comfortable sits left, or sit on the attatchment sits which usually do not have a back rest.
Also, passengers sitting on the last two rows ( back sits)  would normally go in first so that they wouldn't have to disturb those on the attachment sits to lift their chairs or get down for them to move into their back sits.
I had already secured my sit somewhere at the middle row and was relaxing over a can of coke with some snacks, waiting for all passengers to take their sits so that the journey can begin.
There was so much noise and chaos around me. I turned round to notice a neatly dressed elderly man standing at the entrance of the bus, arguing and scolding the other passengers.
They were pleading with him to get into his back sit ( since he wasn't doing anything standing outside) so that the passengers on the attachment sits can equally take their sits and relax without further disturbance. He adamantly refused, pouring abuses and curses on them and telling them to mind their businesses.

When the women (some with babies and heavy bags) got tired of standing waiting for him to get in, they got in, sat down and made themselves as comfortable as possible.
Almost immediately,  the driver came in and fired the engine, ready to move.

The elderly man jumped in and started telling those women to get down so he could get in. One of the women,  who was already breast feeding was angry and refused to respond. The man started tongue-lashing again, threatening to deal with somebody.  He spoke in a very arrogant manner telling all that he was a man of high calibre and wasn't sopposed to be in that public transport with us.
He was creating a scene so that the other passengers had to intervene.  Some  had to apologise to him to forgive the women for peace to reign. They equally pleaded with the women to get down for the man to enter so that the bus can move.
Finally,  the women gave the elderly man the chance to get in to his sit and the vehicle took off. For about five minutes there was calm and peace which was well appreciated by all.

Suddenly,  we heared a voice "praise the Living God!  Brethren let us commit this journey into God's hand after which we'll hear the word of God"
There was silence.

All eyes turned, including mine, then silence again.
Note that sharing the gospel in public transport is a normal exercise in this society, so  that's definitely not why we turned.

I turned because the voice was just too familiar,  it was the voice of the same man who had been causing chaos for the past thirty minutes about to share the word of God.
Some spiritualy minded people responded to him, others didn't.  Of course I was going to join in the prayer later but for a while I just sat there staring at him in bewilderment. I wondered if fire and water can emanate from the same source.
For a moment I was ashamed of being called a Christian and I just couldn't help imagining what the other passengers were equally conceiving in their minds too.
Don't get me wrong here, its not like I haven't quarrelled before, but not like this!  Why must we mock God?

An apple tree cannot produce strawberry fruit and  vice versa. A tree is recognised by its fruit. ( mathew 12:33 ).  In other words, a believer is also identified by the fruit of the holy spirit he bears. Jesus was so perfect that he exhibited all the nine fruit of the spirit (Galasian 5:13-26)  in his every day life.

As humans it can be sometimes difficult for us maintaining that standard because the world is full of evil and evil people.  Sometimes we get overstretched and we lose it. Yeah! People and life generally can be frustrating.
There's almost always someone who hates you somehow and shows it, and you may be tempted to hate in return. There are things and incidents around us, in the family, in the office or in our places of business that can always drain joy and peace from our hearts and minds at the end of a day.
People can be so annoying and so each day I ask God for the gift of long suffering and patience to  be able to tolerate others. I'm not perfect myself because I have my own flaws too.
people are discouraged from being good and kind because of their experiences.  People will take you for granted, some will never appreciate your efforts and others will pay you back with evil.  Whenever I show kindness to someone,  I just tell myself that I'm doing it for God.

These days when you tell people "I'm born-again" they just laugh. Yeah! Because they've heared it severally before from people whose lives never reflected Jesus. People are tired of  hearing that statement,  they want to see you being practical.

How do you explain the fact that a young lady who just ministered in the choir on Sunday,  having the whole congregation falling under the anointing is seen a night or two later at some uncomely place, so indecently dressed, drunk with alchohol, consumed by lust and openly defiling her body.
Or a man who takes a sermon or bible reading on Sunday and then goes back to his office the next day to continue his illicit affair with his assistant/secretary. Or to continue with his little official misdemeanours.
I'm not judging people here, I'm just saying we shouldn't be a discouragement to others who are trying to follow God.

God is watching us

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature and all it's passions and desires so they can live by the spirit "( Galasian 5: 24-25 )

It's not easy but we can try, we can make daily effort as God gives us his grace.

by chioma