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

You never know the value, until you lose it.

Recently, I gave out my red pair of flat shoes to my kid sister. It was a lovely shoe but I didn't really like it that much and hadn't worn it for once even though i've had it for a while. I fell in love with that shoe the momment I set my eyes on it in a boutique. It just sat there on one of the shoe racks, looking so glossy and attractive. I couldn't resist purchasing it with the money that was meant for something else. Shortly after I came home with it, I realised that I no longer liked it that much. I later concluded
that the shoe looked horrible on me so I finally put it away in a hidden corner of my wardrobe.

My kid sis came visiting one day, saw the shoe and liked it, I gladly gave it to her and she later travelled back with it. Shortly after then, I started dreaming of my red pair of shoes and desperately longing for it. Each time  I put on anything red, may be a red dress or red earings, I would begin to imagine how lovely it would have looked with the matching pair of red shoes. It got so bad that I had to call my sister on the phone to inquire if she was really making use of the shoes. She just laughed and said '' Is someone missing her shoes?''

We never know the value of what we have until we lose it. Why do we sometimes learn to appreciate the people or things in our lives only after we have lost them?. There are somethings in life that we've always had with us, we are so used to them that we don't see anything special about having them. For instance, we might not appreciate the air we breathe or the fact that we can stand, walk around and talk naturally until something happens to us.
How about those special people or that special someone in our lives?

One common mistake people make is to place their jobs, careers and other businesses far above family and loved ones. Sure one needs lots of time and commitment to making money because we need it to survive and carter for our loved ones. But we also need to create time for family and loved ones because some gifts are very vital, better appreciated and cherished. These include love, companionship, phisical and emotional support.

A friend of mine used to say ''I'll do anything for my daddy, I love him so much and he's my role model''. It used to astonish me because he never received much from dad financially or in terms of education. But the man gave the little he had, he was a pillar of love and strenght and support to this boy while growing up.
There have been cases of women who left their wealthy husbands, because the men never had time for them, and rarely came home.
I also heared about a woman of God who was so commited to her ministry that she went around doing Gods work, negleting her husband and family that God gave her to nurture. Her marriage became tumultous.

One reason why people don't cherish what they have is because they might not have imagined what it would be like without them those things

Some people are also oblivious of the fact that some other people have to really struggle hard to get some of the things they take for granted 

We must understand that its not everything or every opportunity we lose that can be regained.

A prominent lady aborted a pregnancy in her teenages against doctors advice. It's almost 30 years into her marriage now and she had never conceived again. The gift of fertility that young girls take for granted!
There's a very thin line between life and death, tears and laughter, joy and pain. Those same lips that smiled in the night could be weeping in the morning, when you wake up to the realisation that that special thing or special someone is gone.
Let's learn to appreciate what God gives us, the people he brings into our lives, family, friends, etc Some oppurtunities may never present itself twice.

by Chioma

The real Prisoner

The first time I ever visited a prison was back in my undergraduate days with a group of youths from my fellowship, we went for prison evangelism. It was an indelible experience for us and many of us left that prison with wet eyes.
Really,we had an amazing time but also some really emotive moments.

Until then, I never really realised that freedom is priceless.

As we talked about Jesus and listened to the inmates recount their experiences, we were moved to tears severally. I tried to imagine what it felt like, knowing that they might never be able to see the outside of those walls again. I'ld practically go insane if I were in their shoes.
My happiness was that many of them were already born again and were even sharing the word with us. I'ld never forget the words of one female inmate from the women's wing. She said ''To men, I'm a prisoner but to God I've been set free. The real prisoners are those of you out there who are unsaved. I dont regret coming here because God brought me here so he can save my soul''. As she spoke I could see the peace within her.

When we are crucified with christ, we are no longer slaves/ prisoners to sin because we are freed from sin (Rom 6: 6-7)

There was this case of a female inmate turned born again, that rocked the world in the eighties to late nineties. Karla Faye Tucker (1959 - 1998)  gained international attention because she would be the first woman to be executed in Texas since the civil war (since 1863) and the first in US since 1984.
Tucker was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She had a very troubled and unruly childhood, majorly due to her parent's divorce. During the divorce proceedings, she learnt she was actually the product of an extra-marital affair.
In her early teenages, karla dropped out of school,  turned to alchohol, drug and prostitution, hanging out with all the wrong kind of people. She had a brief marriage at sixteen that ended in divorce.
In 1983, Tucker was convicted of pick ax murder of a man and a woman who were hacked to death in an apartment by Tucker and an accomplice. She was sentenced to death in 1984.
Soon after her imprisonment Tucker received Christ. She became a model prisoner and succeded in converting many of the inmates of Texas hunstsville prison. She was Passionately spreading the word from her prison cell .
Karla  became Texas's most controversial figure ever on any state's death row. Many distinguished personalities  and groups apealed to the state of texas on her behalf, for her life to be spared . Among  these were the UN commissioner on summary and arbitrary execution, the world council of churches,  Pope John Paul 11, etc. Requests for retrials and appeals were denied.
Finally, Tucker was executed by Lethal injection on february 3, 1998. Sources present revealed that she looked so peaceful and was praising Jesus while she was dying.

Karlas Testimony is an enthralling case of the amazing grace of God. God is able to capture even the most hardened criminal existing. He is also willing to change and use anyone no matter how far they have gone into darkness.

 One might be free to move around and live his live the way he desires  but God's condemnation is still hovering over him because he is unsaved, He hasn't accepted Jesus as his Lord and saviour  .Freedom, is knowing that your soul is free from the bondage of sin and eternal condemnation.

 by Chioma

We make them what they become

Each time I hear the stories, or read about people who turned out bad or by our society's standard, a disappointment to the society, I do not instantly judge or condemn them. I try to peruse their stories, their past experiences, or whatever I feel might have contributed to the form their lives have taken.
I'm refering to the reprobates around us, people that we can never really be proud of like the prostitutes, drug dealers, criminals; armed robbers, rapists, paedophiles and assassins,   then also the mentally insane and beggers on the streets, etc
Actually, many of these people are in their present state due to their own will, wrong choices, bad decisions and mistakes. But really many also never planned to end up the way they did . They are there because of someone else's decisions and mistakes or some terrible past experiences beyond their control. They are victims of circumstances.

I believe that every child is born with something special, a gift, talent or something he/she can naturally do better than others without much stress. Some kids just need the right opportunity as well as the resources  to cultivate their talents.

Every child has a dream, a dream to become something or to be somewhere. The type and nature of the dream, as well as the level and extent of the dream greatly depends on the child's environment as well as his exposure to the world.
For instance, a child being raised in a ranch may begin to dream of owning a large herd of cattles or stable of horses when he's grown. One who is being bred in a church may wish to become a clergy or priest someday. A child always around the TV or around artistes may begin to dream of being a movie star. Quite unfortunately, time and opportunity play a vital role in shaping a child's destiny.

Many brilliant and endowed kids have ended up in the streets as pilferers, pick pockets and junkies either because they couldn't get good education or didn't have the support and guidance needed to help them actualise their dreams.
Think about the girl child left under the care of ruthless foster parents, male relatives or family friend who sexually abuses or molests her, turning her into a sex tool without even giving her  proper education.
Or that little girl who is sent to hawk/peddle items around dangerous streets to make ends meet (as is common in Africa). She ends up being raped, getting pregnant and aborting it, or keeping it and being thrown out into the streets. Finally, the only available option left to her is prostitution. Did she not once have a dream like i did?
She was made to become what she is by someone whom she trusted with her life and future. Even her own parents who may have abondoned her to the care of people who didn't care.
Some boys turn out as criminals because they were born out of wedlock, abandoned by the father who probably denied them at conception and then a mother who did not want to commit herself to motherhood. They abandon these kids without proper arrangements for their care/upkeep and thus their future.  live in a selfish world!
I've read stories of rapists and paedophiles who became mentally deranged because they were equally abused and maltreated as kids.Thers's a story of a serial killer who murdered women because his own mother left him as an infant.

Some of us might remember the shocking case of the austrian man Joseph Fritzle convicted of imprisoning and raping his own daughter for 24 years beneath his home and fathering seven children with her. He claimed to have been unloved, phisically maltreated and emotionally abused by his mother as a boy.
There's absolutely no justification for such horrible acts anyway, but I believe that if people could learn to take responsibility for their actions and also take care of the people, lives and destinies placed under their care, there'll be less evil in the world.

I examined some terrible cases of high school shootings in America like the Columbine high school massacre of 1999, Red Lake high school Massacre (2005) and Virginia Tech Massacre (2007). The kids who carried out these shootings  were depressed or emotionally troubled kids from probably unstable homes, most commit suicide after the shootings.
Some mentally deranged people on the streets are there because of someone. Some beggers are on the streets because they were thrown out or abandoned by someone who was sopposed to care, and some were duped in the past and thrown into penury. Its a wicked world.

If God commits a life(s) into our hands, we should endeavour to do whatever we can (no matter how little) to contribute to that person's future. you never can tell what that person might turn out to be tomorrow. Even if you cant help, don't contribute to ruining people's lives by what you say or do to them.

About children,Jesus said ''if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large milestone hung around his neck and to be drawned in the depths of the sea''  (Mathew 18: 6)

Remember, on the judgement day when Jesus would commend his sheeps for giving him something to eat and drink when he was hungry and thirsty and shelter when he was a stranger (Mathew 25: 34-40)  He would be refering to the things we did to the people on earth.
May God give us all a loving human heart.

by Chioma Morah

Does the End Justify the Means?

A question we might have asked ourselves on several occasions.
The slogan 'The end justifies the Means' also known as 'situation ethics' originated from Niccolo Benardo dei Marchiavelli, an Itallian diplomat, political theorist and Philosopher. He is also the founder of modern political sciences. Machiavelli first used the cliché in his master piece, 'the prince'
This slogan is used to comment on the ethics or morality of an action. But what does it really mean?

We live in a society today where most people often judge actions by their result. In this era of moral decadence, greed and insatiable thirst for money, fame and power, people no longer care about rules and regulations, morality and ethics. Many young people are now willing to do whatever it takes them to get to the top, and they want it real quick. Any fast but dangerous means is very much a welcomed idea to them.

In the society I live here in Nigeria, making it big as a young bachelor is what is in vogue now. For the young ladies, hooking the richest guys available by whatever means (including trapping him with pregnancy) is also the obtainable now.
The ladies in the corporate world especially marketers would do almost anything, including sleeping with their clients and bosses in order to secure contracts and promotions. This is also common in the movie industry. As for the politicians, their story is nothing to write home about . When they  finally get to the top, only few people would actually care to know how they got there.

Scholars have interpreted the phrase to mean doing anything whatsoever that is required to get the result one desires, regardless of the method used whether it is good or evil, legal or illegal, moral or not.
Some have also interpreted the phrase to mean that morally wrong actions are sometimes neccesary to achieve morally right outcomes.

What is God's Opinion on this matter?
Paul was against the opinion that we should do evil so that good may arise, as he was wrongly accused of (Romans 3:5).
One man rightly called the end justifies the means slogan, 'using the devils tool to do God's work'

If Jesus said ''do unto others what you'll have them do to you''  (mathew 7:12 )  why then do we think he would permit us to hurt, injure or kill our fellow man in the process of achieving our selfish desires.
When God gives us a mission or assignment, whether he specifies the means or not, he expects us to not disobey any of his words. Obedience must apply in both the means and the end.
When saul was sent to destroy the Amalekites, he spared some animals to sacrifise to God (a good end i'll say, but contrary to Gods instruction to destroy everything). God was angry with saul and purnished him.

Today, people justify abortion, Euthanasia and suicide, they say its better to eliminate an unborn baby than to bring it into misery. And it's also better to end ones life to spare them of the agony and suffering. Some countries even legalise these terribly ungodly acts. Lies of the devil, its all murder! God says they will all pay for it, God is not mocked. (Gal 6:7)
The armed robbers, corrupt politicians and rulers, drug pushers and criminals; they build facilities, schools and mega churches, donate to charity with money gotten from evil means. Also the fake pastors and ministers who win souls and perform miracles with occultic powers, all is sin.

Jesus said '' On that day, many will say to me, did i not prophesy in your name, perform miracles, do this and that for you....but I will tell them plainly, I never knew you, Away from me you evil doers (Mathew 7: 22-23)

Well, do you still think that how you make it doesnt matter? If yes, please do re-consider your stand on this.

We must do all things the way God approves of it, that is the right way stipulated by his word. To Him, the end certainly doesn't justify the means.

by Chioma Morah

When God hurts your feet.

Hurdles and obstacles are normal occurences in life. Most often when we meet these disappointments, we say "it's just one of those temptations, satan is a liar, I must get there''
Have you ever paused in such a situation to ponder, 'Is this really from the devil? what if God is trying to tell me something'
When I was given admission into the university many years  back to study Medical Radiography, I felt it was the worst thing to happen to me. I was angry and disappointed because it wasn't what I really applied for. I had something else in mind, my own plan for my life.
For three good years I was angry and depressed, I tried all I could to change programme, including writing fresh admission examinations and completing several change of course forms. I used to wonder why the all-knowing God nullified my efforts. Thank God my plans never worked out anyway because as I reminisce about the past, I realise how lucky I am today. Great career, great job.

The bible story of Balaam and the talking donkey used to be one  my favourite bible stories as a child
Balaam was a world famous diviner or sorcerer who lived in the city of pether, current Iraq. He was a man in love with worldly fame and money.
The Moabite king Balak hired Balaam to curse the Israelites so he could defeat them. Initially, Balaam rejected the offer as God instructed him but when more prominent delegates arrived with a more enticing offer, Balaam was tempted. God could see Balaam's heart and greed. He reluctantly permited Balaam to go with the moabites
That God  doesn't always restrain us from sin or from our own direction  doesn't always mean that he approves of it.
According to Mathew Henry's Bible commentry,  'God sometimes denies the prayer of his people in love, while he sometimes grants the prayer of the wicked in wrath'
But God was very angry with Balaam for embarking on the journey to curse israel and the angel of the lord with a drawn sword in his hand stood on the road to oppose balaam and his donkey. Three times the angel blocked them and on each occasion, the donkey refused to carry balaam further despite the beatings received.
The second time the angel blocked them, God made the donkey press close to the wall,  crushing balaams foot against the wall. (a warning sign ) still Ballaam insisted on making the trip with his injured foot  smacking the donkey again.

It was at this point that the Lord caused the donkey to speak and also opened Balaam's eyes to see the angel. Balaam learnt that the donkey had saved his life, the angel would have killed him if the donkey hadn't rebelled. Balaam was later allowed to proceed to the israelites but with God's instruction.
This is very much like many of us christians today. We find ourselves pushing and forcing ourselves into where we do not belong or a life that was never meant for us, maybe because of greed for fame and fortune despite how often God has tried stoping us.

Peter said of such people '' They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam...who loved the wages of wickedness''  (1 peter 2: 15)
When God allows us to sin, it doesnt mean that we have outwitted God. God granted us freewill so that we can make our own choices, having in mind that we ought to follow God's path with a pure heart.

by Chioma Morah