BORROWED LIFE? by Clarkson Ikwunze

February 25, 20151 Comment

Over time I have often heard folks say to believers:

‘This life you are living is a borrowed life and if you don’t take care of it…’

I understand that this is often said to challenge folks to line up well and take life seriously and then they will say some other times;

‘Your life is like the borrowed axe..’

But recently it dawned on me, we do not have or live a borrowed life, the life we have is a gift given to us by the greatest giver of all times – Christ Jesus

A simple understanding of that will spur us on to living life to its fullest giving pleasure to God.

Last year, I got a pen as a GIFT from a darling friend of mine, the pen came in a pack, with a refill, looking at it I knew it cost a fortune; it was a gift not a borrowed pen.

Because of my revelation of that pen and its cost and who gave it to me, I cherished it, guess what I never used it until early this year, I just kept admiring it and smiling.

The first time that Pen fell to the ground and sustained a little scratch, I felt bad, I quickly rushed for it as though it was an Ipad that fell, picked it and cleaned it like a baby.

That’s a pen!

How much more will we treat the gift of life, if we really come to know its worth and who it was who gave the gift, certainly that would change everything.

Our life is not really a borrowed life, it is a GIFT from the greatest giver of all times.

One time I asked a fellow:

‘Sow this thing into my life’ and she replied; ‘Someone gave it to me as a gift, I cant give it to you, but I can get you another one’ and I smiled.

Haven said that, please, a gift is given to be used and not just to be admired, don’t keep your gift of life in the shelf admiring it and doing nothing with it, use it!

One fellow once came and whispered to my ears:

‘I was so joyed when I saw you using that particular tie I gave you , I was so happy’

Another one said to me:

‘That stuff I gave you, you know I’ve never seen you use it, don’t you like it?’

And I smiled and said:

‘I am sorry I will used it next Sunday and you will see it’

and joy was stirred up in the fellow

God is pleasured when he looks down and sees you using what he gave you, it thrills the fathers heart to see his sons; working with the gift of eternal life.

Don’t Lock it up, Use it

Let men see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.

Once more its a Gift and not a Borrowed life: we take care of a borrowed item with a sense of fear, saying

‘Hmm let me not spoil somebody’s thing oo’

But when its a gift, we are motivated by love, joy and kindness to Nurture it and use it to the fullness, we just don’t wanna let it go. They remind us of the GIVER and His Love.

What is Borrowed reminds us of the Owner and what he will do to us if we don’t return his stuff in one piece.

God is a Giver not a Lender

What is Borrowed is to be returned, What is a Gift, is given without revocation or repentance (A change of mind)

God Bless You

GRACE
‪#‎ThatsHowWeWin‬

culled from Facebook

OLD RUGGED CROSS

February 24, 2015Leave a comment

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

George Bennard

Copied from cyberhymnal.org

Picture credits: Wikipedia.org

A Question of Oversight

February 22, 2015February 22, 2015Leave a comment

You know, for a while I have got to think about this and I have come to a simple conclusion, our present un-progressive status in life may be not as a result of what we consciously do but the few things we ignore, the few details we always tend to overlook, so

What if the first few words you said after every call could still be hear by the receiver even after you hang up

What if we could see your face every time when you typed “lol” in the chat box

What if your life was dependent on being early for that meeting

What if another’s sole source of inspiration was your smile

What if your smile could heal the sick

What if you could avoid death tomorrow just eating a salad instead of that junk

What if you were paid everyday you exercised

What if the economy of your country depended on how well you spent your time

What if everybody behaved just like you

What would you do differently…

What if God were in the room while you worshiped

What if God honoured every word you said

What if your prayers was all it took to bring world peace

What if the punishment for sin was immediate

What if there was no grace

What if God treats you the way you do others

What would you change…

I assure you, that although these might all be rhetorical extreme impossibilities, they hold the secret to discovering what important parts of your life you have ignorantly relegated to your own detriment. So think deep, clearly and sincerely and soon you should be unlocking the next level of your life.

Grace

QUICK QUOTEs

February 19, 2015February 19, 20151 Comment

Sooner than later it will be heart rather than strength, vision rather than ambitions, faith rather than opinions that will count. Then, what will you have?

EVERYDAY JESUS

February 19, 2015February 19, 2015Leave a comment

I was working on a script needed to be presented on an upcoming event at church. Paying rapt attention to the task I was so engaged in; my junior sister came by munching at her food after taking a seat by the table. I glanced at her when a silly idea popped in my head.

“Hey” I called.

“Why don’t you try writing something for me”.

Although she was thirteen, writing was never her thing so it was no surprise she broke into a convulsive laughter.

“You are joking right?”

“Give it a try”, I said coaxing her into accepting. She shrugged.

“Topic?”, she inquired as I handed over a paper and pen to her.

“Love”, I responded.

She managed a wide grin and began working. Within 30 seconds she was done! She handed over the piece to me amusement lighting her eyes. Just as I guessed; it was indeed arrant nonsense. I held back the laughter trying to escape my throat when I read something that struck me. It read thus:

” You might find no sense why Christ was beaten and battered for your sakes yet he took no offense! This is because love is sacred. It is beyond a physical passion but a spiritual compassion”

For some split seconds I was lost in amazement. That had never come to me! Arching a surprised brow; I drew her attention.

“How on earth did you do that? I really was surprised.”

“What do you take me for? A dummy? Anyways I had no idea of what I should write but I had faith that something would come out good. You talented peeps so over look people! God sometimes ain’t looking for people with mega abilities but a humble and yielded vessel, He will use.”, responded my sister.

“Hmm you taught me today” I said and she broke into smiles.

I never had known she could be so sagacious. I then realized that sometimes God might not work through the qualified; but he qualifies the chosen. Conclusively no man is an island and every soul you meet out there is beautiful and special.

God bless!

-Cindy Dike