I HATE COOL AND SWEET

May 10, 2019May 10, 2019Leave a comment

For some reason, I detest cool, sweet, and smooth. Here’s why: when they settle too long, they become lukewarm, sour, and ugly. They stink. They turn worthless.

Then they become poison.

I would rather carry live flames in my arms. I’d rather they burn and sear my delicate skin and roast my plump flesh to ashes.

I crave the blood to soak my bruised face, that front of handsomeness that assures me falsely, that flimsy foundation of confidence. I would give everything to be on fire, to be a lamp, a candle’s burning thread, consumed to give light to a world being killed by sweetness, sweetness of the kind that rots the soul.

My fear isn’t for the fire that sinks my swag and shatters my claims on being ‘cool’. What I do fear is the inferno of coolness itself, the molten dissolution the world considers sugary, the fraud that embraces the tongue with caramel lather, only to steal its sense of taste.

Don’t be deceived into thinking that love is sweet. It isn’t. It isn’t bitter either. Love’s very presence renders taste secondary. The stronger it is, the less interested we are in what is does to our taste buds- whether it makes them tremble with excitement, shudder in awe, or retreat in terror.

When we are so far gone in love, it is Love itself- not its sweetness or sharpness -that consumes our being.

When you think that love can only be sugary, you will believe that reproof and compassion do not belong together. You will believe that a loving God could never damn a sinner to eternal torment. You will be alright with replacing the one true God with a sky dwelling grand-daddy figure too cowardly to correct the wrongdoings of his grandchildren.

When you think that love is only hugs and kisses, without rules or toughness, you will more easily wander off into dangerous openness, that vast but counterfeit ‘freedom’ called hell, the eternal coldness which lies at the end of all pursuit of crowd-pleasing ‘coolness’ for the sake of it.

We can reach beyond shallow sweetness to take hold of the exhilarating, all-consuming roller coaster of intense joy and deep-cutting anguish that true living brings us. That’s because in the midst of it all we are sure that a God who loves us fiercely will give His own life to preserve ours. Even if it means snatching us from the flames of cool with some degree of compassionate force.

©Ikenna Nwachukwu

These little lines of mine

August 27, 2018Leave a comment

My name is Godswill Ezeonyeka and I am blessed to be here. I feel privileged but what can I say. When God calls He fills also. That is to say whatever you are meant to do you already have capacity to. It just needs a bit of harnessing.

PURPOSE:

7 years ago, Wordsmith was not a word meet to describe me. In fact I was at an impasse with myself because I really wanted to know what it was I could do to impact my world, but writing at the time was not an option. Probably just a distant memory because rewind some 15 years I had tried my hands on poetry and that was it. But then during my university days, I once was watching an episode of Turning Point and they had this poet perform a piece. As I watched, I had this certainty, call it conviction if you will, that I could do what she did and needless to say I was excited inside because I loved it. I loved it and I wanted to do it and your guess is as good as mine “I did nothing about it”. Till I got an idea that was stubborn, it wouldn’t leave. It seemed as if my mind had a life of its own and soon I had to write. It was my first good poem (at least I think so) and it was more of a release than it was passion.

But then I had this question. WHAT NEXT? Now that I have written. What next?

That question’s metamorphosis is the vision that is Christ A Poet. You can visit http://www.christapoet.com to see what that is about. But this story I shared is to make a point; “Purpose is what directs passion and skill to solve problems”.

Many people writers are familiar with the writer’s block syndrome. But I can tell with your writer’s block on full gear, if your life depends on it, you will write and write well. As writers or artists in general, if your art creation is not for a reason bigger than yourself, you will always be substandard to who you can be.

Purpose drives you when you have the “inspiration”. Purpose drives you when you are sick. Purpose keeps you up late at night thinking of the perfect word to complete a line of thought. Purpose will make you go to your friends, beg them to put on the generator so you charge your phone and write. In general, Purpose takes the excuses out of the game. If you still have excuses (no matter how valid they are) for not writing, then you do not have a big enough reason/purpose yet. Purpose in simple definition is Why you write.

SO WHY DO YOU WRITE?

Before you rush to answer this question lets see what writing can do.

How Books Saved My Life

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

By Lindsey Collins

http://www.literallydarling.com

There is a term (a legitimate medical term), called bibliotherapy, and I think, unknowingly, it might have saved my life.

Bibliotherapy– noun; an expressive therapy that uses an individual’s relationship to the content of books and poetry and other written words as therapy. The basic concept behind bibliotherapy is that reading is a healing experience.

There are libraries that make a practice of prescribing books to people as a form of therapy. The Center for Fiction in New York City actually employs bibliotherapists to give out book prescriptions. I think this might be the most amazing idea.

But back to me, and how books saved my life.

I was never suicidal, but I was angry and confused and hurting. My story is less common than most (at least I think so) but I hope you will still understand. Tragic circumstances took an angry, typical 15-year-old and made me into a walking emotional wreck. Most people who knew me then probably thought it wasn’t a big difference considering what I’d been through, but it was. I am just an exceptionally good faker.

When I was 15, my dad got sick. The disease doesn’t matter, but six months later he was blind. It’s been more than seven years, and it’s a fact that I still have a hard time accepting. When he first got sick, there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t make him better, couldn’t show the doctors how to fix him, and I felt helpless. So I turned to books. And TV shows. Any story I could find with a mystical, supernatural, or mysterious component. I carried books everywhere, weighing down my purse or just in my hands like a personal shield. I needed stories that didn’t require me to think beyond reading the words or watching a screen, and I threw myself in other (fictional) people’s problems. I cried with them, I laughed with them, I pitied them, and I used them. I used them to soften my own problems, the problems lurking in my house that I couldn’t repair. I don’t think I realized at the time, how much my situation was influencing my choices. I picked shows where people had the ability to heal, something I would’ve given anything to be able to do. I picked shows where 16-year-old girls fought monsters, both real and imaginary. In those six months I probably read a hundred books and watched a thousand hours of TV (sleep was not really being a friend at this point). Mostly it’s all a blur.

I’m 22 now. I’ve graduated from college, and I’m looking for a job. Looking back, I think those stories saved my life. They let my mind walk away and showed me that the characters I loved were the strong ones, and that I could be strong too.

This I culled from a site to show something people don’t pay attention to. Writing can change the world, one person a time. Yes many think reading is boring, yes many don’t see why you work so hard to string these words, and yes it all seems futile and you feel not appreciated and irrelevant. But you have your audience and no matter how little or big they are, they are hanging on your every word and they deserve your very best.

Pursuit.

I am for the most part a poet. This means I try a lot of stuff, and I have learnt much. This platform is a bit limited for a proper transfer of knowledge but instead of giving you fish. I will tell you why and how you could fish.

First, you are only as creative as the amount of skill you have access to. What you dont know you cannot be creative with. Grow your skill.

Lets take poetry:

Poetry is the genre of literature with the fewest use of words. Prose and Drama get the liberty of using a tonne of words to drive home a point that the rhythm and rhyme constrictions of poetry will give you only 8 syllables to do same. Like every art form, there are rules. You have got to learn them. Some of such is:

Rhyme and Rhythm: Lose this and you don’t have a poem. Your ability to string words in such a fashion that the mind of the reader travels but you still have control of where it goes is key to creating a good piece of poetry.

Disclaimer: Not every poem rhymes but all poems have rhythm.

Structure: With many types of poetry at our disposal, an understanding of structure gives you a guide to follow. So when you choose a structure, you stick to it and get the best off it.

Examples of structural decisions:

Number of lines per verse

Rhymes or no rhymes

Language of choice

Story etc.

Find them, understand them. This applies to most forms of writing.

There is a lot you can do with writing but if you don’t seek to know you might find yourself stuck in a circle, writing the same things. And then writing gets boring both for you and the reader. So seek skill!

One easy way to learn is to watch and learn from those doing stuff you can’t yet do. In the story above… The poet in question was Janette…ikz. I presently have almost all her videos available on the internet. Infact I presently have over a 100 poetry videos. I am not sure of the number because I have not counted.

Also exercise is key. Take time to try new stuff when you write. You might not get it now but you will get better if you start now. Subject your work to criticisms and take them well. In 5 years time no word said to you will mean as much. And by all means write! Write! Write!

One more thing.

There are two kinds of writers. Those that wait for inspiration and those that draw inspiration out of its hiding place.

All these I am pointing is to say; When you have purpose, you have a reason to write. When you acquire skill you are equipped to fulfill purpose.

Finally…

These little lines of mine I wrote is a spin off the popular children song (I’m sure you all noticed). And like this song I hope this time we shared gives you a reason or an answer or inspiration to know you have what it takes to change the world in those little lines of yours.

2018

Tell Me The Truth.

August 11, 2018August 11, 20181 Comment

“Truth is always thrown under the bus”

You see statements like this?
They are the problem with the world,
Scratch that,
they are the problem with us.

If Truth is a concept
You cant depend on it
In fact you shouldn’t
I know I can’t
first of, what is a concept?

A concept is,
“an abstract or general idea,
inferred or derived from specific instances.”

I don’t know that seems pretty inconsistent if you ask me.

If truth is merely abstract/ general ideas inferred. ( conclusions drawn from logical judgements made on the basis of circumstantial evidence)
The question will be;
How many billion circumstances does it take to produce the actual ” concept of truth”?

If and when still hypothetically speaking, you find the concept of truth, from these billions of circumstances, how do we trust it or them, when its so circumstantial

Let’s make a list of circumstances in life shall we?
I’m just kidding
That’s impossible

If the entire population of the world is 6 billion (fight the figures at your own peril I’m no statistician)
It simply means we have 6 billion times thousands of thousands of possible truths per circumstance

That’s a lot of truths
not to mention scary mathematics.

That’s aeons of concepts of truth that have not yet been subject to the basics of direct observation, criticism, I don’t know, critical analysis of the circumstances perhaps but I digress

Since we can’t talk to 600 billion, let’s talk to you and me.
if I believe in the “concept of truth”, it would mean that Truth is mine to define based on my circumstance

Let’s say in a day I laugh, cry, get betrayed get robbed lose a friend, eat ice cream, win 100million on bet naija, get a free trip to Malibu,

My truth will be defined 9 times that day, based on the 9 different experiences I had.

I guess that’s enough truth concepts for one day

Because I can’t even figure out which of my Truths or your Truths can be thrown under the bus.
Especially if you didn’t have anything good happen to you in your own day.

Do you feel my Headache already?…

Truth needs to be consistent, singular, standard, absolute, solid, steady, real and beyond the dynamic influence of your shape shifting circumstance, to be of any useful help to you.

Truth has to be greater than you for your own good.

Truth has to remain consistent whether you’re experiencing bitter or sweet (And even this is subject to your tongues opinion because taste varies and sometimes perception of taste is preconditioned to other circumstances we have been exposed to. mheeen these things can be so deceptive)

Truth must have and be tested, tried, found worthy, faithful and uncompromising.

Truth should not be intimidated by our circumstances, must be; “bring it on I can take it”, “it doesn’t matter I’m in control”, ” nope you were wrong there”, “yup you did the right thing, move on now”, unashamed, unafraid, unmoved, unshakable, unstoppable, unbribable, sustainable, self sustained, willing to die to remain true.

Sound familiar?

hmmm Truth you are so real, I could almost touch you.
Not concept but Essence, you’re essential for my survival, my stability, its funny I feel like I know you.
its strange feels weird, I don’t just want to say “the truth”
I want to be true…. its personal.

Can you really deny this subconscious dialogue?
that when it comes down to Truth or Lie it gets personal,
like its not just you and the characters in your circumstance

but its
1.You
2.The Character(s)
3. The Lie &
4. Truth

In your circumstance, you should choose to follow the way of truth and even if you lose all you thought you had, eventually you’d have what’s really yours,….. peace.

“mhen I lost everything but at least I stayed true”

That right there, that’s life.

You only stay true when you look truth in the face, watch truth pierce through you, and still you accept truth.

“you’re right, I was wrong, I’m sorry”

You are not Truth, but you can accept Truth in every circumstance and stay in the image and likeness of Truth,
You can Stay/Be True.

So what is truth? I asked and why does truth feel so real and personal? ( yup I’m asking for us all)

Jesus answered;
“I am the way, the Truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me”.

That’s John 14:6 ( The Bible)

ahhh now I get it,
this is Truth
I believe.

©Msray_2018

Labels and False Identities

August 7, 2018August 7, 20181 Comment

The world we currently live in seems to always have a name for someone or something that behaves or acts in a particular manner. “If it barks, its probably a dog…”, “If it hisses its a snake… “, “If he says he’s not had sex then he’s so lame”

By who’s standards are these labels made? And should one pick up that label and become what they say?

The world apparently is on a downward spiral. Morals and ethics have proven to hold no water as we could see in law suits, where truth is twisted by technicality.

But there is only one name that should matter to you and I. One label and identity that supersedes what the world may label us. “CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH”.

By this one identity, we have tapped into the bloodline that is steeped in grace and herded by a gentle, Holy Ghost. Who daily calls us to ensure we carry the family name and practice the family trade…Fishing, as fishers of men. We know that it is neither by power nor by might, lest any man should boast, thats why he said, “the race is neither to the strong nor to the swift…”, it may be as impossible as a camel passing through the eye of a needle, BUT… “With men, these things are impossible, but with God, all things a possible “. So don’t be suprised when the people of the world wonder why you are ready to be so submissive to one ordinary man, why they cannot comprehend how one person was willing to take the blame for everyone’s crimes in hopes that they’ll someday believe His story, why they do not get how we can proclaim “faith” and pray to a God no one sees. How can they? You cannot see through the eyes of faith if you do not have it. And so they label you, and call you names. But do not fret. Stand fast. Speak, preach, sing, rap, design, play, and proclaim the gospel of Christ. Do not worry after that, because for centuries, camels have been passing through the eye of needles.

Scriptures: Rom 8:17, John 15:18, Matthew 10:22

Anonymous

(2018)

Christianity and the vicious cycle of political hopelessness

July 23, 20183 Comments

For a long time in Christendom, there has been an unfounded nursed notion that, active political engagement is inherently defiled and corrupt, hence Christians who are serious and passionate about the gospel should not be involved. Most Christians are of the view that anything besides pulpit preaching of the gospel is a distraction from the Great Commission. while this sounds religiously true, it is urgently necessary to understand that we believe in a God who cares passionately about His world and the whole of His creation (Jn. 3:16) and is therefore concerned about its affairs such as, how it is governed and who governs it.

The Lord in Matthew 28:18-20, commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey God in every area of life. In making disciples of all nations and in all areas, we must also disciple people to make godly decisions about politics and governance. Nevertheless, this is not the stance of many Christians. Some prefer to be indifferent towards governance and the whole process of electioneering. In Nigeria, majority of the active and most influential politicians belong to the ‘other side’ and are at the helms of government, advancing the purpose of their beliefs. That is largely the reason why today, the afflictions of Christians are multiplying all over the country; the incessant harassment of Christian farmers all over the country by Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram insurgencies, the displacement of Christians from their original villages in Kaduna, Benue, Taraba etc. and many more terrorist actions are few examples.

While some of these persecutions may have their place in awakening the Nigerian church and increasing her thirst for revival, could this have been the original will of our God; that His people have no safe place of worship? These killings and terror attacks might go on and many more may arise simply not because God wants it but because Christianity lacks influence in Nigerian politics. It is not just okay anymore to fold hands and watch helplessly as evil men decide the fate of God’s true children. In this write up, I introduce the term “political hopelessness” to help explain the default condition of an ordinary Christian in Nigeria towards politics. I also try to charge the heart of Nigerian Christians to get involved in politics, lead and establish God’s purpose on earth.

The lack of Christian influence in the Nigerian government has led to a vicious cycle illustrated below:

Most Christians have recoiled from affairs of the government due to past experiences and therefore have developed a default mindset that sees politics and every politician as evil and corrupt. This has consequently engendered borderless political apathy. However, not getting involved does not solve the problem, it only makes Christians to be outnumbered and consequently loose in the elections. So when the elections are over and most of the seats are occupied by non-Christians, we have nobody to represent our interests. No one to stand up and pass bills that protect Christian interests and affairs as evidently displayed in various systematised anarchy unleashed against innocent Christian farmers, villagers, schools or gatherings.

As time went on, we lost our voices and because our voices were lost, our interest were buried! We consequently returned to the beginning of the cycle. And on and on goes the vicious cycle. This cycle has been on for decades in Nigeria and we have consequently settled with a sense of hopelessness having ignorantly concluded that nothing could be done anymore.

Furthermore, many so-called Christian politicians have worsened matters. They come to the churches and kneel on the altars only to get elected and enrich themselves. Such people have lost the trust of the Christian masses for they have helped make them hopeless. Reserved for them in hell is everlasting torment, except they repent and occupy for God.

In order to remedy the situation however, the cycle has to be broken. Christians must begin to deliberately strategize and put trusted people in the right positions. These efforts may not yield immediate results but at least will set the pace for generations to come. The Bible also challenges us in Luke 14: 28 & 31 to first sit and count the cost, and plan. With determination and proper strategy, Christ will rule and God’s counsel will be established. It is necessary that stable government policies that promote the preaching and practice of God’s word at all levels of civil service be implemented. It will be glorious if the government of the day sees and believes in the end time revival of the land and hands over power to the Holy Spirit to move in the lives of citizens. How can this be achieved? To what extent is this achievable? It takes having a sincerely consecrated disciple of Christ to be in power. How else can he/she be in power if not encouraged to accept God’s leading and training, and then get involved in governance?

It is worthy of note that the involvement of Christians in government through the ages is the most vibrant reason why today, we have hospitals, abolition of slavery and the practice of killing twins, modern science, the true understanding of the worth of women, regard for human life, great works of art and literature, a workable system of justice, education for the common human being, the free-enterprise system, etc. A writer tells a story of a Christian minister named John Witherspoon who became president of the College of New Jersey in 1768. While there, Witherspoon taught Biblical principles of government to his students. Of the 478 young men who were graduated during his tenure, 114 became ministers; 13 were state governors; 3 were U. S. Supreme Court judges; 20 were U.S. Senators; 33 were U.S. Congressmen; Aaron Burr, Jr., became Vice-President; and James Madison became President. As a Christian, Witherspoon exerted an enormous influence on the direction of American government. So did Joseph and Daniel during their times in the Bible. These are eloquent testimonies of men whom God used in politics during their time. What makes it different now?

As Christians, we must come to the understanding that God is interested in having His Children take over every sphere of influence even on earth. And we must deliberately determine to make His counsel stand if we truly love Him. The true proof of our love for God and one another lies partly in our participation in politics albeit, with a kingdom mindset. How do we claim to love God if we don’t engage in things that enhance and promote His kingdom? How do we claim to love one another if we don’t participate in the area that most profoundly shapes basic rights and the freedom of others? We must arise, take the bull by the horns and put an end to this vicious cycle of hopelessness. You have the opportunity to influence the world for God if you will only take it.

However, taking the bull by the horns comes with a price. We must realize that this is a mandate worth living for and if need be, worth dying for. We must be ready to loose our lives in pursuit of this mission, bearing in mind that to live is Christ and to die is gain. And also that as long as we remain in the will of God the Father, there shall no evil befall us neither shall any plague come nigh our dwelling, except it be His will. We therefore, must come to a point where our lives mean little in the face of God’s great promises. He has said, “he that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal”. Eternity is the bigger picture. We must be able to give up our lives to pursue Heaven’s mandate. If we do not come to that point, then it is better not to have started. Are we ready to die if need be? Are we ready to say like Daniel and his friends, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” We will not compromise. And the Father will fight for us. We have the opportunity to influence the world for God if we will only take it. May God grant us the courage, Amen.

Steven Kator IORFA

Brave Heart

July 16, 2018July 17, 2018Leave a comment

Bravery is not in a particular action or deed. Its an attitude, a hearts disposition.

A child who grew up in a farm exposed to wild horses is not really brave because as an adult he comfortably tries to ride a wild horse. His history has ensured it’s familiar and less threatening to him.

Its the one who has never had such history, who finds the wild horse scary and threatening but still attempts to ride it, that’s the brave fellow, that’s the courageous fellow. Its obviously out of his comfort zone but he’s still trudging on.

Bravery requires an expedition outside your comfort zone, outside the familiar, this might be tasting a dish you’ve never tried before, giving a speech in public, trying a new look, meeting a stranger, enrolling in a new course, learning a new skill, investing in a business or riding a wild horse. Some men are not brave enough to help their wives out at home, some women are not brave enough to stop worrying about their kids, some others are not brave enough to stop a habit or even to start the right one.

I’ve met macho men too scared to give a speech, pretty ladies too timid to say their mind, folks crippled by excessive concern about what others would think. People who hate things they’ve never even tried, forgetting that some of life’s most exciting times are those moments when our hearts beat rapidly, our minds run freely, those anxious moments of uncertainty that birth new experiences. That’s what golden memories are made of.

So this weekend, go on and be brave, be courageous, go out of your comfort zone and stay there till it becomes your new comfort zone, then go out and repeat the cycle again and again.

Bravery is being comfortable with the uncomfortable or at least comfortable enough never to let it stop you. Courage is marching on in the midst of fears and doubt and its shown more in the little things of everyday life.

#ThinkWell

#RedefineYourCulture

Neuroplasticity: Why You Really Need To Renew Your Mind.

July 7, 2018July 9, 2018Leave a comment

Ever heard the saying “you are what you eat?” well its a true statement! Even as it relates to what we take into our system through all our receptive organs, what we eat through our mouths can ultimately affect our entire physical body systems. If you eat healthy and clean foods your body in all will be healthy and clean!

If you eat unhealthy and harmful foods it will in turn show in the general function of your body, you start to get sick, feel gassy or uncomfortable and what not.

In the same way, what we take in through our ears and eyes, words, sounds and frequencies affect our emotional, psychological and all round mental health. If you listen to discouraging and abusive words long enough you will find that you will start to change based on what you are constantly feeding on, same thing goes for when we fill our minds with what is good and noble and clean and pure and right, we will be healthy in our minds and this will eventually lead to evident changes in our body system.

This is a known fact that people have understood from way back in time and this is why Paul in

Romans 12: 2 said,

“Dont copy the behaviour and customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think! ( or renewing your mind) Then you will know what God wants you to do and you will know how good and pleasing His Will really is.”

So basically because we are not of this world we cannot keep relics of the world around us or close to our Heart space. These relics of the world mess with our minds, actions and behaviour by altering our brain science leading to what the scriptures call “Conformity to the world”.

So do not subject your mind to the toxic thought patterns of myopic men who do not know your construct or have any idea of what plans God has for you rather fix your thoughts on the Ominiscient Living Word of God who made you, who knew you from the womb and has good intricately woven plans for you.

Now I’m sure you might be wondering “what does Neuroplasticity have to do with this?” well apart from the fact that it’s a really big and smart sounding word, 😅 it is actually a very important phenomenon of the mind to look into properly. However I want us to focus on the things we keep around us as people who have been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Because of Neuroplasticity, we are often inclined to go back to or relive a moment or have nostalgic feelings from the past because of something we see around us that reminds us of where we were before.

Now because these feeling come up does not mean that you are still a sinner or you have fallen out of righteousness no. We are made righteous by the finished work of Jesus Christ , if you are born again you have the nature of God in you and this is Righteousness so you are righteous. As a matter of fact if you did not have this nature in you, you would be comfortable in sinful and perverse thoughts. Besides Jesus knew this could happen and that’s why in

John 17:15 He prayed for us saying,

” …I’m not asking that you take them out of the world but that you keep them safe from the evil one”

So though we are in the world that is still very much full of all the nasties and “seeming goodies” (that destroy us).

We have left the old life behind in true repentance because it is very possible to still live set apart and holy lives in the world even though we are not of it.

So what do you do? proverbs 4:23 tells us this,

“above all else! Guard your heart because everything you do flows from it”

It’s simple. As much as you can, get rid of all those symbols and things that try to bring you back into that life of sin!

If its a person of the opposite sex causing you to fall into fornication or sexting, cut the person off, if its pornography, desist from looking at profane content and try not to spend so many hours on the internet, if it’s a sugar addiction, stop taking sugary things. But don’t just stop there, replace those voids with the word of God, fastings and prayers. Allow the Holy spirit discipline you! (common you know you need that. Plus the end rewards are peace and joy! No doubt! )

Also occupy yourself with healthy things like , a hobby, take a walk, have an accountability partner.

If its suggestive music that’s your weakness, start listening to Music that teaches you about Jesus and reinforces the understanding of the Truth of the gospel in your mind.

One of my favourite ministers of the gospel puts it this way,

“your brain has molded itself around your history with these objects, creating Neural networks through repetitive conditioning/ exposure to a certain outcome. Your brain snaps into these states out of habit and needs a chance to create new neural networks and be reprogrammed”

– Steven Bancarz

It’s a deliberate thing guys. We consciously decide what to feed our minds with and the things we allow around us like music, pictures, books we read, people we listen to, they are all food to our soul and one way or the other we are either conforming to the dictates of the world or being transformed by the renewing of our minds.

The adornments of purity and holiness of every believer can only be a reality if we choose to feed on Gods Word and allow His Holy Spirit in us not only be Righteousness in us but do righteousness through us.

And this involves cleaning out the trash in our cupboards and filling in our store house with the good stuff. 😊

Grace and Peace Family.

©Msray

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

June 27, 2018June 28, 20181 Comment

FIRST OF, THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER.

Unconditional Love does not eliminate the consequences of Living according to the Dictates of the World. We must tell ourselves the truth. No matter how I claim Gods love for me is unconditional, not once have I escaped the consequences of my wrong doing. I have always had to make restitution for damages I caused in one way or the other, where I have hurt people I have had to apologise, where I have lied I have had to tell the truth, where I have been wrong I have always had to realise either through scolding or lashing out or whatever means correction came, I have had to accept my wrong and repent. ( not just feel or say sorry but actually turn away from doing the damage anymore).
By the virtue of the gifts of Will and Choice God has made us with, we are responsible for every action, word and move we make.

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE IS DISCIPLINE.

Unconditional Love does not connote lawlessness or the elimination of necessary chastisement and correction. It is in Hebrews 12 that we are taught very emphatically:

My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.

“Instead, what should we do?!”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

“hmmmmm, Good question…”

If you are not disciplined and everyone undergoes discipline then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.

“..no kidding!!!”

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it.

“True true, true that…”

How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!

They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

“Gbam!!!”

Its all there honestly, I don’t need to stress it more than already stated. Unconditional Love will discipline you and prove you and wash you and refine you until you come out as gold.

By the way any one who claims to love you but doesn’t tell you the Truth, correct you when you go wrong, pets you when you’re treading the paths of unrighteousness, hugs you when your attitude is filthy, hmm please run, that person does not Love you. And vice versa, if you Love yourself as God loves you, Unconditionally, You will tell yourself the Truth and walk in righteousness as you were Born Again to do.

BORN OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

For God so loved the world, that He made a WAY. And for ALL who will believe… They will be born Anew, possessed by Unending Life.

– It all began with Unconditional Love.

“Beloved let us love one another, for love is of God and anyone who Loves is born of God and knows God, He that does not Love, Does not know God For God is Love…”
1John 4:7&8.

You are not of this world!!! I am not of this world!!!! ( say it). So we can’t afford to entangle ourselves with the yoke of bondage that obeying the Lusts of this world brings, rather we should stand fast in the liberty which Christ has given us in His kingdom. What is the Kingdom of God?

Righteousness (The New Nature of Christ in you that you are enabled by the Holy Spirit to express Freely in the earth)
Peace (The nature of God in us that enables us Rest in His promises and Trust in His Word with the whole heart)
and
Joy in the Holy Spirit (Not being moved by circumstances but constantly drawing Hope and strength from the Living Water of Gods Love that Flows from within you by The spirit of God.).

Understand that the gospel of Jesus Christ should not only be heard from your lips and known in your head but should be seen in your life.

See, in this place there is no law or fear of punishment and people will hate you, people will hate you for Living a set apart life, people will call you names, people will lash out at you, tell you you’re overdoing the righteousness, but you don’t need to fight them , In 2corinthians 4: 3 – 4, you have been given an insight as to what the problem is, you know

But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,
So what do you do? You do the needful and pray for people. Pray that the eyes of their understanding will be open” so that they can see the free gift we all Have in God through Christ Jesus. This is how to Live in Love.

Your life cannot be guided by this and someone will come and threaten you with fear of punishment. This is where love is perfect and Unconditional and far reaching Only in the confines of The Kingdom of God.
There is Freedom in Christ… Literally, I cant stress this enough.

If you dupe somebody and get billions of naira out of the deal or you break a covenant you have with someone nastily or you swindle your way out of speaking the Truth just to save yourself it is not the favour of God, it is unrighteousness and there is an end for all unrighteousness its called death. Death is the end product of everything that is gotten from The kingdom of darkness.

THE KINGDOM INBETWEEN

I’m glad to break it to you, there is NO Kingdom in between.

There is no place for lukewarm, no place of mixing both Kingdoms. To reject light is to accept darkness, to accept light is to reject darkness (I know thats deep church but stay with me ).

Okay on a more serious note now, It was in a bid to clarify this that Paul in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians said,

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

This is a legit question I ask myself all the time, because there is wisdom in it. In the place of mixture, the line of holy fire that clearly divides Light and Darkness can be easily ignored.
God has redeemed us through His dear son Christ Jesus to Birth His kingdom in the earth.

There is no middle ground or comfort zone. We all must choose to walk in Righteousness because we have this new nature, His kingdom within us!
You must be proud of who you are in Christ, gingered to Love, gingered to make peace with God in your day to day concerns and interactions ( not tolerate the world ooo but reconcile others to the father in love), gingered to share, gingered in kindness.

A believer in Christ Jesus who understands, “I am A new Creature, I am not of the fallen world, I am not of the kingdom of darkness, I have been born into The marvelous light of Jesus Christ!” Will be excited to live in righteousness, refusing to make excuses for Unrighteous desires especially when they rise up in you, this transformation is spiritual being made manifest in the earth! It was Paul in his letter to the Galatians 5 who said,

“The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions…..”

This is just the fact. Darkness and light don’t see eye to eye at all! This is why your Choice is important,
So verse 6 says,

“But if you are Led by the spirit, you are not under the law”..

You need to allow the Holy spirit Lead you. its a conscious thing. You’re not a robot, you have a will, the Holy spirit is not evil, he will not manipulate you to do the will of God.
You will Choose to mortify the desires of the flesh so that righteousness can be made manifest in the earth through your life.

May God keep us even as we continue to yield to His lead and may our lives continue to be a testimony that indeed Christ came in the flesh and we are overcomers in Him.

#GraceAndPeaceFamily