Where is the shoe pinching?

"Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”  - 2 Kings 2:19

I was having a discussion with a friend this afternoon. We were talking about some people that are meant to contribute a sum of money to her and some of them seem to be lagging behind in their payment. I responded, "what if these people do not really have the money they are asked to contribute?" She immediately answered and said, "Moyo, these people have money!" I paused, then answered, "not everyone that looks extravagant on the outside or dresses very well have money on them. They may have financial challenges underneath those good looks; it is possible they have struggles beneath those extravagant attires." Just like the city of Jericho, its situation on the outside, to passersby, seem very pleasant but the in-dwellers know what they are passing through - the water was bad and the ground barren!

Hi there, does that seem like a description of your life, your job, your marriage, your academics, your career, your ministry, your spiritual life, or your relationship. People are seeing a very colourful home, a sweet matrimony, a stress-free academic life, a glorious ministry, a wonderful and well-paid job on the outside whereas what you are passing through on the inside, only you knows. You know very much well where the shoe is pinching.

You know when you buy a new pair of shoes, sometimes before the shoes get used to your feet, it takes a while. It pinches deep within and sometimes get uncomfortable but people looking at the new shoes on you would compliment, "oh, those are nice" and I trust you to say, "awww, thank you."

So what's God saying about your situation? Elisha said to the people in verse 20, "Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it". What that signifies is God is set to give you a new life (new bowl) and make your life sweet (salt). You know something about salt, everyone can taste it. Its effect is evident to all when tasted. You are the salt and light of this world; you are a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Your glory will burst forth and you will no longer know bitterness nor barrenness. You have a new story from now on in Jesus' name. Have a great week and do not forget, Jesus is on your case!

Your seed today

While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease - Genesis 8:22

There are four things here that God said will never cease on earth; seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night. It is interesting to know that these four things have remained since that proclamation was made. Nothing can change it; they have been destined to remain and not cease. These four things do not care whether you are educated or illiterate; old or young;  married, single or engaged; you live in a developed world or not, weak or strong; they don't care. The fact that you are educated does not mean the sun won't come out when it should. The fact that you are have a PhD does not mean you can control how long summer would last. It just happens and needs no contribution of yours. The four of them impacts the everyday life of man. Everyday a man sows, everyday he reaps. So long as you are living on this earth, you cannot run away from them. It might interest you to know that the devil has no control over the four.

Three out of these four things, man can do nothing about; cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night. But seedtime and harvest, man has a hand in what he can input to get his desired output. The seed you sow determines the harvest you'd receive. Every areas of a man's life is influenced by seedtime and harvest. What you are experiencing today is a function of the seed you've sown in the past. You need to then learn how to sow good seeds if you must reap good harvest. Sow good seeds into your marriage by honouring your spouse daily; sow good seed into your job by being hardworking and not always grumpy because its not the best place for you; sow good seed into your nation by praying for it even though it looks way below what you desire today; sow good seed into your future by thinking and speaking positively about it... Remember, what you sow, not what you show, you will reap.

You cannot control summer and winter, neither can you control day and night nor cold and heat but you can control the kind of seed you sow. There is a seed in everyday to sow: the food you eat is a seed into your lifespan and health tomorrow; the way you behave to your spouse is a seed into your home tomorrow; whether little or much. Find it, sow a very good one so you can secure your future. I'd end with this, a farmer once said, "if you want to maintain the quality of your harvest, you have to maintain the quality of your seed".

Sow good seeds everyday of this week. God bless you :)

Seek Ye His Kingdom

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you - Matthew 6:33

While this seem a very popular scripture, I got a dimension from it that I guess I'd never recover from all my life at church on Sunday. Many Christians today seem to have forgotten that their lives are not governed by the government of this world. Their future is not determined by the state of the economy of their country. As a result, they think until there is a perfect government in place, they cannot make it; until a christian gets into power, life would be miserable for them. The truth is, our lives as children of God should be lived according to the government of heaven - the kingdom of God. How do we live this way...?

We must subject and direct all our aspirations, dreams, visions and hopes towards the kingdom of heaven. We must not aspire to be rich only for our comfort and selfishness but to be a kingdom bearer and a soul winner. Much of what people do nowadays is to keep themselves in the rat race. The truth about the rat race, as Pastor Sam Adeyemi remarked, is that, "...even if you win the rat race, you are still a rat".

The greatest aspiration of life is not in the pursuit of material things but in the pursuit of the heavenly kingdom. Real money/wealth is not in the counting but in value and value is embedded on the inside not outside. Recall, "it is the blessing of God that makes rich and adds no sorrow". What it adds are honour, peace of mind, glory and success. Let this orientation go with you this week and beyond.

Have a great week :)

Our God is a Possibilitist!

I was privileged to speak in one of RCCG's parishes in Lagos last week Sunday and I would love to share on this platform what I preached on that day. I titled it 'Reality Vs Possibility'. I affirmed that our God is not a realist. As a matter of fact, should there be a word in the dictionary called possibilitist, that's our God. Moreover, we His children should take after Him. It's high time we graduate from the level of realists [walking by sight] to becoming possibilitists [walking by faith]. The bible talks about our God in Romans, "...even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were."

I went on to put forward a mathematically equation based on Matthew 19:26, "But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

 equation (i) - With men this is impossible                --> X + Men = Impossibility [Where X = Reality]

equation (ii) - But with God all things are possible  --> X + God = Possibility [Where X = Reality]

Let's take some cases from the scripture, so we can come to full understanding of this mathematics.

1. When David was about to go face Goliath; on his way, he went to see Saul, the King. Saul's assessment of David was based on reality when he said, "David, you are not able..." [1 Sam 17:32-33]. But as soon as David heard that, he was not moved; he quickly added God to his equation such that when he got to Goliath, he proclaimed, "the same God that delivered me out of the hands of the Lion and the beer..." The result of that day = POSSIBILITY!

2. At the feeding of the 5,000 men the other day. Reality was that five loaves and two fishes could never have been enough for three people talkless of 5,000 men [minus their wives and kids]. Possibility came to fore when Jesus took the five loaves and two fishes up and said, "Father, I thank you because you always hear me". When God was added to the equation, reality became POSSIBILITY.

Listen to me; what is the reality of your life at this present moment? You have been looking for a job since the last 3 months; everything you have been doing in that office of yours appears as if its contributing to your own downfall; your relationship/marriage have not been going rosy for sometime now; that sickness seem to be getting the better part of your emotions and finances; your bank account is going read right before your very  eyes; I challenge you to add 'G.O.D' to your reality and I assure you that the result will not be different from the two cases I have give up there. Your God is a possibilitist therefore, all your issues will become possible. Just add him to the equation and I assure you, all will be well.

Have a great week ahead :)

Do Not Forget!

Last week, we touched on not forgetting all God has done for us, not only through the year but since we've been born till now. God has been awesome! This week, we are continuing on that same series "and forget not". In the book of Lamentations chapter 3 from verses 1-19... Jeremiah recounted all the afflictions he had passed through. How he had gone through pain, agony, infirmities, troubles and tribulations. Moreover, starting from verses 20 and 21, He said "My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope" Jeremiah, did not forget; He did not forget how God saw him through those times; he refused to forget how God delivered him; he chose to remember God's ever present help character in His time of trouble.

In verses 22 and 23, Jeremiah the attributed his saving grace to the mercy and compassion of the Lord on His life. I would like to stress that Jeremiah's acknowledge is a fact. Without God's mercies upon our lives, we'd have been consumed. "They are new every morning, great is His faithfulness." His mercies saw us through and that is why we are alive today. Where I come from, we often say "many waters have passed under the bridge but the bridge is still standing". God has been our rock, our shield and our refuge. He is worthy of all our thanks and praise. As we go this week, lets choose to be like Jeremiah, and not forget all of God's blessings upon our lives. Shalom!

As you finish reading, please do not forget to click the share icon to relate this message to whoever needs it around you. God bless you mightily.

And FORGET NOT!

Welcome once again to another edition of winning word for the week. Its almost the beginning of another month - September. In Nigeria, where I come from, we call September and subsequent months, the "-ber" months. They signify that the year is rounding off. I am made to understand from the scriptures that the end of a thing is better than the beginning thereof. In other words, God is set to do great and mighty things more than the ones He has done in the past for us. You'd agree with me that in January, He was awesome; in February, He was fantastic; in March, He gave it all; in April, He was faithful; in May, He was all sufficient... all through the year, God has been good to us. Hence, through the month starting from this week, I'd be doing a series I title "...AND FORGET NOT!"

Often times we tend to easily forget the great and mighty things God has done in our lives; especially at times when things are not going the way we want. This season of the year, as its rounding off, God wants us to be more appreciating of His blessings; not forgetting the things He has done for us and in our lives. This week, He talks to us from Psalm 103v2 "Bless the Lord oh my soul and FORGET NOT all His benefits" All through this month, I'd be sharing with us short stories of great things God has done in my life. I'd begin with one this week.

On my day of birth, I was made to understand that I was not born alive like most babies. I did not cry out with the sound of a new born baby. In other words, I was born dead. But God in His infinite mercies, had a purpose for my life greater than what the world had for me. He had me in His plans and was not going to watch me die at birth. I was told the midwife of the Mission clinic I was born at took me in her hands and said "Lord, I have made a covenant with you that no child will die in this clinic" and she prayed and as soon as she was done praying, I cried out miraculously like every other baby. Isn't that amazing. That is one thing I always remember at every day I celebrate my birthday. God is awesome!

As you go this week, set it on your heart to be appreciating of His goodness. Set it on your mind to be thankful of the great things he has wrought in your family, academics, church, home, business, work, career - everything! Give Him thanks and FORGET NOT! As you do that, I am more than sure you are setting up yourself for the END of a thing that is EVER GREATER than the beginning. God will show Himself mighty on your behalf.

NB: If you want to encourage us with a testimony of God's goodness in your life too; do not hesitate to put it on the comment section of this note, on the wall of our group on facebook or if you want me to share your testimony in subsequent episode, you could flick me an email at samuel@dynamiqueprofesseur.com

Thanks and God bless you. Don't forget to hit the share button as soon as you are done reading this. Get others to be blessed. See you again next week:)

Now Unto Him

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think, according to the power that works in us" - Ephesians 3v20

I am going to highlight a few things from that verse...

The first thing is "Now to Him..." That perhaps I feel is the most important part of that verse as I feel God is calling our focus, not to money, not to fame, not to men around us, not to our family to support us, not to our bosses, not to our uncles or aunts; but NOW to Him. If you notice the Him starts with a capital letter. Its a call to the author and finisher of our faith, to our redeemer, to the King of kings, to the Lord of lords, to the Prince of peace, to our present help in times of need.

This week, I believe God wants us to focus on Him. The bible says "looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith" - Hebrew 12v2. NOW TO HIM. About that project this week - Now to Him; about your academics, Now to Him. That verse for this week goes on to say "...to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly..." It is when we focus on Him that he would do exceedingly abundantly, and not only that, beyond our asking, our imagination, our thinking. Sounds Awesome.

I pray that this week, God will give us grace to set our eyes on Him. Look to Him the author and finisher of our faith and not unto any man. As we do that, the lines will fall unto us in pleasant places. Thank you once again for reading this week. Catch you again next week.

As I'd always say; should there be anyone you can bless by this message, don't forget to share it. God bless you mightily.