BOYS IN THE KITCHEN

BOYS IN THE KITCHEN

photo credit: google images

So, my mother in the LORD is an interesting personality; kind-hearted and GOD loving. I think I should see my father for such an anointing to choose and choose well. Ha-ha!

It was time for celebration. Our unshakable aunt was half a century old and the family decided to celebrate her in a grand style. We started preparations towards this event. The canopies came in, followed by tables and chairs, then the decorations, and the to-do list kept unfolding.

I found myself in the kitchen with some brothers and my mother in the LORD. The ladies were out, leaving us with mummy. This was an opportunity to show mummy we will certainly survive should our wives travel.

Mummy was so busy putting things in place, making sure everything was perfectly done and that for me was too much work for her. She got close to the sink to do the dishes and I was like “where is my head”.

In Africa especially Ghana, you must be psychologically imbalance to watch your parents do the dishes unless under special cases where they feel or insist on doing them.

I offered to help do the dishes yet mummy wouldn’t let go. Finally she was convinced and I took over. In my mind I was going to wash dishes; little did I know I had entered a classroom.

I picked one bowl, rubbing my fingers in it trying to check how dirty it could be since it looked clean to me. It felt smooth but I looked at my fingers and saw dust; that confirmed it needed a wash.

After washing I rubbed again, this time around it felt rough. I checked my fingers and there was no dust. I stood there for some time thinking about what I had just discovered.

When the bowl was dirty, it had a smooth feel but when clean it felt very rough.

This is what I learnt:

It is a very smooth and enjoyable life if you want to live in dirt as a Christian, you tend to satisfy your lustful desires anytime they pop up but you can’t say same for trying to lead a chaste life. You have to battle the lust of the flesh, call out for peace when lust starts the war in your mind, initiate self-control, and in some cases call out for backup by praying to GOD.

 This road is indeed a rough one but like the clean bowl, in the long run when you are inspected, you will definitely be selected because you are clean and qualified to be used to serve.

Don’t be smooth and be dumped on the day of celebration, go the rough way and be chosen for merry making.

Read,enjoy, share and comment

Thank you.

THE GREATEST BOXER OF ALL TIME

THE GREATEST BOXER OF ALL TIME

                                              Photo credit:  creative market.com

I was in West Africa but felt so close to the noise, amusement and anticipation that surrounded the announcement of the bout between Floyd Mayweather and McGregor. World media succeeded in making a lot of boxing enthusiast out of this announcement because it was a match you wouldn’t want to miss.

 The build-up and interviews towards this event just escalated the interest of people, because now, all were curious about the results of the bout based on comments from both athletes.

One day I sat and thought through this event of life and the level of attention it had being given, all because it involved two champions who had made their marks in their respective divisions and deserved all the respect they both commanded.

Delving deeper into my thoughts I figured out there was a secret champion in life men have chosen to ignore and also to give 0% anticipation to HIS bout, even though HE is an undisputed champion, never lost a bout and will never loose a bout.

HE is the only champion knocks you down and out without throwing a fist but with HIS name. (Philippians 2:10, that at the name JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth)

A champion who never uses HIS fist because records have it that no one can stand HIS wrath.  (Revelation 6:17, for the great day of HIS wrath is come and who can shall be able to stand?)

HE is the only champion who defeats out of love for love and in love. HE is a champion to behold, a fighter to enjoy, and yet the cameras frown at HIM  denying HIM the audience He deserves, the doors of anticipation shuts at HIS name blinding people about HIS reign and second coming. 

HIS interviews are echoes in an empty room, no one to hear HIM, and no one to cheer HIM on.

HE bypasses all these ill-moments and always steps in the ring to fight my battles for me. Now I hold the “MORE THAN A CONQUEROR” title in all divisions yet never came or sat close to the boxing ring.

 I don’t know about you but I think, HE deserves my full attention and I’m anticipating HIS return to reign as the champion HE was, HE is, and will always be.

Thank you.

DEFORMED BECAUSE OF LOVE

DEFORMED BECAUSE OF LOVE

Photo credit: My shorttakes.com

I’m confused trying to wrap my head around this whole issue of love. I don’t seem to get it; whether to run into it or away from it anytime I see it.  Run away and your life is miserable, run into it and loved ones make it miserable.

We have heard of people who committed suicide because the bridge of love which leads to happiness failed them along the way. Some fortunate ones only went mad with dying hopes of recovery; others have also given up on life leaving everything to chance. They care less about what happens; be it good or bad. My question is: why is this so?

As I listened to my pastor preach on Sunday about JESUS. He drew my mind to some interesting things CHRIST had to live with because of the love HE had for mankind.

From biblical descriptions and history, our saviour JESUS was beaten to the point of deformity where you couldn’t make out HIS face, which is not even my point. Glory be to GOD that our JESUS resurrected on the 3^rd day after burial to fulfill HIS purpose and calling on earth.

The bible also gives account of HIS life after resurrection where HE did many wonders. In one of these accounts, HE visited HIS disciples in the absence of Thomas, one of the disciples, who upon hearing the news of the visit doubted what his fellow disciples disclosed to him.

JESUS visited the second time when Thomas was present among the disciples. HE beckoned unto him to come feel the marks on HIS hands, thrusting his hands into HIS sides.

“Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27).

What beats my human thinking is the fact that the life HE lived after resurrection was quite different from that of before.

 For example, before HIS death, HE would enter through the door into a room which was the norm. After resurrection, HE appeared in a room without using the door, pointing out the kind and level of life HE was living; this was proof that HE was indeed a new man now.

CHRIST changed HIS approach to matters after resurrection. HE even changed HIS countenance. Mary spotted HIM at the cemetery and thought HIM to be the gardener until HE revealed HIMSELF unto her as JESUS.

“JESUS said unto her, woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She supposing HIM to be the gardener, saith unto HIM, sir, if thou have borne HIM hence tell me where thou hast laid HIM, and I will take HIM away” (John 20:15 KJV)

Interestingly, what CHRIST couldn’t change about HIMSELF after resurrection were the marks inflicted upon HIM as a result of the harsh maltreatment HE received from the roman soldiers. HOW DO I KNOW THIS? In John 20:27, HE called upon Thomas to reach out his hand thrusting it through HIS sides indicating that the deformities from the scourge were still with HIM.

Now this is the power of love: the deformities HE incurred because of love were still with HIM even after resurrection when a lot about HIM had changed.

Indeed LOVE is a powerful tool, because GOD is love and love is GOD.

MY PLIGHT AGAINST THE CHRIST

                                     MY PLIGHT AGAINST THE CHRIST

So I met JESUS on the high way, and as usual i took a bow to show reverence to HIM. HE held my hand up with a faint smile on HIS face and embraced me . HE asked about my destination and I told HIM  I had a case in the court of heaven. 

which case is that; HE asked? A personal one; was my response.Talk to me HE said.

Told HIM , I am angry and sometimes i feel disappointed in HIM and HIS FATHER even though I still believe AND TRUST IN THEM. In my hands was a printed version of the numerous prophesies and words I had received from HIS prophets and servants on earth.

I showed him the “pink sheet” which had the list of prophesies and words for my life. HE took it from my hand and seemingly scanned through them as if he was checking something out. HE then beckoned on me to come see something. HE drew from HIS pocket the original sheets which had my name boldly written on it and every single prophesy or word for my life, then HE said to me this is the original copy.

In a shock I asked if all these things were really going to happen to me on earth? Again HE smiled at me and answered yes.

 So why……… were the few words I was allowed to say because HE picked the question from my mind and started answering me.

With HIS hands on my shoulders, “Samuel” HE mentioned my name, I feel your pain and disappointment, and you have every right to be, because I feel disappointed sometimes in you too yet I still love and believe in you.

You only get wet  when you are walking, dancing or running in the rain. Hide under an umbrella or a shade and you wouldn’t be beaten by the rain.

 A flood only sweeps what is in its way, but leaves the others unharmed.

A prophesy released unto your life is just like a key to your unseen future, and with this key you open the doors to the unseen future.

Once again a prophesy is manifested on the wings of prayer, which is the force with which the keys are turned to open the doors. Now ,this is why your prophesies seem not to be manifesting.

I nodded several times in agreement with what HE said. Thank you JESUS, I REST MY CASE THEN.

Can I have the original copy I asked? No HE answered

Why? Because you can’t handle it HE exclaimed.

Felt a soft touch on my forehead, opened my eyes and realised I was still in bed in my room. It was all a dream and I enjoyed it.

THANK YOU.

THE TEA BAG

                                            

                                                      Photo Credit: Google

                                                                       
                                                       THE TEA BAG

It’s funny how life has so much teaching in it yet most often than not we fail to see what life tries to teach us at any point in time. Something as simple as even brushing your teeth in the morning can be a great lesson which will help you at a point in your life.

In the evening I decided to prepare myself some tea before going to bed, and I was amazed the lessons tea thought me.

Tea is actually a simple meal to prepare. All you need is a cup, hot water, and a stomach to receive it. Sugar and milk are quite optional additives.

Remove a tea bag from its box and drop it into a cup of hot water. After a minute or two your tea is prepared. You then add sugar or milk to taste, and there you go, tea is ready. Such a simple process to put smiles on your face. But something struck me about this simple process.

The final stage or the purpose of a tea bag in its life time is to be used to prepare tea, in other words the end product of a tea bag is tea. But let’s look at the process it had to face to bring out its purpose.

First and foremost, it is picked from its box alone and drowned in a cup full of hot water, what does this mean?

 GOD said to HIS friend Abraham that HE should separate himself from his father’s house and go where HE the LORD will show him because it was time for him to pursue his GOD given purpose on earth. It was time for him to be made a tea, therefore he separated himself from family, friends and loved ones. The tea bag like Abraham is separated from other tea bags because its time to make tea.

Secondly, it is drowned in hot water for steeping/brewing. I have personally not being drowned in water before, but the level of pain we express towards such  on our TV screens when they are reported shows that it’s not a nice one.

 we may not be drowned in water ,but we are drowned in various issues and problems of life. We chock for breath beneath such problems and issues hoping to come up the surface of such occurrences and gape for some air into our systems. 

Not only is the bag drowned, but it is also taken out of its comfort zone to a much discomforting zone all in the name of fulfilling its purpose of tea. In its packaged box it enjoys normal room temperature, and time with other teabags. But it is taken and drowned in a hot temperature arena where it stays till tea is ready.

What am I saying here?

The good book says in Isaiah 46:10, GOD knows the end from the beginning. So HE actually knows and understand your purpose, and for its manifestation you need to be processed.  Like a tea bag our purpose on earth is to make tea, and until we go through the processes listed above we will still remain tea bags.

Have you realized that the teabag has the ability to change the taste and colour of the hot water it is being drowned in. yes! That is your substance. In such difficult times, the problems and issues are supposed to change colour and taste because of the substance you carry in you.

Another interesting part of this process is the fact that after tea is made, that is after the real substance is obtained the residue is taken out and thrown away. The best and needed part of you remains with you for further future battles whereas the negative mind-sets, disregard, disrespect, self –denials and the like are thrown away.  

Living your GOD given life can be very simple like the preparation of tea, but the processes involved is an uphill task. The good news here is the fact that GOD is the CHEF and with you as the tea bag, you can trust HIM to prepare a good tea for you.

so in conclusion,

Be ready to be steeped, and to be stirred to prepare a good tea for consumption.

 Thank you.  

BY THE WELL, BUT IT'S NOT WELL

BY THE WELL, BUT IT'S WELL

I came across an interesting story in the book of john chapter 4, where JESUS was moving from Judea to galilee because the Pharisees had taken notice of his unprecedented increase in winning and baptizing souls unto GOD.

Something struck me about this journey. JESUS being the leader saw the need to draw HIS disciples away from the famous trouble makers in Judea, that is the Pharisees, and to accomplish this ,HE took them on a voyage to Galilee.

The bible says in verse 4 of the chapter that HE must needs go through Samaria, meaning there was a special purpose for routing Samaria.

The story continues in the verse 5, where he goes to Sychar a town in Samaria. Sychar in the Greek is Suchar which has its origin from the word Shekar meaning an intoxicant that is, highly alcoholic. At an intoxicant area, the bible says JESUS was weary.

Intoxicant (Sychar) here represents discomfort. JESUS in Sychar can be likened to fixing a square peg in a round whole. The man had so much purity in HIM that such an intoxicated area  should have been an allergy to HIM. At this point HE could have used the help of HIS disciples yet they  had left HIM in pursuit of food and HE was left alone in discomfort.

Many a time, this is the case with our leaders both in church and at work. They are always there to support us and give us the necessary dosages of encouragement to rise again unto our feet, but they are left alone in such situations.  This is for another day.

 Keenly following the story, the disciples returned with what they thought would help JESUS, that is, food. Then said HE to them, ‘I have food to eat that you know not about’, in other words the reason why they left HIM was irrelevant, because if it was for food then HE had food they knew not about.

Once again, I was hoping that scriptures would have captured where JESUS finally drunk from the well, or from the ladies bucket so as to quench HIS thirst and revive HIMSELF from weariness, but we only saw HIM prepared and excited about the food the disciples knew not, which HE was about to eat.

JESUS got weary, and landed in discomfort because HE had not gone about HIS FATHER’S business, which happens to be the purpose for HIS very existence. Just some hours, or days off HIS purpose, the bible says HE grew weary. To get back HIS strength HE looks out for the opportunity in the woman at the well to reach out to people.

 Your purpose on earth should be your source of encouragement and a point from which you draw your strength. The good book says  in Hebrews 12:2b, that  JESUS  for the joy that was set before HIM endured the cross and despised the shame and has sat down on the right hand of GOD’S throne.

Don’t grow weary, keep up the good work ,  be focused and fulfil your purpose. Every second of your life counts. 

Read, like, and drop your comment.

 Thank you

INDESTRUCTIBLE

                                             

    

 Paint me black and I will bask  as white as snow in the sun

 Crush me into stones and I will form an integral part of the strength in your build up.

 Kill me here and my arms will be widely opened over there to embrace you.

Shatter my dreams and aspirations and you will find success knocking at my door for entry.

 Burry me under the soil and I will sprout out with many branches and fruit.

Hide me in the dark in the night and the sun will give me up during the day.

Throw me into the deepest part of the sea and I will hold meetings with the most high in the stomach of a fish.  

Kill me a billion times and I will rise up a billion times. The seed GOD planted in me was an indestructible one.

 I never deteriorate, I never go extinct, no amount of energy can destroy me.

I am unimaginably indestructible; the seed in me is the seed of the most high GOD.

So devil let me save you the burden of labour. Spend your time seeking for repentance and salvation than seeking for my failure and shame.

Indeed you rested not until you have destroyed. So then congratulation on your vain labour because I am made of an indestructible seed and that is the seed of GOD in me. 

I am who GOD says I am and not what you would want me to be.

                                                                                                                                          Yours faithfully,

                                                                                                                                            GODS’ Seed.