CHURCH

          While I ironed my clothes to prepare for today’s Sunday service, so many thoughts filtered through my mind, but the one that clicked was that “today, 30^th of Dec, 2012, was the last Sunday in the month and in the year 2013”...Hmm! it has been a long journey I thought; if I were to be a pastor, this is one of the “rightest” moments to do a spirit controlled thanksgiving. An opportunity to just appreciate God for all the things he had done, from January to December. OMG! it has been about 52 Sundays, wonderful experiences in God’s presence irrespective of environmental conditions. Fortunately for me, I spent most of my times in “The place where good things never cease”; do you know where that is? My fellow house members would have started echoing in their minds: This is CU- NIFES.

          This blog post is meant to be about SUNDAY and GOING to church, but I think there is no harm in giving a testimony of what the house he put me in has done in my life.  In my few services in school, I have learnt to always come to every service with an expectant heart, heard words that pierced and oriented my life for a better status in Christ, rejoiced and praised God in diverse songs, that I can lose it praising my dad( A little understanding of the Davidic dance), what it means to be in a family that cares about your general well being, a family that cares about every fabric of human lives as demonstrated in their arms : Rural Crusaders Activity Group(RCA),Campus Discipleship Activity group (CDA), Children Evangelical Ministries (CEM), Secondary school visitations (SSV), HOP( Hospitals and Prisons), CCE (Campus city Evangelism)...etc all these activity groups are ran with the assistance of God by students in school(where else would I have been?)... one of the greatest changes this house brought to my life was acceptability and dynamism; breaking the chains of denomination- The church I go doesn’t matter in my relating with someone from another denomination, I was taught to look at the common factor (JESUS) and throw away the differences, scriptures as the only doctrine (Anything outside it is not for my health)......the list is endless. Thank God for such a home, when I have somewhere Like that to look up to every Sunday,"wetin go make me miss sunday service"(pidgin)

          Anyway, back to the crux of the matter. CHURCH! Why must I go to church? Is it necessary? Why do people go to church? The beauty of Christianity is most times experienced when there are people around you with like minds. One of the reasons Christianity spread like a wild fire in the days of the old, was the communal living and family living formulated and structured into the framework called CHURCH. Going to church is good for you , because ; scripture puts it in this way in Heb 10:25 “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.(NIV)” the same scripture in another translation reads “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near(New living Translation)”. It brings an avenue, for children of the same father, to come together, sitting at the feet of papa and hearing him talk to them, to encourage a relationship for positive influence, to encourage and exhort one another, to pull up one another when one falls, to help you out when you are confused... it is very necessary we go to church (Don’t ask me maybe if you don’t go wont you make Heaven? I do not know. But the merits available here is worth it), even when Christ was to talk to John in the book of revelations, he related to the people of that time based on churches, it is an institution that has Christ right at the foundation of its root “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.(New Living Translation (©2007)” ,I sure cannot guarantee you about what is available if you do not go, but I can assure you of the availabilities involved when you go to a REAL one.

          My emphasis on the REAL in the previous paragraph is intentional, because for everything that God created, Satan has his own replica... he could not have Holy spirit- he brought about familiar spirits, he could not have angels – he had demons, so also since Christ has a church, he has so many look alike of the churches, that is why you have to be careful where you worship. Armed by the spirit of God in you, the decision though confusing as it may be ... is made easy. All the merits available in a CHURCH, the look alike are present in what they call a “church”; it is my prayer that everyone reading this piece, find or is in the right place in Jesus name.

          What is not? Church is not a cinema- you do not come to be entertained but to be ministered to, church is not a fashion run way- it is not a place for display of wealth in clothes and cars but there is no sin in looking good and riding a nice car, if the motive is not to oppress, church is not a money making business or venture – Giving is scriptural and encouraged, for the work of the ministry to move forward. And sincerely, God blesses a cheerful giver, Church is not a Deliverance Centre – but you can sure go there and get your deliverance from issues and other oppressions, Church is not a place for catching wives and Husbands – but it is not a crime, if two people genuinely meet themselves in a church, Church is not a psychiatric Hospital or Emotional Relief centre – But you sure can be relieved of every weights, healed from every sicknesses, given piece...WHY? Because the prince of peace is always present and he said come unto me all ye that labour and I will give you rest (Matt 11:25 -30), Church is not a talent show off -  but you sure can express your talents and gifts  in praises to God, with the sincerity of heart, Church is not a place for spiritual competition- Because all of us received grace unmerited and righteousness by virtue of our belief in Christ Jesus, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish...(John 3 : 16), None became righteous by works, for our righteousness is like a filthy rag in his sight... live right with people, knowing full well that they are co-heirs with you and not competitors, it is not first to get to heaven...it is we all get there together.

          Forget what people have turned it to be, hinge on the right way it should be, look for a bible believing and truth speaking church(under the guidance of the holy ghost) and do not miss your Sunday services( Your week day services are also important), for in each service, God has something for his people. Yes, there are so many complaints here and there, the church has being divided into different sections( Denominations) with some thinking heaven is meant for only them and so many other doctrinal complications, but be not moved...for on Christ the solid rock we stand. Be like the Berean Christians, search the scriptures, pray and cultivate a personal relationship; for in him alone is grace, peace and sufficiency found. Without him, you can do nothing (John 15: 3-5)

           Brethren, May God bless us, even as we go to church; preach Christ and not denomination name, Preach Christ and not your pastors Testimony... Let all things be hinged on him, he is the author and finisher of our faith. When you are confused, run to him. Let him be the focal point of your salvation, because through him alone was he gotten and in him alone was salvation found.

          Probably, there is someone reading this, that has not given his life to Christ, has church been a church goer or is not even going at all... there is still chance and Hope, Give  your life to Jesus today and enjoy unlimited Peace and relationship beyond limit. The works of the cross, defies human understanding and the benefits are unlimited, ACCEPT him today and enjoy. All it takes is just for you to believe!!!

          I pray for all who have read this, that understanding from the throne of grace showers on you. Let your Light so shine before men, that they might see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven. God Bless You

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JESUS:GRACE

“So much for the message of the third Day... the same scriptures but different interpretations. Some even get it right and probably mistakenly preach error at one point in time of their ministry (some later get it right and tell the pple the right tin, while some never get the opportunity). The best way to survive in this terrain is to get to know God for you (a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP)”

          While writing the above excerpts on Facebook as a post, more extensive revelations flooded my mind and I reasoned: “why not blog this”. The varying messages on these last times are signs of the fulfilment of scriptures, ears with get itchy; wanting to hear what they want or what they think is right “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” ( 2Tim 4:3 NIV).

          I am not worthy to judge anybody’s calling, who am I? For in me also was the gift of righteousness imputed, without works I received righteousness   and was justified by my faith in him. Hence, I do not possess a spiritual thermometer to measure someone’s spirituality, it is between them and God (it’s just that, sometimes some things are obvious to be corrected and God can send you to talk to persons based on individual unique situations). Hence I will not attack any pastor’s personality, because, there was a time we all at one point in time had limited understanding and in our desire and zeal for the work of God, we preached that i.e.  Nobody is beyond misinterpretation of scriptures at one point in time of their lives. But it is not Gods desire that we remain in that situation, and that is why he brings to us the right interpretation of scriptures, with his spirit within us acting as witness when the correct gospel or teaching is taught.

          My main Trust for this message today, is the confusion amidst brethren on whose interpretation of Grace is correct? What is really grace? What does it give room for?  Do I still make it to heaven, irrespective of the way I act here on earth; so far I am saved? Don’t good works matter anymore? Does justification by faith means acting irresponsibly here on earth, because I believe I cannot lose my salvation? The questions are too numerous to answer. Ardent followers of Joseph Prince and Andrew Warmack will be waiting to hear my reaction to the question above. I will try not to disappoint, this is what I think? I am not going to jump into the argument and say this people are correct and these people are wrong... No I am not going to do that.

          Yes, we are justified by our faith and not by works (Rom. 5:9, 1 Pet. 2:24, 2 Cor. 5:21, Rom. 5:1, Rom. 3:28), everything we have today , all things that are pertaining to life and Godliness were and are achieved through our faith in Jesus Christ.  The totality of our life as Christians comes from Christ, without him we can do nothing (John 15: 5).  Scripture also says let your light so shine before men, that they might see your good works and glorify your father who is heaven( Matt 5: 16). Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them,( James 2 : 26,2 Timothy 3:17, Titus 1 : 16, 2 Cor 5 : 10, Titus 2:14 “ Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works”, Hebrews 10:26-31,).

          I want us to allow scripture speak for himself, and that’s why I will not try to explain anything, the paragraph above have brought together, the bone of contention. Every Christian has in him the spirit of God, the seal of our salvation, he bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God... When Christ was leaving, he told us that the spirit of God will lead us into all truths, so as we study the above let us try as much as possible as we can to get to hear from him and work out our salvation, in a way that is pleasing to daddy. Do not allow anybody’s teaching, mutilate your relationship with daddy... though we still have good teachings, listen to them and learn, because the word of the lord... (Heb 4:12), but let the spirit of God in you act as a funnel, a continuous stay in his presence will help you know when it is him...for my sheep hears my voice.

           Now, my view in concise, scripture says that the just shall live by faith, our lives as Christians (righteous people through Christ Jesus) is directed and should be directed by the leading of the seal of our righteousness in Christ Jesus – The holy spirit. No Wonder scripture says that walk in the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh ( Gal 5 ; 16). It is not me to join in the argument that once you are saved, you are forever saved? “You cannot lose your salvation”...those are not my business, why major on the minor. What concerns me is living my like everyday like Christ, because that was the reason for his coming, what is my business is showing forth to the world in all sincerity the goodness that emanates from his love, what is my business is growing deeper and deeper in my relationship with the father, why bother about the extent of grace or whether I can lose salvation; when I am not planning on losing it for anything and I am enjoying my relationship with Grace (Jesus). Christians! It is my humble submission that we stop trying to be one side of the argument and be on the side of the father; come, sit at his feet and learn of him( Matt 11 :25 -30). Enjoy Gods love for you and live out that love,  I do the things I do or refuse to do the things I do not because they are laws or religion, but because the love of my father constrains me....LET US COME OUT THIS CONFUSION and set our eyes on Jesus, looking only unto him, for he is the author and finisher of our faith. Abide in him and he in you( John 15: 3-5), in him only do you find rest and peace, the world cannot offer it, understanding of the preaching of any preacher  as he brings out the gospel “might” not stand the test of time, what stands the test of time is your personal relationship with Christ. Please for God sake, stop the accumulation of Knowledge tearing Christendom apart and focus on the common factor, Jesus....he never fails .

 I am a product of grace, my life is in existence because of grace, I will die in grace (its left to you to decide maybe it is radical or not), but what my grace explains to me, is that I should be Christ like, that where sin Abounds; grace abounds much more, that he that is born of God, does not continue in sin..... Grace explains to me that when I fall short, he is always there for me, to raise me up, and make me whole, GRACE  TELLS ME , that he loves me and hates sin; hence he does everything to keep me away from sin.... Grace tells me that I need to be prefect as my father in heaven is perfect, GRACE tells me that I am not more righteous than anybody, because the same amount of righteousness is imputed to all who believe, what separates me is how much I Understand. I will not join the argument, because they all have the point to prove, but I look at the common factor and cling on him, His name is JESUS... HE IS GRACE......leave all the confusion and have a personal Relationship with Him... That is where grace is fully expressed..#2013

One of My Assignments in 200LVL

The statement “The grass is always greener on my neighbour’s lawn” could be said to stem from a popular idiom that says “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” which is said about people who never seem happy with what they have and always think that other people have a better situation than they have (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary). Before analyzing and appraising the whole sentence let me break it into two phrases:  “The grass is always greener” and “On my neighbour’s lawn”, the former could be said to mean better comfort, living, situation, circumstances etc something very positive while the latter tells of the fact that it is not for you, it is for a neighbour (contemporaries, colleagues, enemies, friends etc). The saying is also literally true as it has been demonstrated by James Pomerantz in a scientific article on “The grass is always greener: An Ecological Analysis of an Old Aphorism” (1983). This scholar proves that optical and perceptual laws alone will make the grass at a distance look greener to the human eye than the blades of a grass perpendicular to the ground.

Furthermore, with the background above, the thought patterns of a cross section of people in the world today is captured excellently. Many people are of the view that the situation of life of the person(s) around them would have been more befitting than their own condition. There is a myriad of situations to which this saying can apply, but worthy of note are these three different situations: someone who is envious of the exploit of the neighbour (covetous and greedy), someone who has a low self esteem (very unappreciative of the works of his hands) and someone who is not happy with his present condition; but he is encouraged by the exploit of his neighbour, hence wanting to do better. It can also be used for consolation, you complain to a friend of your status, comparing yourself to some else; the person says this to mean that’s how life is.

However for the purpose of this piece I will be focusing on the part of someone who is just sad about his situation, and as a result being blinded by the supposedly greener pasture on the neighbour’s lawn, not allowing him to see opportunities that are available on his own lawn. The insinuation of this saying to real life situation is relevant as a result of the fact that people are always comparing themselves to other people. Majority of the times assertion of a greener grass is pictured, as regards the perspective in which  I have decided to focus my write-up, it is viewed from a rose coloured spectacles, downplaying all the positives available on your own lawn. Looking at a situation from afar off can most times not be as rosy as it looks when you get closer i.e. getting a better understanding of the situation, sometimes the person you count as having greener grasses on his/ her lawn might see you in the same vein. It is human nature to want what you do not have, but in doing this we most times fail to acknowledge the complexities and challenges that come along with getting that thing which you do not have.

One of the major themes of this saying is envy and it blinds your eyes to what you have in common with a counterpart, and only opens your eyes to the things you think sets him above you not particularly to motivate you towards a better performance, but to engender strive through unhealthy competition. From the above statement, it could be derived that both have a lawn, both lawns have grass, the grass on both sides is green but what is being concentrated upon is the feelings (either real or imagined) that the grass on the other side is greener. “Where envy and selfish ambition exist, there you find disorder and every evil” (James 3: 16). The above verse from the bible emphasises the volatility of the situation, as it gives the opportunity for so many vices to find their way into the state of affairs. The yardstick for measuring how green a grass is one of the most subjective elements of this discussion, and one of the mistakes most people make is measuring standards according to lifestyle but sincerely, there are most times undertones available that are not visible to the human eyes.

For instance, Ikechukwu wants to be like Paul because he (Paul) was born in a very rich home. He comes to school with his driver every morning and rumour has it that he is the owner of the car, uses a Blackberry Porsche and is one of the brightest students in the class. Obviously the picture just painted looks like a very green grass, but what people do not know is that Paul epileptic. To Ikechukwu that is a lawn that is greener than his , because he is averagely rich, enters cab to school and does not enjoy much pleasures as those by Paul, hence he concludes, but is the grass on his lawn really greener? Or you have not found the strength in your position to make sure you have a sweeter and more interesting life as a result of the fact that you have allowed yourself to focus solely of the freshness and beauty of another’s life, forsaking that there is a possibility of making your life sweeter.  

Most people tend to see the flaws in themselves, but refuse to recognise the admirable traits or favourable circumstances they possess. Another realistic instance worthy of note is the fact: that Majority of the times, observers tend to compare the Nigerian (African) media system with their counterparts in the western media as regards objectivity without understanding the subjectivity of the concept. As a regard of the way we have understood our society to be, it is strongly believed that “Nothing good can come out from Nazareth” forgetting that Jesus came out from Nazareth (from the Nathaniel and Jesus experience in the bible). From that bias point of view everything that comes out of the Nigerian society cannot be  objective, blinding us to the flaws prevalent in the western Media and crowning them “MR or MRS Objective”, hence looking at our neighbours lawn as greener than ours. We are so jealous of their achievements, without focusing on successes prevalent in our own country such as the channels Television, NN24, Silverbird and The Nations, NEXT (though Extinct) etc on print. Even the neighbours are still not satisfied with their status as greener as exemplified in the Rupert Murdoch “News of the World” scandal that led to the closure of the Newspaper.