Get Rich?

Money is a gift that is given to certain people to help others in need, for each one has its own gift. When we make money our goal, instead of making Christ our goal we fall into so many temptations . Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people eager for money have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Timothy 6:9-11). If riches were a prerequisite for salvation, the rich man would have gone to heaven. (Luke 16). He was rich, but did not realize his money was a gift from God that has to be shared with the poor to attain eternal life. What can I do to inherit eternal life, a rich man asked Jesus? Go and sell all what you have and give to the poor, then you will have treasure in heaven (Matthew 19). No one can serve two masters, either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24).

The widow who gave the coins gave the greatest according to Jesus. Jesus was not so pleased at the huge sums of money that others were giving. To Jesus the woman gave the greatest, because the woman gave out all she had and she gave from my heart. Therefore, Christianity is all about your heart and how you sacrifice your need for someone else’s need. Furthermore, it is the Christ in you that is the hope of glory. Christ is love so it is the love in your heart that is the hope of glory. Even when you have love in your heart, it is not going to be all rosy. You share in Christ’s sufferings as well as share in his glory. (Romans 8:17)

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I HAVE GIVEN MY LIFE TO CHRIST

This is a popular saying by Christians and we hear it each day. When someone is asked? Are you a Christian? The person replies Oh yes! And most of the time adds, I was born into a Christian home, I never miss church, and I am even in the church choir and so on. Wait a minute, is this what qualifies one as a Christian? Certainly not!

That statement “I have given my life to Christ is a very huge statement” which means you are walking in the footsteps of Christ and he is in charge of your whole life. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we intend to submit to Christ’s ruling in our lives that is submitting to the Holy Spirit. You live according to the spirit not according to the flesh. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). When we are comfortable in the body that is engaging in the flesh .The Apostle Paul mentioned the acts of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-20. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Therefore, the more the flesh is crucified, the closer we get to God, for the flesh kills but the spirit gives life.

Christianity is not about you, but it is about living selflessly by putting other people’s needs before yours. The greatest commandment that Jesus gave was love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40)

How can you say you love God when you do not love your brother or sister? You bear grudges against people; you don’t want to be friends with your neighbor who reported you to child services for not treating your child well and among others. If we love only those who have been good to us, then we have not done anything. (Luke 6:32-36). Jesus emphasized in Luke 6:35-36 that “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”. Therefore we need to let go and let God in our lives.

THE DILEMMA

A mother was nearing pension and she had nothing to show for all the number of years in service, then she managed to rent a house to use as a preschool. However, her daughter was struggling. She and her husband had hit a low point in their lives. Taking care of the home had become so difficult, like a whirlwind, the landlady was evicting them from where they lived. Here the mother wanted to use her house for a business entity to survive and there was her daughter needing the house to shelter her family. She was adamant at first, not wanting to give the house but eventually she let it out. She did not think of her pension plan anymore but she was thinking of the need of her daughter. She put her daughter’s needs above hers and her daughter lived there with her family. After a while, someone she never fathomed help from bought her a house even bigger than what she gave out. She lost it all for the sake of Christ, she wasn’t even thinking about gaining. However, she was able to find her life after losing it all to fulfill a need of someone. The story of the Good Samaritan that Jesus told, lays emphasis on helping people in need, irrespective of the assumptions, values and belief we may hold. The Jews were not on good terms with the Samaritans, but this man, “deviated” from the norm to fulfill a need.

Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay its head. (Matthew 8:20-21). Jesus stressed on the need for selflessness in order to follow him and that is the essence of Christianity.

In Matthew 10:39 Jesus said whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

TOPSY TURVY

Ohemaa lived in an affluent neighbourhood, she had it all. She was a writer and a student, when she dropped her kids off at a very prestigious school every morning, she will quickly go to school and at her leisure time, she will write her books. This was her routine and everything was going on well. On the other hand, her husband worked in a reputable organization where he headed the marketing division. Like a whirlwind, everything started falling apart, her husband lost his job, they could no longer afford that school for their kids, they could not pay their rent and they were served with an eviction notice.  All of a sudden their lives changed, they had no place to go to. Ohemaa prayed to God for a solution to their predicament. God answered her prayer. Her mum offered her a cottage on a farm house where they could live in until they get their acts organized. She has never lived in such a house, it was way too small and archaic. Besides, she has lived in a city all her life, how could she cope with life in the suburbs. She started seeking her own solutions but it was to no avail. She definitely had no choice and she said to herself, may be that is where God wanted me to live.  Although adamant from the beginning, she began to trust the process of letting God reign. She went there with her family; her husband found another job and hope was revived. Since the neighbourhood was deprived, she set up a not for profit organization to affect lives. She started by donating items to people living in extreme poverty and it metamorphosed into a very big organization with about 20, 000 workers across the globe. God redirected her path into her destiny. Initially, she felt it was a demotion but it was a promotion.

Humble yourselves and God will lift you up in due time.

FORGIVENESS

The Lord’s Prayer mentioned that God should forgive our sins as we forgive the sins of others. We cannot hold on to the sins of others and expect God to forgive us of our sins. It works hand in hand. The story of the parable of the unmerciful servant explores further how we should forgive people of their sins so that God will also forgive us of our sins. A servant owed his master 10,000 bags of gold. He pleaded for mercy, the master had pity on him and forgave cancelled his debts. As he was going home, he saw a fellow servant who owed him 100 silver coins, he grabbed him and begun to choke him. He wanted his money back at all cost. The master heard the information of what had happened. He called him a wicked servant, and said; I had pity on you and cancelled your sins, shouldn’t you have had pity on your fellow brother as I had on you?  He called the jailers to come for him and torture him until he pays his money back. Jesus concluded, this is how your heavenly father will treat each of you if you do not forgive each other from your heart. (Matthew 18:21-25).

NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION

A man’s kids were sacked from school for non- payment of fees. He didn’t know where to turn to. He prayed to God to settle the school fees for the kids. The money for the fees was not coming. He felt God has unanswered his prayer. His kids could not go to school for three weeks. He unexpectedly had money to pay the fees. The duration of not getting the money was so long that he had already started homeschooling the kids. That was the birth of a great school. When he wanted money to pay fees, the money delayed and his talent that was hiding was unearthed. God gave him a better option.

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that will prevail. (Proverbs 19:21).

TURN YOUR SHAME INTO A NAME

You had a sexual affair with your friend’s wife and everyone thinks you are a bad person. You made a mistake and you cannot let go of that past and you feel so ashamed. There are issues in life, which are weighing you down. You do not understand why you are not getting pregnant after ten years of marriage. Has the good Lord that you serve left you barren? The promotion at work that will lead you to your big financial break is not forthcoming, you begin to wonder why.

When you are ashamed of your past or worried about your unknown future that is when you can find God. In that moment, where nothing seems to work for you, you sit in a quiet mood most often. It is in that quietness, that you can hear the spirit of God which is gentle and true.

When we cling to God through those trying moments, we find our purpose in life. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:9, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

 We are all uniquely created and our journeys may be different. One thing for sure, we are all partakers of God’s grace, if we let ourselves go and let God in. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it”. (Matthew 16:24-25). Jesus has already taken your shame and pain away by nailing it on the cross. When you embrace the cross, He gives you a new identity. You are now a new creation, old things have become new. You begin to live the life that God predestined for you to live.

WILL YOUR OIL RUN OUT?

The parable of the ten virgins signifies that when God gives you a task you are supposed to put your all into it. When you are faithful with a few things God entrusts you with. He entrusts you with more things and you share in his happiness. He again offers you rich rewards freely because you have done your part.

When the bridegroom that is Jesus appears, will your oil run out? Or you will have enough oil to wait for his arrival? How do we make sure our oil does not run out? The answer lies in 2 peter 1:5-8 to confirm our calling and election . For this reason, we should make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;  and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

LA CASA DE DIOS

When you are in a house, you are protected against all kinds of weather; rain, storms, snow, sunshine. When you leave the house, you are weather beaten. The weather affects you badly and you suffer the consequences of leaving the house. Being in the house is like being under God’s care, where you are protected from all kinds of evil. How can we stay in God’s house to secure our protection? When we put other’s needs before ours and keep His commandments, we love God. When we love God, He rescues us from the weather and we are safe in God’s house.

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
  I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name”. (Psalm 91:14)

THE SERVANT IS THE GREATEST

Jesus washing the feet of the disciples was a pure act of humility, which as servants of God; we should all emulate this great act. Jesus is Lord and Master, He never lewd His authority over His disciples but rather demonstrated a great act of lowliness.

A lady lived near a man who was sick and had been shunned by his family and friends. She willingly took care of this man who had a nauseating and stinky smell. Eventually the man was healed of whatever sickness it was. The man in return gave her a house in an urban area that she never asked off and was not even expecting. This lady was humble enough to engage in this act of compassion. Her deeds paid off in a surprising way. Her house was in foreclosure and that was exactly what she needed. An act of humility and kindness was the way to go for her.

Proverbs 29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.

VOILA!!!

Whilst studying for my PhD degree, I had an assignment to submit and the deadline was approaching. I needed to read a book to be able to do the assignment. My funds were so low so I could not buy the book. Hey! I had an alternative, I was going to surf the net whether I could get a free copy to download. I searched fruitlessly! I could not get it. Then, I remembered I had a father in heaven. So I decided to tell my father about it in prayer. The next day, I lay on the couch in the hall. “Something” prompted me to search the book on my phone again. The first search I did, there it was, and how it got there I have no idea. Finally, I could do my assignment. The lyrics of the song “What a friend we have in Jesus” make more meaning to me now.

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear,

What a privilege to carry,

Everything to God in prayer,

Oh what peace we often forfeit,

Oh what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in Prayer.

When we do not carry EVERYTHING TO GOD IN PRAYER, WE BEAR NEEDLESS PAIN and we do not have peace.

THY KINGDOM COME

Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17: 20- 21). But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ( John 14: 26).

Are we ready to let ourselves go for God’s kingdom to take over our lives? By praying thy kingdom come in the Lord’s Prayer then we are ready to submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit, by giving up our will for His will to be made perfect in our lives.  Ephesians 6: 12 says that; for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Even though there are other rulers, authorities and powers, God’s kingdom is all you need.   We need to submit to God’s rule for us to be under His reign that is by submitting to the Holy Spirit in our midst.

A WONDERFUL ESCAPE

A friend’s wife was critically ill whilst pregnant. We prayed about it all the time. Somehow we were scared that she would not make it but we kept hope alive. For in Christ our hope is always renewed and we are also strengthened. A week before her due date, she was induced and she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. A baby girl she has always dreamed of having. We were all so happy and she was overjoyed. We were all relieved and happy that she made it. In a sudden twist of events, she got critically ill again three days after giving birth. .She was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance our hopes were dashed again. What went wrong we asked ourselves? Did we not pray enough? Is there something we should have done that we did not do? We were filled with questions, obviously without getting answers. Her health deteriorated and she was on life support for two days. She passed away sadly and left a week old baby behind. The post morterm report stated that she died of hepatitis B. The husband was so devastated; he thought God has not been fair to him. Sometimes, death is an answer to our prayer. The answer to our prayer lies solely with God for just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life; even so the son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it. (John 5:21).

The righteous perish ,and  no one takes it to heart ;the devout are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. (Isaiah 57:1)

LOVE IS THE TRUE RELIGION

In the book Mark chapter 10 verse 17 to 27, we are told of the story of the rich and the kingdom of God. The rich man wanted to enter the kingdom of God but he wasn’t willing to part away with his wealth. He obeyed the commandments of God and he was righteous but he worshipped his wealth. When you give to the poor you are giving to God. If you didn’t do these for the least of these then you didn’t do it for me. (Matthew 25: 40). This scripture tells us that when wealth is given to us by our Father, we are supposed to share it with the underprivileged.

 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1Timothy 6:17-19)

 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. ( James 1:27)

THE SAMARIAN WOMAN AT THE WELL

The Samaritan Woman at the Well

In John Chapter four, there was an account of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus asked for a drink of water from the Samaritan woman. The woman was surprised that a Jew could ask a Samaritan for a drink, for Jews did not associate with Samaritans at that time. A conversation then followed between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Jesus answered her in verse ten that if you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and He would have given you living water. Jesus told her later on that everyone who drinks water from the well will be thirsty again but whoever drinks the water He gives them will never thirst. He concluded by saying that the water will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. The woman then asked Jesus for His water. The woman was truthful to Jesus when he asked about her husband. It was shameful to be married five times at that time and still be unmarried. However, the woman was very truthful despite her shame. She came to Jesus in truth; just as she was. In verse 23 to 24 Jesus said “yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth”.

When praying to our Father in heaven, irrespective of our shame, we must come to God in prayer, just as we are from a sincere heart. There should be no cover ups just like the Samaritan woman who laid it all bare at Jesus’ feet in order to get living water. For this is the kind of worshipers that God wants.

THE WIDOW'S MITE

In Mark 12: 41-44, we are told of the story of the widow who gave out all she had into the temple treasury. In monetary value, she gave just two coins but to Jesus, she gave the greatest. Out of her poverty, she sacrificed everything she had for the kingdom of God. Was she not thinking of saving the money for her basic needs?  She put the kingdom first, by observing God’s greatest commandment which is Love the lord your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbour as yourself.(Luke 10:27) The money might be used for the poor like herself which is the love she has shown to people. “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen”. (1 John 4:20)

She also put her faith in Matthew 6:33-34 when dropping those last two coins. Which reads “but seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Finally, she set her mind on things above and not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:2)

IT CAME IN A PACKAGE

I had made earlier arrangements for a taxi driver to pick me to work since there was no bus service where I lived. On that fateful day, I called the taxi driver telling him to pick me up. He answered by saying that he couldn’t make it. What a disappointment? I didn’t know what to do; the time was too short for me to make another arrangement so I decided to walk out of the house hoping I may find an empty taxi. As I was about to cross the road, I saw a taxi far off. So I waited for it to draw near. As it drew near, I realized that the taxi was empty, and then I stopped the car. I politely asked the driver whether it could take me to where I was going, he replied in the affirmative. As I sat down in the car, I asked the driver whether he normally came this way. He said; no madam, I just took this turn not knowing why. I said quietly to myself, God thank you. So we engaged in a conversation and he told me about a two bedroom house he was looking for someone to rent. I have been looking for an apartment, I told him. Guess what, the house was so close to my place of work and the price was very low compared to other two bedroom houses. To crown it all, my taxi fares were also off. Sometimes, things that we think are disappointments are actually blessings in disguise.

A CONTRITE HEART

I gave my curriculum vitae to a woman who was in a capacity to give me a job. She promised, she will call me immediately she got home. I waited and waited for six months for her call. I was getting frustrated and I was tired of waiting. So I knelt down on my knees helplessly and prayed to God. I acknowledged the fact that it was God who will help me and not her after all. A day after, I received a call from her, saying she never looked at my curriculum vitae until yesterday.  She gave me a job offer which was a perfect fit for me. God indeed answered my prayer when I came to Him with a contrite heart.

 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

GOD PREPARES YOU FOR RESTORATION

God placed Moses in Egypt to deliver the Israelites from Pharaoh. In  Exodus 2: 11-22, Moses saw two people fighting and he took the law into his own hands and killed the Egyptian, leaving the Israelite. When Pharaoh was looking for him to kill him because of the crime he has committed. He fled from Egypt to Midian. He immediately lost track of where his destiny lies when he was ruled by anger. He did not submit his ways before the Lord and he did things his own way. God being God, He still used him after he had prepared him in Midian by taking care of sheep. He grew out of his anger and depended on God solely. He learnt how to be compassionate, meek and not to rely on his own strength but God’s, so that he could lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God always straightens our way in preparation for the answer.

COME AS YOU ARE

If you don’t open up to your best friend, he/she will not know what the situation really is, to help you. I had a friend, whom we shared everything. It got to a time; I felt this friend was being judgmental so I started hiding some stuff from her. I then projected myself as if everything was alright. Truth be told, I was suffering inside. Anytime, she asked me whether I was okay, I hurriedly replied, yes. I then got tired of hiding information from her. One day, I broke down and told her the whole situation. She quickly said, why didn’t you tell me all this? I just couldn’t tell you, I replied. Okay, she continued I have the exact help you need. My friend helped me in a way that I could have never imagined. I felt so much happier and relieved. Best of all, my problem was solved and the relationship was even better. This is exactly, how God wants us to come to Him in Prayer. When you are truthful to Him, He hears you and comes to your aid and best of all your relationship with Him is strengthened. Let us not present ourselves superficially to Him. Let’s come as we are, so that He will give us the needed help and we get even closer to Him.

 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” John 4:24 (NIV).

BIG HAND HELPING LITTLE HAND

Adding house chores to four children was an arduous task for me. I woke up one morning feeling so tired, but I still had work to do and it was so much! I didn’t know where to start from but I started anyway, in the middle of the chores, I was so overwhelmed and I asked God in prayer to help me with my chores. Honestly, He did! All of a sudden I felt someone was holding my hand to do the chores. I felt His strength everywhere, obviously I was so weak. The chores were done in no time and I just couldn’t believe it. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me". (2 Corinthians 12:19) He loves you so much so turn all your cares and worries into prayers.

Fixing the Collar of his shirt

In marriage, sometimes we may feel we are married to the wrong partner. We feel our partner is the worst thing that happened to us. Did I not see? We will ask ourselves severally especially when our spouse is behaving in inappropriate ways. Ama met Nana in the university and immediately liked each other; they got married soon after leaving the university. Two years into the marriage, Ama realized that she made a mistake in marrying Nana. They could not have one meaningful conversation, their chats were always characterized by quarrels, arguments and squabbles obviously they were not on the same path. It just wasn’t working. Ama needed God in her marriage owing to the fact that she couldn’t do it on her own. It was so overwhelming. All the opportunities Ama wanted from God were not forthcoming. She needed to fix the collar of her husband’s shirt even though it was difficult and it is only through Christ that it could be done. She let everything go so that God could handle it. All her anger and thoughts were poured out in prayer to the Lord, and then she realized she had to change herself instead of trying to change someone. Ama through Christ turned over a new leaf, she became very meek and in spite of her husband’s issues she became very submissive to him. After a while, Ama’s husband was changing too and so positively, she was beginning to live an exemplary life for her husband to emulate. It was beautiful! All of a sudden, the opportunities she wanted way back were all opened. It was a beautiful feeling; she has evolved into Christ’s beautiful bride. Let’s try to love our spouse even if they don’t deserve it, for undeserving as we are God loved us enough to give us His only begotten son to die for our sins. Let’s try to be the change instead of changing others.

“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye”. Matthew 7:5.

Waiting For God's Timing.

Jonas was a very industrious man; He worked very hard to cater for his family. Suddenly, things took a different turn and fending for his family had become so difficult. One day, Jonas called me and said; Adwoba, My landlady has increased the rent, things are so difficult that I cannot even pay the old rent. I told Jonas to take his rent issue to God. He smiled and I immediately knew he wasn’t going to do it. After two weeks, He came back again complaining, this time the landlady has decided to throw him out. He sobbed bitterly, where am I going with my family? I said it again; take your rent issue to God. This time, he wanted to hang on to the hope that God will take him through and I knew he was going to do it. After a month, He came back again and said the landlady hasn’t thrown me out yet but she is giving me pressure to pay the rent. I said again; let go and let God take the pressure. He will help you through it. He took his mind off the rent amidst pressures from the landlady and surprisingly he wasn’t thrown out.  After six months of living in a house without paying rent, God showed up. He had a job and it came with accommodation.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

NOT A CUL-DE-SAC AFTER ALL

A man I knew had cheated on his wife and was going through a divorce. He was so hard on himself because he knew it was his fault that the marriage is breaking down. He took full responsibility for his actions and apologized numerous times to his wife but the wife was very disappointed and could not trust him any longer. To his wife, the marriage was over. The man wanted a second chance at his marriage. I told him, if you are truly sorry, there is someone who can absorb your cross, so take your cross and follow Him. He invited God in the situation and allowed Him to have the final say. The wife went on with the divorce and it was granted. They all went on to live normal separate lives. After three years of living separately, the wife realized she had made a mistake and they reconciled and remarried. The man bore his cross that is the divorce and loneliness he went through for three years. Christ made it bearable so he was able to withstand it. Finally there was glory at the end when Christ absorbed his cross. We may be going through certain misfortunes at some point in our lives; Christ will always help us through it so that His glory will be manifested in the end.

Luke 14:27   says “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple”.

AWWWW!

I had a distress call from my daughter’s school. The head teacher said my daughter’s temperature was running at 40 degrees Celsius. She said: I don’t know what to do. I have given her first aid but it doesn’t seem to be improving. Can you please come quickly, and then she hanged up.  As I was about to hurriedly go to the school. I suddenly felt I shouldn’t rush and that God was in control. I decided to worship with a song, as words will fail me. As I sang the song, I immediately let go and let God to be in charge of the situation. I received inner rest and I had the peace that can’t be understood by human minds. Believing the fact that it is God that saves, frustration wasn’t going to save my situation. After a while, the head teacher called and said: Mummy, your daughter is okay, the high temperature has gone down. I sang a song of praise. He is indeed God; put your trust in Him.

In Philippians 4; 6-7 we are told not to be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving we should present our requests to God, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

A good friend of mine was in dire need of money to feed his children. He had to visit his children that day and give them some financial support. He didn’t have anything on him. He was downhearted, how will my children eat? He thought to himself. He knelt down and begun singing a song of praise. The song was about Jesus being the good shepherd. Then the Holy Spirit whispered to him. Do you think the good shepherd will not look after his sheep? Within minutes he heard the message tone on his phone. It was a text message of an old friend who had sent him money. He couldn’t believe his eyes. In times of hardship, when we sing praises instead of complaining, God comes through for us. Jesus is really the good shepherd. Let us cling to him and He will take care of his sheep.

I am the good shepherd; and I know my sheep and am known by my own. (John 10:14)

L'EAU DE PARFUM ; THE FAVOUR OF GOD

I was in the kitchen, cooking my favourite meal when the home phone rung. I grabbed the napkin close by the sink and cleaned my hand. I then picked up the phone. Hello, I answered, the voice on the other end said;  is this Mrs. Johnson? I replied in the affirmative. Ok Mrs. Johnson, she continued, we are calling you in connection with a job you applied two years ago. Are you still interested? I said yes. Could you please come for an interview tomorrow? I said ok. What time? 8. 00 a.m. she concluded. When I hanged up, my heart sank. I haven’t worked in two years. I prayed so much for this job, which I even gave up. Why didn’t they call me earlier, this is a wrong time to call me for a job. I am 5 months pregnant! I stopped cooking, picked some books and started preparing for the interview anyway. Afterwards, I went into my closet and found a dress that could hide my bump; I matched it with a pretty coat. I was really showing and I realized no dress was hiding my bump. Ok, I said, when I go to the interview, if she realizes I am pregnant that’s ok. Who could hide a 5 months pregnancy anyway? I went to the office premises very early and waited for the interview to start. I was eventually called and my interview begun. During the interview, the interviewer started looking at my bump, I felt so uncomfortable. When my interview ended, I knew I wasn’t getting the job, obviously, she has found out that I was pregnant. Two weeks after, I had a call whilst shopping at my favourite grocery shop that I had the job. I was confused: why did I get the job? Didn’t they see that I was pregnant? I started having mixed feelings. It didn’t feel so good. So I set out the next day to work, my first day. I got there very early again and waited for an orientation. A lady walked to me and said we are sorry, there is a training programme and we will like you to take part. That was how I was thrown into the job. Officially, I had started work. I worked for about two weeks, when the director asked me if I was pregnant. She said she never knew I was pregnant. I was so shocked. The God that we serve is so great. If he wants to do something for you, He will do it no matter the circumstances. Sometimes our inner self is our stumbling block or our greatest obstacle. Based on our experiences and the conditions that we are in, we feel the answer to our prayer should go this way or that way. God is sovereign!  1 Corinthians 2:11 says “ for who knows a person’s thought except their own spirit within them, in the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the spirit of God.”

I WAS A MURDERER

A young man was on his way to visit a sick brother. He sat in a bus quietly wondering what was making his brother’s sickness get worse. His mind was full of many disturbing thoughts. Unexpectedly, he heard the spirit telling him to preach about forgiveness. He looked around and found some young girls giggling in the bus. He thought to himself, if I start preaching, those girls are going to make fun of me. So he decided not to do it. The spirit kept prompting him, and then he finally said to himself: this is certainly not the time. An appropriate time will come for this message. The Holy Spirit was therefore ignored. In the middle of the journey, the bus stopped and a lady got down furiously and he automatically knew the message was to that lady. He felt so bad after, but the opportunity was gone. Two weeks after, he was going to visit a friend when he saw an obituary of the lady who got off the bus with so much anger. He wept! He kept on asking people around if they knew the lady  on the obituary. One middle aged woman told him of how the young lady had stabbed his irresponsible husband and the husband had stabbed him in return and she died. Why he asked curiously? The lady caught the husband red-handed having a sexual affair with another woman. When did this happen he inquired further?  The woman replied; two weeks ago, sadly the deceased knew nothing about forgiveness she added. The young man bowed his head in shame. He realized that because he did not obey the spirit to preach forgiveness, a beautiful soul has been lost. Spread the word; "Forgiveness is love! love is God!"

THE BUMPY RIDE

A woman asked her husband to buy her a second hand car. The husband said to her Anne, I will buy you the car but be patient. Anne became very disobedient to her husband because of her husband’s inability to buy her a car. She grew distant from her husband. A car was tearing their marriage apart. The nagging and the insults worsened. Home has turned into hell for the husband. The relationship was deteriorating. The husband was gradually been pushed out. After a while, the wife came home one day and saw a beautiful car parked in the yard of their house. It was a very beautiful and an expensive brand new car. Wow! She exclaimed. What important visitor do we have here? She went close to the Car and found a note in the windscreen. She opened the note and she started crying. She cried her eyes out.

The note read” Honey, I have finally been able to buy you the car. I was waiting for the right time to give you this car. I was able to find out one thing; you cherished the car more than me.  You do not value the relationship but you value only the things you want to have. Have your car and enjoy your new relationship! See my lawyer, until then, enjoy the ride!” Are we interested in having a relationship with God or we are interested in prayer because of the products we expect to get? If we are patient and we build this relationship, we even get products we are not asking for. In these days, we want the product more than the relationship. Ask yourself: If you get the product will you continue to cherish that relationship?  God wants us to have the relationship so that we trust him enough to only give us the best of things in life. Let’s begin to cherish that relationship whether we have by products or not, so that we become God’s friend. Prayer is the ultimate way to commune with God so that He will be your companion in life.

“Now unto Him, who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you ask or think according to the power that works in us.” Ephesians 3:20

VICTORIA'S SECRET

John was wrongly accused of embezzling some funds in the Insurance Company where he worked. He has worked there all his adult years and rose to the position of an Assistant Manager. His wife, Victoria was a stay at home mom with five kids when John was laid off. For John being   employed again was unsuccessful owing to the bad record. Surprisingly, Victoria couldn’t find a job too. They sold almost all their properties to make ends meet. For three years, they depended on friends and family for their upkeep. Their friends and family were also getting tired of supporting them. The lovely home Victoria and her husband shared has turned into something else with constant fighting and nagging. I met Victoria through a friend and immediately our friendship begun. I told her about making God her “All dependency”. I said to her one afternoon that the secret to receiving miracles from God is to abide in Him. Gradually Victoria shifted her focus from friends and family that could help her out of her situation and focused on God entirely. It wasn’t easy, I told her abiding in God is frustrating but God is there with you. Out of the blue there would be donations and gifts to her that she knew nothing about. After a while, she called me one evening to tell me how her husband has been reinstated back into the job and has even been compensated for being wrongfully accused. I cried that day, I was so happy. Victoria’s secret to her miracle was to abide in the Lord.

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27

A SIP BECOMES A GULP

Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the Lord, trust Him and he will do this.”

I once worked as an intern in one of the social security firms in the country. A law student who was visually impaired was seeking for student loan to pay off her tuition. She was such a lovely young girl who always beamed with smiles anytime she came to the office. I happened to be the customer care representative working on her documents; we therefore developed an enviable relationship. Anytime we finished working on her documents, I took her to the roadside and put her in a taxi and she went home. This I did for a long time. She therefore developed that trust and anytime she passed by the office, I escorted her to the roadside/ bus stop. Even when I wasn’t in the office owing to official errands, she waited for me to return and I escorted her to the roadside as usual. I had become her only trusted escort. Although, she had never seen me, she believed I will take her safely to her destination. She was exercising Faith in me. It started as a one-time thing and it gradually developed into this big trust. That is the faith that God wants us to have. He knows it is difficult to trust Him fully, but little by little as we put our trust in him we overcome our fears, so that we can fully have faith in Him. God wants us to trust Him and have Faith in all things for WE ARE SAFE IN HIS ARMS.

A MOTHER'S LOVE

As a hen gathers her chickens under her feathers.

So is a mother’s love

A mother’s love gives warmth and protection.

Mothers are uniquely created to love

Such great is that love that;

They are entrusted with God’s gift.

We are grateful for Mothers!

We share inexplicable bonds with them.

Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers out there!

Kudos and well done!

TURN ON THE LIGHT

As I walked home from church last night, I found someone sobbing in the dark. Who could be sobbing at this time of the night? I was afraid but I wanted to find out why she was crying. So I drew near her with caution. I got close and I realized that it was a woman in her late 30’s. Why are you crying I asked? She did not answer. I repeated the question again and she told me how her husband had thrown her out that night. Since she was a stay at home mom she doesn’t know what to do or where to go. I asked about her children. Then she told me her kids were with a friend nearby. I stayed in a huge apartment and had one room vacant. So I told her I will give her and her two kids a place to stay. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. I held her hand, comforted her and we went for her two kids. We took her luggage and left to my house. That was the story of how I completely took a whole stranger in. To cut a long story short, this stranger connected me to a dream job that I have always thought about. Sometimes, it pays to get out of your comfort zone and help someone. It will create an inconvenience for you but it will go a long way to help you.

1 John 4:20 “Whoever claims to love God, yet hates a brother or a sister is a liar, For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen”.

GEECH! I FELL INTO A POT HOLE.

A pastor friend of mine, who was separated from his wife of 15 years suddenly, had the desire for a young widow. He knew it wasn’t right but his desire was so intense that he didn’t heed to any advice. He fell for this young widow and the inevitable happened: The lady got pregnant for him. That was when he begun to realize where his desire has led him to. He became so guilty of this sin that it was drawing him farther away from God. He couldn’t worship God anymore. The more he tried, the guiltier he became. He couldn’t feel God’s presence. It seemed as if the Holy Spirit was on vacation.

 The lady started giving him attitude, nothing he did could please the woman. He felt helpless and said quietly to himself, let me rescind to my fate for I brought it upon myself. After visiting the young widow one hot afternoon, he boarded a bus at the local bus station to go back home. As he sat in the bus he couldn’t help crying. He was so overwhelmed. He needed God; he couldn’t get out of this hole alone. As he kept on thinking, He fell into a deep sleep.  The scripture 1 Corinthians 10:13 appeared in a vision, that no temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. A message to all those who are tempted, God says there is a way out, just cling to him.

MISSED CALL

A young man prayed and prayed for a job. He never believed that God will do it. So he went about soliciting for help although he had prayed. One day, he went out as usual soliciting for help and the home phone rung. It was a company wanting to employ his services. He wasn’t there. They gave a message to the wife, to tell him about them wanting to employ his services. His wife called and called only to hear his phone ringing underneath the rug in the hall. He was so much in a hurry that, he had left his phone. Now how to reach him had become a dilemma, for there was a deadline for him to report to the headquarters of the company. The deadline was 2 pm in the afternoon. Unfortunately, all efforts to reach him proved futile. In the evening, he came home so tired and told his wife how he had misplaced his phone. His wife sighed and said you missed a very important call, your phone was underneath this rug, then his wife, took the phone and gave it to him and told him about the call. The young man didn’t know what to do. He had missed God’s call by not relying on the grace but on his works.

Romans 11:6 say “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work”.

THE CLEANER IS COMING

We are in a very worse situation, nothing seems to work. We feel destroyed. We are ashamed of ourselves. Where we have gotten to in life, we feel there is no achievement.  We suddenly ask ourselves, what is my purpose on earth? At 50 plus, I should have been this or that. Life is meaningless. One man I knew was in his early 50’s, and had 3 young children, he felt helpless. He was working but his salary was meager compared to his responsibilities. He couldn’t foot his bills and fending for his family was a big issue. In short, he was struggling. He felt he was in a very big mess. And he was? But no mess is greater than the Master cleaner. Who cleans to perfection and leaves no trace of dirt even if you use a magnifying glass. He tried to clean the mess himself and he wasn’t successful, Call the Master Cleaner, I said. He said I can’t afford it? I said this Master Cleaner cleans for free. He just needs your heart. Are you really serious he asked? Yes he does.  What am I waiting for? He gave his life to Jesus and he received rest which was unimaginable.

Have you created a mess of yourselves and filled with so much dirt? All cleaning agents are not working. You have tried all soaps but the stain is still there.  You cannot do it yourself; the only person who can clean that mess is Jesus. He is the Master cleaner. He cleans without any trace of dirt and leaves you so sparkling clean.  Jesus always takes the dejected, the tattered, the destroyed and He makes it whole. You will be living a fulfilling life and have the peace of God.

UNCLE ABIDE

Michael was a man who always used his strength in all things. He was a contractor who always used his connections to get contracts thus he knew almost everybody. There was one contract that he wanted, that he could not get. He tried to get that contract through the people he knew but this time it didn’t work. He became very frustrated; this contract will be an end to his financial problems he thought. I told Michael about God and said, why you don’t ask this helper I know and trust that He will do it. Okay he said, reluctantly, but he still tried using people to help him get in, the frustration was getting worse. Worst of all, he wasn’t getting the contract. So he tried my method and prayed and asked God to help him get that contract. After some days, Michael met me and said; Adwoba, I have prayed but God hasn’t answered. Then I said, wait for His will in this situation, you need to abide in God, I concluded. What is abiding? He said, and then I answered; praying and dwelling in the word of God constantly and continually and finally depending on only Him to do it. Wow! He exclaimed, this is difficult. Then I said, it is the grace that will carry you through not your works. After a while, he decided to try to abide in the Lord and he confessed to me that it was difficult at first, but later on it became part of him. The grace of the Lord was flowing from his being not his doing. He went about his normal jobs. He was there one day, when he received a call from the very company he wanted to work with. He couldn’t believe It, God has done it. How his telephone number went there, he has no idea. God really surprised him. From that day until now, He really believes in the abiding.  Now everything you say, he says “go and abide in the Lord “and he earned the name “Uncle Abide” to this day.

“If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you”.

(John 15:7)

THE WRONG MOTIVE

Amy wanted to be a Lawyer at all cost, she had a very good analytical mind and neighbours always came to her with marital problems, work related problems and other family issues which she solved amicably. Everybody advised her to do law for she will be a great Lawyer. Secretly, Amy had a problem she was being laud over by her husband and she felt her independence was taken away. Her husband worked at the local radio station where his salary was meager so they lived on a low budget. She felt, if I ever go to law school to become a lawyer, then my husband and I could run shoulders. So she applied for the law school and gained admission into one of the public universities in the country. How to pay the school fees had suddenly become a problem. She prayed to God, but it looks as if her prayers were not heard. Her husband tried securing a loan to help her start the law degree but all was to no avail. Why didn’t God hear her prayer? She so wanted this, to be a lawyer was her greatest dream and unfortunately it wasn’t realized. She tried to secure money to pay for the law degree herself, but it proved futile. She was very disappointed, and then she finally gave up. Years passed by and she totally forgot about that law degree. Her attitude toward her husband changed. She found a job as an assistant sales girl in a grocery shop. She worked tirelessly and supported her husband to raise two kids. Their home was a lovely home full of happiness. One night, Amy was watching a documentary on TV on how innocent people were jailed and some could not afford a Lawyer. Amy cried, oh how I wish I was a lawyer God, I would have helped this innocent people for free. A few weeks later she saw an advert of a prestigious university calling for applications to study law. She applied and the long and short of it all is that she gained admission with full scholarship. Amy and her husband rejoiced and sang the song “How great thou art”. It was a joyous moment. The first time she wanted to be a Lawyer, her motive was totally wrong so she couldn’t get it. This time her motive was totally right, to help the underprivileged and her request was granted.

“Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

James 4:3

THE RICE IS SPOILT, A BETTER ONE IS BEING SERVED

Faith was a very brilliant girl who had a Master’s degree in Economics. Faith felt that what would make her life complete was a job. She applied to one of the Universities in the Country to be an Assistant Registrar. One day, She was called for relieving duties from that same University and she felt that was a quick and sure way of getting  the job. After three months, the relieving contract ended and she went home so sad. Why was she not asked to continue with the job since she has  worked so hard? she said quietly to herself. A few months later, Faith was called for an interview for the formal Assistant Registrar job. She was so happy and her joy knew no bounds. She quickly prepared for the interview and went for the interview so confident. The questions started and she realized she could not answer them. She had suddenly forgotten all what she had learnt. After the interview she was never called for the job offer for months. She called back and the feedback she received was that, she didn’t get the job. Which was quite expected because she knew her performance at the interview wasn’t that good. Her wish was that the University will call her back for the job; suddenly a still small voice started echoing “live your name”. She got the message so clearly that “she should have faith” how can I have faith in such a situation? She said. She decided to have faith although it was so difficult and her faith was barely there. 6 months later she had a call from a Company she had never applied to, giving her a job offer with juicy fringe benefits. She couldn’t believe it. Although her faith was challenged, she still had hope in God and God was God in this situation.

“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair”.

 2 Corinthians 4:8

FAKE!!!

 I once wanted a Nanny owing to the fact that I was struggling to take care of three kids below the age of six. It was so hard, hey! I am no superwoman, I needed help. So I started scouting for help, I searched in all places but I couldn’t find. I hadn’t even thought to pray. Should I also pray about this? I asked myself? I finally said a word of prayer. A few weeks after, my husband brought home someone and said Honey, I brought you a nanny. I was so surprised! Has God answered my prayer so soon? Wow! What a wonderful God? I should have prayed earlier, I said quietly. All of a sudden, I started feeling uneasy about the nanny. When I introduced my kids to the Nanny, they all left with a sullen face. Then I pulled my husband aside and said; I don’t feel comfortable about this and the kids are not happy. Why he asked angrily? You needed a Nanny and I have brought you one. Yes, I appreciate your effort but unfortunately, I do not feel this is the one. So he agreed to send the Nanny away reluctantly, of course. A few weeks after, he called me and said, honey you were right about the Nanny. The Nanny went to live with a couple down the street and she maltreated their kids so badly. I smiled and said, thank you Holy Spirit. After I said a word of prayer, God sent me the Holy Spirit to help me in my decision and that was the sudden discomfort I felt which didn’t allow me to employ the Nanny. We hugged each other and we just couldn’t thank God enough for all his goodness and mercy.

“ But the helper, the Holy spirit, whom the Father will send in my Name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26.

"I CANNOT PRAY" IS PRAYER

 Sometimes we ask ourselves whether God is alive! Based on the circumstances we find ourselves. We cannot pray and our faith is challenged. I remember when I was looking for a job to no avail. I had prayed all manners of prayers but I couldn't still get a job. So I complained to a friend. Then he said, turn all your complaints and worries into prayers. Then I said, I cannot pray!  Can’t you understand? Then he said, tell God, you cannot pray that is prayer from a pure heart. Tell God exactly how you feel. Now what is prayer? Prayer is a heartfelt communication between you and your maker. Anything you feel, you pray it as it is. Put all the prayer methodologies aside and pray from a genuine heart. You don’t have to be great at praying. If you cannot pray, tell God so! The Holy Spirit always intercedes for us; He is our great helper in all things. Don’t try and force words out of your mouth when in fact you do not have anything to say. He hears all our words and even our thoughts and recognizes them when it is from a pure heart. After praying heartfelt prayers, God heard me! Yes He did! He gave me the most wonderful job ever in His own time.

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts, knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercessions for the saints according to the will of God”.

Romans 8:26-27

WHEN I DIALED GOD'S NUMBER?

Anthony was a man who never believed in God. He felt God never existed. He did all things with his own strength and he had succeeded all this while. One day, he had a problem at work and he was laid off. His wife was also a stay at home mom so things were truly difficult. Suddenly, his strength could not carry him through. He was totally worn out. He was so confused. His kids were at home because he couldn’t pay their fees that term, feeding had even become a luxury. His hope was revived when a friend promised to lend him some money. All of a sudden, his friend was not picking his calls. He tried to communicate with his friend but all efforts proved futile. What do I do now? He said to himself quietly. Reality had begun to stare in his face. For the first time in his life, he broke down and said a simple prayer to God. What had he done? He had just prayed and he was surprised at himself. An hour later, he begun scrolling through the contacts on his phone and a name highlighted. He hadn’t spoken to this person in two years. Something was urging him to call that number. He finally did and the person invited him into his office. When he got there the man was asking of his kids, he told the man, how the kids were at home because of his inability to pay fees. The man didn’t utter a word, pulled out money in a brown envelope from his drawer and handed over to him. He took it and left for home. When he got home, he called the man and thanked him so much for the kind gesture. And guess what? The money was enough to pay the kids fees for a whole year. He told him, if he had tried to thank him, he would have broken down. Anthony now believes in God and most importantly the power of Prayer and that God loves a contrite heart.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart-These, O God, You will not despise” Psalm 51:17

EVERYDAY IS A MIRACLE

We are always waiting for the “big things” to happen to us so that we can bare our testimonies that God truly lives, what of the “little things “ that keeps us going each day? A lady had a very loving husband who was the toast of all single women in the neighbourhood where they lived .This lady had no child and she wanted one so badly. She not being able to have a child begun to affect her so badly that it was tearing her marriage apart. Her only focus was how to get this “miracle” baby. She felt she has been neglected by God and grew so distance from her family and of course she neglected her duties at home.   She was breaking the heart of her family and most importantly her husband.  Thereafter, her husband was diagnosed of Cancer. She began to see things differently.” Life “had become important to her than anything else. She prayed fervently for God to heal her dying husband. Unfortunately, her husband lost the battle with cancer and died. After her husband’s death, she realized how she had not been thankful enough to God for all the wonderful things around her and most importantly for “life”.  

You either live by the fact that every day is a miracle or every day is no miracle. Let’s learn to appreciate the little things we have, for God is everywhere working miracles for us. Let us thank God when we get up in the morning, when we drop our kids off at school, when we arrive safely at work, when we get back home safely. Let us look at our families, coworkers, friends and neighbours and thank God for this wonderful people He has given us to affect each other’s lives. Life is indeed a blessing.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits” Psalm 103:2

THE DIVINE CALL, WHICH WAS ..........

Peter was a man with so much faith and hope in God. Everything was going on so smoothly in his life. Until his world started crumbling. He begun to lose everything he had. He suddenly became unemployed; he got separated from his wife and was now living with an extended family member. He had borrowed money to keep up with his living expenses; everybody felt he was a nuisance. Times were hard; it really was, he felt so dejected. His friends and family had all left him.

When he was alone, he sat down quietly and wondered WHY GOD HAS LEFT HIM? He felt God was missing in his life. The more he thought about his situation, the angrier he got. He couldn’t pray, reading the bible has suddenly become a chore he no longer wanted to engage in. the straw that broke the camel’s back, was when his phone also got spoilt. The only means of hope was gone. How can he receive feedback from the many employers he had applied to for a job? He was totally worn out.

One day, he carried his sim card in his pocket and strolled over to an Auntie who runs a shop by the roadside. He entered the shop and said Auntie, I just popped in to say hello. The Auntie replied, I have been looking for you, I have called your phone severally but it wasn’t going through.  Then Peter told him, about his ordeal. Then his Auntie gave him a phone to use for the mean time. Immediately, he activated his number, a call came through. The man at the other end of the phone said. Are you Peter? Then he replied, yes. Then the man continued, we are calling from this company and I am offering you a job. Can you come for your appointment letter? He hanged up shockingly, borrowed money from his auntie and left. His job offer was the most lucrative ever and he even felt he didn’t deserve it. His first salary was able to pay back all the money he owed and even had more to spare.

He called me and said, Adwoba, I can’t explain it!  This is God!  I said; you gave up on him but he never gave up on you. All along He was working something bigger for you.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those “who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28)