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)