God's Word For Today: Grace

‘Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence.’

Hebrews 4:16 

The Bible says: ‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (vv. 15-16 NIVUK 1984 Edition). 

Dr Tony Evans says that God’s grace is like an ambulance coming to treat you when you’ve a medical emergency. 

First, it dispenses immediate grace to your most serious symptoms. Then they slide you into the ambulance, which is equipped with more grace - more medical facilities to deal with your problem. Then the ambulance races to the hospital where even more grace awaits. And once you’re admitted, the hospital keeps dispensing grace until your need has been addressed and you can go home again. 

In the words of John Newton’s beloved hymn: ‘‘Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far and Grace will lead me home’. One day Jesus heard our emergency call: ‘Lord, be merciful to me a sinner’. He came to earth, found us dying in sin, and reached down to save us. And as our High Priest, He transported us from where we were to a place that has all the grace we’ll ever need until we go home with Him. 

One day God will sit on a throne of judgement where there’ll be no more grace, but until that day He’s seated on a throne of grace. So anytime you fail or falter, you can ‘approach the throne of grace with confidence’ and receive God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Deut 30-31, Mark 15:1-24 

God's Word For Today: Healing Your Emotional Wounds

‘Why do you cry out over your wound?’

Jeremiah 30:15 

God asks His people, ‘Why do you cry out over your wound, your pain that has no cure?’ Then He answers, ‘But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds’ (v. 17 NIV 2011 Edition). 

If there’s anything more insidious than the rage, frustration, and other negative things that come out of us and wreck our relationships, it’s the inner source from which they originate. Festering wounds from past relationships are dangerous wounds. You say, ‘But you don’t know how badly this person hurt me’. The point is they’re still hurting you, so how can you cleanse and heal the wound? 

God’s way is to tell it like it is! He doesn’t put a bandage on an infected wound - He demands that the problem be dealt with. We need to understand that He’s willing to repair the broken places in our lives; all He requires of us is to expose where those places are. Only Jesus can walk us through the barrier of time and into our wounded past. 

Certainly one of the most important steps to healing is to forgive from the heart - to acknowledge the wound and the anger, and then let it go. And it can be tough to do, but there can be no freedom or healing without forgiveness. Bitterness will eat you alive if you don’t forgive. It’ll wreak havoc on your present-day relationships. 

God will give you the grace to forgive and let it go, but you must make the choice to be cleansed of resentment by forgiving the offender. There is no other way to peace and freedom.

Deut 28-29, Mark 14:53-72

Photo Of Baby's Full Head Of Hair Goes Viral

 

This is weird but apparently, this baby is just 10weeks old and has a head full of hair!. Her picture went viral after her mother, Mackenzie Kaplan, 28, took a photo of herself and her daughter, Isabelle, and posted it on social media. 

 

Mrs Kaplan told ABC News' Good Morning America that she doesn't put any hair product in the girl's hair and her father, Mr Kaplan, said "she woke up that way". 

Beautiful baby Isabelle has inspired numerous memes starring her hair. 

Here's how to say no in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese - without saying anything

So now, if you wanna say no in any language, you don't even have to utter a word. Scientists have claimed that by making one simple facial expression, people can tell if you're unhappy about something. 

Apparently, this is how you express you're
displeased in English

They call it the "not face". This expresses your disapproval of something regardless of where you are in the world and these scientists say its very effective and can even be used in sign language. 

This is how to say no in Spanish, silently

And Researchers say this is how you say no to an American

By making a furrowed brow, pressed together lips and a raised chin, you can say "no" in English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese and Signing. These scientist thought to find the "not face" because the ability to communicate anger, danger or aggression was key to human survival long before we were able to talk. 

This is how to say "no" in Chinese Mandarin
without speaking

God's Word For Today: Manage Your Time, Manage Your Life

‘Walk in wisdom … redeeming the time.’

Colossians 4:5 

Your greatest possession - is your next twenty-four hours. How will you spend them? Will you allow television, pointless emails, unimportant tasks, your own impulses, the wrong people, or other meaningless distractions to consume your day? Or will you take control of your time and make today count? 

Leadership experts say that focusing on the top 20 per cent of your priorities brings an 80 per cent return on your effort. So when you get up each morning, look in the mirror and say, ‘Today I’ll live my life according to God’s will, and give my energies to the things that help me fulfil it’. 

The truth is, there’ll always be things vying for your attention. Advertisers want you to spend money on their products. And have you noticed how people with nothing to do, usually want to spend their time with you? Even your own desires can be so diverse and your focus so scattered that you aren’t sure what needs your attention first. That’s why you need to focus like a laser on your God-given purpose. 

Whatever you concentrate on, you give strength and momentum to. Your priorities determine how you spend your time, so set them prayerfully and maintain them carefully. Eliminate non-essentials. 

Those who tell you, ‘You can have it all’ are misguided. You can’t do everything you want to do, but you can do everything God wants you to do. 

You’ve got to choose! 

Success comes from doing the right things right, and letting the rest go. If you’re not sure what the right things are for you, imagine yourself looking back on your life years from now – which things would you regret not doing?

Deut 25-27, mark 14:27-52

Graphic Photos: Are Ritual Killings Back in Nigeria???!

If you type and search for "Ritual Killings in Nigeria" on google, you'll be surprised at the gory and extremely graphic pictures and stories you'll see and read. Some are as recent as last month. You would think and expect that in this new age, in this 21st century and in this year 2016 things would have changed.

Lately, there have been reports about dead bodies found in different places with some missing their head, organs or private parts. There was also news about a boy who had his eyes removed. Another news reported that a man was caught with the head of a little girl of about 4 years old. In another news, a girl was found dead with her heart cut out and just, a few weeks ago, a female body was found with the head missing.

This woman escaped being slaughtered by an Alfa for rituals

If ritual killings have become rampant again in Nigeria, then there is every cause for alarm and alertness. Years back, at some point, it was the "in thing". Human beings of all ages were being kidnapped, slaughtered and used for rituals. Some were reported missing and after a while, their bodies were found decapitated.

Ritual killing in Nigeria started so many years ago. Traditional medicine doctors,  popularly called " Dibia" in Igbo or "Babalawo" in Yoruba, concocted different medicines for different purposes ranging from protection to healing an illness to becoming rich to being successful in business to passing school exams to even getting a rich husband or wife. According to most of these Babalawo/Dibia, some ingredients required for the medicines to be powerful and effective were human parts. As in, parts of a human being!.

This girl had her heart ripped out for ritual purposes

These Babalawo/Dibia have customers of different class and status. It was even rumoured that some Nigerian politicians (part of the reason why the government isn't addressing the matter directly), popular actors/actresses and big business men and women are some of them. Young people who are lazy and choose to make it overnight instead of working hard also patronized these Babalawo/Dibia.

Lagos: A beheaded body found somewhere in Mile 12 area

Thing is, its just sad that with everything going on in Nigeria now, ritual killing is one of them. Makes me wonder if the minds of these people aren't advancing as the world is.

Enugu:Bodies discovered buried in the foundation
of a Church's ongoing construction

Anybody is susceptible and everybody should be very careful wherever they are. Run girls and prostitutes, also known as "Ashewo", who follow different men home everyday (men they don't know from Adam) should be careful. Parents who leave thier kids with Nannies who are not alot more than strangers should be careful. People who attend house parties in remote locations should be careful. People who take cabs at odd hours and places should be careful. We all gotta be careful cos we dunno who's on a mission to deliver human parts.

In the end, only God Almighty truly protects.

My Easter gift to you

It's Easter Monday. Today, after His resurrection and revelation of Himself to many, Jesus Christ ascended to heaven as His disciples and many watched. People who doubted that He was the son of God were amazed and many finally believed. It was a moment that changed the hearts of many, even till this day. 

Many thanks to The Lord Jesus Christ for giving His life for us, dying that we may live, coming to earth an ordinary man that we may be extraordinary, being a sacrifice and dying for our sins and keeping His promises. 

So, still in the spirit of Easter... 

Happy Easter! 😂 

Photo of the day

LOL! Whose child is this?

God's Word For Today: Going Public

We were buried with Him through baptism.’

Romans 6:4 

When a couple gets married they put on wedding rings. Could they be married without them? Sure, but the rings identify them as belonging exclusively to one another. We would think it odd if a husband never wanted to go out in public with his wife. He might say, ‘I’ll eat dinner with you, as long as it’s at home’. That would be an insult! Likewise, just as the ring publicises the fact that 

you have a covenant relationship with your spouse, baptism declares that you believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and you have put your trust in Him as your Saviour. ‘Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him’ (vv. 4-8 NKJV). 

Not only does baptism declare to others that you have publicly identified yourself with Christ, it’s a constant reminder to you. When you’re tempted to go back to your old ways, it says, ‘You’re no longer that person, you’re a new creation in Christ with a new set of values, attitudes, actions, and destiny’.

Deut 22-24, Mark 14:1-26 

The Real Meaning of Easter

The best way to understand the real meaning of Easter would be from Jesus. The real meaning is a three word answer ... the new covenant.

The New Covenant

Jesus had come in town for the Passover celebratrion and was getting ready to be betrayed by one of the disciples, publicly humiliated and mocked, beaten beyond recognition, and hung on a cross to die, when he made his special request for his followers to remember that He gave his body for us and poured out his blood as a sacrifice for us. The heart of Easter lies in his words, "the new covenant between God and his people."

In Luke 22 we get a picture of the night before his death:

When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, "Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come." He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me." After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. Luke 22:14-20

Passover and the New Covenant

Since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, people were destined to be separated from God because of their sin. God's Spirit rested on the Patriarchs of our faith, but was not poured out on the masses. The Holy of Holies was the innermost and most sacred part of the tablernacle and ordinary people of faith would never get to have access to this place where God's Presence could be found. We were hopeless in our sins and distanced from God.

People of faith offered up animal sacrifices according to the laws given to Moses to ask God to forgive their sins and have mercy on them. Bulls, goats, and lambs each had their significance. But the lamb had special meaning because it was lamb's blood the Israelites painted on their doorposts to avoid death on the night of Passover. (Exodus 12:11-13)

God gave Moses and Aaron specific instructions on how to honor God with annual Passover celebrations. Lamb is the pinnacle of the Passover meal. The lambs were to be spotless and even lived with the families for several days before they were sacrificed, adding to the understanding that the ultimate sacrifice was close to the hearts of those whose sins were atoned for. All of the many interesting details of celebrating Passover have significant meaning that point to the ultimate Passover lamb - Jesus Christ - a sinless God-man who lived among the people for a season.

What is the real meaning of Easter? In John 1:29, as he sees Jesus approaching, John the Baptist announces to the crowd around him, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

He knew that Jesus was the son of God, the long awaited Messiah, the one whom God's prophets had promised to save mankind from their sins and to give them a deep heartfelt relationship with God the Father.The new covenant would be an everlasting covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Jeremiah 32:39-42,Isaiah 55:3) Jesus, our sacrificial lamb, our Savior, our God, our Redeemer - he laid down his life as our sacrificial lamb to pay for our sins. When he rose from the dead three days later, he gave victory over eternal separation from God (death) to all who put their faith and trust in him. That is the new covenant - everlasting life spent with God through faith in all that Jesus Christ has done and continues to do.

Bible Verses

All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don't believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don't believe what God has testified about his Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God's Son does not have life. (1 John 5:10-12, NLT)

“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3b-4, KJV)

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, NLT) 

Happy Easter!!!

JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN!!!

Yes! Its Easter Sunday! This day in history signifies the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead after 3 days in the tomb where He was buried. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and His death and resurrection restored the bridge between God and man that was broken.

The meaning of Easter is Jesus Christ's victory over death. His resurrection symbolizes the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in Him. The meaning of Easter also symbolizes the complete verification of all that Jesus Christ preached and taught during His 3year ministry. 

Jesus Christ did what no other could do. He gave Himself as a sacrificial lamb to be sacrificed for the sins of the world so that man could once more have a relationship with God. Thats how much Jesus Christ loved the world and He still loves us and continues to show us in so many ways, both little and great.

Today is a great day and Christians and Believers around the world celebrate this day.

The Resurrection proved that Christ was divine. The fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross does not prove in itself that He is God. Jesus proved His deity by fulfilling the prophecies of His death and by His return from the grave. 

I wish you a Happy Easter and pray that every dead link to God in your life will be resurrected and restored as Jesus Christ has risen. Amen.

God's Word For Today: Alive, Immortal, and Just Like Jesus!

‘Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.’

John 11:25 

The story is told of a nine-year-old boy named Philip who suffered with Down’s Syndrome. In Sunday school the other kids made fun of him because he was different. The Sunday before Easter, the teacher gave each of the kids a plastic egg and asked them to look for symbols of new life, like seeds and leaves, and then place them inside the egg. The idea was to open their eggs on Easter Sunday and discuss what they had found. When the children gathered, they had collected all sorts of things like flowers, butterflies, and rocks. But when the teacher opened Philip’s egg it was empty. One child said, ‘That’s not fair, he didn’t do it right!’ But Philip tugged at the teacher’s sleeve and said, ‘I did do it right. It’s empty because the tomb is empty. That’s why we have new life.’ The class gasped - and from then on Philip rose to a new level of respect and became part of the group. But Philip’s family knew his time was short - too many problems for one small body. So that summer he died. As the class of eight-year-olds faced the reality of death, they marched up to the altar - but not with flowers. Together with their teacher, they each placed an empty plastic egg on their friend’s tiny casket. 

Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important? For two reasons: 

1) His resurrection guarantees yours. 

2) If you live long enough you will experience the heartache of losing someone you love. 

Easter guarantees you will meet them again - alive, immortal, and just like Jesus!. 

Amen. 

Luke 6:1-26, Ps 33-34

God's Word For Today: Today, Open Your Eyes

‘Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things.’

Psalm 119:18 

One day Elisha and his servant awoke to find the house they were in surrounded by an army of enemy soldiers. His servant panicked and asked, ‘What are we going to do?’ So Elisha prayed, ‘LORD, open his eyes so that he may see’ (2 Kings 6:17 NIV 1984 Edition). Suddenly he saw their enemies surrounded by an even bigger army of angels. 

On their way home to Emmaus, Cleopas and his companion were heartbroken because Jesus, the One in whom they’d placed their hopes, had been crucified and buried. Out of nowhere a stranger joined them on their journey, and when they reached home they invited him to stay for supper. As he prayed and pronounced a blessing over their meal, the eyes of Cleopas and his companion were opened and they recognised that the stranger was none other than Jesus Himself (see Luke 24:13-35). 

A man on a commuter train kept gazing out the window and saying, ‘Wonderful; just wonderful!’. What was he looking at? Run-down apartment buildings and rubbish spilling over onto the pavement! After hearing him say ‘Wonderful’ four or five times the lady beside him remarked, ‘It doesn’t look too wonderful to me’. Whereupon the man replied, ‘I’ve been blind for the past thirty years. But through the skill of a surgeon, the generosity of a donor, and a corneal transplant, I’ve been given the gift of two new eyes. And to me, everything I see is wonderful.’ 

Grumbling blinds you to God’s blessings, but gratitude opens your eyes to enjoy them. So today, ask the Lord to open your eyes to all the ‘wonderful things’ that surround you. Amen! 

Num 29-31, Mark 9:1-29 

It's 2016, Have You Invested Yet?

Michael, 34, has a good job, an ok 3bedroom apartment in the Surulere part of Lagos Mainland but his car is always having an appointment with the mechanic for repairs of one issue or the other which results sometimes in unplanned expenses. He has to get around to work or outings and therefore has no choice but to keep repairing the car. Then he started thinking since he could afford it, he should buy another car and even move from Lagos Mainland to Lagos Island partially because his job is in Victoria Island and partially because he felt that his ok apartment wasn't what he really wanted. Over drinks with some buddies, he shared these thoughts and all of them agreed and said it was all a good idea and that his comfort was important. Well, all of them agreed with him expect Jay. Jay thought the idea of moving and buying a new car was fantastic and that it would no doubt make him happy and feel more of a 'Lagos Big Boy', but that how about he invests in a Land instead. That is, buy a plot of land or even 2. Michael said it was a good idea but that he wasn't ready for buying a land now.

Seriously??? LOL!

Alot of people would respond like Michael because they don't see the potential in acquiring a land property.

Let me break down something most people don't know. There's what's called Asset and Liabilities. An Asset is an investment that will provide future economic and financial benefits while a Liability is an investment that will present future obligations. Examples of an Asset are Land, Business, etc. While examples of Liabilities are cars, gadgets, electronic, etc. Assets appreciate with time, which means that a few years from when an asset was invested in, the price goes up, so if you choose to resell, you gain. Liabilities on the other hand results in you spending more money either to maintain or fix and then if or when you wanna resell, you end up getting less than half of the actual value which results in you losing.

I always said that when I had enough money to buy a car, I would rather endure a couple more years squeezing uncomfortably in public transport and use that money to invest in a Land. I mean, I would buy a Land first before buying a car. Why this choice? Because, if I buy a car I still have to fuel it, get it to the carwash, do a quarterly maintenance on it, be very careful on the road so I don't get the car dented or bashed by one reckless driver or motorist, etc. On the other hand, if I buy a land, it will be there appreciating year by year. I could choose to rent it out pending when I'm ready to build on it or even resell it. Plus, with the current rise in profit in the real estate industry, even people who have lands are still buying more lands.

I'm not saying you shouldn't be comfortable now with your car or tasteful apartment in a high brow area in Lekki. I'm saying as a young individual, an investment, especially in a land, isn't a bad idea. You should secure your future and that of your future family so you can have investments to fall back on when you choose to retire.

God's Word For Today: Understand Your Child’s Uniqueness (2)

‘Train up a child in the way he should go.’

Proverbs 22:6 

Raising your child ‘in the way he should go’ means being aware of: 

1) Their interests. John Ruskin said, ‘Tell me what you like, and I’ll tell you what you are’. What do your children like? Numbers? Colours? Activities? The greatest gift you can give them isn’t your riches, but revealing to them their own. 

2) Their relationships. What statement best characterises your child? a) ‘Follow me, everyone.’ b) ‘I’ll let you know if I need help.’ c) ‘Can we do this together?’ d) ‘Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.’ Don’t characterise loners as aloof, or crowd-seekers as arrogant. God designed them that way. What gives your child satisfaction and makes them say, ‘Yes’? Do they love the journey, or the destination? Do they like to keep things straight, or straighten things out? What thrills one child bothers another. 

3) Their environment. A cactus thrives under different conditions from a rosebush. What soil does your child grow in? Some love to be noticed while others prefer to hide in the crowd. Some do well taking tests, others excel in the subject but stumble when it comes to exams. Winston Churchill repeatedly failed tests in school, yet he changed history. We only excel when we’re in the right environment. 

4) Their strengths. At two, Van Cliburn played a song on the piano as a result of hearing someone teaching in an adjacent room. His mother noticed, gave him lessons, and the kid from Kilgore, Texas, won the first International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow. 

Resist the urge to label your children before studying them, and ask God to help you understand their uniqueness.

Num 26-28, Mark 8:31-38 

WTF!: You won't believe what these women do to attract Husbands

This is both funny and unbelievable but true!. While women in most parts of the world wear tons of makeup and adorn themselves with attractive jewelries and clothings, you won't believe what a woman in Surma, an panethnicity of people residing in South Sudan and South Western Ethiopia, have to do to attract a husband. Find pictures below:

WTF!!! How can any man be attracted to this?????

40 Little Ways You Can Tell Someone Doesn’t Love You

You've been in a relationship and have been certain about the other person's feelings for you but lately they start to act weird or different from how they were towards you but you can't tell if their feelings for you still exists or if you're just wasting your time in their life. You try to make conversation but it doesn't seem to pinpoint what's happening for sure because the other person either doesn't wanna talk back, tells you what you wanna hear or just turns the conversation into a fight or an argument which might unfortunately lead to a break up between you two. The other person may have fallen out of love with you and lost their feelings for you but they don't know how to tell you without hurting you. Well, if this is the present situation in your relationship, here are 40 ways you can tell the other person doesn't love you or has stopped loving you:

1. There is innate disinterest when it comes to the meager, silly details about your life.
2. There is a lack of desire to make things better between you two.
3. Petty fights are picked without concern for what they’ll do to your relationship as a whole.
4. They buy you things that you don’t like but they do.
5. They try to change you into someone they want you to be.
6. They talk about the future more than they do the present.
7. They don’t call you regularly, or keep in touch at all.
8. Their parents don’t know about you.
9. They actually say they aren’t so sure.
10. Your interests may overlap, but your future goals clearly don’t.
11. And there seems to be no interest in compromising on those future goals.
12. You hear them say “well, I still want to see what’s out there” a lot.
13. And then they act on that.
14. They very clearly don’t trust you.
15. You can’t talk to them about things that are important to you.
16. You can’t talk to them about issues in the relationship without it turning into a huge fight.
17. You don’t put a lot of effort into making your lives coincide.
18. They don’t remember the little details (your birthday, favorite color, etc.)
19. They insult you in public, even if it seems like a joke.
20. Or they put you down, ever.
21. They fight dirty.
22. They imply that you need to lose weight or change your appearance somehow.
23. Sex is a one-way street, if you know what I mean.
24. They aren’t willing to reciprocate what you do for them.
25. They keep your relationship a secret.
26. They want to go out without you more than they want to be with you.
27. They are easily annoyed by you.
28. They don’t care to apologize when they were in the wrong.
29. Because they think you were always the one in the wrong.
30. If you ask them why they love you, they give you reasons that are anything other than “I just do.”
31. They don’t give you little signs of physical affection now and again.
32. They act like your pal more than your lover (not always a bad thing as long as the latter isn’t obsolete).
33. Conversations take work.
34. You can see in their eyes that they aren’t innately crazy about you.
35. They aren’t faithful.
36. They are more interested in the possibilities than the realities.
37. They are disrespectful toward your family or friends.
38. They make fun of things that are very important to you.
39. They make fun of you, and not in the playful flirtatious way.
40. They don’t commit.

How you react depends on if your feelings for the other person still lingers or has withered away too. Sometimes, the other person may be going through stuff they can't really talk about because they feel you don't have a solution. Apply wisdom when handling this. Don't become a nag because this only acceralates and escalates everything making it worse and trust me, you don't want that to happen especially if you too haven't given up. Try striking a conversation with an old memory that made you two literally laugh out loud. Hopefully, the other person laughs and you take it from there, entering them gradually until they let loose and open up. Two things are involved: 

If they still have a drop of feeling for you left, they'll respond and become an open book. In this case, just lend your ear and listen. Of course they'll expect a response but not one that reeks of "you should have this" "you should have that" or "I told you so". If you truly do not have anything to say, a hug and a reassuring "everything is gonna be ok" will truly go a long way. 

On the other hand, if they no longer feel nothing for you, expect a cold-shoulder comeback and if this happens, don't push. They've obviously gone stone-cold on anything you-related. Just let them be. Leave them be. Pressing further will only hurt you and not hurt them because to them, you don't mean anything anymore. 

Relationships can be sweet or sour or both, but any relationship that will work will take effort from both parties involved. 

Before You Date Someone...

‘Listen for God’s voice … He's the one who will keep you on track.’

Proverbs 3:6 

Before you date somebody, ask yourself: 

1) Am I free to be who I am? Paul writes, ‘Let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be’ (Romans 12:6 MSG). If you have to reinvent yourself to keep somebody happy, you’re in the wrong relationship. 

If they disapprove of you now, do you seriously
think "marriage" will improve things? Not a chance! 

2) Is the relationship based on honesty? The Bible talks about ‘telling each other the truth’ (Ephesians 4:25 CEV). Relationships thrive on openness and trust. When deceit creeps in, it’s time to get truthful in a hurry or call it quits. 

3) Have we established clear boundaries? If the relationship ended today, would you regret your level of involvement? The Bible says, ‘Run from sexual sin’ (1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT). God made sex a commitment specifically for marriage; otherwise what was intended to be beautiful and fulfilling can leave you feeling ‘used’. 

4) Is this person possessive or controlling? If so, it’s a red flag. The Bible says, ‘Love is … never jealous’ (1 Corinthians 13:4 CEV). If you can’t make a move without the other person’s permission, you need to back off and re-evaluate the relationship. 

5) How are we spending our time together? Without a plan, it’s easy to get more physically involved than you should. That’s why it’s good to agree up front about establishing boundaries. 

Keep God in your relationship and you won’t go wrong. ‘Listen for God’s voice in everything you do … He's the one who will keep you on track.’

A beautiful relationship stems from a
beautifully minded you

God's Word For Today: Understand Your Child’s Uniqueness (1)

‘In keeping with his individual gift or bent.’

Proverbs 22:6 

As a parent you either accelerate or stifle your child’s giftedness. The Bible says, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it’ (v. 6 KJV). That doesn’t mean when you set your kids on the right path they’ll never leave it. No, salvation is the work of God (see 1 Corinthians 3:6). 

So what does this Scripture mean? The Amplified Bible says, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent]’. Note the word ‘bent’. 

As a parent you hold the bow, and your child is the arrow. So pray for God’s help in recognising your child’s strengths and giftedness and aim them ‘in the way [he or she] should go’. The fact is God pre-wired your infant, pre-programmed your toddler’s strengths, set your teen on a trajectory, and then gave you an eighteen-year research project! 

So ask yourself, ‘What sets my child apart?’ Childhood tendencies often forecast adult abilities. Read them. Discern them. Affirm them. Cheerlead them. 

Think about the life of Joseph. At seventeen he saw dreams and visions of himself as a leader (see Genesis 37:2-10). And as an adult he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh and ended up leading the nation (see Genesis 40-41). As a boy David displayed two strengths: fighting and music. Later he killed a lion and a bear (see 1 Samuel 17:34-37). And he played skilfully on the harp (see 1 Samuel 16). Fighting and music dominated David’s adult life, and are largely what he’s remembered for today. 

So strive to understand, appreciate, and channel your child’s uniqueness.

Num 23-25, Mark 8:1-30 

Starting Your Day With GOD Never Goes Wrong!

There is a popular religious saying that goes "Prayer is the master key". Of course, realistically speaking, when you pray it shouldn't end there. Hard work, persistence, focus, self-motivation, just to mention a few, are some of the other ingredients for a fulfilled life. Now, before all of that, God says to seek Him first and every other thing will be added to you. Anything!. Dream job, peaceful home, successful marriage, successful business, everything!.

How is this possible?, you may ask. It is possible because with God, all things are possible. How do you go about this?. Putting God at the forefront of all your activities daily is the way to go and that never ever goes wrong. Start your day with Him, committing all your activities into His ever able Hands. When you go on your knees to God, you stand up victorious and a conqueror.

So, if you haven't already been starting your day with God, its never late!. There is no limit or expiry date to when you can go to God. He is ever ready to listen any time you call on Him. The difference between talking to God and talking to people is that God listens to everything, even the things you can't describe with words. He knows and can read your heart as it is.

So, make it a habit. Every morning, talk to God. Chill with Him first before you begin your day. Tell Him as it is. Tell Him your plans. Tell Him your weakness. Tell Him anything and everything. With God, you don't need formalities. You don't need to wear the best of clothes or even shower! You don't need to prepare a speech. He sees your heart. He knows you better than you know yourself. When you do this, somehow, you'll feel this inner content that everything will go smoothly and with faith, watch yourself walk into your fulfilling destiny.

God's Word For Today: Who Are You Trying to Impress?

‘It is a very small thing that I should be judged by you.’

1 Corinthians 4:3

Paul writes, ‘With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you … It is the Lord who judges me’ (vv. 3-4 NRSV). 

Can you imagine viewing criticism as ‘a very small thing’? Or being liberated from the need to impress people; your self-esteem no longer dependent on someone noticing how successful, smart, or attractive you are? Think what it would be like to feel genuine love for someone who expresses their disapproval of you. Is such a life even possible? With God’s help, yes! 

One pastor says: ‘Years ago I wanted to lead a certain ministry. When I wasn’t chosen I became angry. Of course I didn’t show it. That’s not to say I didn’t love God. I just wanted to serve me more than Him! By saying no, God was correcting an attitude that would destroy any real ministry I might have later. When you represent God so visibly it’s nearly impossible for anyone to detect that you’re a fake…except God.’ 

Ever hear of ‘approval addiction’? Its symptoms include living in fear of what others think of you; being easily hurt by what they say; a nagging sense that you aren’t good enough; constantly trying to impress important people. And like all addicts, you’ll go to any lengths for a fix. One author writes: ‘Many of my daily preoccupations suggest that I belong more to the world [than to God]. A little criticism makes me angry … a little praise raises my spirits … I’m like a small boat on the ocean, completely at the mercy of the waves.’ 

Is this an issue you need to pray about today?

Num 17-19, Mark 7:1-16

God's Word For Today: Know Your Child's Friends

‘Those who lead good people along an evil path.’

Proverbs 28:10 

One Christian author writes: ‘I once saw a documentary film that featured a packing house where sheep were slaughtered. Huddled in pens were hundreds of nervous animals that seemed to sense danger. A gate was opened leading to a ramp, and through a door to the right. In order to get the sheep to walk up that ramp the workers used what is known as a “Judas goat.” This is the goat that had been trained to lead the sheep into the slaughterhouse. The goat confidently walked to the bottom of the ramp and looked back. Then he took a few more steps and stopped again. The sheep looked at each other skittishly and began moving toward the ramp. Eventually they followed the confident goat to the top, where he went through another gate that closed behind him. This forced the sheep directly into the slaughterhouse … 

There’s a striking similarity between the sheep following the Judas goat and teenagers who succumb to peer pressure. Those who are more confident and rebellious often lead the timid into trouble. Some inject themselves with heroin or get involved with cocaine; others engage in dangerous sexual practices, or drive while drinking … But why do they do such destructive things? Don’t they care about their own lives and the future they are risking? Most of them do. But the pressure to conform - to follow the Judas goat - is even stronger than the need for security and well-being.’ 

The Bible speaks of ‘those who lead good people along an evil path’. So: 

1) be aware of who is influencing your teenager; 

2) get to know their friends.

Num 3-4, Mark 3:20-35