Challenged Worshippers

Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1 from verse 5) were old and had no child. Despite their challenge though, they did not stop their worship of The One True God. Neither did they halt their service to God. Humanly speaking, they could have decided to turn back from following God since it seemed He wouldn't even give them a child of their own.

I am really challenged by the life of this couple. They had a serious challenge but they didn't cave in. Their faith in God was rock solid. Their faith was not dependent on physical circumstances. They loved God irrespective of what they were going through.

One thing of note is that both husband and wife were upright- Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations (Luke 1:6). It was not only one of them that was seeking God. They both did. They both faced God squarely. They were sold out to Him. They did not boycott their duty posts in the name of being challenged. Usually, in our world today, once a wife is unable to conceive (like it was the case with Elizabeth), you will see the wife going from mountain to mountain to pray. Many men, instead of joining forces with their wives, look for alternative routes to getting "their" own children, leaving the wife out of the equation. This should not be. Zechariah and Elizabeth's marriage was balanced by their relationship with God. They did not focus on their in-abilities. Instead, they faced the Able God squarely. They served Him with all their hearts. They served faithfully. And punctually too. They did not backslide because of the challenge they were faced with.

I don't know what challenge you are facing right now. Neither do I know what is going on in your family. I am here today to encourage you to hold onto God firmly. Do not let that situation (temporary) snatch Jesus away from you. Let your confession be that "Even though he slay me, I will yet praise Him" Keep the faith. Remember, God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. He owes no man. Keep depositing in your account in the Bank of Heaven. You will be amazed at the interest that would have accrued on your deposits by the time God decides to pay you back. God is a God that acts on time. God seeks your pains. In due time, He will show up for you. He is with you nonetheless. Never forget that.

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (James 1:6).

Shalom!

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola

The Results Of Your Association

My attention was drawn to some flower plants in our compound some days back. There were two of them, different species, planted beside each other but with the same flower. I kept examining the plants out of curiosity. I was so surprised because I kind of know that one of the plants was not bearing the flower it was expected to. The flower is original to one. The other plant was simply "infected" by the "domineering" plant.(Don't even begin to ask me about the science behind this occurrence. Lol) I caught the lesson God was pointing out to me though. And it is simple: Your association definitely have consequences, positive or negative.

If a goat continually flocks with a dog, it will eat faeces (a Yoruba adage). The people you associate with can cross-pollinate you with whatever they carry on their inside. They either infect you with their evil or inject good into you. It's one thing or another. We are like permeable membranes. Things pass through us and into us. Our relationship with people or things have certain ways of gradually affecting us.

If a wife beater is your best friend, you are at risk of becoming one too. If you are friends with a drunkard, soon you'll be mixing some alcohol with your soft drink and probably become a pro at drinking alcoholic drinks without dilution. If your friends are being pimped, soon you will be a victim too if you don't separate yourself from them. If your friends see nothing wrong with pre-marital sex or adultery, if care is not taken, you begin to get comfortable with what they are doing.

Your antennas must be very sensitive. Be at alert always. The devil wants you to fall at all cost, so, don't give room to the devil by being in close relationships with people on the path of destruction. As humans, we have weaknesses. Other people's weaknesses could lead to our own fall. Everyone is a potential tool to trigger your fall. Always remember that fact. I think preparing your mind with this help us not to let our guards down. We need to be watchful and vigilant AT ALL TIMES.

I once read/heard the story of a hunter who once brought home the egg of an eagle. He allowed a hen to hatch the egg along with her own eggs. The chicks and the eaglet grew together. The eagle will run with the chicks and it will hop with them. It had lost it's essence. It never knew it had the ability to fly high. And not only that, to soar too. It wasn't able to maximize its potential because of its association. In short, our environment has a way of influencing who we become or how we turn out in the long run. If you walk with crawlers, the tendencies are high that you will also become a crawler. If you move with flyers, you will most likely become a flyer too.

Your Association Leads Either To Your Dissociation or Appreciation!

Watch out!

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola

2015

Waiting For Perfect Conditions?

Someone who is afraid to step out in faith is a disaster to himself. Your actions could be likened to you waiting for snow to fall in Maiduguri, Northern Nigeria. It won't happen. (Well, with God nothing is impossible, but literally, . . .) You say, "No wedding till I have 5 million naira in my personal account, my personal building, . . ." -tall order. "No business till I have ten million naira in my account." The exhortation for someone today is to stop waiting for perfect conditions. You will most likely not achieve anything that way.

He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap (Ecclesiastes 11:4).

Without faith, it is impossible to please God. We usually have to start from the base of the ladder and expected to climb up to the height designed for us. It is faith at work in us when we tell God, "I cannot see a boat on this river but at Your Word, I step in". The attitude of a winner is that which does not despise the days of little beginning. It is so sad that many people want to start their journey at the top of the ladder. They therefore keep procrastinating taking the steps they should.

If God is telling you to launch out into the deep, simply launch into the deep. If He tells you it's time to get married, wait no longer. If He says it's time to start a course, go for it. Do not miss out on God's timing for your life. Do not allow fear deprive you of the good that God has in store for you. Your current status has absolutely nothing to do with what God is making of your life. This is a phase. A phase that will pass. God can bring so much out of nothing. He is The creator. He specializes in doing the impossible. Trust Him to give you a safe landing at the end of your journey.

May God strengthen our faith in Him in Jesus' name!

Have a great week ahead!

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola

Invest In What You Want

As I read the book of Proverbs 27, I found something really intriguing. I remember my mother always asking me when last I had called Dr This, Pastor That and Professor This-That. She would insist that I keep in touch with people who had been good to me in the past.

Here is the verse I'm emphasising on today:
Take care of a fig tree and you will have figs to eat. Servants who take care of their master will be honored Proverbs 27:18).

You seek help through someone, and you have not even called to welfare the person in two years. He/she had a celebration or negative experience which you were aware of but you didn't bother rejoicing or mourning with him/her (I was actually guilty of an incidence recently). How do you expect him/her to even remember you. When there is a job opening in his company, the probability is that your name might not even pop up in his mind. I have come to realize just how easy it is for busy people to forget some people.

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that you should shift your trust from God to man. I am only saying that you can only reap what you sow. If you care for others, you will be cared for. If you show concern for others, concern will be shown for you too. You want to tread on cool ground, pour some cold water ahead of you (it's a yoruba adage that I don't seem to know a better way to interpret. Lol)

Have you seen this too?
A gift opens doors for the one who gives it and brings him into the presence of great people (Proverbs 18:16 GWT).

And it is not only those you seek help from that you should be good to. Be good to all. Be good without expecting them to repay you. You might not even reap directly from where you have sown. Keep sowing via the broadcast method. You will definitely not miss your harvest.

Begin sowing seeds of kindness today. Show mercy. Sow what you wish to reap.

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola

Don't Turn A Blind Eye

As I was searching the scriptures this morning, my eyes got stuck on Proverbs 24:11-12»
Deliver those who are drawn away to death, and those who totter to the slaughter, hold them back [from their doom]. If you [profess ignorance and] say, Behold, we did not know this, does not He Who weighs and ponders the heart perceive and consider it? And He Who guards your life, does not He know it? And shall not He render to [you and] every man according to his works?

God's instruction to us is to be our brother's keeper. We are to love others as we love ourselves. I am very sure that if you were to be in some sort of trouble, you will utilize every resource at your disposal in fighting your way out of the trouble. You will call out for help from those you believe can help you.

Please, one of the ways of being our brothers' keepers is by fighting for justice on their behalf. Don't keep quiet when a colleague or anyone as a matter of fact, is being unjustly punished. Don't ignore the cries for justice of those around you. If you have the means to deliver them from the shackles of their oppressors, please don't leave them to suffer unduly. When God blesses us with resources- financial, intellectual, social, etc, it is for the good of our neighbours and ourselves. And who is your neighbour? Anyone God allows to cross your path is your neighbour.

Another very important light through which I see this scripture is calling out to those on the path of destruction. If you see a sister or brother marching towards danger, do all you can to save that person from danger and herself or himself. When you see someone trying to dive headlong into a pit, talk to her about it.

Show pity. Be compassionate. When we look through the Scriptures, we will read, "Jesus had compassion on the crowd" severally. Jesus is very compassionate. One day, He was passing by and saw a widow mourning her son's death. What did Jesus do? He was moved with compassion. He could have said, "I was not invited. It's none of my business". But He didn't do that. He got involved in her business and brought joy to her. He empathized with her. He felt her feelings.

Don't put up an "I-don't-care" attitude when you are supposed to speak out or warn someone about approaching danger. God will ask us. Posing in an "ignorant" standpoint is punishable. Do all in your power to rescue the perishing. Plead with them to come back from the fast lane of life on which they are. Call out to the unsaved. Tell them about the imminent danger of not accepting the Saviour's love. Jesus is merciful. Care for the hopeless. Mourn with those who mourn. Whatever position we find ourselves in, we are placed there to minister life to people around us.

Be your sisters'/brothers' keeper!

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola