Do a Proper Check Before You Proceed

I remember my mum paying a 2-year rent for a building when she wanted to start a school several years ago. The house was strategically located and the design was just perfect for a nursery and primary school. There really wouldn't be a need for serious changes or modifications so she eagerly decided to take the place .

Some days before the school was supposed to kick off, she took the keys to the house and decided to have a quick stroll through it in preparation for the move in of furniture the following day. She went from room to room trying to envision what the settings of the class would be like with the teacher standing before the pupils.

And then she got to the door of a particular room. She carefully inserted every single key on the bunch she was given into the key hole but none would open it. It was at that point she remembered that the person in charge of the building had given an excuse to her on the day she came to check the building initially that the locks on the door to that particular room was bad.

She called a carpenter who came to force the door open. To her utmost surprise, she saw that someone had been buried in the room. Saying she was shocked was an understatement. She lost the rent because they wouldn't refund the money.

Sometimes, the excitement that comes with being newly engaged to a handsome man or being offered a new job after years of searching for one may make us overlook certain important areas of the decisions we are about to take. We just hurry off to say "Yes" without checking with the Holy Spirit if He is okay with that decision.

Like my mum who could have insisted on them opening up the door to that one room for her to inspect but didn’t and suffered the consequence of taking a decision in haste, we will find ourselves in a ditch if we refuse to allow God do the check on EVERY step we are about to take.

 We can save ourselves the stress of going round in circles or being utterly robbed of our God given destinies/resources by simply learning to patiently wait for the Lord to give us a clear or not about every decision we are about to make. Leave no stone unturned. Take no chances.

A child of the God should walk in the spirit by following the lead of the Holy Spirit.

Before you jump off the cliff, be sure it is God that is asking you to jump and not some self motivated voice on your inside.

Pause and Pray before you proceed to make your final decision.

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

Celebrate Your Love

It so happens that my husband's birthday and our wedding anniversary are exactly 7days apart so i normally put up posts to celebrate both on Facebook. Last year, someone on my friend list made a comment on the birthday post I had put up to celebrate my husband. This person said I should not proclaim my husband. And his reason is that he felt I should be scared of husband snatchers. All I could do at that time was smile endlessly.

Here really is the point. I am a minister and my marriage is a ministry. I am an encourager and my marriage should be too. I don't talk about my life to brag to anyone but to encourage people that they can have fulfilling relationships under God. I do what i do out of personal conviction. I have never said my life/spouse/marriage was perfect. I am simply an epitome of God's grace and I am ALWAYS humbled by that fact.

However, we hear too many negative stories about marriage in our wold today. We need to counter the effect of all the negativity though by pitching the positive stories to the glory of God. The very reason I love posts where spouses celebrate their marriages of several years.

I remember someone reacting to that friend's comment and asking why I still thanked the person for such a comment. My response was that we see things differently one from another and my show of gratitude was not sarcastic. I meant it. It doesn't necessarily mean one is right and the other is wrong if we hold varying views about an issue. What's important is to have the right motives for whatever we do and how we do them.

Well, as usual I talked to God about that incidence and I got a clear. . .

"There is no fear in love" was what I heard in my spirit.

I love the book of Songs of Solomon like wetin happen. And it is a support system for this post.

The man and his woman in that book did so well celebrating their love. They told each other how wonderful they were to each other. . . And they told others too.

The love they shared obviously thrived so well. They watered their love with their words as they did with their actions.

I have heard some married women say that the last time they heard their husbands tell them that they loved them was on their wedding day. And God help those who got married in a country like Nigeria where you don't even have to say "I love you", to your spouse on your wedding day.

I feel so elated when my husband speaks highly about me while teaching in Church or while just speaking to people. Of course I know he loves me but we still make sure to affirm our love for each other at every given opportunity.

I sometimes laugh within myself when I see someone talking to the spouse over the phone end the call with "you too". I could almost guess that the person on the other side of the phone had said "I love you". You shouldn't get tired of saying "I love you" to your spouse. . . And be sure you mean it.

When last did you tell your wife or husband that you love them?

When last did you send an SMS or email to remind him/her how much you cherish him/her?

How about you pick up your phone and give your spouse a call. . .Tell him/her you are thinking of him and you love her.

Yes, he/she probably knows that you love him/her. It is however imperative that you tell your spouse constantly.

It's okay if you decide to celebrate your love only in the corners of your house.

 It's okay also if you decide to ask others to celebrate with you like the Shulamite in the book of Song of Solomon. 

However way you decide. . .

Choose wisely. . .

Just make sure you celebrate and strengthen the chords of your love. Celebrate your spouse! Celebrate the grace of God. Celebrate God's way.

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

Organise Annual General Meetings

Two men sat at the table next to mine in a restaurant and I just couldn't help but overhear their discussion because they wouldn't just tone their voices down. The part of their conversation that struck me was something like this:

Mr. A: How is your marriage my friend? You don't seem to be looking happy these days.
Mr. B: You just asked me a JAMB question o. The last 2 years seem like 20 years. I am even tired. My wife is nothing like she was in the first few months of our marriage. She is now always moody and complaining that I don't give her the attention she desires from me. We stopped praying together months back sef. Our sex life is a total mess. The few times we get intimate, she would just lay there. It seems she just allows me to have my way out of obligation. And I am the only one that initiates the intimacy. Thank God I am a Christian, who know what measures I might have taken?
Mr. A: Hmmm. .  . It is well o. But have you talked with her about all these issues you have raised?
Mr. B: We barely talk o. Except for the casual greetings.
Mr. A: My dear brother, you really need to have a meeting with your wife immediately before things go totally out of hands. Set out time to discuss with your wife and allow her pour out her mind without restrictions. You should do the same too. I will be praying along with you

I smiled to myself as I gulped the last portion of my drink and rose to leave the restaurant. Thank God for Mr. A whose advice was just what I would have said too (Else I might have been forced to join their discussion. Lol).

Now to my message for married folks today:

I recommend that couples organise Annual General Meetings  (AGM), or Quaterly General Meetings (QGM) or Monthly General Meetings  (MGM) as the case may be, for the stakeholders in your marriage.

This is important to help you keep in touch with each other. Like I always say, "I just don't want to wake up one day and find out that a truck (not only lizard) can now pass in between my husband and I."

These meetings need to be intentionally fixed and regular. Go to the meeting without bias and be ready to listen and speak with all sincerity. The complaints from all parties involved should be matters arising and dealt with accordingly. Resolve to make sure that you attend to every matter without any iota of selfishness.

This is not a call to battle. It is a call to seek peace.

Let God be the chairman of those meetings. Yield yourselves to His directions for your situation through His words and trust Him to help you maintain decorum in your marriage.

When is your next general meeting going to be?

It takes two to tango

Sometimes, scientific principles work well in real life. In mathematics, when you multiply a positive number with a negative number, the result is a negative value. This principle is applicable to marriage.

I have seen under many circumstances, only one partner in a marriage willing to make the marriage work. The other person goes around with a negative vibe. This negatively charged person has a nonchalant attitude towards the marriage. He/she just crosses his/her legs without any iota of willingness to see the marriage succeed. They even sometimes threaten their partners with quitting the marriage.

When two people embark on an assignment to move something, they cannot experience progress with one person pushing while the other is pulling. The two people involved in a marriage must be positively charged for their marriage to succeed.

Many people, especially women lament about the imbalance in advice given to married couples by counsellors. Even the entertainment world holds the same stance. They tell the woman that the marriage belongs to her. They make it look like only one person is responsible for the success of a marriage. They tell the woman so many things she should do and refuse to tell the man what he should be doing.

I have never been able to get my head around this absurd indoctrination. And as a matter of fact, I believe this has gone a long way in destroying many marriages that may have survived.

It is very important to get it into our heads, males and females alike, that both genders must be ready to work at having a successful marriage. All hands must be on deck.

It is time for you to stop the blame - game.  Own up to your faults and take responsibility for your role in the insanity of your marriage up until now.

Both the husband and wife should pray for their marriage.
Both the husband and wife should submit to God and to one another.
Both the husband and wife should love each other. . .

Else, you get yourself a malnourished marriage. If you refuse to invest in your marriage you shouldn't expect good fruits of happiness in your marriage either. It's a simple principle.

So, instead of standing aloof and complaining about what your spouse is not doing right, join forces together to build a good marriage with the help of God.

. . .and the two of you shall chase ten thousand as against one thousand that only one of you will.

A marriage will never work if only one person is trying to push the marriage to safety.

Just like in a tango, where both partners must concentrate on the dance and watch out for the other party lest they suffer any form of injury, it indeed takes two to make a marriage work.

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

Please, Leave These Children Alone!

Children nowadays are under so much pressure compared to what it was back in the day. Parents want their 2 year olds to be able to write 1-100 and I am like for what purpose exactly? You hear some parents brag about the ridiculous speed they subject their children to.

I remember someone saying to me I should have stopped wearing diapers for my 15 month old baby and I am like, "He's still a baby fa".

Why the rush?

Mum A compares her child with the child of mum B. If her own child is not moving as fast as the other child, she begins to push the child unduly. We forget that each child is unique and the timing of their development too are different one from the other.

Do you want your child to crash and burn? Why not allow your child go at the pace that is right for him/her?

The fact is that not only children are victims of this absurdity. Parents too are. Especially parents of the children who are judged to be moving slowly according to the standard of fellow parents.

We indirectly instil in these children competitive spirits. Instead of encouraging them to embrace who they are and appreciate God for making them like He has.

Note that I am not making excuses for laxity.

And some children are faster when it comes to certain things. They are specially designed to move faster in certain areas of their lives.

My point is that there is time for everything. . .

Two children born by the same mother wouldn't necessarily walk or talk at the same age. Each one will take on the challenge he/she is fit to when the time is right. For instance, my first child brought forth her first set of teeth when she was 3+ months while the other at 6 month. Unique trends were noticed with other developmental stages without one necessarily always faster than the other.

Putting on the attitude of celebrating uniqueness has helped me shove unreasonably speeds that others have tried to enforce on my children.

Give your child a push when necessary and let him/her evolve into what God has designed him or her to be naturally.

Stop dressing your child up like an adult. Let your child be a child. Let him/her enjoy this phase of his/her life.

Allow your children move at their own pace. Let them learn to always stick to their lanes in the races of life from childhood.

May God help parents understand and align with God's plan for our children!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

God’s Approval Versus Man's Approval

We must live to seek God's approval first. SOMETIMES, doing what pleases God also pleases others (especially godly people), but that is not always the case. The voice of men can never always be the voice of God (unlike the world says). God has many enemies who love evil more than good. We must balance properly the priority of being approved by God with the desire to also be approved by others.

For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts (1Thess 2vs4).

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too (Rom 14vs17-18).

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.
Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation (Prov 3vs3-4).

Celebrate the Lord

As we celebrate the Lord with our family, we role model the Lord's presence in our lives. This is one of the greatest inheritance we can give to our children and grandchildren; it is a treasure to be passed on to future generations.

Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’ (Ex 12vs26)

Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away(Neh 12vs43).

These days would be remembered and kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the provinces and cities of the empire. This Festival of Purim would never cease to be celebrated among the Jews, nor would the memory of what happened ever die out among their descendants (Esther 9vs28).

 Our God loves to celebrate. He celebrates the defeat of sin and evil, the salvation of the lost, and thhe daily joys and successes of His people.

 You rejoiced at the desolation of Israel’s territory. Now I will rejoice at yours! You will be wiped out, you people of Mount Seir and all who live in Edom! Then you will know that I am the LORD (Ez 35vs15).

In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God' angels when even one sinner repents (Lk 15vs10).

“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matt 25vs23).

God celebrates. . .Who shouldn't you?

THERE ARE STILL HAPPY MARRIAGES. YOU CAN HAVE ONE

I have had the privilege to relate with many people who have resolved not to get married. They, out of fear of the outcome of their choice believe it is better to remain single.

I tell them, "I have been there before". I had vouched NEVER to get married if the picture of marriage I could see in most places around me was what marriage was really about. I was scared to death of marriage.

However, being relatively an emotional person, I definitely had to pour my love somewhere. I found the perfect avenue. I focused all my energy on pouring my love on God. And it was refreshing.  I loved doing just that (and i still do). I just loved being in God’s presence and working for Him. And I wanted Him to be the only one to share that level of intimacy with.

Lo and behold, while having a chat with The Lord one day, I heard clearly, "I need you to get married". I began to protest against that voice. I gave reason upon reason why I thought it was best I stayed single. And the reply was simple. "Your motivation is fear. There is no fear in me. Don’t worry, I will not let you make a mistake. I have prepared one of my sons for you"

My hand dropped. I began to let loose a little. I began to pray for my married life afterwards. Trust me though, the Omolola that I am, I was still afraid of the choice I believed God had approved up until a week before the wedding when I prayed some violent prayers and was ready to call off the wedding if that was not the right path. I was blessed with peace.

Is my marriage perfect? No. Why? We are two imperfect people married to each other. But we enjoy the grace of God. We are happy and fulfilling purpose.

You can have a happy marriage too my friends. Yes, there are so many unhappy marriages and the divorce rate is on the increase but there are still happy marriages. I know several happy marriages- Those that are happy for real. Not the type that are just faking their happiness and are just enduring their marriage.

Desire a happy marriage. Pray for it. God will give you one. Let God lead you along the best pathway for your life (Psalm 32:8).

God gives good gifts to His children. Just be ready to follow His instructions 100%.

Clear out from your mind the negative notions you have about marriage. Look foward to having a marriage that you will enjoy and not endure. And be ready to work at having a marriage that honours God.

The fact that your parents had a wobbly marriage doesn't mean that you would too. History does not have to repeat itself with you like it has with your siblings. You don't have to marry a wife abuser like your neighbour did.

Do it right. Walking this road with God is the right way that will lead you to the right destination.

I pray for the ear that hears the Lord clearly for you in Jesus' name.

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

God Loves You Anyway

I was going through the Book of Genesis some days back and when I got to the place where Cain was chastised for killing his brother, Abel, I was reminded of the unfailing love of God.

God loves even when He is meting out punishment. God cared for Cain's wellbeing even though he had been sentenced to being a vagabond. No one was permitted to do him harm despite the fact that he was being punished by God. God still had his back.

God's love never fails. Even if you stop loving Him, He loves you still. How reassuring!

This is to say that it is not what you do or don't do that makes God love you. God always loves you. God loves sinners but He hates the sin that sinners commit.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:35, 38-39 ASV)

Yes, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us.

You see His love being described here again?

God's love makes it possible for us to live meaningful lives.

Never think that God does not love you. No matter what's going on in your life at the moment (yes, no matter how bad thing are), know for sure that God loves you.

Even if you are being punished for a wrong done, His love is revealed in His discipline.

God’s love is everlasting.

Praise God!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

Don't Lie to Us, Your Middle Name is Esau!

Many of us are usually quick to judge Esau- the son of Isaac, when in actual fact we act just like him and qualify to be christened "Esau".

Esau sold his birthright for a plate of red pottage. He made life changing decisions based on momentary pain of his flesh. Satisfying his hunger for food seemed more important than his lifelong inheritance.

So, how do I know that you are either a Hesau or a Shesau?

The enemy of your soul keeps coming in his craftiness to take your salvation away from you. He wants to take it away in exchange for fame, money, and any good thing of life you can think of. Sadly, these things are temporal.

When you make light of your godly inheritance as a child of God, you are no different from Esau.

When you trade your body for money or marks in school, you are an Esau too.

When you sleep with a man because you do not want him to leave you for another lady, you are selling your birthright for marriage.

When you sleep with your boss for a promotion and decide to call a mad man your groom all in the name of progress, that is the height of foolishness.

When you bribe your way up the business or career ladder, you are walking on the wrong path.

When you choose to visit an herbalist for the healing of your body don't you know you are trading that with the health of your spirit which will remain after the body is gone?

Is God opening your eyes to see areas where you have traded your birthright for worldly goodies?

Are you now very sure that your other name is not Esau?

Congratulations if that is the case.

But please don't do a change of name.

Remain within the confines of grace. Hold on firmly to the faith you profess.

NOTHING is worth loosing your godly inheritance for.

In case you already traded off your birthright, how about you humble yourself before God and plead with Him for restoration. God can do that for you if you ask Him. Repent from your birthright trading business and face God squarely. 

I pray for increased grace for survival within the Kingdom boundaries for you today in Jesus' name!

- Omosebi Mary Omolola
© 2016

ECTOPIC PREGNANCY

In a normal pregnancy, your ovary releases an egg into your fallopian tube. If the egg meets with a sperm, the fertilized egg moves into your uterus to attach to its lining and continues to grow for the next 9 months.

But in up to 1 of every 50 pregnancies, the fertilized egg stays in your fallopian tube. In that case, it's called an ectopic pregnancy or a tubal pregnancy. In rare cases, the fertilized egg attaches to one of your ovaries, another organ in your abdomen, the cornua (or horn) of the uterus or even the cervix. In any case, instead of celebrating your pregnancy, you find your life is in danger. Ectopic pregnancies require emergency treatment.

Most often, ectopic pregnancy happens within the first few weeks of pregnancy. You might not even know you're pregnant yet, so it can be a big shock. Doctors usually discover it by the 8th week of pregnancy.

Symptoms of Ectopic Pregnancy
>Light vaginal bleeding
>Nausea and vomiting with pain
>Lower abdominal pain
>Sharp abdominal cramps
>Pain on one side of your body
>Dizziness or weakness
>Pain in your shoulder, neck, or rectum
>If the fallopian tube ruptures, the pain and bleeding could be severe enough to cause fainting.

If you are experiencing the symptoms listed above, contact your health care provider immediately and go to the emergency room. Getting to the hospital quickly is important to reduce the risk of hemorrhaging (severe bleeding) and to preserve your fertility.

»Causes of an Ectopic Pregnancy
One cause of an ectopic pregnancy is a damaged fallopian tube that doesn't let a fertilized egg into your uterus, so it implants in the fallopian tube or somewhere else.

You might not ever know what caused an ectopic pregnancy. But you are higher risk if you have:

>Current use of an intrauterine device (IUD), a form of birth control.
>History of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
>Sexually-transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhea
>Congenital abnormality (problem present at birth) of the fallopian tube
>History of pelvic surgery (because scarring may block the fertilized egg from leaving the fallopian tube)
>History of ectopic pregnancy
>Unsuccessful tubal ligation (surgical sterilization) or tubal ligation reversal
>Use of fertility drugs
>Infertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF)

Diagnosing an Ectopic Pregnancy
Once you arrive at the hospital, a pregnancy test, a pelvic exam, and an ultrasound test may be performed to view the uterus’ condition and fallopian tubes.

If an ectopic pregnancy has been confirmed, the health care provider will decide on the best treatment based on your medical condition and your future plans for pregnancy.

Treating an Ectopic Pregnancy
If the doctor suspects that the fallopian tube has ruptured, emergency surgery is necessary to stop the bleeding. In some cases, the fallopian tube and ovary may be damaged and will have to be removed.

If the fallopian tube has not ruptured and the pregnancy has not progressed very far, laparoscopic surgery may be all that is needed to remove the embryo and repair the damage. A laparoscope is a thin, flexible instrument inserted through small incisions in the abdomen. During this surgery, a tiny incision is made in the fallopian tube and the embryo is removed, preserving the fallopian tube’s integrity.

In some cases, medication may be used to stop the growth of pregnancy tissue. This treatment option may be appropriate if the tube is not ruptured and the pregnancy has not progressed very far.

After medical treatment for an ectopic pregnancy, you will usually have to have additional blood tests to make sure that the entire tubal pregnancy was removed. The blood tests detect the hCG level, the hormone that is produced during pregnancy.

Getting Pregnant After an Ectopic Pregnancy
Most women who have an ectopic pregnancy have normal pregnancies and births in the future, even if a fallopian tube was removed. As long as you have one normally working fallopian tube, you can get pregnant. If the ectopic pregnancy was caused by a treatable illness, such as a sexually transmitted disease, getting treated for it can improve your chances of a successful pregnancy. The infection is not what caused the ectopic – it is the scarring that occurs due to the infection.  Treatment of the infection does not get rid of the damage already done.

Talk with your doctor about how long to wait after an ectopic pregnancy before trying to conceive again. Some doctors suggest waiting 3 to 6 months.

After an ectopic pregnancy, take the time you need to heal your body and mind. Above all, don't blame yourself. Counseling or pregnancy loss support groups can help you and your partner cope.

Source: WebMD

Pharaoh and His Armies Are After You

When this title was ministered into my heart as I sat down minding my own business, I was like "What? I don't even know Pharaoh so what is my own with him?" I actually thought I had not heard correctly but yes that was what I heard.

I settled down and The Holy Spirit then began to expand it in my heart. . .

The devil always wants to capture you and take you back to the place you were saved from in the first place.

The  case study of the Israelites made the message much clearer. The children of Israel had been in captivity for over 400 years yet the enemy wanted to take them back into bondage upon their deliverance. I wonder if they had not had enough of them. Pharaoh and his army went after the Israelites relentlessly. Their enemies were not ready to give up on keeping them in bondage. The enemies obviously felt it was a mistake to have allowed them out of their grip in the first instance.

Don’t even think for a moment that the enemy will happily let you go of his own volition.

He must be forced to do so.

Take a look at these verses of the Scriptures:

Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does. (1 Peter 5:8-11 MSG)

This is why the devil keeps coming with temptations every now and then. He just wants you back in his clutches. It is your decision to make whether you want your freedom to be permanent or you like being in bondage.

You must fight your way out of the custody of the strongman holding you captive. Violently take your freedom back.

You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

If you have surrendered your life to Christ, you know the truth and have been set free by Him.

However, you must keep working at making your freedom permanent. If you relapse, you open yourself to the possibility of going back into bondage in a more intense measure.

You cannot afford to let your guard down for any reason at all. You must stay alert. It is important to always be on your feet ready to attack.

And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. (Ephesians 6:10-12 MSG)

You are not alone in this war zone. Every Christian is a target for the enemy.

The enemy will keep trying. The only way to being free indeed is staying attached to Jesus the Vine. He has already overcome the world so victory is assured in Him.

I have decided to follow Jesus and stay free. . . No going back. What about you?

I say, "No retreat. No surrender."

May God continually grant you and I victory over our common enemy in Jesus' name. 

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

Quarantined for Valentine's Fever

I attended a school for girls only. The norm was that when students were returning to school for the second term of the session (which commenced in January), they came armed with all sorts of gifts for their special friends.

I really never knew how serious this issue of valentines day was until one day in my semi - final year when our teachers went to the hostels while students were still in the class area to ransack our belongings. The school bus was filled with a LOT of items. I was amazed because I barely had enough pocket money to cater for my own needs at the time.

Most of the gifts these students brought to school with them were contrabands. Only God knows how these students were able to smuggle in those items without being caught during inspection at the gate upon resumption.

They damned the consequences. They were ready to loose their integrity.  They did not care about their good names as long as they were allowed to celebrate valentines. They were infected with what I call the "Valentine's fever"

When infected, you loose your sense of reasoning. You seize to be objective. You go all out on the wrong path not caring about the aftermath of your decisions. It all happens so fast you are neck - deep in trouble before you realize what you have done to yourself.

Many youths look forward to valentines day celebration with so much excitement.

Valentines day- a life determinant day.

Many destinies are truncated by this fever. Many loose their virginity at valentines. Many engage in all sorts of sexual sins during this period. Lies upon lies by the predators who come to their preys in the name of love.

All for what exactly?

A stick of rose made with cloth? You don't even get to get a bunch of fresh flowers.

Or is it because of a bowl of ice cream or chocolate bars? As if you would die if you don't get to eat one.

Or probably because of a teddy bear that actually looks more like a cat than it looks like a bear? And even if it actually looks like a bear, have you not survived without one up until now? If indeed you need to hold on to something while you sleep, I guess your pillow should be appropriate or at worst you roll up a wrapper for that purpose.

How about you have a rethink before you catch the valentine's fever.

In case you have been infected, it's best you are quarantined till you heal up completely.

Even if you are yet to be infected, I will suggest you get quarantined too. Else your friends influence you into joining the bandwagon of those set for destruction.

To protect yourself from this fever, you need a constant shot of God’s love. God’s love is appropriate for the healing of those who are infected too.

Embrace the love of God through His words. Isolate yourself in God’s presence.

NO ONE can love you like God does.

Love yourself enough to say "No" to the gimmicks of the one who just wants to take advantage of you.

Don't let anyone deceive you with some smooth talk and cart away with your treasured dignity. It's valentines day not your honeymoon.

If you must celebrate valentines, make sure it does not take your salvation from you. As long as God is part of your celebration, it's okay.

A word is enough for the wise.

Be wise!

A little something for my married folks: celebrate your love everyday not just on valentines.

I love you all with the love of Christ!

💕

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

REPAIR THE RACE

Still on the inter-house sports competition in our children's school that i started talking about in my last post (Click here ). . .

When it got to the time for the relay race, an athlete who took the second leg fell and caused his house to move to the last position by the time he passed the baton to the next person. However, immediately the guy who was to take the last leg of the race laid his hand on the baton, he ran like his life depended on that race.

Lo and behold, the unexpected happened. He swiftly moved from the fourth position to the first position at the finish line. Almost everyone rose up from their seats, screaming with excitement at the miracle.

At that point, I heard in my spirit, "Repair the race".

Here's what was ministered to my heart:

It doesn’t matter what your parents and generations before now have suffered. There can be a change for good. Jesus said,

 “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. (Matthew 18:18 NLT)

Have you noticed an embargo has been placed on your lineage and has been manifesting in your life causing you not to attain your full potential? It is time for a repair!

Vehemently reject the negativity that has ravaged your life. Take the bull by the horn. Face your problems right in the face in the place of prayers, coupled with fasting if you think it is necessary. Challenge those obstacles in your way with the Word of God. Insist that the negative occurrences have come to an end. Take your victory with all sense of determination.

It is time for a change. Have faith in God and declare the mountains before you to make way for you.

Receive double honour in place of your shame.
Receive the beauty of God in place of the ashes that has covered your life.
Receive strength in place of fear.
Receive gladness in place of mourning.
Claim divine peace in place of despair.

There's still more. . .

Have you fallen? Rise up my friend. Stand up from your fallen state. It is time to put a stop to your backsliding.

It doesn’t matter how far in sin you have gone. There is hope for you. Jesus is beckoning on you today with open arms, to come to Him thou weary soul. Drop your sins at the cross today and decide not to return into that mess.

The Blood of Jesus is potent enough to wash every layer of sin from you, no matter how thick and to make you white as snow.

Don’t allow the devil keep you in the mud of sin. Arise and begin to shine in righteousness from today.

Your return to God will turn you to a celebrity in Heaven because so much joy fills Heaven when a sinner repents.

May the Lord pull you out from the miry clay and set your feet upon the Rock.

By the power in the name of Jesus, the Lord will step into your case and turn again your captivity and it will be as if you were dreaming!

Your story will change for the best and all who have looked down on you shall henceforth look up to you in the name of Jesus!

✌

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

RUNNING TO WIN

I was at our children's school's inter-house sports competition sometime last week. The very first competition was the filling the bottle race. The children were expected to fill bottles with narrow necks, stationed midpoint using a cup. Each child would run to the starting point with an empty cup, scoop some water from a bucket stationed there. The children went back and forth and then ran with the full bottle to the finish line.

The intrigue in my story lies in the result of the competition. Alas, the boy who got to the finish line last was declared winner of the competition.

Why? His bottle was the only one that was full to the brim by the time he got to the finish line.

I was ministered to right there and then and I'll like to share with you.

It is not about how fast you run but how well you run your life's race.

Make sure you run according to the rules God has set down so that you are not faced with a rude shock at the finish line (at the end of your life). Live a life of obedience and you will enjoy unfathomable blessings from God.

There is more. . .

It does not matter how slow your own race looks. It does not matter how far behind your mates you are. It does not cost God ANYTHING to set you on top of them when the time is right by Him.

The last can become the first.

I forgot to mention earlier that the boy employed a strategy that set him above his contemporaries. He carried the bottle with one hand and carefully used the palm of his hand to cock the bottle so that water did not spill off the bottle while he ran. Now that is wisdom.

I admonish you to focus on where you are going. Run your race with patience. Maintain your lane and key into God’s direction. Rely on the wisdom of God. Run with God and you have no choice but to be a victor (or victoress).

Slow and steady wins the race.

Here what the preacher had to say:

 I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. (Ecclesiastes 9:11 NLT)

I pray for you today that God will satisfy you early with His goodness.

Be expectant. Your miracle is on the way.

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

Setting boundaries

God's boundaries for you and I are His loving restraints to keep us from falling away from Him. Boundaries of love from a loving God protect us from the evil one. They are always for our good

No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6vs8)

God's Word clearly states certain rules that we must live by. But God's Word also talks much about following the Spirit of His law, doing things that will not cause another to stumble, even though those things might technically be appropriate.

It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.....I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. (1Cor 10vs29-33)

It is important for us to follow (strictly) God's boundaries for us.... And to set boundaries for ourselves based on God's Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit for a successful Christian journey.

May God help us!

Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit

Do you know that it's not only the rich/wealthy that could be proud? Some poor people are so proud that you begin to wonder what they are proud about. They glory in the nothing that they have. They won't accept their condition and of course their pride will make them fall further. The spiritual state of wealth is even a more serious issue.

Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favour and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! (Matthew 5:3)

There is this saying the principal of my secondary school taught us, "He who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a fool".

You know, I agree. When you meet someone you can label 'I too know' (and who actually knows nothing), what is going to be your likely reaction? You leave the person in his state of ignorance after trying to make him see the light.

The Good News Translation puts Matthew 5:3 as “Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor . . .)

God expects us to come before Him humbly, acknowledging the fact that we are truly insignificant and that we need Him to make us significant.  He despises the proud. He wants us to realize that we are/have nothing outside Him. When He sees that we rely on Him for help, He sends us help. He empowers us in our lowly estate. He raises us up from our valley of nothingness.

We must trust Him for spiritual strength. Our righteousness is like a filthy rag before him. It's not by works that we gain His blessings upon our spirits but by His grace alone. Only they that wait upon the Lord shall have their strength renewed. It is someone that knows she doesn't have any power of her own that will wait upon someone stronger and mightier. We must rely on God. And then He will bless us.

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola

DEALING WITH BOREDOM

Getting bored?

Loss of hope brings boredom. Hope helps us to press on even when life gets difficult.

Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Heb 6vs11-12a

Getting tired of what is good, a sense of meaninglessness , laziness,... are all signs of boredom.

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Gal 6vs9

REMEDY: If you truly and really follow Christ's example everyday, you will never become bored! Let you heart be filled with His love, joy, hope and WORDS. See each minute of the day as a blessing.

This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” Neh 8vs10b

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. Eph 5vs1-2a

SUFFERING IN PRIVATE BUT SMILING IN PUBLIC?

I see one of the Pastors' wife quietly slip into the Church vestry as we were about to end the intercessory prayers that bright Sunday morning. The first thing that struck me that morning was the fact that she was unusually late to Church that morning.

It was still quite early and we could barely see each other's faces. But when I did see her face, I was totally in shock.

I had noticed one time before that particular day that this soft- spoken beautiful woman had come to church with a bruised lip but seriously I just thought it was a boil or something.

But this time for real, I just felt it in my spirit that something was not right with her. I approached her after service that day and she agreed to meet with me the next day.

She explained to me all the horror she'd been enduring in her marriage of ten years. Years of battering and all sorts of emotional violence.

Many youths had mentioned how they desire their marriage would be like that of Pastor and Mrs X, in my presence

Who could have thought that our ever smiling Pastor X would be capable of hitting his wife?

Who could have thought that this tongue talking and expository teacher of the Word was not upholding the truths of the word he taught and preached day in day out?

Who could have thought that this couple who would always wear matching clothes to every social function and Church service were in actual fact nothing from being in unity?

I couldn't have thought.

Even the sister in question couldn't have imagined herself in such a loveless marriage with an hypocritical man.

It is sad that we have to talk about this even in the household of faith. We are however faced with the reality of it.

Well, hear this. God hates all forms of violence.

Before someone will take me up, saying that I didn't wait to hear the husband's side of the story. . .

No human or woman deserves to be assaulted. . . Yes. No matter what the woman has done and how unsubmissive she is. Yes, you have no excuse to go down that route even if that was your parent's way of showing his anger.

Your wife is not your child or slave so why are you treating her like one?

The alarming increase in the number of people suffering from domestic violence is disheartening. I cannot even begin to mention the number of marriages suffering from this menace, that I know personally.

Jesus' recommendation for conflict resolution spells out the steps you need to take:

 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.  But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.  If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17 NLT)

"Speak out" is what I would tell you if you are a victim of domestic violence if trying to reason together personally has not yielded any fruits.

"Fear God" is what I would tell every perpetrator of this evil called domestic violence.

You need the Holy Spirit so you can bear the fruit of self - control

And if you're single, would you please stop coveting another person's marriage and pray for God's ideal marriage for you?

May The Holy Spirit invade every home and fill every heart with the fear of God!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

THE TESTED AND TRUSTED DRUG FOR ALL LIFE'S ISSUES

Towards the end of my first degree, i had to go for a six-month industrial training which took me away from my state to Lagos, Nigeria. Some days back, I remembered a particular incidence during that period. I remember wondering why a certain man chose to enter the commercial bus I was in one day when in actual fact there was no spare seat.

Few seconds after the bus took off, the man started advertising his wares. He was actually a mobile chemist shop. And the funny thing was that almost all the drugs he had to sell, according to him could cure so many diseases.

Imagine one drug being prescribed for headaches, stomachaches, muscle aches, bone problems, all forms of infections, blood repair and many more health issues.

Why the story?

When this incidence flashed through my mind, I heard something in my spirit that has got me giggling every time I remember:

"I HAVE A GBOGBONISE DRUG "

I personally have a problem with swallowing many tablets per time so I would definitely feel more comfortable with having all the drug components for all my issues compounded in just one tablet.

Are you looking for a 'gbogbonise' drug? No need to look any further.

Check drug insert for details:

*********************************

Nomenclature : The Holy Bible

Composition : God’s Words

Presentation : A sachet of 66 capsules

Indications : Indicated for the prevention and treatment of all forms of sicknesses, stagnancy, lack, pain, barrenness, darkness, depression, oppression, and death. It is also perfect for burning all consumables and breaking rocks in pieces. It is perfect for creation of new things and the repair of damaged bodies, hearts, etc

Dosage:  Ingest at every given opportunity. Meditate upon it day and night. Confess it always. You can never suffer from an overdose.

Side - effects : None.

Storage: Store in your blood - washed  heart and close firmly lest it be stolen from there.

Expiry date : Never

*********************************

With this drug, you do not need to run helter skelter seeking solution to your problems. Simply follow Doctor Jesus' prescription and you will see positive changes in your situation.

A trial will convince you.

The taste of the pudding is in the eating.

Taste and see that the Lord is good!

#mygbogbonisedrug

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

SEEING OTHERS THROUGH THE EYES OF GOD IS THE KEY TO ACCEPTANCE

It's usually difficult to accept other people for who they are, especially those you dislike, think are not on the same pedestal with you or think don't have the same values as you. The solution to this hard puzzle is to see them through God's eyes!

Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong......Thos e who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. (Rom 14vs 1&3)

Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. (Rom 15vs7)

Pray for the grace to accept your spouse, sibling, parent, colleague, neighbour, church member,...especially the hard ones (so that God may be glorified). The world will then see your good works and give glory to your father in heaven who has helped you crack the hard nut of acceptance.

LEFT HANDED, NOT LEFT OUT: HELPING YOUR CHILD SETTLE IN WELL

Research reveals that 9 out of ten people are right handed. Therefore the 10% of the population are assumed to be "left out".

Raising a lefty can be a hard nut to crack especially in a society where right handedness is believed to be the normal thing.

The truth however is that left handedness is not new. There are actually three (3) records (not just 3 men) of left handed men in the Bible. All these men were from the tribe of Benjamin and were very strong men who dI'd exploits in their time. (See Judges 3: 12-30; Judges 20:16 and 1Chronicles 12:1-2).

We all need to know that God has great plans for everyone irrespective of the hand you use most frequently.

From my experience from where I come from, the odds are that your child's tutors and people around will want to force your child to use his/her right hand more instead of the left hand.

Here are a few tips to help your left handed child or ward settle well into his/her peculiarity :

1. See your child as Special not Abnormal. Your child is totally normal. Scientists have proof that if your left hand is more dominant, it means that the right side of your brain is more dominant than the left, which favors intuition, emotion, imagination, creativity, and holistic thinking. I particularly admire the left handed people I have related with. They all have an edge over others in one way or more.

2. Regulate your child's company. It is important to let your child see other like - handed persons. This will reassure your child and let him know that he is not odd. You need to tell your child's teachers not to try to "convert" your child.

3. Let your child see him/herself as special and unique. Point out left handed great personalities to your child. They are many so I'll let you do the research yourself. . . Well, Obama is one of them.

4. Reorder yourselves. If you are a right handed parent with a left handed child, you should be in a mirror position for your child to see. That means you stay opposite him/her instead of beside him. The use of the left hand can be difficult where virtually everything has been designed with the right handed in mind. Simplify the issues by eliminating the perception of left or right being correct or incorrect. Let your child use whatever hand is most convenient for him per time for the different tasks. For instance, tell him to open the door with the hand closest to the door knob.

5. Equip your child. Thank God people are getting more liberal with having left handed people around nowadays. Developing writing skills is a major hurdle lefties have to cross. Get your child left -handed friendly materials. Carry out research on how to ease your child's learning process. For instance, since a lefty ' hands move towards his body while writing instead of away from it in the case of a righty, let your child know it is okay to move the book around to make writing easier.

Love your lefty like you love your righty. Embrace each child's uniqueness and help your child do the same.

Lift up their hands.

No more leftie discrimination.

God bless all left - handed persons!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

Never Doubt It; God Cares For You

God cares for you. Never doubt that fact! Just give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


In case you want proof, here it is:


And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? (Matt 6vs30)


He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands. (Ps 78vs72)


The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. (Ps121vs7-8)


The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The LORD protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked. (Ps 145vs18-20)


You are important to God. Be at peace.

Cast all your burdens upon Him.

Smile, God cares for you!


- Omosebi Mary Omolola

Praying for God’s Mercy

Shall we pray this morning for God's mercy. . .

Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your saving grace. We praise You for Your mercies that endure forever.

We ask this day that You will have mercy on us. In every way that we have by ourselves dug out problems for ourselves, we plead that Your mercy will speak for us. We do know that Your blood speaks mercy and not vengeance. Speak for us. Forgive us.

Bring us out of the ditch we dug for ourselves by Your mighty power. We ask that You save us from the clutches of the enemy that we submitted ourselves to. For even the lawful captives shall be delivered.

Repair our foundations. Rebuild our ruins.

Build up again Your hedge of protection round about us.

Thank You Father for delivering us, in Jesus' powerful name.

"I Love Pure Gold!" . . . But Can You Pay the Price?

Ever before I got to read about gold, my mum told me about it since she saw raw gold firsthand from her father who was a gold merchant back in the day. She told me the first major thing I ever knew about gold, and that is the fact that gold is a very soft metal.

Gold cannot be destroyed though. It can be dissolved by chemical means, but even then it remains as gold-only in a more widely dispersed state. It withstands all forms of stress. When hammered, it can come out as thin as thin itself without being destroyed. Gold is also a very heavy metal.

One more thing, gold is very beautiful.

Gold is extracted from ore. It is usually found in the company of quartz and other metals.

Now I'm almost where I am going. . .

Gold is usually rough in its natural state. However, because of its malleability, it is easily smoothened. It is easily purified. It willingly let's go of the impurities that have attached themselves to it.

The more it is pounded and washed, the purer it becomes.

Looking through Exodus 37, we see God's specific instructions about the vessels for use in the tabernacle. God gave instructions to make sure the vessels were made of Pure Gold. Note that He didn't just say vessels of gold but vessels of pure gold. Refined gold. Gold without impurities. Purged from every metal that looks like it but isn't it.

Everyone was born in sin. We all had the sin - connection.

However, to become vessels in the house of our God we must pull the plug on the connection we had to sin.

God can not stand impurities. He wants us to be pure- thoroughly washed by the water of The Word. He wants us to be without blemish, spot or wrinkle. He wants us our garment to be properly laundered.

Becoming pure gold requires willingness. Because the process is a very painful one. So if you choose to escape from the furnace of purification which comes in form of discipline/suffering, you just can't become pure. God desires perfect vessels. He wants every impurity burnt off.

God wants us, like gold, to be soft yet very strong. Gentle as a dove and bold like a lion. It takes discipline and self control to be able to contain gentleness and strength in the same vessel. The refining process God takes us through brings us to that point.

God wants to beat us into shape. He wants to use the hammer of the word to transform us into smooth jewels.

 He disciplines us because He loves us. He wants us to shine. He wants the world to see what He has made of us.

The heat he allows us pass through is simply aimed at getting us up to the standard of God. For He cannot behold iniquity. He wants us to develop certain important virtues that will make our lives really attractive. He wants to build us up. He wants us to be perfect so that we can be presented faultless before God. . .

. . .and fit for the Master's use- vessels unto honour.

Endure the process, it's for your good. . .

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

How far?

I wish to challenge someone today: Take your walk with God more seriously. I did not say "work for God". I am talking about your relationship with The Master. I am 

As I write to you today, I write to myself too. Is your relationship with God better than it was before or otherwise? What is the common language heard from you these days? Is it "I used to pray for 5hours at a stretch before; now I can barely pray for 5minutes"? Or, is it "I haven't read my Bible by myself since the beginning of this year. I only read through the text in my devotional every morning"?

It's time to examine ourselves. We are truly in the last days- when the love of many will wax cold. And indeed, it is waxing cold. People are too busy. "We have to struggle to make ends meet. There are several bills to settle with our meagre salary" they say. They go through the day looking for ways to get more money. No time to fellowship with their maker. They return totally exhausted. "My husband is not encouraging me to walk closer to God" is not a tenable excuse. Neither is "my children are a handful".

Don't be carried away by the pleasures of the world. We are pilgrims in this world. Always remember that. Keep eternity in perspective. Don't be weighed down by the pressures of life either.

The cycle goes on and on if you allow it. I am here to remind you that the longer you refuse to charge the battery of your phone, the lesser the power available on it. It's just logical. We were taught the 'law of use and disuse' back in the days. When you utilize a machine, it keeps running. It performs better. Leave it for years and that new machine will become rusty. Some parts begin to wear out. The longer you refuse to do something about your current spiritual state, the colder you become.

Let your heart seek the Lord while He is near. There is no chasing after God once life here on this side is gone. Let your heart long to be with Him. Reconsider your perception when it comes to God today. Today is the day of salvation. Make a decision for God. He really loves fellowshipping with His children. Well, except you are not one anymore. It's time to rise from your slumber. Arise from your fallen state. You have tarried in this valley for too long. It's time to begin climbing up the mountain.

I pray Lord that your fire of revival will fall upon every life that needs revival. Restore unto us the joy of your salvation. Jesus, Light of the world, make our paths shine brighter henceforth. Holy Spirit, we cry out for your help. We have no power of our own. We are coming back to the place of worship. . . In Jesus' Most Precious Name I pray!

Shalom! 

OMOSEBI, Mary Omolola

2015

Be a Blessing, Thou Blessed of the Lord!

God's blessings are numerous- peace, comfort, joy, fellowship with God, hope, success, prosperity and eternal life with Him!

The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually). (Num 6vs24-26)

As we share the blessings God has bestowed on us, we bless others as well. Encouraging others with God's Good News is one of the most rewarding of His blessings. Cultivate the attitude of blessing others. Let it flow through you with ease.

For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. (Rom 1vs11-12)

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2Cor 1vs4)

May God bless us richly! And may He give us the grace to remember that He blesses us so that we might bless others! Don't get tired of doing what is good. You will surely reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.

Be a blessing, thou Blessed of the Lord!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola

THE BEST TIME TO PREPARE FOR TOMORROW IS TODAY

Where are the men in the house? You really need to read this. . .

At creation, God's plan was for a man to leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. And i have not seen where he changed that norm. What that means in essence is that he is now one and the same with his wife.

How come some men refuse to do the needful and leave their fathers and mothers? (And everyone who played the role of father and mother in their lives). I hear about so many cases of men who prioritise their extended families (that’s what your parents, siblings, uncles and aunts become when you get married) over their immediate families.

I am not saying that you should neglect your parents and siblings but you need to get the order of your priorities right. Love them like you love yourself. You cannot give what you do not have. Your spouse is you. If you do not love your wife it means you do not love yourself. In my opinion, it is hypocrisy to say you love others when you do not love yourself. You must never shove your spouse behind your 'family'. I believe that is a wrong move.

If you are yet to put things right please do it now.

I'd like you to answer these questions honestly. . .

Who is your next of kin?

Have you amended who your next of kin is at the approprate quarters after you got married? How come your brother is still your next of kin when you have a wife and children?

What about the official documents of your assets (landed properties and all)? Whose names are on them?

And why are you just buying a property with only your name on the document?

Do you have a will? If you do, how have you protected the interest of the wife of your youth and your children?

I know these are very sensitive issues. I am not a pessimist. But life happens. Some people just have to exit this world early and there is nothing anyone can do about that. However, you can do something about what happens with your family after you exit this world.

I have seen cases of people (firsthand) who left their wife and children in abject poverty even though they themselves were rich just because of their ignorance and negligence.

Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly. (Proverbs 13:22 NLT)

I do not believe this Scripture is saying that you should skip your children's generation and focus on your granchildren's. So don't tell me that you want your brother to keep and later pass your wealth on to your grandchildren. When next you are taking a decision, ask yourself what your decision says about you- a good person/wise person or otherwise.

God trusted Abraham to pass on the legacy of godly living first to his children and then generations after them. (I am tempted to digress to tell you that the greatest inheritance to leave your children is spiritual wealth and moral direction but I'll stay in line)

Even God has plans for His children. Jesus has gone to PREPARE a place for His disciples.

What plans are you making for the future?

Make plans for the future and commit those plans to the Lord; trusting His will to be done.

Your spouse and children should not be left to suffer.

I have seen and heard about too many horrifying cases to know how important this issue is.

I am not trying to 'teach' you how to run your affairs but to encourage you to give thought to the issues i have raised here.

This is a real life issue that we must take cognisance of and I was inspired to address it.

May the Lord help you to take the right steps NOW!

Shalom!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016

Hello Ladies, Wise Up!

When I was a child, the groundnut/popcorn sellers would put their wares in a box made with glass girded with wooden frames which they called "show glass".

Any customer is free to taste the groundnut/popcorn to confirm if it's crunchy or properly roasted. Some others taste for the adequacy of the salt/sugar. The amazing part of the story is that the customer has the right to either buy the groundnut / popcorn or not- even after having a portion of it.

In case of rejection, the groundnut seller may walk away. But God help you if you just tasted groundnut from a woman with a very sharp tongue and you refused to buy from her. Nevertheless, the reaction of the seller usually does not change the decision of the buyer.

It breaks my heart when I see ladies ditch their pride for whatever reason they feel is good enough. Some look for the love they have probably not gotten from home desperately and thus fall victim of predators who go around looking for gullible ladies.

Others out of their greed for material things and covetousness loose their dignity to men who have no regard for them- men who only want a taste of their "wares" without intentions to settle down with them in marriage.

Stop putting yourself on display like a valueless person.
Don’t hurry off to get married as a way of escape from your 'overbearing' family or your slim economic status.
Don't grant any man who is not your husband assess to your body in a sexual way.
Don’t get pregnant in the name of trying to 'tie' a man down.

These are wrong reasons to get married.

Ensure you are certified for marriage before you venture into it. Wrap up yourself tightly in God’s love.

Introduction is not the same as a wedding. It is not a licence to move in with your fiancé.

An engagement ring is not a marriage seal.

Don't break the chain and sell yourself short of your worth to any man. Don't jump classes. You will regret doing that.

God's order is for you to marry first before engaging in sexual relations.

Any man who can not wait to get married to you before having sex with you should wait outside your life. This should be your resolve.

Fear God and love yourself.

A man who cannot wait for you before marriage will most likely not stay faithful to you in marriage. Getting married does not control lust. The fear of God does. Having wrong values don't just disappear into thin air on the wedding day. Each one of us is like a seed - bearing fruit. It is what you carry on your inside that you sow in the future.

Respect yourself first if you desire respect from others.

Like I usually tell myself and others who care to know, I  have one life to live here on earth; I have to live it well. There is no room for playing games with my life. A slip on my way may give an indelible scar. The stigma may remain till the end of your time here on earth.

Stop playing games with your life.

Don't turn yourself into a car that men test - drive.

You are precious in the sight of God. Don’t treat yourself like a nobody. Hoist the flag of chastity.

Don’t sell out your birthright for a brief moment of pleasure (whatever that translates into for you).

Wisdom is profitable to direct!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
© 2016