Where are you?

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"Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"
So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." Genesis 3:9-10.

You know, despite all that Adam said in response to God's question in Genesis 3:9, he never really answered the question. God called to him and asked "where are you?" - a seemingly simple question designed to ascertain the present location of the person being asked, right? Listen to Adam's response?
"I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."
Think about it, in what way is this the answer to "where are you"?

It's not only drunk people that are "under the influence", we all are

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"Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (Romans 6:16).

When we see and read news headlines like "man arrested for driving under the influence" or "woman jailed for drunk driving", or heartbreaking ones likes "drunk driver kills two in auto crash", and "female driver caught with alcohol with baby in the backseat"; we are pained for the victims and call for the heads of the defaulters, which is understandable.

However, these defaulters are not the only guilty ones, we all are equally guilty of the "same" offence - you are under the influence, and so am I. We are not much different. If we think well and deep enough, we would realise that the defaulters are not the only ones who are "under the influence", or put better, we would realise that we all, just like them, are "under the influence".

Are you more faithful to God than Moses was?

"And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those which would be spoken afterward" - Hebrews 3:5.

Think about it: a wealthy man has a son and a servant, from which of them do you think he would expect and demand more faithfulness and commitment from? I reckon the son. The man would expect and demand more faithfulness and commitment to him from his own son than from a servant.

Why, you ask? Well, the reasons are not far fetched...

Choose this day whom you shall serve

In whose arms would you rather be,
On whose shoulder would you rather lean on,
In whom would you rather trust,
In whose hands would you rather place your life,
At whose feet would you rather lay,
Who would you rather trust with your future?

Reflections from my "encounter" with Daddy G.O. (Pastor E.A. Adeboye)

They say that if you see a tall tree standing, it means that it has a deep root. It is also true then that if you see an unusually tall tree standing, then it must have unusually deep root. The same could be said of us humans.

I often wonder when I observe great personalities what they did and still do that propelled them to the height they have attained. I wonder: what is it about these great people that distinguish them from the crowd? Observing from afar or simply reading about them sometimes may not reveal these unique things about them. Sometimes, you just need to “have a personal encounter” with them, and then it hits you unmistakably!

Some thoughts on dressing

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Seriously, there is nothing impressive about someone dressed indecently, though people may look at such one with admiring glances. Actually, it’s not admiration. What is happening is that those people who “admire” you imagine you as an object that can satisfy their lustful passions (this applies to both guys and girls).

I know people say how you dress does not really matter, that what matters is the state of your heart. Well, I agree. It’s true, the state of your heart (your inner man) is what really matters, much more than your physical appearance. The inner man (the spirit) is what is renewed and edified by the Word of the God, not the physical flesh. Indeed, it is the inner man that will survive/live on beyond this world.

Do with me as you please Lord

Like the artist as he sculpts a statue, Lord chisel me into your image.

Like the potter as he works with clay, mould me to your vision.

Like the carpenter as he drives nails into furniture, Lord hammer me into shape.

Quit dwelling on the negatives

You know, there are certain not-so-good things you sometimes remember about your life and/or loved ones that can spoil your mood for the whole day. The worse thing about these negative situations that we're not happy about is that, though we wish we could, we can't help the situation. We're not empowered enough to help the situation. I have come to know what that feels like.

This thing called laziness

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“Much food is in the fallow ground of the poor, and for lack of justice there is waste” – Proverbs 13:23.

One very important life truth I have learned is that everyone, I mean every single human being, is given a wealth of gifts, resources and opportunities in his lifetime to succeed. If anyone ends up poor in life, it is not because of a lack of opportunities or that God didn’t bless such one with natural gifts that could be translated to wealth or, at the very least, a comfortable life.

A lot of times, the reason many end up in poverty is laziness. Granted, there may be other factors that contribute to one’s condition, but ultimately, it comes down to what the individual did or, put better, failed to do, as a result of laziness.

The Scripture (especially the Book of Proverbs) has quite a lot to say about laziness - from the nature of the lazy man to how he will end up as he continues in his laziness.

He came for the lost

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"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" - Luke 19:10.

When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" - Mark 2:17.

Do you feel unworthy of God's love?
Do you feel you're not good enough for God?
Do you sometimes feel that your sins are just "too much for God to forgive"?
Do you sometimes feel that a holy and perfect God wouldn't want to have any business with sinful you?
Or that there's no way back for you with God?
Do you sometimes think to yourself 'maybe I'm not good enough for God to work in and through me'?
Do you sometimes consider your lifestyle, compare with God's standards in His word and see a huge difference?

Nothing I have is truly mine

"Nothing I have is truly mine" goes the lyrics of that song that many have come to know and love.

Look up to the One who looks up to no one

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In life, when we get to our wit's end, we seek help from others who are higher, and as such better placed than we are to help us out. That could be in form of a doctor, a mechanic, an electrician, or other professionals (even a pastor) depending on the nature of the problem we're faced with.

Picture quotes to reflect on

They say a picture says a thousand words (but that's not literally and scientifically true, is it? Just kidding). Well, here's some picture quotes with insightful words to reflect on...

What frequency are you tuned in to: the 'what ifs' of fear or faith?

The 'what ifs' of fear...
What if you try and you fail woefully?
What if you invest that money in business and it all goes down the drain?
What if this sickness will lead to death?
What if after studying hard you still fall short?
What if your marriage deteriorates further?
What if something goes horribly wrong on the way?
What if the board thinks your idea is rubbish?
What if you lose this job?
What if your kids never change and continue their wayward living?
What if you are rejected and your business goes bankrupt?
What if it all goes horribly wrong?

These and the likes are the 'what ifs' of fear...this is what you hear when you tune in to The Fear Channel...this frequency plants seeds of doubt, unbelief, depression, worry and complaining in you...

...but scratch all that...let's tune in to a different frequency - The Faith Channel, I particularly like this channel...this frequency plants seeds of hope, belief, desire, inspiration, motivation, confidence; you hear things like...

Make space for grace in your life

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” – Hebrews 4:15-16.
It’s hard trying to help someone who’s hell bent on doing it all by himself/herself.

Picture it, you want to help the person, and he/she goes, “I’ve got this, thank you” ; you try again to help in another situation, and they go, “I’ve got this, thanks for the offer.” Really, how do you help such persons? You try to offer your help, but they don’t make the space for it. It’s frustratingly difficult; especially when it’s apparent the person needs your help.

What Is Stored Up In Your Heart?

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“A good man brings good things out of the good STORED UP in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil STORED UP in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” - Luke 6:45 (NIV).

Are you likely to be surprised when you open a trash can and it smells awful? I reckon you are not very likely to be surprised because you quite expect it to smell bad. Right?

Give it time

I came across this beautiful piece and thought I should share it here on the blog...it's titled: "Give it time"...and it contains some insightful and thoughtful truths.

Motive is a like the root of a tree, it's the source of a person's behaviour/attitude; but since it's under the ground, it can't be seen. But TIME is indeed a revealer of motive. TIME strips almost everything of its secrecy, of what it's concealing...
Time reveals hearts...
Time tests character...
Time questions your faith and belief...
If you can pass the test of time, you bear the tag, "tested and trusted".
So, GIVE IT TIME

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Naïve faith: Faith like a child

"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it" (Mark 10:15).

Reading John's account of Jesus feeding the Five Thousand (John 6:1-14)... I think the young lad whose 5 loaves and 2 fish were multiplied might not have been the only one in the multitude who had some food on him. Possibly, a few others in the multitude also had some bread and fish, but they did kept it for themselves, except for the kid. (See how his selflessness blessed everyone.)

Christ meant every word when He said only those who receive the kingdom of God like a child would enter it...what did He mean? Only those who have faith...that naïve kinda faith....that child-like faith which, on the surface, appears stupid, yet holds on to God's every word.