God bless Nigeria, for He can use any king ( president or governor ) to deliver His promises

Hello everyone,
This has been an intense season of campaigning and politicking . With rising fears of impending flashpoints and the uncertainty that they bring, it is not at all surprising that sentiments and emotions have been running high. The tension in the air has weighed heavily on everyone like dark storm clouds about to break. Everyone is waiting to exhale.

Now that the presidential elections are over,we must all rise up and pray assiduously for the leader the people have chosen, whether or not it is the result we hoped for. The enormous task of nation building is still at hand and never more needed. It is the responsibility of both the leader and the led to be intentional about engaging in the kind of thinking that promotes the enormous teamwork that it will take. We all need to get with an ideology that will steer the ship of this great country of ours through the tumultuos, deep waters that form the fabric of our extremely complex inter tribal/political dynamic. 

My prayer and mantra is:

Nigeria must rise! 

In my research into national leadership and the delivery of God's promises to a nation, I focussed on King Cyrus. His reign was characterised by exploits that are a great example that we can learn from. I have reposted part of a well written, detailed  article below for those who may want to read it. It contains severall crucial elements of what a leader can do for a nation and a people when under the guidance of God's hand.

Proverbs 21:1 is my scripture of the moment especially because I have recently been reading Psalm 46. In verses 4 & 5 , there is a beautiful statement which melts my heart each time I read it-

 'a river which makes glad the city of God'. 

The preceding three verses speak to a calamitous situation , or in Naija parlance ' katakata don bost!' 

In my vivid imagination, I picture a river raging and bursting its banks, flowing everywhere causing big 'wahala' and then it becomes calm and flows gently. There is a calm and peace, there is silence as God directs things. The river is the human spirit; the soul , and it goes where it was designed to. ( imaginings all mine) 

 I like what it says later in verse 6 about Nations being in turmoil and the profound impact of the power of The Almighty on a tumultuous situation just by the sound of His voice- 

'the earth melts.'

Following on is another statement expressing God's sovereign power over the affairs of nations, and I have altered it here and appropriated the spirit of the words for Nigeria, especially in a critical time like this.

 

The Lord Almighty is with Nigeria, the God of Jacob is our fortress.

 I think it is important to keep faith and hold on to His word regardless of the facts around us. I speak what I wish to happen here with an assurance that it will come to pass in God's own time
I beleive it. 

Back to Proverbs 21:1 , which I think is particularly relevant to Nigeria because we definitely need a country CEO who's heart is inclined towards serving the people. What we need is a 'shepherd- leader' like the shepherds in biblical times who cared for his flock to the extent that they may risk their lives for the safety of the animals in their care.

I will end my self notes here by bridging psalm 46;4-7 and Proverbs 21:1

So here is my bridge as it came to me today, it puts the right words out there for you and me to focus on and it gives hope. I have found that hope based on the word of God, is never misplaced. It took some twenty years before I got a diagnosis that saved my life. I held on, my family, friends and myself stood on His word,  He did not disappoint us. In due season, my deliverance came. He is the same yesterday , today and forever. 

Psalm 46:4&5 and Proverbs 21:1 ( amalgamation all mine) 

In the Lord's hand is The president of Nigeria's heart ;He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases, and to the river which makes glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within Nigeria, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 
Our Nation has been uproar; He lifts His voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with Nigeria; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Amen and Amen!

What are your thoughts?

Notes on King Cyrus- Culled from www.gotquestions.org

Cyrus is a king mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible and is identified as Cyrus the Great (also Cyrus II or Cyrus the Elder) who reigned over Persia between 539—530 BC. This pagan king is important in Jewish history because it was under his rule that Jews were first allowed to return to Israel after 70 years of captivity.

In one of the most amazing prophecies of the Bible, Isaiah predicts Cyrus’ decree to free the Jews. One hundred fifty years before Cyrus lived, the prophet calls him by name and gives details of Cyrus’ benevolence to the Jews: “This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him . . . ‘I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me’” (Isaiah 45:1, 4; see also 41:2-25; 42:6). Evincing His sovereignty over all nations, God says of Cyrus, “He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please” (Isaiah 44:28).

Cyrus’s decree releasing the Jewish people, in fulfillment of prophecy, is recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:22–23: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up.”’” Other Old Testament books that mention Cyrus include Ezra and Daniel.

King Cyrus actively assisted the Jews in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem under Ezra and Zerubbabel. Cyrus restored the temple treasures to Jerusalem and allowed building expenses to be paid from the royal treasury (Ezra 1:4–11; 6:4–5). Cyrus’s beneficence helped to restart the temple worship practices that had languished during the 70 years of the Jews’ captivity. Some commentators point to Cyrus’s decree to rebuild Jerusalem as the official beginning of Judaism.

Among the Jews deported from Judah and later placed under the rule of Cyrus include the prophet Daniel. In fact, we are told Daniel served until at least the third year of King Cyrus, approximately 536 BC (Daniel 10:1). That being the case, Daniel likely had some personal involvement in the decree that was made in support of the Jews. The historian Josephussays that Cyrus was informed of the biblical prophecies written about him (Antiquities of the Jews, XI.1.2). The natural person to have shown Cyrus the scrolls was Daniel, a high-ranking official in Persia (Daniel 6:28).

Besides his dealings with the Jews, Cyrus is known for his advancement of human rights, his brilliant military strategy, and his bridging of Eastern and Western cultures. He was a king of tremendous influence and a person God used to help fulfill an important Old Testament prophecy. God’s use of Cyrus as a “shepherd” for His people illustrates the truth of Proverbs 21:1, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.”

Ponder anew, a feature article on Easter by Efena Otobo

This young lady has written an inspiring piece on what Easter means to her in a feature article on the 'it's milk and honey' website. Given that this Easter season is the anniversary of a car accident that has left her with severe spinal injuries and attendant disability, her candour and optimism is a testament to the power of God in her and her strength. Please read Efena Otobo's article at the link below. This is a great way for me to greet you all, Happy Easter !

Enjoy!

http://www.itsmilkandhoney.com/feature-the-easter-phenomenon

Praying Mothers -Nigeria by Fadeke Adepetun

PRAYING MOTHERS - NIGERIA

We must intercede for our country, Nigeria, it is not an option. It is compulsory. Nigeria is hounded by forces that want to bring her to her knees, but we the children of God must not allow that to happen. 

We will pray that the face of the lord should be against those who want to destroy the good plan God has for this land. We may not be in politics, but we have a voice which we can use to cry out to God. 

God is more than enough to turn around our situation for good in Nigeria. The same God that delivered us from Ebola and caused nations in the world to ask us how we did it, is still on the throne today. He has not changed.

We have a very good biblical example of one man that interceded for his nation. I suggest that we read Daniel.9 when we get home. 

Daniel said in

Daniel 9:17-19 NLT

“O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary. “O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city—the city that bears your name—lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy. “O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.” 

That is going to be our prayer this morning - that God should have mercy on us in Nigeria, He should hear, He should listen, He should forgive and He should act!

1) Repentance

Our first prayer point is going to be on Repentance. We are going to stand in the gap for the nation and ask God to forgive us of the sins of past generations. A lot of innocent blood has been shed on the land over the years and is even still being shed and this blood is crying out for vengeance. However, because we know that our God is a God of mercy, we will pray that He will turn and have mercy upon us in Nigeria. 

Psalm 79:8-9 NIV

(8) Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. 

(9) Help us, God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.

2) Lets Pray against violence 

 (a) We will first of all have to cancel every negative word that has been pronounced over the nation

II Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 

(b) Isaiah 60:18 AMP

Violence shall no more be heard in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders, but you shall call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. 

Psalm 7:9 NIV

Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure— you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts.

Pray against the spirit of violence that is controlling the hearts of men

(c)  Pray that God will confuse the plans of those who are planning evil at these times.

(d) Pray that God should destroy the plans of the wicked.

e) Psalm 35:1-6 NIV

Contend, Lord, with those who contend with the peace of Nigeria ; fight against those who fight against us. Take up shield and armor; arise and come to our aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who are planning violent acts. Say to us, “I am your salvation.” May those who plan violence in Nigeria be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot her ruin be turned back in dismay. May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away; may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them. 

We decree O Lord that the Gates of Nigeria are called Praise and her walls are called Salvation

(3) Peace

Let us now begin to speak peace over the nation. Let us command the wind of peace to go to the 4 corners of the country 

Father we speak Peace to the North of Nigeria, peace to the south, peace to the center, peace to the east and peace to the west.

(4) Guidance  

Some people have said they heard from God and some have said they have seen visions. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with these. But because I know that God is not a God of confusion and that He reveals things to His children, I have decided to shut out all voices and listen only to the voice of God. I have asked God that He should reveal to me just like He has been revealing to others who I should vote for.

We cannot afford to make decisions based only on what man is saying to us because, Like a friend of mine says The best of man is Man at his best. What this means is that at the end of the day, man is only man not God. Our decision on who to vote for should be Holy Spirit guided.

Psalm 32:8 NIV

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. 

Isaiah 48:17 NIV

This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.

(a) Father, open my ears to hear your voice clearly, silence the voice of man so I can hear your voice. Instruct me o Lord, teach me what is best for Nigeria as I cast my votes in Jesus name.

(b) Father, let Your will override my desire as who to vote for. Let Your will and not mine be done in Jesus name. 

(c) Father, let every citizen of this nation vote according to your will. Guide us all into Your will o Lord

5) Pray that the elections will be free and fair.

This is one prayer point that needs Great Faith because of our past experiences. However, we must remember the 2 scriptures we started with at the beginning: 

Jeremiah.32:27

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

John.11:40

Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you and promise you that if you would believe and rely on Me, you would see the glory of God?

(6) Pray that God will put confusion in the camp of those who plan to rig the elections. Pray that God will confuse their language as they gather to strategies on how to rig the elections.

(a) Pray that God will despatch His angels to stand guard over the polling booths and boxes to prevent anybody from tampering with the votes.

(7) Father, let Your counsel concerning the next set of leaders be established in Jesus name

Isaiah 32:1-8 MSG

But look! A king will rule in the right way, and his leaders will carry out justice. Each one will stand as a shelter from high winds, provide safe cover in stormy weather. ..... No more will fools become celebrities, nor crooks be rewarded with fame. For fools are fools and that’s that, thinking up new ways to do mischief. They leave a wake of wrecked lives and lies about GOD, Turning their backs on the homeless hungry, ignoring those dying of thirst in the streets. And the crooks? Underhanded sneaks they are, inventive in sin and scandal, Exploiting the poor with scams and lies, unmoved by the victimized poor. But those who are noble make noble plans, and stand for what is noble.

(a) Give us a President that will rule in the right way

(b) Give us leaders that will carry out justice. In every position of leadership, Gubernatorial, ministerial, local government, senate, house of assembly

                    - God fearing men and women

                    - men and women of integrity

                    - compassionate leaders who will not turn their backs on 

                       the homeless and needy

                    - leaders who will make noble plans and stand for what is 

                      noble

(c) Arise o Lord, intervene in the affairs of our nation so that no longer will fools become celebrities in Nigeria nor crooks be rewarded with fame.

(d) Jeremiah 24:7 NLT

I will give them hearts that recognize me as the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.

Father, when you select these leaders, please give them hearts that will recognize You as Lord, hearts that will worship You and make them return to You wholeheartedly

8) Isaiah 51:3 NLT

The LORD will comfort Israel again and have pity on her ruins. Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air. 

Father, comfort Nigeria again, 

- have pity on her ruins, 

- let her barren wilderness be like the garden of the Lord

- let joy and gladness be found in Nigeria and let songs of

   thanksgiving fill the air.

(9) Isaiah 65:17-19 NLT

“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and delight in my people. And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard in it no more. 

Father, we thank You because we believe that you will create a new Nigeria, and no one will even think about the old one anymore. We will be glad; We will rejoice forever in Your creation! We thank You Lord for we believe that You will create Nigeria as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy. You will rejoice over Nigeria and delight in us Your people. And the sound of weeping and crying will not be heard in Nigeria anymore in Jesus name.

Isaiah 32:15-18 AMP

(15) Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is valued as a forest. 

(16) Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) will abide in the fruitful field. 

(17) And the effect of righteousness will be peace [internal and external], and the result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever. 

(18) My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places. 

(a) Father, pour down Your Spirit upon Nigeria afresh

(b) Father, turn every wilderness situation in Nigeria to a fertile field

               - spiritual wilderness

               - moral wilderness

               - economic wilderness

(c) Let this fertile field begin to yield bountiful crops 

(d) Father, judge everything causing the wilderness situation in Nigeria

(e) Pour down Your righteousness upon Nigeria 

                          - body of Christ 

                          - Leadership 

                          - Schools, homes, etc

(f) The effect of righteousness is peace so let's pray down God's peace over the nation at this point in time.

(g) Finally, let's declare that Nigeria is  peaceable habitation, a safe dwelling and an undisturbed place of rest.

 My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.

Father, we decree that Nigeria is a peaceable habitation, it is a safe dwelling and it is a quiet resting place.

Psalms 46:4-7 NLT

A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it. The nations are in chaos, and their kingdoms crumble! God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts! The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress 

So therefore, we decree This morning, that the River of the Holy Spirit will bring joy to Nigeria; Nigeria cannot be destroyed. From the very break of dawn, God will protect Nigeria. The Nations may be in chaos and their kingdoms may crumble! God's voice thunders, and the earth melts! We decree that the Lord of Heaven's Armies is here among us in Nigeria; the God of Israel is our Fortress. 

Psalm 126:1-3 NIV

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. 

CHILDREN

Ephesians 4:14 NLT

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

JEZEBELS

Ezekiel 13:20-21 NLT

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against all your magic charms, which you use to ensnare my people like birds. I will tear them from your arms, setting my people free like birds set free from a cage. I will tear off the magic veils and save my people from your grasp. They will no longer be your victims. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 

Nigeria Must Rise!

Good morning Nigeria

May the one chosen to lead Nigeria to fulfil destiny be chosen today.

May there be peace and calm in our land.

Nigeria must rise out of the ashes of corruption, inequity,mediocrity to attain its full potential.

So help us God.

Amen!

Bible mis quotes-part 2

 

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

 

Luke 2:13-14 | NIV

 

For the moment, I have been examining the idea around this subject and I am continuing my thoughts about bible mis quotes. I have decided that examining the context of scripture will give me more depth and understanding of it. A popular bible teacher called Bill Johnson talks about the need for christians to 'know the tone of God's voice' in one of his videos that I watched. That is a nuance, and a delicate subtle thing- tone. Bill Johnson's assertions corroborate the idea that one should look deeper and wider at scriptures in front of us in order to fully understand/ assimilate what we are supposed to.

 

I have seen countless greeting cards that declare the words in Luke 2:14, but the quote is always cut short after the word peace. I was quite taken aback actually, when i read the second part. It was a 'screech to a halt, woah moment' for me. So the peace on earth we wish everyone at Christmas is actually meant 'for those on whom His favour rests'

What does this mean for you and I?

What does this mean for all the people of our world?

Who are those on whom His favour rests?

 

Please comment on this topic, it would be great to hear your thoughts about it and specifically the questions I have posed here. I look forward to hearing from you.

Bible mis quotes

After my devotion this morning, I was thinking over what I had just read and how it applied to me and my life. It occurred to me that several bible passages are quoted out of context, and I have done this on many occassions. I searched 'bible misquotes' and really enjoyed the write up who's link I am posting here. 

This is worth thinking about In order to get a fuller, perhaps more accurate interpretation of scripture. It shows clearly that the contexts in which the original texts were written matter.

Click on the link below.

http://www.faithstreet.com/onfaith/2014/04/01/five-bible-verses-you-need-to-stop-misusing/31534

Happy reading! 

Please read the comments posted by various people as well, there are a series of interesting perspectives which may assist you in moulding your own.

By the skin of our teeth!

Time stood still and raced ahead in alternate pattern on our way to the airport to catch our Delta flight to Miami via Atlanta. We had planned everything to a tee, packed ahead of time, and thought through all sorts of logistics. However, on the day, Lekki Phase one was in gridlock from about 11.30 am. By the time we hurriedly got into the car with our baggage at about 5:15 pm, we were already utterly exhausted. We would have fallen into deep sleep on the journey to the airport, but for the high anxiety of possibly missing our flight. I have never seen so many cars jammed packed on the road, it was like those epic movies where everyone is leaving town because of some impending disaster. 

Our driver Moshood, came into his own weaving through the traffic, never sparing the tiniest opening, and sometimes bullying his way in. He used the horn liberally, and for the first time ever, we remained silent and did nothing to curb his aggressive driving. It was in fact accurate and very skilled.
We could not sleep, as we had planned to because our eyes were pinned on the road as though that would somehow miraculously do something to clear the mayhem.
We tuned our car radio to a channel that had people calling in to report on traffic at various points in Lagos. The reports were not encouraging at all! Someone called in and announced in a very excited voice telling us that Ozumba was free, and he could see all the way to Bonny camp. I tried my best not to resent the man, who advised, we should avoid Osborne. 'Ya! ha-loooo I am stuck on Osborne, so what gives?' One man called in and made a hilarious comment that can only come from a Nigerian. He said "Traffic come tie wrappa!" There was all sorts of dialogue going on in my head ranging from various resentful attitudes towards the free flowing traffic areas to silently whispered prayers for God to help us. Hmmm,it was a challenge, my usual ability to remain calm and patient flew right out of the window. I could hardly think and was totally overcome with emotions such as fear, panic, impatience and all sorts of images flashed through my head. It was quite intense, and thankfully, the high energy of the emotions combined with sheer exhaustion from our prior activities, sent us into a sleepy stupor for a while. It did not last long, and we were soon awake again, and I had a crick in my neck from all the held in tension. 

The most nerve racking part came when we were within sights of the ramp leading up to the departure drop off zone. My eyes flitted between the digital display of time on the dashboard and our position on the ramp and my mind kept calculating and making assumptions based on these as to our estimated time of arrival. It did not feel good at all, I felt so much as though I was in a pressure can about to self combust. So I got into an animated discussion with hubby as to whether or not we should just jump down with our cases and get one of the roaming touts behind trolleys to convey our baggage into the airport building. Moshood kept faith and kept reassuring us that we would make it, all the while inching forward with precision, not letting as much of a hair's width of space go to waste.

At that very moment, I was in fact so agitated that I felt like flying out if the car and sprinting to the Delta airlines desk. We were in front of departure drop off with twenty minutes to when the check in counter closed. On reaching the drop off zone, there was absolutely no where to park, or pull in to drop our bags, so we sort of double parked. The nano second hubby and I got down to offload our bags from the back of the car, a couple of gun toting , pot bellied individuals in uniform ( I honestly don't know which uniform) came forward trying to shoo us off, and stopping us from offloading. I took a split decision there and then, yanking down our two biggest bags in no time flat. I had no idea I had that kind of strength in my arms! It was one of those 'sense of wonder ' moments like the story of a mother who single handedly lifted a car off her child's body. Adrenalin is a fabulous hormone that will deliver a super hero quantum of ' kick ass power' when you need it. Hubby yanked down the hand luggage bags and later on when all sanity had retuned , he asked me why I chose to grab the two bigger bags. I was silent. I cannot explain why, it just happened, and I just saw a difficult situation that I attacked with all the adrenalin pumping gusto I could muster.

If all the preceding stress was not enough, we still had to negotiate entering the airport building's doors, where the airport authorities of MMA1 had cleverly installed one single scanning machine for all passengers coming through to check in. It was one of those daft decisions, which make me wonder what exactly is wrong with us as a people, and why we are incapable of forward planning, rational thought and managing crowds.

It was like Tejuosho, Mushin and Ajegunle on steroids. The ground was wet from the recent rain, there were muddy puddles waiting to be stepped into, and everyone was surging forward towards the doors at the same time with a variety of sizes of luggage. The smell of sweat was thick in the air, I was aware of being far too close to various people's mostly squishy anatomical parts, and I was literally eyeball to eyeball with one lady. Everyone was shouting and pushing, and it was absolute pandemonium, but the super hero adrenalin enablement had not subsided. I shamelessly pushed past them all, elbowing unseen people who had no idea that I was not deranged at all but making sure we got to the check in counter before it closed. There was too much at stake, two connecting flights and a cruise ship at the end of it, and all our friends who were going to be on the same cruise for a destination birthday gathering. We just about poured ourselves in through the crowded door, and made it to the check in counter.

I have never been happier to be at the boarding gate, and it was an enormous relief to get seated on board. Very soon, our bodies caught up to the pace of the recent activity and we fell into a deep sleep, knowing that we had the length of twelve and a half hours ahead to unwind. The chirpy, smiling Delta airways cabin crew's hospitality was so welcome, I could have group hugged them out of sheer relief.

Prayers for the 150 abducted Syrian Christians

Photo- Reuters

It is written in: 

Matthew 18:19-20 (NIV)
Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about
anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in
heaven.
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

We agree in one accord and pray that these 150 hostages will be delivered from the hands of the cruel according to Jeremiah 15:21 

         "and they  will be saved from the hands of the wicked and delivered from the grasp of the cruel.”

We pray for courage for them, that the God who upholds them and comforts them at this critical time, will fight for them according to Deuteronomy 3:22

We agree and declare that:

No weapon forged against anyone of these 150 will prevail, and we stand in the gap for them and refute every tongue that accuses them. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me, ”declares the Lord.
-Isaiah 54:17 (NIV)

May the Lord be their strength in this time of trouble:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
-Psalms 46:1-3 (NIV)

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
-Psalms 9:9 (NIV)

May the Lord go ahead of them to fight against their captors.
For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
-Deuteronomy 20:4 (NIV)

Our Lord and our God, contend with ISIS and its agents and save these 150

But this is what the Lord says:“Yes, captives will be taken from warriors, and plunder retrieved from the fierce;I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save.
-Isaiah 49:25 (NIV)

We pray for them to be guided in their thoughts , speech, actions, attitude and demeanour by the power of the Holy Spirit who will:  

instruct them  and teach them in the way they should go; He will
guide them with His eye.Psalms.32:8 KJV

Show us your mighty hand Lord and cause their captors to treat them with kindness, exactly as His word says in Psalm 106:46 NLT

              He even caused their captors to treat them with kindness

Lord, we cry unto you, rescue these 150, save them, show your might, your power, your love and your mercy
Psalms 7:9 (NIV)
Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure—you, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts.

Psalms.37:39-40 NLT
39 The Lord rescues the godly;  he is their fortress in times of trouble.


Psalms 37:7 NLT
7 Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don't worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.

We thank you Lord for answered prayer concerning these 150 souls belonging to your kingdom.

Deliver them from the hands of the wicked!

In Jesus mighty name!

Amen!

Signs that follow a believer

In reading Matthew 7:16, which I paraphrase here : 'by their fruits you will know them', I looked at the context in which it was written as seen in the preceding verse 16 which outlines a warning against false prophets.
The truth is that 'signs' follow every human being. The signs are an expression of personality, character, belief system and choices made. It is therefore fair to conclude certain things based on the 'signs' someone exhibits. I wonder how this relates to 'judging people' , and if I could run the risk of judging and pigeon holing people when I look at their 'signs'.
I know that what our Saviour did was to acknowledge the person's short comings while at the same time speaking an alternative path into their lives bundled in His forgiveness. To be a Christian is to be Christ-like so I must emulate Christ's behaviours towards ' negative signs' and at the same time beware of false prophets.
The 'signs' that I would , (so help me God ) have evident in my life are described in
Galatians 5:22 New Living Translation (NLT) . This is no easy task, and in my walk I have found that i display some of these signs some of the time. I think it is impossible to display them all of the time as long as I am in this earth suit, and living in a fallen world. I am not talking about passing the buck here, but being honest and forthright enough to acknowledge that ' it ain't easy!'

The great thing is that I can keep coming back, to the source of all the power in heaven and on earth, my creator, my manufacturer has given me access to His power, but I must be in covenant with Him in the first place. It is like a club which has rules that govern membership, and I cannot draw down on benefits without following the cardinal rule of being obedient. Easier said than done, right?

Let's take a look at Galatians 5: 22 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

I heard from a bible teacher many years back, that this scripture is often slightly misquoted in its use and understanding . I used to think of this list as 'different fruits' almost like a menu list to draw down from but the bible teacher pointed out that it is 'one fruit' and that the list are aspects of it. This is consistent with the concept of multifaceted personality of God, who is one.

The most important thing is that it is evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the essence of God in Christ, and God in the life of a believer. To me Galatians 5:22 is essentially 'the great commission'. 


FURTHER THOUGHTS
The opportunity to develop, strengthen and use this list of the believer's attributes as seen in the fruit of the spirit, present themselves in every sphere of my life, at home, at work, driving my car, at the hair salon,at church, at fellowship, in all my relationships with friends , family, colleagues and people I meet for the briefest moments. What this means in practical terms is that I will be exposed to someone or situations which will get on my last nerve, try my patience until I feel I cannot bear it any longer. It is very uncomfortable, and one might feel inclined to find every means to get even. However, through this kind of experience, under God, patience is being developed.

Patience leads to perseverance which will strengthen your spiritual muscles like an awesome six pack! 

I have learnt that I must not always listen to my feelings. Feelings have their role and are an important aspect of our human experience, but feelings are not Christians! 

So, the message I have received through various trying times, applying the meat of what I've outlined here, is that :

• 1) It is all good
• 2) All the hard knocks of life are defining moments of opportunity

GOD IS THE SAME FOREVER

14 God said to Moses, "I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "

Exodus 3:14  NIV

Often in our prayers, Christians use words from the bible. It is great to affirm His word in this way. When we declare that God is the same yesterday, today and forever, it is not just a matter of quoting scripture, it is consistent with something I have observed in my quiet time this morning.

In the Old Testament , well before Christ came to earth as a human, in Exodus 3:14, God reveals Himself to Moses and says who He is. He simply declares 'I AM' 

In Jesus's time on earth, he makes declarations about who He is using various contextual phrases. He used contextual phrases a lot, and the these were taken from the lived experience of His listeners. This is what made Jesus a great teacher. Neuro scientists have discovered that human beings learn better when they can connect to the material in a way that means something to them. You see, Jesus knew this already because He is God and He was there at the beginning and was part of the creative force that put this beautiful earth and all its creatures together. 

John's gospel is packed with the eight powerful I AM statements of Jesus. As I read through them, I was in awe that they are still relevant today, more than 2000 years later! But then, He is God, the same yesterday, today and forever.

Honouring Nigeria's hero- Ameyo Adadevoh's obituary in BMJ of 7 th Feb2015

Isn't it just wonderful that Ameyo continues to be honoured. Her Obituary appeared in the British Medical Journal of 7 th February 2015. 

Ameyo in the British Medical Journal of 7th Feb 2015

Prayers for our children

Hello there!

These Prayers were inspired by and guided by the reference scriptures quoted here. I have used them again and again and I am sharing them for other parents to use. You may use them to pray for any young people in your life, or for any one for that matter. Praying God's word means the answer is YES! Because His word is His will. 

So Hubby and I pray these with a peaceful calm that our Heavenly Father has heard and will fulfil His word. May you enjoy the knowledge that He has heard you and He will answer YES as well. 

Just substitute name(s) where the blanks are to personalise the prayers.

Enjoy His peace!

Amen

Ref: Psalm 119:9-16

Dear Lord, in the name of Jesus, i commit ----------into your hands to stay on the path of purity and live according to your word. 

-------seeks you with all their hearts and follows you so closely, that he/she do not stray from your commands. 

-----------has  hidden your word in their heart that they might not sin against you.
I declare that ---------gives Praise  to you, Lord, because you teach him/ her your decrees.
By the power of the Holy Spirit, may they with their lips recount all the laws that come from the mouth of God.
--------------rejoices in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 

--------meditates on your precepts and consider your ways, and they also delight in your decrees.

Amen!

             

Ref:Mark 3:27 , Psalm 119: 59-64

Lord ,we read from your word that in fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 

According to this word, we banish and rebuke every stronghold in the life of --------

That they shall engage with your word and keep it in their consciousness at all times. 

That your word, sharper than any double edged sword shall be strong within them. 

The word of truth shall well up like a mighty warrior, and stand firm within --------

 -------- is released from all principalities, powers,spirit of lack, ancestral ties , and from every negative genetic lineage that is in them.

-------- is released from any bonds they may have made themselves through sexual encounters or any other means. 

I cancel and negate every plan of the enemy concerning any attack whatsoever, be it in their physical bodies, psyche, spirit, mind and soul.

That the peace of God which surpasses all understanding shall be the portion of --------
Lord God Almighty, renew the joy of salvation in --------, give them a fresh zeal, a hunger and passion for your word. 

Reveal yourself to --------so clearly that they gain the freedom to choose what is right. 

Give -------- a clear revelation of who they are in Christ Jesus, such that when they are presented with counterfeit spiritualities, they will recognise them and flee. 

May --------consider your ways and turn their steps to your statutes. 

I declare that they hasten and do not delay to obey your commands.
Concerning -------- friendships, Lord, God , Our Father, we affirm according to your word that they are friends to all who fear you,to all who follow your precepts.
Amen!

GRATITUDE

GRATITUDE

You gave me a beautiful garment of praise today

And I thank you Lord for your faithfulness

You have answered me in a myriad ways

I cannot begin  to tell how much

I am strong within, and my faith is strengthened

Double portion giver

Restorer of locust eaten places

I bow, I worship you in gratitude.