DIE BY FIRE...

DIE BY FIRE

A certain church in Lagos (popularly known for praying and calling down fire on their enemies) was recently gutted by Fire (i no call name o!). Comedians leveraged on it saying, “...how fire no go burn their church when everytime na so so Fire dem dey call down...God come send the fire to burn the bad people among them... ”

I actually didn’t laugh at their dry joke but what gave me concern is the trend of Christians these days calling for the death of their ‘enemies’ (fellow humans, forgetting it’s a spirit behind the evil works). Only God knows how many people we have 'murdered' that could have been saved using our prayers.

Today, there’s a call to mercy. God expects His people to be merciful as He is merciful.

Imagine if God punished us for every single evil deed, every evil thought...most of us won’t have lasted this long, but the bible records his unending mercies.

Micah ^18-20 Where is the god who can compare with you—
    wiping the slate clean of guilt,
Turning a blind eye, a deaf ear,
    to the past sins of your purged and precious people?
You don’t nurse your anger and don’t stay angry long,
    for mercy is your specialty. That’s what you love most.
And compassion is on its way to us.
    You’ll stamp out our wrongdoing.
You’ll sink our sin to the bottom of the ocean.
You’ll stay true to your word to Father Jacob
    and continue the compassion you showed Grandfather Abraham—
Everything you promised our ancestors
    from a long time ago.

The good Samaritan, a popular parable dealt with compassion. Some seem to think they have the right amount of it and everyone else has too little. Many people seem to have an excuse for when they don’t show it. 

Obadiah 1:10-15 , Micah 2:1-5; 7:14-20 pointed out that the sin of not showing compassion brings God’s judgement. They also offered assurance that those who have not shown compassion can change their ways & God will bless them.

Dear Friend, it is time to discover and reflect God’s merciful nature. Will you show mercy (even in your prayer points) to that wicked man/woman today?

So help us God!

Christian Avengers

Gisting with my class this morning i asked two simple questions, 'What would you do if your neighbour is mistreating her househelp?' , 'What would you do if your boss hates & mistreats you for no valid reason? ' Two oppressive scenarios, plenty opinions.

Avengers is a popular cartoon (and now a movie) featuring Super-heroes who made up their minds to in defence of the weak & defenceless in the world. Relating it to Christiandom, i see us a superhumans (having the HolySpirit & power), empowered to promote change & justice around us
One day whilst leaving our family friend, Ezebuiro's house for a vigil at about 10pm, i heard a girl crying & complaining, '...since, you didn't allow me go where am going, since you kept me here...'. I got curious especially when i heard church (my church was a stone throw away). i drew close, recognising her face as a random member in the church, i asked who she was, where she was going & if she's our member.

As soon she confirmed in affirmative, i grabbed her hand and attempted to take her with me; Suddenly the area-man who had detained her for over 2hours, in the guise of toasting (wooing) her grabbed her other hand challenging me, 'Wetin be your business ehn? You no see say i dey talk to her... '. She's my sister i responded in anger...it was an endless battle of words i determined not to lose even if i get a slap or beating inbetween.

Apparently he had kept her against her will for over 2hours (now 10pm since 8pm) and my guess was he would have raped her if nothing had happened or no one interfered eventually. The girl being too timid to even cry out for help, till i interfered and succeeded in attracting attention of church folk around & rescuing the situation. I think i would have done same even i didn't know her.

I believe God would want us to be an Avenger of sorts; to respond with mercy to the injustices of the oppressed.
                  "Let Judgement run down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream"

God's people are expected to stand for justice. Many churches today focus on winning souls to the exclusion of helping people. Others focus all their attention on social problems. Neither approach is correct. God cares for both bodies & souls. Recognising this fact, believers have launched programs like the Economic Empowerment Summit (being held this January in Assemblies of God Church, Victory Centre) and gotten involved as individuals to address many of the social evils faced today. Just as God cares about justice and mercy, so his people must care. http://www.facebook.com/VictoryCentreSurulere?ref=hl#!/photo.php?fbid=146195715536433&set=a.146166762205995.31918.109727549183250&type=1&theater

Dear friends, i pray God grants you wisdom , humility, love, grace & passion to do what is right in the face of injustice bringing glory to God. Become an avenger, God is.

BROTHER FOR SALE!!!

i've got the cutest teenage brother in the world, but he knows how to annoy me in many ways than one. One moment we are having fun, the other moment he's being mischievous (trust me! its a long list including sneaking up at odd times to watch TV, littering my room with boxers , socks, shoes & everything possible,placing things in all the wrong places, invading my toiletries, picking & making calls from my phone, eating my stuff etc or trying to cover his tracks) and i am either fuming, chasing, screaming, making punitive moves or simply laughing my eyes out.

My mum gets so tired of us sometimes, she refers to us as +Tom & Jerry and leaves us to sort our issues (if possible)...#hehehe...of course i always win (especially when she's not around to rescue him).One remarkable feature he has is being quick to say sorry; but don't be too surprised if something similar occurs again tomorrow...he'll still be sorry...lol.

Have you ever wondered what kind of relationship existed between God  & the Israelites?  Ever wondered what arouses his interest where humans are concerned? The Bible has countless stories of how God showed Israel love and how they toyed with it severally before discarding it. Yet He would though upset, return to warn, caution, punish, send help and draw them close, each time searching earnestly for Genuine Repentance.


Regardless of how much my brother upsets me or ruins my day, i would never sell him short or love him less; how much more our dear Lord God. In Today's lesson God is passing through Joel and saying:
                                       "Rend your heart and not your garments.
                                   Return to the Lord your God,
                                              for he is gracious and compassionate,
                             slow to anger and abounding in love,
                                              and he relents from sending calamity.

We have all sinned and need to repent (change of mind & behaviour). We need to recognize that God restores those who return to him repenting. Sin serves no purpose except to destroy you, your relationships with others & God. Stop playing games with your life! The only way to freedom is to turn to JESUS today and the blessings following are for your eternal good. 

Let the truth of God's graciousness, mercy, patience and kindness grip your heart. Bless you.