Father's Day greetings

Beloved Sisters, as we join our Husbands, Dads, Brothers, Sons, Friends to celebrate Father's day, let us first of all give honor to our Heavenly Father, our Eternal God and King for who He is, appreciating Him for being our Father and our everything, each and every day of our lives.  Let us thank Him for our Husbands, the spiritual leaders of our homes and the father of our Children and also for the other Men in our lives.




May the good Lord continue to strengthen and empower them to be godly fathers and be whom God has called them to be in Jesus name.

Happy Father's day to all our Men.

Recognizing Your Calling

   Romans 12:1, 4--8   
 by Kemi O.

What is your Ministry/Calling?

Beloved, what is your purpose on this earth? 

Why are you really here? I believe like me, that is the question most of us have asked ourselves at one time or the other. 

Well, beloved brethren, I am here to tell you that we are on this earth to serve 

the Lord God, His church and the world at large.God created man in His image and

 for fellowship as we see in the book of Genesis 2 through 4 until the enemy came in

 and destroyed that beautiful fellowship God had with our first parents. He created us 

for Himself to have an intimate relationship with us through praise, worship, 

communication etc. But thanks be to God for a second chance at fellowship with 

the Father, He sent His only Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to restore 

that broken fellowship through His precious blood that was shed for our sakes.

And now, we, believers through the selfless sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

now have a primary ( higher) calling and that is, to serve God using the talents, 

spiritual gifts, strengths etc, He has deposited in us for the propagation of His

 Kingdom. Sisters, aside from our secondary calling as wives and mothers, we

 are called to minister (serve) to God and others in various ways in order to 

fulfil the great commission Mark 16:15-20.

God had called us to be His servants on earth and it is not until we have been

 ordained by man's authority before we know we are called; for the moment

 we make the decision to follow Christ, we are instantly called to ministry. At first,

 we may not know what our ministry or role is in the body of Christ but over the 

course of our journey, it will be revealed to us. However, its quite unfortunate that

 many have died without realizing what their actual calling was.

There are so many believers today that are not doing what God has called them 

to do. Although, they are still serving in their various local assemblies or in

 para-churches etc, they are not doing what He has purposed for them to do. 

For example, you have individuals who are called to serve as teachers of the word,

 but instead are busy pastoring churches. There is nothing wrong with been 

available to serve in other areas of ministry in which you have skills or talents, 

should the need arise, but do it bearing in mind that this is not your God given 

ministry and so therefore not lose focus. So many including myself, have fallen 

into this situation and became so overwhelmed with the work or assignment 

especially in our local churches that we become ineffective and lose interest quickly.

We need to find out what God specifically has called us to do and do it well, 

for at the end of our race, we are going to stand before God and give account 

of our lives, what we did, and how we utilized the resources and gifts He had 

given to us. It is important to remember that our obedience to God will be weighed

 on that great day and that is what we are going to give account for and not our

 sacrificial good works 1 Sam 15:22 " To obey is better than sacrifice." The spiritual

 gifts and talents that God deposited in us is aligned with the ministry He has called

 us into. We were fearfully and wonderfully made by God and so we know he carefully

 took His time to mold us and fill us with what will help to serve Him effectively 

Psalm 139:14.

I believe at the time of conception, our talents (natural gifts) i.e music, creativity, etc

 were given to us and then when we became born again, He now deposited and 

assigned spiritual gifts to each of us and so having said this, I encourage you to

 trust God for your life, your calling, trust him who fashioned you, to sustain you

 in the ministry He has called you to, because He has equipped you with everything 

you will ever need to fulfil your individual ministry and purpose.

How do you know when you are already fulfilling your purpose?

I believe you know when you are operating in your ministry or calling when 

you go through trials or difficulties and you still remain standing. Nothing or no 

one can uproot you from where God has positioned you for by His strength you are

 able to complete the race set before you.

Do you ever wonder why some churches close down before they even reach their

 second or third year anniversary? A lot of times, they are not where the Lord has 

called them to be. It appears everyone wants to pastor a church but God has called

 them into other areas of service. So many times, I have seen servants of God starting

 churches which eventually crumble or remain stagnant for years and yes, it may not

 necessarily be because they are not positioned in the right area of ministry but who 

is to say, that is not the reason. I have heard of some who actually know the Lord has

 called them to be teachers, evangelists, or missionaries in the field, but refused to 

obey for one reason or the other and stay where they are, some times it could because 

of the monetary benefits they are receiving as a Pastor but beloved, this is sheer 

disobedience to God and there are consequences as we know for knowingly 

disobeying God.

Brethren, I encourage you today to be confident in God's choice for you, in John 15:16 ,

 He states that He is the one who does the choosing and not us. It is only Him who

 understands why He has chosen us for our particular ministry and so you have to 

trust him to see you through by His grace.

In conclusion, I will ask again " What is your ministry" Your specific purpose here

 on earth" Are you called to be a Children's Sunday School Teacher, Pastor, 

Evangelist, Administrator, Counselor, Music Minister, Helps/Welfare Coordinator etc ?

Do you have a vision or dream that you are yet to fulfil and you believe the Lord

 has given you this vision? If yes to these questions, pursue it with all your heart

 knowing the Lord has equipped you with the resources, gifts, skills that is required 

to fulfil your vision and ministry.

If you would like to know what your spiritual gifts may be, click on this helpful link below to take a spiritual gift analysis test so that you can begin to prepare your self for God's work using the gifts He has given you.  You are welcome to share this information or link with friends, family, members of your local church or fellowship etc.
http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi

Overcoming the pain of Adultery

Scripture Text:  Proverbs 6:23-33
 by  Kemi O.

It is very depressing and sad when you look around our world today and see so many marriages in turmoil. The most shocking of it all is that, it is very rampant today in the body of Christ i.e the church.

After reading books, watching the news, listening to loved ones and counseling a few, I have come to the conclusion that one of the greatest marriage destroyers of all time is " Adultery". It is not only a sin against God but it is a sin that causes so much emotional pain to the other parties involved (spouse and children).

If you look at the statistics today on the divorce rate, you will see that over 50% of the marriages that end up in divorce is as a result of infidelity/adultery.

By the way, what do we mean by Adultery? Adultery by the dictionary definition is extra marital sex that willfully and maliciously interferes with marital relations. Some people confuse adultery with fornication because they are both transgressions before God. The difference between fornication and adultery is that fornication is the act of having pre-marital sex with another unmarried person so it usually pertains to someone who is single, however adultery pertains to sexual intercourse with someone other than your spouse.

The sin of Adultery is a disastrous reality that has existed and afflicted mankind since the beginning of time. For believers, one of the most well known accounts of adultery recorded in scripture is revealed in the story of King David and his affair with Bathsheba. 2 Sam 11:2-27. Although King David actively pursued Bathsheba, the strange woman in his home, some respected and annointed men of God like King David have fallen victim to the beauty and flattery tongue of the strange woman Prov 6:24-25. And as a result, the annointing of God in their lives was destroyed and sometimes their homes, and in such cases it will take the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit to restore them. There was an incident in the church I was attending a few years ago where a man of God whom I so much respected had been having affairs with the women in the church. He was quite a handsome preacher and 90% of his congregation were women but I just saw the annointing of God on his life and how the Lord was using him mightily. It never occurred to me that such a thing would happen to him and as a result of his succumbing to the flesh, his ministry suffered a terrible blow, marriages were destroyed, for a couple of women he was sleeping with also happen to be married. It was a very unfortunate incident and so brethren, this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed in the church today. We are an adulterous generation.

When adultery taints the purity of the marriage covenant, the road to reconciliation is usually quite difficult especially for the spouse who has been betrayed.

Sadly to say, many christians have skipped the reconciliation process because they find it difficult to forgive their cheating spouses. Decisions of separation and divorce is therefore made in haste out of pain and anger. Can you really blame them? However, we should ask ourselves will this be God’s will for me if I do this? Many have used the famous words of Jesus Christ in Matt 19:9 to justify their decision for divorce but if everyone who has been through the pain of adultery decide to obtain a divorce, how many marriages will truly remain standing? There has to be room for forgiveness. the same scriptures tells us to forgive those who have trespassed against us and also that God hates putting away i.e divorce Mal 2:16. As painful as the betrayal is, an effort at saving the marriage should be made especially a christian union that has been ordained and blessed with children. God’s thoughts towards us are good and not of evil to give us an expected end ( future). Divorce was never in God’s plan for man and therefore it is evil, it is the work and plan of the enemy to destroy marriages especially christian marriages. His only job is to kill, to steal and to destroy, John 10:10.

It pleases the Lord to see the Man and the Woman reconcile because it also causes them to be reconciled back to God as a family. He assures us that he will be with us always even in times of trouble.

Having said all this, we know that rebuilding a relationship is definitely not an easy task for it will take both time and effort on both sides to make it happen. Above all, it will take the grace of God to bring harmony back into the home again.

The first step to rebuilding the marriage is for the adulterer to be willing to repent. he/she must genuinely confess their sins and repent.

The betrayed spouse(victim) must be willing to forgive in order for the healing process to begin.

Couple should seek biblical counseling immediately for it helps both parties to understand why it happened and how to avoid it from happening again.

In addition to counseling, the couple should spend time in prayer seeking God’s face and asking for his grace and power to get them through the tough times.

- The adulterous spouse should be accountable to someone in order for that trust to be rebuilt. Mostly likely he needs to be accountable to his spouse, pastor or counselor.

Based on my own experience of a failed relationship, I would also say that in addition to seeking counseling, talking to a close friend or loved one also helps the healing process.

The Woman of Excellence, Who is She?

Scripture Text: Proverbs 31: 10-31 (Amplified version)
written by Kemi O.

Many christian women including myself strive regularly to be the excellent/ virtuous woman of Proverbs 31.  This chapter in scripture talks about the ideal woman, that godly woman that any husband, child, friend, business partner, employer etc will love to have a relationship with.


To be candid, she is a hard role model to live up to,  but i tell you sisters, it is not impossible to become this "Virtuous and godly woman". I assure you by the power of the Spirit of God which dwells in us today, we can become women of excellence.   Let's take a look at these outstanding traits of an excellent woman described in Proverbs 31:10-30 that has made her to stand out and caused her to excel and rise above all others Prov 31:29. In fact it appears that she even excels above great women of old such as Ruth, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah and even Queen Esther.


Any christian woman who knows and adapts these features in their lives can become an excellent, godly wife and mother.  Her ministry can grow under the nurturing hand of a faithful and loving God for it tells us in II Peter 1:3 that He has called us to His excellence and so it is His desire for us to be excellent women serving Him faithfully and wholeheartedly. Excellent in God's eyes does not mean "perfect"  but it simply means a woman who puts and seeks God first in everything she does and put Him above everything and everyone in her world.  She is a woman who wants to live a life  that pleases the Lord and she ensures that He is at the center of her life (i.e in her home, ministry, marriage, business, work etc).  The book of Proverbs 31 lists all the characteristics/traits of such a woman and how she lives her life for God.


In verse 10, it tells us that the excellent woman is capable, intelligent and virtuous, who is he who can find her?  She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies and pearls...

Now, let us take a look at these 10 traits/qualities that makes the Woman of Excellence.

1.  She is a trustworthy woman , Prov 31:11

 " The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.


For a marriage to be successful, trust is essential, i believe we all agree on that and it does not take a relationship expert to tell us.  The woman of excellence is completely transparent with her husband, she is honest with him at all times regardless of the circumstances.  Her huband's heart is completely at peace because he knows that she will not bring havoc or disgrace upon him and their home.  He can trust her with the affairs of the home when he is not around. He is confident that when he is away from home for business, work, ministry etc, he is sure that she will be faithful to him and the marriage.

As a military spouse, I am prone to hearing a lot of disturbing stories about fellow spouses who commit the act of adultery while their husbands are deployed overseas or nationally. Not only do these women cheat but also make decisions that negatively affect the finances of the home.  It is so sad to see this happen especially in the military and a lot of times when these husbands return home, the marriage is literary in shambles. It is so important for the husband to be able to trust his wife completely, especially in situations where he is on a dangerous mission or in a life threatening situation,  that way he is able to concentrate on staying alive, doing his job well and coming back home in peace to his family and not worrying about what his wife is doing in his absence.


2.  She is a caring, protective and supportive woman, Proverbs 31:12

"She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her."

The woman of excellence is caring, protective and supportive of her husband, she does everything in her power to protect his interests. She lends a listening ear when he wants to talk about what happened in the office whether good or bad.  She is concerned about everything that is important to him and supports him no matter the decision he makes on an issue. She is not an obstacle or hindrance in his life, she is there to support him in his career, business ventures, ministerial work etc.



3.  She is a skillful and industrious woman , Proverbs 31:13-14

"She seeks out wool and flax and works with willing hands [to develop it].
    ¹⁴She is like the merchant ships loaded with foodstuffs; she brings her household's food from a far [country]."



The woman of excellence is skillful, is quite busy, no time for idleness. She works willingly with her hands and does so with a heart of gladness.  She invests in quality items, both food and non-food products that her family needs.

4. She is a hardworking & dedicated woman. Prov 31:15:27
¹⁵She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks.<sup>(E)


 27</sup>She looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat.

The woman of excellence is a dedicated and hardworking woman .  She is an effective manager for she manages her household in an organized and timely manner.  She is not only concerned about her husband and children but also her maid servants under her roof.  She is the first to wake up and begin work and the last to go to bed.  She also ensures that her entire household are well cared for and has no time for idleness.

5. She is a prudent, wise and industrious woman. Prov 31:16:18
 ¹⁶She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.
 ¹⁸She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good; her lamp goes not out, but it burns on continually through the night [of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt, and distrust].

The woman of excellence is careful and cautious in her spending. She does not do anything in haste without seeking the advise of her husband.  She is then confident that every purchase she makes is valuable to her family and of good quality.

6. She is compassionate, kind and always ready to help.  Prov 31:20
 ²⁰She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit].

The woman of excellence is concerned about the needs of the less priviledged in the community. She is always ready to help the poor and the needy in any way possible.  She serves willingly with a kind and loving heart and does this sometimes by volunteering at homeless shelters, local soup kitchens, donations of basic needs as well as monetary gifts to individuals or outreach ministries.  The woman of excellence also is willing to visit the sick in the hospital, prisoners in jail etc.

7.  She is a home maker, Prov 31:21-22
²¹She fears not the snow for her family, for all her household are doubly clothed in scarlet.
    ²²She makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry. Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made].


The woman of excellence is a home maker.  she creates an atmosphere of warmth of love for her family and guests.   Even in times of difficulties, she is prepared and ready to embrace what comes next in her life and that of her household.

8.  She is respectful and submissive to her husband, Prov 31:23

²³Her husband is known in the [city's] gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.

As a result of her godly and virtuous character, the husband of the woman of excellence is  recognized and respected by friends, neighbours, church members etc.

9.  She is clothed with strength from Lord and rejoices all the time, Prov 31:25
                                                
  ²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she rejoices over the future [the latter day or time to come, knowing that she and her family are in readiness for it]!
                                                   
The woman of excellence cannot easily be shaken in times of adversities.  She has no fear of the future because her faith is in the Lord and she knows with Him by her side, she can weather every storm that comes. She does not let anything or anyone steal her joy for in the midst of every storm she has peace and therefore rejoices always in the Lord.

10.  She is a woman of wisdom and counsels with kindness, Proverbs 31:26
 ²⁶She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction].

When the woman of excellence opens her mouth, she speaks with wisdom. She weighs her words carefully before speaking it out and does so with boldness and gentleness.  She is not easily  intimated and so therefore does not speak to impress anyone regardless of their social status.  When she speaks the truth, she does so with kindness and rebukes in love, she is not judgmental or uncaring with her words.

Prov 31: 28-31

The woman of excellence is a wonderful mother and wife.  She teaches her children the word of God, nurturing them and disciplining them with wisdom and care.  Prov 22:6

She is respectful and submissive to her husband Eph 5:22 and she strives to be supportive in everything that concerns or interests him.  A woman of excellence stands by the decisions her husband makes, however when she sees that the decision may not be in the best interest of the family, she does not argue with him but rather, go to the Lord in prayer seeking counsel and direction on how to handle the situation.  
She is a woman who serves the Lord with all her heart and continually seeks His will for her life each and every day.
She is truly a woman to be praised because she reverently fears the Lord.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, I commit every woman that will read this message and their homes before you this day and I pray that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you will empower them to be women of excellence to be greatly used by you in these last days to do exploits in your name.


Oh Lord bless our marriages, children, careers, ministries, businesses etc and cause us to excel greatly in all that we lay our hands to do in Jesus name. Amen.

The Wise Woman

  

Proverbs 14:1   A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.

Among women, this verse is perhaps one of the most powerfully preached in Scripture. It serves as a reminder to thoughtfully consider our actions before doing anything that could jeopardize our marriages.

Friends let’s be clear: maintaining our homes takes the grace of God. The world we live in today is a battlefield for Christian marriages, and it's disheartening to witness so many homes being torn apart by foolishness. As women, we have been entrusted with the vital responsibility of building our homes. Our marriages and families are our first ministries.

When God created man, He declared, "It is not good for man to be alone; I will create a help meet for him." He went on to state that a man will leave his parents and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:23-24). This establishes the sacred institution of marriage. Through our unions, we are called to serve God faithfully by being godly wives and parents, raising our children in the ways of the Lord while nurturing our spiritual growth to fulfill our purpose in His greater plan.

Satan is adamantly attacking Christian homes because the family is an extension of the Church of Christ. A broken home leads to a spiritually sick Church, crippling God's work and hindering church growth.

It is evident that one of Satan's ultimate schemes is to destroy God's divine design for humanity by undermining the Christian home. Therefore, the role of a woman in her marriage and home is crucial to fulfilling God's purpose for His Church.

Here are three ways a wise woman can build her home:

1. A wise woman must maintain a positive attitude.

2. A wise woman must speak wisely and kindly (Proverbs 31:26, 21:9).

3. A wise woman must lead by example, embodying the values she desires to instill.

Before diving into these points, let’s define the term "house" in its scriptural context.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a "house" is a building that serves as living quarters for one or several families, a shelter, or a refuge.

In Proverbs 14:1, "building a house" refers to the inhabitants—the family unit, which typically consists of the husband, wife, and children. This indicates that a wise woman must dedicate her time, skills, and God-given resources to nurture her home according to His will and purpose.

Recently, my husband unexpectedly complimented me on being a good wife. Curious about his remarks, I asked him why he felt that way. He explained that he had been hearing his friends talk about their frustrations with wives who are often discontent and unappreciative. This made him appreciate how fortunate he is to have a partner who is grateful and positive. It highlighted the significance of fostering an atmosphere of appreciation in our marriage.

3. A wise woman must set the right example
   A wise woman can significantly improve her marriage and home by practicing what she preaches. Not only should she teach and train her children in the way of the Lord, but she must also live by example, being someone, they can emulate. A woman who quarrels or fights with her husband in front of her children is not setting a good example. Children learn not only from what we teach them but are also quick to mimic what they see. Therefore, it is essential for us as women to be conscious of our children's presence at all times.

We can also enhance our marriages by following the guidance of Ephesians 5:22a and 5:33b. "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." The Lord has made man the covering and head of the household, giving husbands authority over their wives, while man remains under the authority of Christ. To have a successful marriage and home, we need to obey the laws and principles of God.

The verse 5:33b states, "...and the wife see that she reverences her husband." If you truly love your husband, you will not belittle or disrespect him in any way. You must not oppose his will, but instead, you should honor and respect him through your actions and words.

Recently, we had a woman of God minister at our local church who delivered a powerful message about being "submissive." She shared her testimony about how the Lord dealt with her until she was finally able to submit completely to her husband. She emphasized that since the husband is the head of the wife and Christ has authority over the man, any message from the Lord for the family goes through the man. Therefore, it is important for wives to listen to their husbands and pray for them at all times for their spiritual growth. 

She recounted instances where her husband said, "Honey, I am not comfortable with this decision; let's not take it." In such cases, she emphasizes that we should listen to them. She shared how there were times when her husband advised her against certain actions, and she went ahead anyway, only to suffer the consequences. The revelation came to her when the Holy Spirit ministered to her, saying, "Listen to your husband." If your husband is wrong, it is for the Lord to handle him and take action. 

By submitting to and reverencing our husbands as per God's order, we fulfill our part as wives, which allows God to answer our prayers. This obedience can greatly influence our spiritual well-being. Today, this woman of God has been married for about 20 years and enjoys her marriage every day as a result of her changed attitude.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray that you will give us the grace to become wise women who build our homes and let every daughter of zion whose marriage today have been destroyed out of foolishness be repaired and restored by you this day in Jesus' name.  Amen