Joy or Happiness

Finding joy & happiness in any circumstances(good
or ugly) are two good wishes of life people expect.

Do they(joy & happiness) really differ??. Though synonymous and interchangeable and often used relative to
positive outcome of set goals.

If you ask me, I think they are not same but that doesn't mean even though one is preferred
nulls the other.
Am not really here to quote the dictionary definition of both nor give a list of the distinguishing
features or difference between them but a vivid explanation in my perspective.

What do you call Joy??
What do you call Happiness??
Which do you prefer??

For me, I will rather prefer one cos its supersedes the other - Joy. That does not null happiness like I said neither does it mean it is wrong to be
happy.

As numerous as humanity and individual goals, so are their belief system.
There are people who set any goal and aim the result give them desired pleasure without
minding the effect on the other, there are also those who set goals that gives them pleasure as
well as the second party, yet there are those who set goals that must first give God pleasure as
well as the other two parties.

People can set goals or targets that are 'positive'( brings the desired outcome) to them yet
displeasing or negative to others. In all ramification, they are happy so long as set goal is
achieved but that pleasure cannot be joy.
Joy as pleasure derived from success in set goal(s) ONLY come when set goals does not only give
God pleasure but is approved by Him and for Him.

The difference is here.
Am not anyway found in the first two categories. What about you???.....
Anyway, if you're yet to grab it; I hope it will be clear here.

Joy and Happiness, Joy or Happiness.
What's the difference??
Joy comes as a result of
being at peace with God thus, everybody don't have Joy.
Happiness is general;
anyone who find pleasure in life's circumstance can
be happy even a thief, a murderer, a prostitute, a masterminds, name it.

Unlike happiness, Joy(The
Peace of God) is associated with standing right in
God( Rom 5:1).

You can trust God in overwhelming challenges of life expecting His peace in such situation without knowing Him.

Knowing Him means confessing and accepting Him(Christ) as Lord and Saviour of the world. Rom. 10:9-10, Act 4:11-12.

Are you facing life's unbearable challenges?
Does life's struggles weigh you down??
Have you been tossed about by the storms of life???
What circumstance is it????
Are you deserted by acquaintance and family?????
Do you seem to fail in every effort??????

Is your situation like ' I wish there will be a turnaround the next seconds ' ???????
Finally, are you standing right with God????????
Then
check deep within and find the Joy & Peace of God
else pursue God and find Him.

God will restore indeed the Joy of your Salvation.
Peace!

Determination

Humans are at all stage of life filled with visions to achieve. If you come across 20people along the way, by interview 19 if not all will give you at least one vision they carry in heart. The question is, how many of these visions will come to limelight???

The events of life unfolds in every moment, and none can specifically say with all boldness and accuracy that in this or that period, I will be here and it turns out perfectly.

This means our environment, circumstances even visions( for some individuals) are bound to change. What differentiates two individuals with same goal and circumstance is their determination to achieve that goal no matter what comes around.

Since life and circumstances around our immediate environment or vicinity may defer from that somewhere else.

It is expected that for survival, easy adaptation is important.

Does adaptation here then refer to loosing purpose? 

Does it imply picking every trash within the environment as goals( new or old)?? 

Does it then imply yielding to undue and unworthy persuasions???

Of course not. What matters most is living with purpose, expectations and without compromise not withstanding the ideology within that region( new environs).

Though the food and rewards were enticing, Daniel saw something far greater and chose not to settle with the less around him.

And Daniel made up his mind not to defile himself with any portion of the king's meal Dan. 1:8

Be a Possibiliterian- see possibility always.       Stay focused. 

It will be yours soon.

Gdmrn,Gdaftn,Gdeven

The Unwelcome Visitor

Knock! Knock!! Knock!!!

Ah! Knock, who could that be??

Those where the call (verbal or express) of a visitor and your response.
 Probably, a spy through the window may be more than enough to identify who the visitor is, especially in today's world of extreme security consciousness.

 On identification of the unwelcome visitor especially the case of a known mooch or freeloader would be war within us whether to accept or deny our availability; talk of responding expressively or even to opening the door.

 If eventually the visitor happen to be a symbiont, a different case of welcome is recognised. The door is opened quickly with expectations because the unwelcome visitor must have brought good news. Even if his coming is for request of something, sooner or later something good may also come from them.

But then, there's an unwelcome visitor, an intruder, invisible in nature; the effect of its presence in our life or situation is only felt after a while. Such visitor am sure, the word 'unwelcome' is inferior for its qualification but it comes to all at one stage of life or the other - trials, suffering or challenges.

 Just like the name imply, no one expect to or will open the door for such a visitor. Since its inevitable, what should be our response to it throughout the period of its stay?? Whether they're trials from God or situations resulting from our own mistakes, there are always lesson(s) to learn from it.
If they come from our mistakes, we need embrace it, the lesson should be learnt and the cause(s) should be avoided as much as possible.

And if they're from God, all we need do is embrace it joyfully, keep praying, learn the lesson while waiting patiently for God to relieve us. This is simply why James instructs, count it all joy whenever trouble come your way, let it be an opportunity for joy......

 These situations should test your faith, build your endurance and bring us out strong and better people. James 1:2-3. So whenever you see an unwelcome visitors, intruder (suffering, trials) in your home instead of panics and killing ourselves, please welcome them prayerfully, entertain them( not celebration), seek God's hand in them, learn from the situations they bring and become more wiser, stronger and greater than you were.
 Grace!

You're no Waste!

A water bearer had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot always arrived only half full.

For two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master’s house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, fulfilled in the design for which it was made.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was unable to accomplish what it had been made to do.

After two years of enduring this bitter shame, the pot spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself and I apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and was cheered somewhat. But at the end of the trail, it still felt the old shame because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you not notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, and not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we’ve walked back from the stream, you’ve watered them.

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Each of us has flaws. We’re all cracked pots.

But if you let these flaws shine and try being yourself, then you can use your flaws to make the world more beautiful.

Don’t be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you, too, can bring something beautiful to this world.(cub from Dr. Carson)

Don’t look negatively at the flaws in you. Don’t listen t the destructive criticism about your flaws either.

You can Change the World!

Stunning Accessibility

Accessibility is a noun derived from its adjectival form accessible, meaning the easy to approach, reach, enter or speak with. Something's accessible if its obtainable or attainable, access can be gained.
By the definition, it connotes that, not everything is accessible.

 A simple illustration is the boarder crossing between countries. Your passport gives you accessibility into an alien country. Whether you wanna transact business within few minutes/hours or to reside permanently.That's on a broad note.
Now on a minor scale, if anyone desires to see the governor or president of his own state or country, a booking is necessary; an approval(recognised) Must be given within donkey days( if at all).
Thus, in the world, if any man assumes God's position today then accessibility will be extremely difficult if not impossible.

Now when we look at it in God's view, its absolutely the antonyms of the world's setting right from the creation of the world. God longed for fellowship with men, He created man and that purpose was achieved until sin sets in through the deception of Eve by the serpent.Gen 3
Man lost that grace and now require a passport or mediator to stand in the gap, probably bringing message or access-permission from God. Abrah, Moses, Joahua etc tried in their very best to fill this gap but there wasn't anyone perfect enough to please God's expectation.
But God is so rich in mercy and He loved us so much that even in a sinful state, He gave us life through the death and resurrection of Christ. Eph 2:4-5.
Through Christ we(believers) now have free-access to God without barriers, racial, gender or class discrimination etc.
Paul expantiate this clearer in 2Cor 5:19. " For God was in Christ reconciling(granting access again of) the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them( rewarding us accordingly).

Ordinarily, with Christ - our passport, we should approach( go to) God whenever we choose, but Christ did not just grant us a free, timeless access but gave us an intimacy with God- His spirit now lives inside of us. Thus when our flesh is truly weak to approach God( go to Him, bring our needs and problems etc), His spirit already knowing what we need, makes a plea( speaks) for us. Rom 8:26
Such is an open access without permission or payment etc and everyone ought go for it.Eph 2:18

My Heart, My Life

The heart is one of the smallest, delicate and powerful organ in the human body but how often do we give it attention just like other body parts especially the skin that some people inject millions of dollars on( Women)?

One could argue and base his/ her reasons to the fact that it is hidden and cannot or never be seen by the owner, therefore may not know 

how the heart feels, look or react to other internal and external factors.

Whether you can have a physical view of it or not isn’t a factor that determines you knowing how it feels( emotions&responds) as well as what it receives and what it gives out.( we are living being)

It is so small but can absorb, carry and control even the world( both negatively and positively), thus; the question(What do you feed your heart with?)
When an object is thrown into the sky, no matter how far it goes and the length of time its spends there, it must surely return unchanged. Thus what you feed your heart is the same it gives out or even more.

(Three basic lessons or more to Learn here, just go further a bit?)

So many have yielded their heart to unspeakable things, words, advice, actions, teachings and philosophies.  Don’t be surprise cos it will eject the same food you fed it. No wonder Solomon will advice and I quote” Guard your heart with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life- KJV” or “Above all else, guard your heart for it affects everything you do- NLT” – Prov.4:23 and Jesus said( paraphrased) ” Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks both good and evil” – Luk 6:45.

We all want to look good, attractive and admired( am sorry to say the ladies especially) but I think and am sure if you’re beautiful inside, certainly the outward beauty is covered or will surface one day, so why not make-up or make-down ( whichever positive) the heart too???????????????? 

Why not build up that heart of yours than your chest( guys)???????????????

(Three basic lessons or more to Learn here, why not just finish it?!)

Be careful of your thoughts for it may become your words and if you’re not careful of your words, they may become your action. If you don’t watch your actions, they may become your lifestyle and a lifestyle lived over years becomes your future.
Your personality and future are both products of what your heart was fed with.

Gdmrn, Gdaftn, Gdeve.

Use the Right Key for the Door

Imagine you having a bunch of key with several keys on it without specific identification to each, and returning from work one night after a hectic and busy day, so hungry, tied, phone battery gone down and no single light source around the neighbourhood. How do you open your door??????

On several occasions when we face one of life’s challenges or the other, we deliberately( sometimes unconsciously) choose to revolve around the problem simply because we aren’t applying the right remedy to it.

Yes, just as every other living being will react or respond to stimuli, so also we immediately want to respond to the challenge.

But let me ask, do you really think or you’re sure that every challenges of life has its own solution?

Though on several trials and errors, bugulary theft, one key may open other doors, but there’s always A KEY TO A DOOR. Why then do we use the wrong key even when the proper one is available??

We want to help ourselves, but first we try to help God to help us and we end up revolving around one problem or probably heaping other once on that particular one.

Everyone( Christians& non christian) know more than 60% of their problem cause but we aren’t courageous and determined enough to sort them one after the other and use the right key for each door. For example, challenges that requires fervent prayer, we end up using physical means trying to solve them and neglect the ones we ought to have solved by strength or effort.

Be it minor or major problem, there’s always a place you can sort it out and apply the right key  to open it- The Place of Prayer.
Not the words that tells people you're praying, but word said right within the heart whether in a noise -filled arena or solitude place with such faith as the Roman Soldiers. Jesus told the disciples ' even if your faith is as small as a muster seed, it can move great mountains'. 

There’s a master key to every problem both physical and spiritual -Jesus Christ. Just approach Him with a faith.

So let’s come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need.( Heb 4:16).

Use the RIGHT KEY from today.

Goodmrn, Goodaft, Goodeve.

God bless you.

When God's ways becomes silence. What's next??

Humans are rightly said to be higher animals but one trait we seem to have in consonants with the animals is the adaptation to a one way life, pattern or  experience.

When you teach an animal a trick, they expect same virtually always. Likewise when God relates with us a certain way(s), come to us through certain route over a long period of time, we seem to expect Him through that way or route always. Or, in His absence through that route; we could on a second thought expect another.

Just like Abraham if God fails(choose not) to come to us again in a soft voice, we could expect a long roar.

Or like Moses, we would expect a burning bush or His bright shining face if He refuses to appear like the pillar of fire by night or cloud by the day.

Again like Elijah, we could expect He reveals His wonders to the Baals or send the raven when in hunger.

Like Jacob, we may expect an angel or to find favour.

Yet if we were Christ Jesus we would expect a dove or an immediate response to our prayer.

The list goes on and you could even expect Him in the different ways He had showed up in your xircumstance or that you heard about others.

                  BUT…………..

            BUT………

      BUT……

BUT…

What if He chose silence as His means this time?

Would we still recognise His silent presence in the mist of those challenges??

…that rough & turbulent sea???

…that ‘ forsaken moments’ ????

I doubt if even David had remembered his songs of the Psalm:

I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence!  If I go up to heaven, you’re there; if I go to the place of the dead, you’re there. If I ride in the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.                 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night, even there I cannot hide from you because, to you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are both alike to you. Psalm 139:7ff

God’s silent presence is always with us. His presence is always with us even in the silent sea depth

May we be endued to recognise it always in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Shalom!

His Foolishness, Our Wisest Wisdom.

Several times I have pondered upon why certain
things in life exist yet an answer I cannot give to
myself. Such things as poverty, foolish people,
irrational beings, idiots, thieves, wickedness, hatred,
suffering, selfishness, bitterness, envy, idolatry, sin as a whole just name others.

Why would some people think for the good of their life while
others don’t even have such sense in their big head.
Why some will struggle to make a living and succeed
yet others struggle and remain in abrupt poverty and
suffering. 
Why some people have enough to eat yet
others go about the streets begging and continuing
to beg. 
Why some people prefer to settle for less yet others love wealth. 
Why some set selfish goals that destroy others yet they succeed, prosper and are called successful people.
Of course I wouldn't differ from Solomon in my thinking when he said another evil I have seen under the sun. The good and righteous are those who live short while the wicked continue to live long and 'prosper'.

 But the same God created all of us. Alas!

Does it mean God loves some and hate others?

Though He says”I will show mercy on whom I will...”
Does it mean he created some rich and others poor??
Does it mean He crowns the effort of some and leave the other to continue in suffering and penury???
When none loves to be treated wickedly why should
wickedness reign???? 
Everyone loves good thing why do the bad also exist????? 
These questions are unending. 

Each time I remember these things and keep questioning myself, tears of bitterness flows down but my Only consolation is the Sovereignty of God which none can question not even I because He has made
EVERYTHING perfectly the way it pleases Him

Glory be You O Most High!

The Power of Jesus' Name

When we summarize our prayers with “In Jesus’ Name”, we aren't just asking that our ‘unbelief’ regarding our request will be compensated by Jesus’ faith nor do we ask only because Christ is our access to the Father but we automatically ask(just like Jesus) that in His sovereignty let His (Fathers) Will be done and not ours.

Majority of those that attracted healing from Jesus were unbelievers- never had any encounter with Christ before then. From that of the leprosy man, paralysed man(Lk5:12ff), the Roman soldier( Lk7:1ff) through to the demon possesed man(Mk5:1ff) and so many others, the scriptures never gave us clear explanations if some of them declared to stand for God immediately or later, but their 'little' faith if not believe, brought them a life changing experience.

 Whatelse could hinder those who believe, trust and declare their faith in Him from receiving when they even go on their knees??

God's always there to hear us and help our unbelief.

Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the Will of God.

Prayer remains the master key for all doors and yours will be heard in Jesus’ Name.

Caged by Unforgiveness

A young man had lived his life in regret ever since he received Christ. His challenge is neither that he made the wrong choice, nor has things ever worked out negatively but remembering his past life, he ask himself ” Can I ever make a restitution?? ”

He has lived all these days even after he got Salvation in reminiscent of his stealing life.  He remembers particularly of a family he stole from. He had thought severally to go for apology and forgiveness yet their countenance would wisper in him a feeling  of unforgiveness in their heart.

The effects of this isn’t a prove that they actually won’t forgive him, nor have forgiven him but prevents him from forging ahead in his relationship with God- forgiving others.

Do you have similar feelings?? 

Am not forgiven, how can I forgive others?

Common he doesn't deserve showing mercy.

If  you’re in such situation, be free. Your salvation frees you from every guilt and curse. Look to the one who has called you and the purpose for your call. That’s most significant. Don’t be caged by yours or people’s feeling but press on to achieve the goal.

I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do, forgetting the past and reaching forward to that which lies ahead.                                                           I press on towards the mark of the high calling for which God has called me through Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:13-14

Forgiving others is paramount in our race of faith  whether they deserve our mercy or not. For while we were yet sinners(still in sin) Christ died for us at the right time. Rom. 5:6

Don’t be deterred from moving forward, forgive, love, show mercy and grace ahead. For we owe no man(saved and unsaved) nothing but love. Rom 13:8

By this the world will know ye are my disciples if ye love one another just as I have loved you. John 13:35.

Even when others don’t forgive, let’s forgive.

Grace!

God's Inaction or Strength

Severally we encounter difficulties in life (whether minor or core), and being human our first thought becomes; personal effort to eliminate it. Exactly the same option we had in mind, we put to action immediately to see its result.

When no change is effected, we may probably think further( seeking advice or counsel, maybe think positively otherwise, do good, pray fervently etc), yet it seems nothing is working out; maybe especially when we’re in right standing with God.

But looking intently we can hear God saying nothing or something,yet reasons still unclear. 

Why not wait patiently, perhaps you’re tested or He is working out His purpose.

His inaction( to our understanding) isn’t weakness but proving His strength in our weakness. ” My grace is sufficient for you” He says

So whenever life’s burden oppress you and trials are too much to face, remember His strength is made perfect in your weakness (2corinth 12:9b) and He’ll give you His power ( not yours) and grace. Shalom!