Pastor Muve

Theme: The Devil's Devices (Part 10)  Text: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. How does the devil cause us to doubt the character of God? The same pattern he used against Eve is what he still uses today. First thing he does is to oppose God's word. In verse 4 of Genesis 3, we see the serpent opposing God's instructions. He makes it look like it is God who is actually the one lying. Isn't it the same today? Many do not believe the word of God from genuine believers but go after those who cunningly speak what is false. The Hebrew word translated into 'satan' in the Bible means 'an opponent'. Therefore, every time the devil encounters anything from God, he opposes it. Check your life to see if there are any areas of your life that are not conforming to God's word. Those are the areas you need to focus on because it means there is an opposition from the devil there. I p

Theme: The Devil's Devices (Part 9)  Text: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. So far, we've looked at how the serpent made Eve doubt God's Word. Today we'll look at how he made her doubt the person and character of God. Back to Genesis we go... [4]But the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die, [5]For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the difference between good and evil and blessing and calamity. (Genesis 3:4-5 Amplified Bible) One of the oldest ways the devil has decieve mankind is to make man doubt the person and character of God. He has made God to look wicked, vengeful and full of hate. The devil has made man to look upon God as one who withholds good from us. He has portrayed Him as responsible for all that happens especially the evil things. No wonder Adam was so fast to blame God for giving him Eve.

Theme: The Devil's Devices (Part 8) Text: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. Having discussed the first flaw in Eve's response, let's look at the second flaw.  Ignorance/Flaw #2 "Neither shall you touch it."  Once again, comparing Eve's response to God's instructions, we see a disparity. God's word did not include the clause which Eve added.  At no point was there an instruction commanding them not to touch the fruit. They were only told not to eat it.  Addition of our opinions to God's word can be disastrous. When we try to amend God's word to suit popular or personal opinion, it is a strong indication of doubt.  I pray that God will give us the Grace to believe His Word and not subject it to our opinions in Jesus name. Lets continue tomorrow by God's Grace... #SpiritBreakfast™ #MiracleMonday™ #PastorMuve™ #GodsSpecialSon™

Theme: The Devil's Devices (Part 7)  Text: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. Yesterday, we stated that Eve had a flawed understanding of the Word of God. To reveal those flaws, we'll compare what Eve said to that which God said. Ignorance/Flaw #1 The tree in the middle of the garden. i. Was the tree of knowledge of good and evil the only tree in the middle of the garden? ii. How many trees were actually in the middle? iii. What were these trees? These questions we shall answer. Let's look at Eve's word concerning this:  “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat." (Genesis 3:3 New Living Translation). Eve's answer revealed that the only tree in the middle was that of knowledge of good and evil. The use of the word 'only' in the NLT and 'except' in the KJV proves this. Now let's look at God's stand

Theme: The Devil's Devices (Part 6)  Text: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. Let's define Doubt shall we? Doubt is defined as a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction. Back to the Genesis account. From the definition above, we understand what 'the serpent' was trying to do to Eve. His words were aimed at creating uncertainty in the mind of Eve. Remember what we discussed about the mind being the medium.for the devil's devices. "Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden?" He asked. By implication he was asking if Eve was certain that that's what God said. This was an attack to cause Eve to doubt the word of God: One of the elements of doubt. The minute God's word is in doubt in our hearts, danger is near. Many have wondered why the serpent went after Eve and not Adam. The truth is the serpent sensed that element of

Theme: The Devil's Devices (Part 5)  Text: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. The second device used by the devil is DOUBT. Doubt is a powerful tool in the devil's arsenal that robs men of God's best I'll like us once again to look at Genesis. [1]NOW THE serpent was more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And he [Satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden? [2]And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat the fruit from the trees of the garden, [3]Except the fruit from the tree which is in the middle of the garden. God has said, You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. [4]But the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die, [5]For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing the differe

Theme: The Devil's Devices (Part 4)  Text: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. One of the devices of the devil which could be said to be the foundation upon which others thrive on is DECEPTION. Everything about the devil's strategy is usually shrouded in deception. Let's look at a scripture from Genesis: NOW THE serpent was more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made... (Genesis 3:1 Amplified Bible) In-depth understanding of the character called 'the serpent' in the verse above reveals it to be more than just the created wild creature. By the way, the original Hebrew text of the word which is translated 'the serpent' might reveal the serpent in Genesis not to be the modern snake as we now know it today. (That's a discourse for another day. Or if you ask me, we will discuss that). Anyway, 'the serpent' had a form of sub

Theme: The Devil's Devices (Part 3) Text: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. The devil is the master of mind games. No one plays it better than he does. This is why he employs this as his medium of attack. In one of the most quoted scripture also used for spiritual warfare, Paul spoke on pulling down the strongholds of the devil in 1 Corinthians 10:4. Here's how he said we can do that: [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). (2 Corinthians 10:5 Amplified Bible) Nothing physically-related is mentioned in the verses above. All of the things mentioned are mind and thought-related: 1. Arguments. 2. Theories. 3. Reasonings. 4. Anti-God knowledge. 5. Thought. Before the devil at

Theme: The Devil's Devices (Part 2)  Text: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. Before we begin listing some of the devil's devices, we must understand the medium through which these devices operate. Unlike man made devices, the devil's devices are not physical. They are not like your mechanical or electronic devices that aid you in your day to day activities. The devil's devices are not seen. We must understand that the devil is not a physical being. He is a spirit. Because of this, he does not operate from our physical plane. The devil rather operates from the spiritual and soulish realm which in turn manifests itself in the physical realm. Therefore, the devil is not going to come attack you physically like many people tend to believe. No, that's not his style. Besides, he's not even allowed to directly attack a person. The devil, make no mistake about it, is a powerful being. I

Theme: The Devil's Devices   Text: 2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. The verse above is one of the frequently quoted verses when folks talk about battling and overcoming the devil. More than just quoting the verse, there must also be an understanding of it. The verse encourages us not to be ignorant of the devil's devices. If we are ignorant, we will be taken advantage of by the wicked one. Yet, many believers know this verse, but are still ignorant of these devices because they really don't know what they are. Hence, we still see believers who are constantly being taken advantage of by the enemy. By God's Grace, we'll list and deeply discuss some of the devices the devil employs in his bid to take advantage of God's people. I trust God that after the series, the devil will have no room in our lives anymore. Stay Graced... #SpiritBreakfast™ #TriumphantThursday™ #Pasto

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 18) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series Ephesians 6:15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. Shoes of the Gospel of Peace Hebrews 12:15 encourages the believer to work at living in peace with everyone. That verse also associated peace alongside holiness which is a prerequisite for seeing God. If holiness grants access to God, then living peacefully grants access to men. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 10:13: 'If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.' (New International Version) This shows that as the disciples went about wihhhe good news as sent by Jesus, the carried peace with them. Whosoever then that accepted that peace enjoyed fellowship. A lot of folks have lost and missed out on golden opportunities due to the inability to maintain and l

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 17) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series Ephesians 6:15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. Shoes of the Gospel of Peace It is said that 'good shoes take you good places'. Our feet are our physical instrument for locomotion. Therefore, the feet must be comfortable enough to take us through the journey that will ensure we arrive at a pleasant destination. Hence, shoes are important. The shoe that will take you far must both be comfortable and appropriate for the occasion. A slipper might be comfortable but it might not be appropriate for a formal occasion. Wearing such a footwear to such an occasion will register a negative effect in the mind of others concerning you. For the Roman soldiers who were Paul's reference, shoes were very important for them as well. They needed to walk for long distances t

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 16) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series Ephesians 6:14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. The Body armour (breastplate) of God's Righteousness. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks". Let's still look at the condition of the heart a bit before addressing that which the mouth speaks. If the heart is full of righteousness, then the mouth will only speak righteousness. Now righteousness to many is like the opposite of sin. However, looking back at the definition I gave us we discover it's much more than that. We realized that righteousness simply means 'right standing. Right standing that is compliant with God's standard. Therefore, any thing whatsoever that does not conform to God's standard for you is unrighteousness. Let me give an example. If God's standar

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 15) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series Ephesians 6:14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. The Body armour (breastplate) of God's Righteousness. Further backing that reveals to us why our hearts must be full of righteousness is given by our Lord Jesus Himself. He said in Luke 6:45: "The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks." (Amplified Bible) First, we understand from this that the heart is a storehouse. The content of what is stored in it is dependent on what kind of storehouse it is. If it is a righteous heart,

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 14) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series Ephesians 6:14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. The Body armour (breastplate) of God's Righteousness. Now that we know what righteousness is, how does it serve as a body armour (breastplate). And how is it relevant to us as we try to guard our progress? The body armour served to protect the vital organs of the soldiers. This included the heart. We all know the importance of these organs especially the heart. The heart is responsible for life within the body. Solomon the wise king understood this so well that he knew the heart also determined what our outward lives will be like. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:23 New Living Translation) What this means is that the product of your life is a function of the state

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 13) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series Ephesians 6:14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. The Body armour (breastplate) of God's Righteousness. Let's begin with what righteousness is. Without going into long theological discussion, righteousness simply means 'right standing'. Righteousness is based on a standard. This standard is from and of God who is Righteous. Righteousness is being right according to God's standard.  Hence, man's attempt at righteousness ends up in futility. So the prophet Isaiah said '...we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;...' (Isaiah 64:6) Therefore no matter how good a man might be, he is not righteous. For this reason he must seek to obtain righteousness from a standard that God deems righteous. Jesus is the pe

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 12) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series Ephesians 6:14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. The Belt of Truth The last function which we'll look at is it's relationship with the body armour (breastplate). Truth cannot be independent from righteousness. The belt of truth holds the body armour (breastplate) in place from falling off. You cannot have righteousness without truth. Truth is the guard that protects a righteous man from losing his righteousness. If there's a righteous cause that is done in falsehood, deceit and self-ambition, no matter how righteous that cause might be, it isn't righteousness. A typical example is The Crusades that occurred in 1095 - 1492. The crusades first began when the Pope Urban II in a sermon called on Western Christians to take up arms to aid the Byzantines and recapt

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 11) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series Ephesians 6:14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. The Belt of Truth Like I said in the last post that the Roman belt held the soldier's sword in place. Another function of the belt of truth as an important weapon that comprises the whole armour of God is that it allows us to hold and wield the sword of the spirit properly. Paul spoke to Timothy and said: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." We need to understand that the word of truth is also the same as the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God. Now if the Apostle charged his son in Christ to rightly divide the word of God, therefore there is a wrong way of dividing the word of God. Dividing the word of God here means

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 10) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series Ephesians 6:14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. The Belt of Truth The belt of a Roman soldier (the balteus) was a crucial part of the soldiers armour. Only soldiers were allowed to wear the balteus and they could wear it at all times as they so desired. This made soldiers easily distinguishable from civilian citizens. Furthermore, the balteus with the aid of the scabbard was used to hold the soldier's sword. This means the standard way to carry the sword about was with the aid of the belt (the balteus). Lastly, the belt was what held the body armour (breastplate) and the tunic worn underneath in place and firm. This is why the Apostle Paul mentioned the body armour immediately after the belt. How does this translate into the function of the belt of truth as a weapon

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 9) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series Ephesians 6:14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. When discussing Ephesians 6:13-18, many folks skip a part of Ephesians 6:14 and jump right into the first battle peice of a believer's armour. However that first part of that verse is very essential. We must understand that the purpose of this series once again is to ensure that once you begin to progess, you are well equipped to guard that progress. This is why every single detail must be looked upon. In guarding your progress, you have must have a firm stand. In other words, you must stand your ground. A good number of believers lose the battle even before they begin. The reason is that they go into battle with the wrong stance (stand). The right stance in a battle ensures you don't get knocked over easily. Any one

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 8) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Subtext: Ephesians 6:13-18 Continued from the last post on this series... Now before we begin analysing the weapons of a believer one after the other, it is important I bring something very congent to our notice. It is so 'known' that it is easy to ignore. This truth is found in Ephesians 6:13 and it is one many have a head knowledge of but not the understanding of that is a product of its transference into our spirits. Let's look at it closely: "Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil." I've seen and heard of many believers who are still daily assaulted by the enemy in their bid to achieve progress and greatness. They complain about their predicament and even mention how they've prayed, studied and what not. Yet resisting the enemy is yet to be achieved. The reason behind not being to resist the enemy effect

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 7) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Continued from the last post on this series... Nehemiah 4:13 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. How do we arm ourselves as believers against the attacks of the enemy that seems to disrupt our progress? The Apostle Paul by Divine Inspiration was able to pen down how we can do that in his letter to the Ephesians. Hence by Divine Insights we'll also explore this individual weapons that make up the believers armour. Before we delve into that let's read through the passage (Ephesians 6:13-18) 6:13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 6:14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 6:15 For sh

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 6) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Continued from the last post on this series... Nehemiah 4:13 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. So far we've discussed two congent steps you must know and deal with if you intend guarding your progress. The first is you must know who your enemy truly is. The second is knowing where he will attack you from. Therefore that leads you to the third step: Arming yourself. Nehemiah after knowing of the threat that faced them and understanding that the attacks will come from every side, he then proceeded to arm the people. Ephesians 6:13 tells us as believers to 'put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.' (New Living Translation). We must understand that as m

Theme: After the king could not sleep what next? Anchor Text: Esther 6:1-3 6:1 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. 6:2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 6:3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him. The Lord impressed this verse 1 of Esther 6 in my spirit and I feel it imperative to share a truth which many have overlooked for so long due to incomplete interpretation. (We'll continue the series we began 'Guarding your progress' after this) A good number of believers especially in this country Nigeria know this verse so well. We've prayed with it severally "O Lord cause my helpers not

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 5) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Continued from last post... Nehemiah 4:12 The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” After recognizing who your enemy is, you must find out where his attacks will come from. The devices of the enemy are many. However knowing which of them he will employ will give you the advantage. In the case of Nehemiah, the enemy was going to attack from all directions. So they had to ensure that all directions were guarded. When the enemy wants to bring down a man, he exploits his weaknesses. The reason we are tempted by the enemy is to find out the weak spot in our lives through which he can gain access. When he discovers it, he constantly works on that till it becomes a stronghold of weakness. This is why many people have found it hard to overcome many weakness and shortcomings which in turn has either slowed down or completely halted thei

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 4) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Continued from yesterday... Are human beings our enemies? The answer is yes. This is because certain men have yielded themselves as vessels for Satan and have become enemies. Hence the presence of witches, occultist etc. However we children of God (Christians) don't see, refer or regard men as our enemies. We must understand that we operate under a higher covenant. Jesus told James and John when they wanted to call down fire on men who were seemingly enemies of the Master. Scripture says: "But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of." "For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village." (Luke 9:55-56) If the one whom we follow said His mission is not to destroy men's lives, now why do certain believers feel that has now become our ministry? Despite the persecutions the early

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 3) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 Nehemiah 4:11 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.” The first thing you must understand in order to effectively guard your progress is that you have an enemy that doesn't want your progress. And that major enemy of every child of God is Satan the devil. Ignorance of this spiritual fact can be devastating. That's why the Apostle Paul encouraged the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 2:11 not to be ignorant of Satan's devices. The word 'devices' also can be translated as 'thoughts'. Therefore the enemy Satan has thoughts concerning us. If Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has good thoughts towards us then we can infer from that that Satan has evil thoughts towards us. If we become ignorant of this, Satan gets an advantage of us. Ignorance is a terrible flaw in the realm of the spirit. Whatever

Theme: Guarding your progress (part 2) Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 So many times one of the reasons most folks don't sustain success is because they don't guard their success and progress. Stories abound of many who have shot to the top only for them to fall back to the bottom. The truth is remaining at the top is actually harder than rising to the top. Under the leadership of Nehemiah, the children of God were busy rebuilding the ruins of Jerusalem. Yet their progress was almost halted if not for the wisdom Nehemiah employed. Therefore we will critically examine the strategies employed by Nehemiah to ensure that whatever progress God grants us is forever sustained. This series will help us remain at the top despite opposing factors the enemy might bring our way. I pray that God will grant you the ability to sustain every good progress in life in Jesus name. We'll continue tomorrow... Stay Graced... #SpiritBreakfast™️ #TestimonyTuesday™️ #PastorMuve™️

Anchor Text: Guarding Your Progress Anchor Text: Nehemiah 4:11-23 (New Living Translation) 4:11 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.” 4:12 The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” 4:13 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. 4:14 Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” 4:15 When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. 4:16 But from then on, only half my men worked w

Yheme: Coping with Aging Identity (Subjective Aging) (Part 13) Anchor Text: Psalms 90:12 New Living Translation Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Medicine 5: Never compare yourself to anyone. Galatians 6:4&5 New Living Translation 6:4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 6:5 For we are each responsible for our own One of the fastest way to get depressed is to constantly compare yourself with others who are seemingly doing better than you. Not only does this bring about depression it also brings about subjective aging. We are not to compare ourselves to anyone for any reason. Theodore Roosevelt said that "Comparison is the thief of joy" and that's an apt way to put it. Comparison steals your joy and you'll always feel bad about your present condition because there is always someone doing better tha

Theme: Coping with Aging Identity (Subjective Aging) (Part 12) Anchor Text: Psalms 90:12 New Living Translation Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Medicine 4: Always remind and reaffirm who you are. 1st Peter 2:9 New Living Translation But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. As a child of God, you must constantly remind yourself and reaffirm who you are. Understand that you are not defined by your circumstances and current situation. What defines you is what God has said about you. You must learn how to differentiate your experiences from who you really are. You may be beaten, battered and broken but that's not you. You may be confused, crushed and at a crossroads but that's not your end. You may be discouraged, depressed and disapp

Theme: Coping with Aging Identity (Subjective Aging) (Part 11) Anchor Text: Psalms 90:12 New Living Translation Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Medicine 3:  Understand that everything is working for your good. Romans 8:28 (New Living Translation) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. The Omniscience of God allows Him to know the end of a thing from it's beginning. Therefore in His original plan for you, the issues that would seemingly overwhelm you were taken into consideration. These challenges were all accounted for. However instead of taking them away, (because there is no champion without challenges) He ensures that those challenges work out to favour us. This include every bad and sad event you ever went through in life. Unlike we humans who are limited by the scope of the smaller picture which we see, God sees the whole p

Theme: Coping with Aging Identity (Subjective Aging) (Part 10) Anchor Text: Psalms 90:12 New Living Translation Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Medicine 2: Understand God has a plan for you. Jeremiah 29:11 (New Living Translation) For I know the plans I have for you,” says the lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. The responsibilities, events and challenges of life can be overwhelming to say the least. However knowing that God has a plan for you should keep your mind at rest. Pastor JC Amah said "The devil has a PLOT...God has a PLAN". The devil keeps plotting to thwart the plan God had for you before the dawn of time. The assurance is that God's plan will always prevail depsite the devil's plots. God planned for your life even when the devil was non-existent, therefore he cannot destroy a plan that's older than himself. The attacks of the devil may look like they

Theme: Coping with Aging Identity (Subjective Aging) (Part 9) Anchor Text: Psalms 90:12 New Living Translation Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Medicine 1: Discover and Understand your purpose Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Your Purpose is simply why you exist. You have a purpose because you were purposefully created. You're not a mistake or just one of the possible outcomes. No God took His sweet time to create you and made you who you are. And in doing that He designed you to accomplish something here on Earth which is your purpose. Discovering and Understanding your purpose is so important in coping with subjective aging because it allows you see a reason why most of the events in your life were allowed to occur. A man is designed and shaped by the challenges he faces so that he can effe

Theme: Coping with Aging Identity (Subjective Aging) (Part 8) Anchor Text: Psalms 90:12 New Living Translation Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Concluding my story... There I was in the seminary when I got a call from mum. She went ahead to inform me that my dad had passed on. She asked me to be strong for them. Them meant herself and my sisters since I was the only son of my father. So I stayed strong for them. Didn't have the luxury to be otherwise. So I shed no tear whatsoever not because I didn't miss dad or it didn't pain so badly but I couldn't afford to breakdown. Instead I spent most of my time thinking, planning and talking to God. Dad left huge shoes to fill and I had to step up and fill them. This was my Role-Transition into becoming the "daddy" of the family. Like I got to find out later; my money was no longer my money but "our money". At first I thought it's no big deal after I map

Theme: Coping with Aging Identity (Subjective Aging) (Part 7) Anchor Text: Psalms 90:12 New Living Translation Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. My story continues... I've always been a good-looking boy. (I ain't bragging; okay maybe a bit). But mum usually tells me of how when I was a baby everyone who saw me would just want to carry me because of how fineeee I was. Anyway this good-looking nature of mine didn't keep me immune from health challenge. As I write this for as long as I can remember I've had a health challenge. Dad and mum told me that it began when I was 5. That's when the breathing issues started and the doctors called it Asthma. It's something I've always been ashamed of and never opened up nor revealed to anyone. If you got to know it's maybe you caught me when I was having an attack or someone told you or maybe you found my inhaler then like some friends did back in secondary school. I&

Theme: Coping with Aging Identity (Subjective Aging) (Part 6) Anchor Text: Psalms 90:12 New Living Translation Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. 2nd Corinthians 1:4 says: He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (New Living Translation). Lecrae said these lines in his song 'I did it for you': I opened up my life and shared my life So that you can see we all need Christ I did it for you If you can understand my pain Maybe you can see we all need change I did it for you Gave you my life, my pain, my hurt Man I hope this work I pointed the verse above and those lyrics because what we go through in life aren't just lessons for us as individuals but also encouragement to others. Therefore I'll once again like to share my personal story in relation to what we've been discussing. Truth is I've been af