Posted on

Ridiculously Miraculous

RIDICULOUSLY MIRACULOUS
If you can’t do the ridiculous, you may never experience the miraculous!
Nobody likes to look silly or enjoys to appear absurd, but I doubt if you’ll ever find a truly great person who hadn’t been.
Joseph and Mary were the envy of other parents of their time.
During one of Jesus’ meetings, a woman became overwhelming fascinated that she said, “…Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.” Luke 11:17.
But she needed to know that before the miracle, Mary had had to face immense ridicule.
Accepting the call to be the mother of our Lord was absolutely preposterous, a complete public disgrace: “Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her…” Mathew 1:19. (NIV).
As long as you keep running from what the Lord is asking or calling you to do, for being ridiculous, you can as well say a goodbye to the miraculous!

Author: Pst. Yomi Oyeniyi (Faith Among All Nations Ministry)

Posted on

Less Room, More Boom

LESS ROOM, MORE BOOM.

In life, you are more likely going to win or be defeated not just because of what you are surrounded with, but what you have within you.

Heaping the blames for your predicament on external factors is absolutely worthless.

Our Lord rightly demonstrated this; born with virtually all odds against Him. Not even a space in a decent or hygienic environment: “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7.

Though He started without a room, yet ended up rising above moon.

Having no room isn’t meant to spell your doom. The fellow you think you deeply love may have no room in his or her heart for you in return; though qualified, an organization may deny you a space; those that should might refuse to give you a room to express, exhibit or defend yourself. None of these means you can’t still experience a boom.

It’s having no drive, nor a compelling vision and purpose to live for that leads to a doom; it is not having no room.

Author:  Pastor Yomi Oyeniyi (Faith Among All Nations Ministry)

Posted on

Having It Isn’t Enough – Use It (Part 2)

Matthew Chapter 25 (Parable of the Talents)

I am a graduate, I have a masters’ degree, I am experienced, I am talented, I have diverse skills; these are the thoughts/mentality and reality of most youths. Yes! Beautiful! You have a bachelor’s degree, masters degree, talents or what have you but still, having it isn’t enough.

It is important to state here, that there is no one that is created empty, without any gift. What you need, to be who you want to be is in you, discovering it/ digging it out is however, your responsibility. Though we are not equally gifted, yet, there is no one without a deposit of gift/talent.

With the understanding that there is something deposited in you at creation, having it is however, isn’t just enough. What are you doing with that deposit? What are you doing with that gift/talent? Remember, whatever your innate ability is, it is for a purpose. The purpose of whatever gift you have is “Maximum Utilization, resulting to High Productivity” as it has been said that nothing remains constant, it increases or decreases, grows or die.

Self Discovery – Self Development – Achievement

There is a quote that says… “The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do. Discover what has been deposited in you, develop/work on it and achieve your desired results/become who you want to be.

Having it isn’t just enough, using it/putting it to use is essential to get results. Put what you have to use, stop wishing for things to happen. Work with what you have no matter how small/little, for there is always a room for Growth, Development and Improvement.

Posted on

Commit God to Act (Part 3)

John 2: 1 – 10 (Jesus’ First Miracle)

Verse 4 – 5: In these verses, we saw what happened after Mary went to meet Jesus, to tell Him about the wine that got finished. Jesus gave Mary an answer contrary to her expectation/desire but yet, because she knows what Jesus can do and believes He can deal with the situation on ground, she refused to give up despite the fact that Jesus had already told her “no”, she instead, went to the servants and told them “do whatever he tells you to do”. This act of Mary was what committed Jesus to act as the servants were waiting for the instruction from Him as Mary as told them.

In the same way, we can commit God to act on our circumstances by standing on what He says in His word and engaging it profitably for our desired testimonies as God cannot deny His Word (Ps 138v2b, Titus 1v2). If He did not deny the words of Mary, how much more His Word

Verse 7 – 10: We should obey His Word unquestionably and undoubtedly, we should do whatever He tells us to do not necessarily what we feel/want to do; only by doing what He tells us to do, will we get our desired miracles. Whether or not it makes sense, follow and carry out His Order. When we do as He commands, we get His best.

Posted on

Commit God to Act (Part 2)

In John 2:1 – 10, we see the validation that we can commit God to act as Mary did Jesus. Let us therefore see the following points from this scriptural passage:

Verse 2: Jesus was present but yet, Mary had to engage Him. We as believers suffer, not because we do not know God or because He isn’t there with us and for us; but because we majorly do not engage/involve Him. We do not actively involve Him in our daily activities, our decisions (minor and major), life circumstances and challenges which have eventually led to a continuous lifestyle of struggles and shame. It is not enough that we have Christ; we MUST fully engage Him in all areas of our lives.

Verse 3: “the act of coming”…in this Bible passage, Jesus was there, he was actually present when the wine finished. His presence did not literally prevent the wine from getting finished. Jesus was there and yet the wine finished; he was also there in the boat with his disciples when the storm arose. This leaves us with the responsibility of calling/coming to God for help at any time we are faced with unpleasant situations; as He has promised to answer us when we call on Him (Jem33:3).

Posted on

Commit God to Act (Part 1)

(John 2: 1 – 10)

Preamble

We do not necessarily have to wait and hope for things to happen on their own accord as the Bible says in Matthew 11 versus 12 that “…the violent taketh it by force…” Most times we are the cause of our “seemingly unanswered prayers”. We tend to wait on God to do everything for us and on our behalf. But from the above scriptural passage we are learning from, we will realize that we can actually commit God to work.

If we can, then why should we have to sit and cross our hands, waiting and expecting a miracle when we can provoke one? You do not wait for miracles; you work out your miracle. Sitting and waiting for a miracle is a waste of time and life (remember the man at the pool of Bethsaida).

Take steps of faith according to biblical instructions and you are sure to commit God to act as He is sure to make good of His Word (remember, Mary provoked Jesus’ first miracle).

Posted on

Getting God’s Attention (Part 3)

Bartimaeus the Blind      (Mark 10:46-52)

Lessons drawn

Verse 50

  • Going to meet Jesus, he threw his garment aside (the garment was probably used in covering himself) but this time, he let go of it. He wanted to meet with Jesus as he is; unashamedly.

Verse 51

  • Getting to Jesus in his state/as he is, Jesus still asked him what he wanted/why was he calling on Him? You may ask, does that mean Jesus did not see/know that Bartimaeus was blind? Why would Jesus asked him?
  • Jesus simply wanted him to speak for himself, personally make his request and confess with his mouth.
  • As children of God, God wants us to come to Him with our requests; though he knows what we need. He still leaves us with the responsibility to ask (Matt 7:7-8).

Verse 52

  • God answers our prayers/requests when we come and call on Him in faith.

SELAH

  1. Who do you call on/turn to or run to in times of need?
  2. When you come to God what do you do? Explain your situation or make your request known?
Posted on

Getting God’s Attention (Part2)

Bartimaeus the Blind      (Mark 10:46-52)

Lessons drawn

Verse 48

i.  Many people who had their “sight” tried to stop him from crying out (taking action) to Jesus.

ii.  Immediately he heard/knew it was Jesus passing by; he did something with the information he got, he did not just keep quiet. He cried out (took an action/ a step of faith).

iii.  People tried to stop him but he remained focused and kept pressing/crying on his aim/goal/desire.

Verse 49

  • He eventually got Jesus’ attention. But why was he crying unto Jesus? He knew Jesus had to power/capability to heal him (he really must have been current with the happenings around him – about Jesus). His disability did not stop/hinder him from reaching out to Jesus.

Selah

  1. What are the things crowding/trying to stop you from reaching out to God for your desired change? (Doubt/Fear/Anxiety/Status/Friends/Family)?
  2. How persistent/consistent are you in achieving your goals? How long do you persevere?