Where is the love

I have been meaning to talk about this topic for a while now but I feel now the time is right. I am an avid follower of Bella Naija and I do comment from time to time. It always amazes me when I read some people’s comments particularly on feature articles about a budding entrepreneur or someone doing well at something. Some comments are just so negative and unnecessary. I read things like ‘Oh, I can do better’ or jealous remarks and I just shake my head. It is amazing that so many people want to be elevated yet they fail to celebrate the successes of others. Yes, one could be a better singer than another person or could even be better at designing clothes but that does not give one the right to put the other person down. It is all about favour and God’s grace. Rather than moaning and complaining, ask God to bless the works of your hands. Really, I wonder where the love is.

I was on twitter yesterday and was appalled to read someone’s tweet about a deceased musician. I mean what is this world turning to. There is simply no respect for the dead these days. We live in a world where people feel they have the right to judge you, where people are quick to criticize and point out our weaknesses before your strengths. Whatever happened to love. Let us emulate Master Jesus who opened  His arms and was accepting to the woman which others condemned. Let us remove the speck in our own eyes before complaining about the log in another fellow’s eye. Let us be genuine.

Spread the love folks. All some people need is just a text to encourage them, a hug or even a smile. Love is giving. God is LOVE

God bless,
Shanday

The motive is the essence

This article was inspired by a post I saw on facebook asking whether it was right for a Man of God to own a private jet. One of the people interviewed said that Jesus did not even own a bicycle, that He used to trek everwhere. I would just like to express my own view on the matter.

The fact that Jesus used to trek does not mean He was poor or He couldn’t afford another means of transportation. It is important to understand the era when Jesus was on earth. Animals were mostly used as means of transportation, the plane wasn’t invented at that time, there were no cars at that time . Jesus used a donkey, a boat, and walked by foot for most of the time. You see He was an Evangelist and He knew the best strategy to use to win souls into the Kingdom. Jesus had an assignment and He made sure He fulfilled it.

Owning a private jet is not the issue, rather it is the motive behind the jet that is important. You see God searches deeper within; He looks at the heart unlike man who is more interested in the physical. If a Pastor has acquired a private jet because He does a lot of travelling and there’s a need for it to further the Kingdom of God, I don’t see anything wrong with it. It only becomes wrong if the jet has become an item for show. As a pastor, your members or brethren should be inspired or drawn to your ministry and calling rather than your material possessions. If your members talk more about your material possessions than your anointing, there is a big problem. The challenge is not to let one’s material possessions be a stumbling block.

The Word says “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and every other thing will be added unto you”.

An action may seem right, but if the motive behind that action is wrong, God is not pleased. This can be likened to even the seemingly trivial things. If one is going to church just to show off one’s latest clothes or catch the eye of an attractive brother or sister, there is a problem. If you are giving to a charity just to look good or to seem like a ‘philanthropist’, you are only deceiving yourself. God can see behind all the facade. To buttress this point, this scripture comes to mind:
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3)
It is indeed an eye-opening scripture that  shows that one can do seemingly loving deeds without even having love. It’s important as Christians to evaluate the decisions we make to see what is actually driving those decisions. Is it to glorify ourselves or to glorify God?

Would love to hear your views and opinions on this matter

God help us all.
Loads of love,
Shanday

Naaman Revisited

The story of Naaman is quite a popular one. It’s about a high-ranked Captain who had everything going for him except that He had leprosy. There are certain lessons that can be learnt from this story and I am going to elaborate on them.

You can refer to 2nd Kings Chapter 5 to get the full gist of the story if you are not familiar with it

Lesson 1

Be kind to those that work for you

Show kindness to those that work for you and do not look down on them because they just might be connected to your breakthrough. I want to believe that because of the love shown by Naaman’s wife, the maid was compelled to find a solution to Her Master’s predicament. Do not look down on someone or disregard a fellow just because he/she is holding a lower position. You don’t know how God can use that person to be a blessing. I am certain if Naaman’s wife used to treat that little maid unfairly, even if she knew of a prophet that could serve as a vessel for Naaman’s healing , she would have kept it to herself.

Lesson 2

Obedience is key

Without obedience, it is difficult to receive from God. As Christians, we need to obey God even when what He asks of us does not seem logical. The truth is the way God works is too difficult for our brains to comprehend. Naaman expected that his deliverance would come by Elisha laying  hands on Him but God had a better plan. I find it rather interesting  that the prophet Elisha sent a messenger to tell Naaman that His healing would come by him dipping himself seven times in the Jordan River. There was something significant about the Jordan River. Naaman expected to dip himself in a goodly river like the rivers of Damascus but God wanted Him to get His deliverance from the Jordan River. I believe that God was not only testing Naaman’s obedience but also his humility. Picture a Captain dressed in fine apparel bathing in a dirty river. It is not akin to his title. Although Naaman initially declined, he later obeyed the Prophet and did as He was told and He received his deliverance. We have to understand that God does not think as man thinketh; as such we need to stop putting God in a box and expecting him to do things our own way.

Lesson 3

Do not be greedy

After Naaman got His healing, He was so excited that He wanted to thank the man of God by giving Him a gift but Elisha refused. The reason for this is Elisha did not want to take the glory but He wanted all glory to go to to God. Elisha’s servant – Gehazi, on the other hand was not content with this. Gehazi decided to deceive Naaman by requesting for a talent of silver and two changes of garments without Elisha’s knowledge. Because of his deceit, He and his seed were stricken with leprosy for ever. What struck me the most about Gehazi was his lack of wisdom. One would have assumed that by working closely with Elisha, He would have acquired a measure of Elisha’s wisdom but his behaviour showed the contrary. Essentially, one’s closeness with an anointed man or woman does not guarantee one’s salvation. We need to walk out our own salvation. Also, we need to be careful about the decisions we make because they have the potential to affect not only us but our seed.

These are just some lessons I was able to extract from the story. I would love to hear your contributions.

Loads of luv,

Shanday

I’m Back

Hello folks,
I am sure some of you have been wondering why I haven’t posted in a long while. Well I did not realise Graduate school would be this intense lolz.
Anyways I am back now and ready to rekindle my love for blogging.

So gear up for some interesting articles,
Luv,
Shanday

Joy like a river

What is Joy?

It’s a feeling of intense contentment and satisfaction that comes from within.
It is a greater degree of happiness. So many people tend to confuse joy with happiness. Happiness is more of a fleeting emotion . It’s possible for one to conceal one’s happiness but it’s almost impossible for one to conceal one’s joy.

Joy is an emotion that bubbles from within and finds its expression outwardly. Most people who appreciate joy the most are the ones that went through a form of trial or challenge before their joy manifested. The best analogy I can use to illustrate this point  is childbirth. When a woman is in labour, she tends to feel quite a lot of pain and discomfort but when the baby comes, it’s like all the pains have disappeared. The mother’s joy knows no bounds.

I remember vividly a woman’s testimony in church about God’s faithfulness. Before She started the testimony, She asked to be allowed to sing a special number and from the way/manner in which She sang, I knew that a giant testimony was coming forth. She said that She had being married for over 15 years and yet there was no fruit. She came for a church program where the pastor was calling out people for prayers in terms of their age-group.  She took a step of faith, walked towards the altar and was ministered to. To God be the glory, The Lord enabled her to conceive with not one but three bundles of joy. This could only have been the Lord’s doing. The lady in question was glowing with joy not happiness. One could see that she must have gone through times of doubt, frustration and shame but God availed for her.

Why is it that people who seem to have all that money can buy are usually the ones that are so down-cast and unhappy. This is because if you don’t have Jesus in your life, your life is empty. It is only Jesus that can give one true joy. Some people tend to look for joy elsewhere by seeking other worldly pleasures like taking drugs or drowning their sorrows with alcohol. These things give one a high for a brief time but when reality bites, the emptiness re-surfaces. During surgeries, anaesthetics are administered to patients to relieve them from pain. Usually when the anaesthetic is given, it causes the area to feel numb making the procedure as pain-free as possible. After a while, the anaesthetic begins to wear off and before long, the patient begins to have feeling in the area the injection was given.

 I liken the effects of anaesthetics with seeking pleasure outside of God; It only provides a temporal relief. It is only God that can cause one to experience joy even when one’s situation is nothing to be joyous about. May the good Lord give us joy unspeakable and full of glory. I know some people I’ve lost their joy because of the loss of a loved one, a set-back or a disappointment, I prophesy that God will send a restoration. Amen

Lest I forget, I want you all to shout a big hallelujah on behalf of me and my family. A beautiful bundle of joy was added to the family. She is indeed a blessing and I thank God for His faithfulness.

Shalom,

Shanday

20 Random things about me

 

1. I love cranberry juice; There’s just something unique about its taste!
2. I can’t stand it when people travel and get back with some phony accent. It’s so irritating – you don’t have to speak “fone”, just speak good English. You’ll see some people that haven’t even crossed the shores of naija forming.
3. I love talking to myself,  some might  think it’s strange or weird but it’s actually fun.
4. I think retail therapy is very therapeutic. After a stressful day, some shopping is bound to do you a lot of good.
5. I’ve got big feet. I wear a size 43 and trust me I wish my feet were smaller. Finding my shoe size is an ordeal. Why do all the cute shoes have to be for small feet? It’s not fair lol. Thank God for Yankee though.
6. I don’t understand what has happened to our reading culture now especially for kids. It’s pretty much non-existent lol. Kids these days hardly read books. They are content watching Africa magic or spending hours playing video games.
7.  We live in a world of Instant, to go, fast everything. You name it -from food to technology. It’s amazing that we’ve gotten so used to these little luxuries of life that we forget how life was before them. I remember vividly the day our microwave at home stopped working and I was so pissed because I wasn’t really in the mood to  heat my food on the  gas cooker lol. I guess that’s what happens when you  have  a choice.
8. My favourite inventions would have to be the telephone, electricity and the plane. Honestly I think the phone was invented for me lol. I just love to chat, some people might call me a chatterbox but I’d say I’m just an outspoken person. I do know for certain that I think before I talk.
9. I absolutely love my family so much. We’ve got a pretty tight bond and I love the fact that we all have very different personalities.
10. I can’t stand pessimists. They have a way of dampening one’s spirit. I’m an optimist. I believe the glass is half full and I always look at the brighter side of things. It’s sunny side up!
11. I’m a social butterfly,  i’ve got loads of friends,  mostly guys surprisingly- I’m hot, what do you expect lol. Seriously though chicks have too much drama. I do sometimes miss having a chick’s opinion when it comes to certain discussions.
12. Makeup to me is just amazing. It’s like having a face lift without going under the knife Lol. What I don’t understand are chicks that overdo it. Makeup is supposed to accentuate your natural beauty and not cover up who you are. Some people can’t be caught dead without makeup -It’s so funny.
13. I don’t believe in love at first sight. Love is something that grows, it’s not automatic. I do believe in soul mates, I believe there’s someone right for everybody.
14. I think there’s something enchanting about a lady that’s all covered up and still looks sexy than one whose goods are on display. For me, less is more.
15. I definitely love being a female. We females get to play dress up. I just love clothes. I consider myself quite a good dresser. Fashion fades but style is classic. It’s either you’re stylish or not. One could have all d money in the world and still look like a frump and plus wearing designer from head to toe is a fashion faux pas .Mixing and matching is more fun. What I really love is accessories, earrings, chains, sandals, bags – the whole enchilada, I think accessories make an outfit.
16. I love God so much. Without Him I am nothing. I guard my relationship with God very jealously.  God is my daddy. He’s got my back 24/7. God is just too awesome. If you don’t know Him yet, you’ve not even started enjoying life. As far as I’m concerned the Bible is the bestest book in the world It’s more than just a book, it’s God’s Word. If you want a good read, go get a Bible and you’ll get amazing insight into what life is all about and how to make the right choices.
17. I love taking pictures,  pictures have a way of bringing back good memories.
18. I love little children, they are just so precious. There’s this innocence about them that is so alluring.
19. I used to wear braces.  Initially, I thought I would look weird with my braces, but when I got them, I really rocked my new look.  Mine were colourful, and being the fashionista that I am, I made my braces a fashion statement.
20. I’ve got the bestest partner in the world!

Idol Worshipper?

Hey people,

I was reading my devotional (Open Heavens) and something struck me and I decided to share it. Daddy G. O was talking about spiritual famine.  I’m sure most of you are familiar with the word ‘famine’. It just means a shortage or lack of food. Spiritual famine has to do with shortage of God’s word. I bet you’re wondering if God’s word ever gets scarce. Well, God can decide to stop speaking to you as often as before because of sin. If you used to hear from God often, but realize that these days you barely hear from Him, you could be in spiritual famine. God hates disobedience.

I want you to note that partial obedience and disobedience are the same time.

Spiritual famines are caused by two main things. The first is oppression of the poor by the rich, while the other is idolatry. I want to focus on the latter cause which is idolatry. idolatry is simply serving another god besides Jehovah. One of the ten commandments is that ”thou shalt have no other gods before me”.  I’m sure many of you will boldly say that God is your only God, but has He been given top priority in the affairs of your life? While reading my devotional that day, I realized that anything that you are giving more attention to than God has become an idol. Wow, that was an eye-opener. It could be Facebook, chatting on the phone, your finances, t.v, and even your loved ones. I must admit that this word came just in time. I am on my blackberry most of the time, and sometimes I reach for my bb first before I reach for my Bible.  God have mercy!

The bible says ”Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything else will be added unto you. An example of someone who was a victim of spiritual famine was King Saul. King Saul had a track record of being disobedient to God. He was greatly afraid about the Philistines attacking the Israelites, and when He inquired of the Lord, God was silent. May God not be silent to us when we need Him the most. Instead of pleading for God’s mercy, He decided to seek advice from the kingdom of darkness. (1 Sam 28 v4-6) This was a wrong move, He should just have retraced his steps back to the Lord with all sincerity and repented of his sins.

The consequence of disobeying God is found in the scripture below

”And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” (Amos 8 v 12  )

May this not be our portion in Jesus name. Amen

Love,

Shanday