Light up Nigeria

One cannot say any where in this world is perfect. That means we will find bad and good people alike everyday, every time and of course every place and our dear Nigeria is not left out. 

The people ensuring Nigeria remains a bad place are not resting. They are not observing any holiday. Why then should we? Don’t you see that they will always be ahead? 

Let us light up the darkness. 

Let us light up Nigeria. 

Let us brighten up the night

Let us light up Nigeria

Let us make Nigeria a better place. 

Let us light up Nigeria.
And you know what, it begins with you. 
It begins with you means 
It is time we start asking questions.

It is time we know our rights. 

It is time we hold the government by her words. 

It is time we don’t take NO for an answer. 

It is time we stop taking anything they give and swallowing all the lies they tell us. 

It is time we know everything does matter. 

It really does matter what our government does beginning with Mr. President to Boss Governor and Oga Senator not leaving out security and the cleaner down the hall. Have you thought about why people glory in selling fake products and do not care the number of lives lost to fake medication? Well it is not just about the money, but because it doesn’t matter. To them, it doesn’t matter if we live or die. 

Have you considered the reasons why the bulbs we buy at N400 doesn’t last longer than a week? Over and above you and I having to keep spending our little resources enriching them by buying more bulbs, to them it doesn’t matter. If we don’t buy other will. If we don’t buy today, come tomorrow we will. 

Have you wondered why government steals from the government and feed us with lies upon lies? Well, it is not just about the money, or lying to get out of trouble, but because it doesn’t matter. We really do not matter to them because if we did, they will not watch us with folded arms, while we suffer and can’t even afford the money to have a hair cut. 

Well have you wondered why our children don’t bother studying anymore? Why should they, when like provisions, they can buy grades like shopping in a mall. If we can buy grades off the counter of the university, then why does it matter studying. 

To you reading, I know you may say it doesn’t matter. After all this is Nigeria 🇳🇬. Let us not say it doesn’t matter because it really does matter. What you do next, does matter. What you do with this message does matter. And it does matter if you share this message. 

Let us not stop at wishing things to get better. Let us work things to get better. I know at the end of the month like this, many messages carrying blessings will flood social media. I am not against prophetic utterances and blessings for the new month. All I am saying is the prophecy works better when you play your part. Grace builds on nature. God uses what you have to bring about what you need. Just as we expect July to be better for us, so too does July expects us to be better for it. 

Stop wishing. Start working. Start doing. 

Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). Tell me; what is faith without prayer and what is prayer without faith. If your prayer lacks faith, then it is dead. And I say here “Prayer without works is dead”. As we pray, let us do what needs to be done. Let us light up Nigeria. #lightupnigeria
Finally, may the tears of June water the flowers of JULY. 

I am Fr. Bekomson and you have just read The Potters Touch

Stick to the script

Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Yesterday our sermonette was a reminder to stay connected to our source; God. Today we go deeper in the revelation. 

So what does it really mean to stay connected to God. And what are the implications. We said if a tree is uprooted, it dies. But what about a tree that is still planted yet does not bear fruit like the fig tree that Jesus cursed. There are many reasons which abound for the fruitlessness of a tree; say the seeds are bad, the soil not receptive for such a plant, the seed is sown on a path, or like Jesus expressed in the parable of the sower, the plant is choked by thorns. 

Friends you see God has specific intentions for everything and every one He created. He never does anything randomly. That means there was something on God’s mind when He created you. Your destiny was already decided before you were born, like we see in the story of Jeremiah…. “before I formed you I knew you”.

Now tell me; is it possible to know about something before it exist? God does. That is why He is God. Psalm 40:7 says: Then I said, “Here I am, I have come – in the volume of the book it is written of me.

This is one of the scripture that talks about Jesus. A script was written about Him. The plan was layed out before Him. But he had to stick to the script when He got here. The script was in his mission and purpose. The spirit of the Lord is upon me and has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. That my dear friends was just a part of the script. He could have decided to write another script for Himself even worst allow the devil edit the script that was for Him. When He was tempted after the 40 days and 40 nights, when he was betrayed, lied upon, maltreated, and even on the way to the shameful death, He still chose to stick to the script. Are you sticking to yours? Remember the saying “Life is a stage and we are actors on it”.

So also destiny is what God had said you’ll be. It is ending up where God intend that you end up. Destiny points us to our destination. Where would you end up? 

It is sad most people spend the little time they have trying to be someone else or like someone else. Most spend their time here on earth envying and jealousing others. Even worst, much more don’t even know the reason why there were created or their assignment here on earth.

Jesus was angry at the fig tree that did not bear fruit because it did not stick to the script. Its destiny was not to serve as a shade, but to bear fruits. Notice here that the tree was was still connected to ground, like most of us are connected to our churches, parishes, and religious organisations, yet we are disconnected from His will.

There are a few things we need to know about decision making and how it affects our destiny.

1. The decision God makes 

2. The decision you make and 

3. God won’t make the decision for you.

4. God won’t interfere with your decision because he has given you free will

God decides which family you are born into, the tribe and nationality. He also decides what natural gift and disposition you will have. etc. So He decides how you begin but you decides how you end. And you do that by staying connected and sticking to your script.

The fig tree was connected to the ground but it was fruitless. You could be alive but without purpose. You could be going to church but have no vision. You could be a preacher and teacher of the faith, but lack focus. Tell me, how do you play the part if you don’t know what is written in the script about you. 

Friend of God make a decision today to discover and follow your script.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

Destiny is ending where God says you will end. But ending there depends on your lives choices. 
PRAYERS: Lord Jesus I am eager to do your will and walk on your script. Please show me the part of life that I might walk there in. Amen.

FURTHER STUDIES: Romans 8:29.
Love and blessings 

Godnection too

A lot of times you here people brag about what they have and the connections they have. People will stop at nothing in letting you know that know the president or governor and one senator or the other. Well good for them. 
But let me ask. How often do you hear people boast and brag about God and how solid their relationship with God is? 
Well my intention is to let you see the difference between CONnection and GODnection. The simple difference is one is limited and the other is unlimited.
Choose wisely. 

Godnection

John 15:4-7:  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me….

You may not have thought about this, but when the devil makes you a target, he sets about destroying your relationship with God. At the end of every pain, destruction, lack and failure, all that is targeted is your God-relationship because our strength is in our relationship with God. So everything the devil will do or try to do is focused on leading you to have a break up with God. He wants to separate you from God. The strength of the fold is found in its relationship with the shepherd. It is like the baby in the womb and mother. For the baby to survive the umbilical cord is the link. Once the umbilical cord is broken the chances of survival for the baby in the womb is gone. 

The craving to be independent from God is an invitation to disaster. Like a ship without a sail and compass, our lives will drift. Without is in our lives is like an aircraft trying to be independent of the control tower. Separation from God is the foundation for destruction. The sheep not with the flock is already heading to its death. 

When the devil wanted to tempt Eve, he looked for a time when Eve was not with Adam. She was separated her from Adam. Adam was probably in one part of the garden while Eve was in another part. So the devil saw that as an opportunity to engage Eve in a conversation with the intention to ruin the beautiful life God had given to them in the garden. That is why in a marriage it is advisable for the couple to always know what the other partner is up to. Don’t take the whereabouts of your spouse for granted. Always want to know where she is. Always want to know where he is. Know what he is doing where he is. This is a fact couples should not over look. Always have the knowledge of where your spouse is. This is evident in the question “Adam where are you”? “Have you eaten of the fruit I asked you not?”

What is called division is nothing but di-vision – duo visions, which is two visions. Any time two people have different visions, division has arrived. When the devil wanted to destroy the beautiful life of Lot, all he had to do was give him another vision; and the moment Lot was disconnected from his godly uncle, Abraham, his life crashed.

Beloved, the strategy of Satan has not changed. If he wants to ruin a person’s life, he tries to bring in division which eventually leads to independency. He tried to make us independent of God. So determine today never to allow anything separate you from God. When God created the fish, He spoke to the sea, when God created trees, He spoke to the earth, but when God created man, He spoke to Himself. Take a fish out of the water, it will die and when you take a tree off the ground, it will also die. Similarly, when man is disconnected from God, he dies.

God is our supernatural environment. We were created to live in His presence. We must stay connected to Him because in Him is life. In him our life is found. St. Augustine said our hearts are restless until they rest in you”. It is only in God we can find rest which give birth to peace and growth. 
STAY CONNECTED TO GOD

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: separation from God is the foundation for destruction.

FUTHER  STUDY: Psalm 119:67, Romans 8:35-39.

PRAYERS:  O Lord, I refuse to exist independent of you. Help me Lord, not to go where you do not want me to go or do what you do not want me to do through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Helpers needed

Sometimes we may justify the need not to help others in need or in difficulty. Today, I urge and encourage you to go out of your way to be a blessing to others. No little effort in the right direction or on the right thing is ever wasted. 

Learn from the dog. 

Divine partnership pt4- inexcusable

Romans 2:1a There is no excuse for living the life of excuses, failures, insignificance and mediocrity. How and where you are born is no excuse. The potentials and qualities you do not yet have is no excuse. The same way God has created and called others to be great, He has called you too. Therefore  there is no excuse for a life of failure and mediocrity. The potential for success  and greatness is inside you.  What others have cannot be compared to what you have.

2 Corinthians 4:7 says But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Wow I am excited…. Do you know it is ok for people to look down on you and even talk down on you? Well, that is because there do not know what is inside of you. I am confident a reader of this devotional that is going through serious rejection and betrayal is about to receive deliverance by revelation.

Hear me! You are not a second class human being. Neither are you substandard. Neither were you created by accident or you were born by a mistake. God makes no mistake. Scriptures cannot be broken. He says you are beautifully and fearfully made – Ps 139:14. That means you were intentionally made and not an after thought.

You are not on earth as an escort to someone else. And your are not here just to mark time. God did not do baloting before creating you. Neither did he consult with your uncle or parents before you were made. 

You  are here on a very special and specific purpose one that is completely different from any other persons. Yes we all have a collective destiny in God. But we also have our specific assignment which is called destiny.

Someone said the richest place is the grave yard. That is so because. People with great potentials die without seeing the light of day. A billionaire dies a begger. Someone that was meant to be a professor is buried as an illiterate.  Taking all the potential to the grave.

That is so because they made one mistake. They refuse to partner with their maker.  John 15:4-5  Says; “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me.I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, will bring forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing”.

That treasure that is on the inside of you is the Holy Spirit. He is your advantage over life. He is your strength over weakness. He is your wealth over poverty. He is your majority. He is the hope of glory- Col 1:27. He is the one who teaches you how to navigate life -John  16:13. Tells you the mind if the Father, teaches, comforts etc.

When you partner with Him, that treasure on your inside, You become enviable not pitiable. It is time to come out of that depression and feeling of lowself esteem 

It is time to stop making excuses. 

It is time to to rise up to greatness.  

It is time to possess all God has for you. 

For God has given you all that pertains to life and godliness… 2 Peter 1:3

As you partner with the Holy Spirit today, may your life be redecorated, coloured and made beautiful. 

PRAYERS:

Precious Holy Spirit. I need you. 
Love and blessings 

Divine partnership Pt 3 – God’s big idea

Gen 1:26-28: 
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Today’s word will convey to you the essence of life and give you an insight to our collective destiny.

But before we take anymore step, let’s asked our selves the million dollar question- what was on God’s mind when he created the earth? I can understand why He created heaven-that is where He lives. But why create the earth and all that it in it? I doubt it was for fun.

Here’s the revelation come with me.

Revelation 12:12 says “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows he has but a short time”.

After the great rebellion the took place in heaven, Satan was cast down to the earth. This was before the creation of man.

When the bible records in the book of Gen 1:1 that the earth was without form or void and darkness was upon the face of the deep. The devil had already been cast down by then.

Although invisible, heaven is a Kingdom with territory  and a government. God’s government. So what is this big idea? From the beginning God had a very simple goal: to extent His invisible heavenly Kingdom to the visible earth. It is God extending His supernatural realm into the natural realm or to put it another way, God decided to fill the earth with the culture of heaven.

So in carrying out this big idea, He God planted a garden Himself – Gen 2:8 and asked man to care for it and gave man his own share the partnership commission which is to have dominion,  multiply and replenish the earth.

What God was saying to Adam was “I have created the whole universe and I want to extend my dominion to the natural world. So I created you just to partner with you so that you can on my behalf dominate the fish which represents the marine Kingdom, the birds of the air that stands for the powers of the constellation and every creeping thing which represents the powers of darkness of this world. Gen 1:26

So God was saying take charge on my behalf. He was saying- look I have planted a garden. That is a prototype of what I expect. Now replenish what you see in this garden across the earth. So man’s assignment was not just to tend the garden, but to reproduce it causing the earth to be like it. Gen 1:28. The garden here stands for the culture of heaven. However this was not the case as man fell and gave his place to the devil.

So God needed to salvage His Big idea and and redeem man. So he put His redemption plan in motion. From the call of Abraham to David and culminating in God coming to die as the second Adam that’s Jesus.

So the coming of Jesus was to restore God’s Big idea. But He did not carry it out alone. Once again a hand of partnership was extended to man with the commission in Mark 16:15-16: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that does not believe shall be damned”.

One of the most important things scripture reveals about the mind of God is found in 2 Peter 3:9; that none should perish. Proverbs 11:30 “he that wins a soul is wise. Friend of God! Would you make a wise decision today to put a smile on God’s face?

Now you know that you were not created just to marry and achieve a great feat. All of these are means to fulfill destiny. Your marriage should bring glory to God. In your place of work or study, you should shine the light. Look around you  today. You will identify the culture of the enemy- immorality, violent, hate, corruption, etc. 

One of the things you can do today to make God happy, is to when you begin to cultivate the culture of heaven around you, which is righteousness, peace, joy, love etc. Don’t just live your life for your self. Live your life for God for in living for God the world will definitely be a better place. Let God’s interest be your interest, which is the salvation of others. 

You might not have the opportunity others have, but you can decide to partner with God in your finance, your time, and your talent. Make a decision today to consciously live for God each for He bought with a price. 1 Cor  7:23. Shalom!

PRAYERS: Heaven Father, I have decided today to cultivate  the culture of your kingdom around my sphere of influence. Please give me the grace to do it relentlessly through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The naming partner

Gen 2:19

Yesterday we learnt that God partners with us when we invite him because it is His principle not to interfere without an invitation.

Today we will be seeing how He God partners with us because we are His crown creation, His priceless possession. We are God’s biggest deal. He loved us so much that not only did he create us (Gen 1:26) but that he put in us something of himself; created us in his image and blew his breathe in us so that everywhere we go He goes with us. (Gen 2:7)

In Africa, especially in Nigeria it is a big deal if your friend or any relative gives you the privilege to name his child. Because it is believed that your name can give insight and possibly influence ones destiny.

Examples of people in the scripture that God was involved in their naming are; Abraham -(Gen 17:15). John the baptist (Lk 1:13). And even our Lord Jesus (Mt 1:21). So even to God it is a big deal to name someone or something.

But in Gen 2: 19 we see that God, after creating everything brought them to Adam to “see” what he would call them not because he ran out of names, but He decided to honor Adam who was created in His image and likeness. He decided to invite Adam into the creating process because creation is incomplete without a name. 

One of the greatest power on earth is the power of words whether it be positive or negative words. God does everything through the word. The word is so powerful, that another name for God is “The Word”, (See John 1:1-4). Every miracle ever done by the word comes from the word himself or through His prophet and priest.

  
Heb1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word”.

So God was saying to Adam “I am the creating partner” but you are the naming partner. What God was saying to Adam is “I have created all things but since I have put you in charge, decide the fate of the animals. Because by naming the animals, he was giving them their character and job description. 

So beloved of God, just like He did with Adam, He is calling you today into divine partnership. He is saying to you; I have given you a home but you will name the home whether it will be a home of joy and peace or a home of pain and sorrow. 

I have given you marriage, it is your responsibility to name it whether it will be blissful or dreadful.

I have given a child. What do you call him? Problem child or signs and wonder child. The Word of God says whatsoever Adam called them, that is what it is till date. 

So whatever you call your life, that is what it will be. God has given you the power to name your world. He has not given that power to haters and enemies, not because they are not created in His Image, but they are not acting in His likeness. So if you are a hater and you make yourself an enemy, you disconnect yourself from the power source and that means even if you declare a thing, it will not come to pass because the power to invoke and declare does not reside in you. 

So are you going to use that power to rename your world and life? Or you will remain an enemy letting the chief of lies continue having a filled day.

Imagine if Adam refuse to take up the responsibility like most of us do. Well, God has finished His part by giving you life. You are now to partner with Him and decide what that life will be.
Ps 2:7a says ” I will declare the decree of the King” that means it is God’s responsibility to decree but it’s your job to declare what He had already declared and that is divine partnership. So now instead of complaining, go ahead and start renaming that situation. Make today your naming ceremony. Your senior partner will honor it.

DECLARATION:Today I declare that my life is beautiful. I declare that I am walking in power and favour with God and man. By God I run through the troops from the pit of destruction. By God I leap over the wall of stagnation. Wealth, health and riches abound for me and am living the Heaven on earth life.
FURTHER STUDIES.                                  Ezekiel 37:1-14
Love and blessings 

Divine partnership

1 Cor 3:5-9

Beloved! We begin this series by first and for most laying out a few facts about God. Do you know that God is all powerful and all knowing and He is complete in Himself? 
There is nothing absolutely we can do for God to make him more “Godish” or “Godly”. He is God all by himself. Whether the world exist or not, he is God. Scripture says “in the beginning”. What that means is they was a particular existence before the beginning the scripture makes reference to. In other words someone existed to make the beginning possible. He has no successor and no predicessor. He cannot be voted in or out of office, neither does He need our vote of confidence to remain God. He stands outside time and determines eternity. He started time and began beginning.

Now that’s just a little of His profile.
By now dear friends there must be one question on your mind; if God is all these and much more, why would He need a mere mortal like me for a partner. To be better put, the question should be, if God is all of that and more, why then should I not partner with him? 

Ps 115:16 says “The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lords: but the earth has he given to the children of men.”

So as a matter of principle, God does not interfere in the running of the earth or your life except invited. He has given the earth to man to manage and care for it. When God gave Adam the earth to manage, he didn’t only give him the garden of Eden, He also gave him the whole earth and Adam was to be responsible of it. In the some way, God has given you your life. He has given you that home, that business, the job, the education etc. but we won’t do better if we don’t invite him and until we do, he would remain at the door. He won’t do anything unless we invite him, and the invitation is a request for divine partnership. 

Friend, do you know that Jesus can be in your boat and you still will be battling against the storm and struggling to save the boat and your life, if you don’t wake him up. 

Today as you arise to the challenges of a new day, invite Him now to that part of your life that needs urgent Divine partnership and watch him turn it around.
Your celebration is now.
PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I acknowledge my nothingness and your awesomeness. Do please come and partner with me today concerning …..(mention the areas) and let this storm cease. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

FURTHER STUDIES

Lk 5:1-10, Mt 8:25-27.
Love and blessings