50 Other Truths About 2011

1# The first half of the year is gone

2# Quite a number of us have celebrated our birthdays already

3# God always preserves the best for the last

4# Some people are very happy about this year

5# Others are happy with some areas & unhappy about other areas of their life

6# Yet, others wished they were not part of 2011

7# There’s still so much more to look out for

8# July, the 7th Month, is symbolically a Month of perfection of all that concerns you

9# There’s still room for improvements, change, transformation and improvements in your life

10# So much time has passed. Hope you didn’t waste it?

11# It’s okay, God is a Master at recovering lost opportunities if you will partner with him

12# You must have learned by now that time waits for no one

13# Some people have grave regrets while some others have bountiful joys

14# Don’t be afraid to start all-over again

15# Keep moving, don’t stop

16# Don’t you give up on life or anything that you may be trying to achieve

17# You must have learned a lot already in the first half

18# Thankfully, my Pastor said the second half is the winning half

19# Like Joyce Meyer says it, ‘You may not be where you want to be, but you sure are not where you used to be’

20# God is still interested in your case, no matter how badly messed up it is

21# When the going gets tough, only the tough can survive. Your survival means you were tough enough. So keep it up!

22# Have a thick skin cause the battle only began

23# New levels they say, new devils

24# Prayer will take you a long way

25# Faith will even take you longer

26# But only consistent and positive actions will take you to your destination

28# Oh! if you needed God in the first half, you need Him even more this second half

29# Keep healthy relationships close, trust me, you don’t need unnecessary load in this journey

30# When all fades, you family will still be there for you. So, treat them well

31# Learning to forgive, no matter what, will help you travel light too

32# Never stop trying. Quitters never win, and winners never quit

33# Love: it’s the most powerful force on earth and yet, relevant in heaven

34# Show some love and kindness to others; this race isn’t just about you, you know

35# Trust God even when it seems contrary

36# No matter what, don’t lose your praise, your joy & your hope

37# What you make happen for others in this second half, will be made to happen for you

38# God has a plan for you life. Spend the rest of this year to find out, if you haven’t before

39# No matter what it is you have achieved, there’s always room for improvement

40# What you will see in this second half, you have never seen in the first half or even your entire life

41# Expect the great this second half; most times, what you expect is what you’ll experience

42# You will still make more friends in this second half

43# And you might still lose some too

44# Be prepared to see positive surprises

45# Did you know that this Month of July happens only once in like 800+ years; 5 Fridays,  5 Saturdays & 5 Sundays? You are a part of                history

46# If you still haven’t, please, give Jesus a place in your life and you won’t regret it

47# Thank God for some closed doors, truth is, they are blessings in disguise

48# When you see yourself struggle over some things in your life, stop and ask God the question; is this really what you have for me?

49# Be a giver: What you make happen for others, will be made to happen for you

50# Never ever stop learning

Field Gleaning

I will never forget the first time I came across the word ‘Field Gleaning’. Maybe I saw it earlier but it didn’t hold any meaning to me before 2006. I was in God’s Presence having my quiet time, I had already spent time ministering to the Lord in praise and worship, was just about going into the word. No sooner than I thought of what scripture (s)to study, did I receive a nudge in my spirit to study the book of Ruth.

The book of Ruth has just 4 Chapters that started out with a pathetic story of a married Hebrew woman with two sons and two daughters-in-law who suffered the loss of her husband and two sons in a bid to move away from the famine going on in her country at that time. 

News came to her that the famine in her Home Country was ended; at this time, she had lost all that she left her country with, NO HUSBAND, NO SONS, NO MONEY, she was virtually empty. It must have been a real trying time in her life. Realising that she had lost all that she had, she decided to go back to her country. She had two of her widowed daughters-in-law to go with, but Ma Naomi does not want to hold down these young women. She realises that she had nothing to offer them again, her sons (their husbands)were now dead, both of them without a child to carry on their names. For Naomi, it is a more hopeless and bitter situation than for these two young ladies who still have the prospect of finding another young man to start a family. I best believe Naomi had gone past her menopause. What a case?

Now, she explains to Orpah and Ruth why she must leave for her country without the two of them. She proclaims the blessings of the Lord upon them and sets out to part with them. The daughters-in-law first decline, wanting to go with her, but when she presses, Orpah hugs and kissed her Mother-in-law and bade her farewell but Ruth refuses to path ways with her. When she is tired down by Ruth’s persistence, she reluctantly agrees to go with Ruth.

It is this journey to the land of Judah that begins a life of ‘FIELD GLEANING’ and eventually a ‘LOVE STORY’ between Ruth and Boaz which results in Ruth becoming one of the Ancestors of Our Lord Jesus Christ. As well as Naomi, by the relationship she has with Boaz (a close relation of her late husband).

You can go on and read the book of Ruth for yourself so you can fully enjoy and grasp the fullness and riches in the book of Ruth.

Most of what I will be writing on in the Spiritual Enrichment corner is basically my ‘FIELD GLEANING’ experience in the word of God. Ruth ‘Gleaned’ for wheat and barley, for you and me, it lies heavily on us to ‘Glean’ on the word of God for MILK, HONEY, TREASURES, PEARLS, DIAMONDS, and all the RICHES we can find in the Word of God in order for us to follow and fulfil God’s plans and purpose for our lives and destiny in grand style.

Looking forward to great times of sharing with you from the results of my ‘FIELD GLEANING’

 

I will like to read  the results of your study of the book of Ruth as well. Let’s share!

Love
Esther

A Son of Encouragement 2

Acts 9:26-27…”But Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had spoken to Him, and how he preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus“

About a couple of weeks ago, I did a blog post on the disciple, Barnabas (A Son of Encouragement). If you haven’t seen it, please quickly scroll down and have a  read before you come here.

One of the things I pinpointed was Barnabas’ decision to path ways with Paul because Paul would not allow John Mark; Barnabas nephew to come along with them on the missionary journey. To Paul, because Mark initially left them (Paul and Barnabas)and went about his business,he didn’t deserve to be accepted in their fold again.

Little did I know that in subsequent chapters, more detail is given about the first time Barnabas met with Paul. After Paul’s miraculous encounter with Jesus on his way to Damascus to persecute the believers, and his eventual conversion, He moved over to Jerusalem when the Jews threatened to kill him.

Arriving at Jerusalem, the disciples out of fear were unwilling to welcome him to their circle thinking him to be a threat. At this point, Paul was faced with rejection from both the people he was with while as a persecutor of the Christians and the Disciples who are afraid to accept him; thinking him to be the same old ‘Saul’.

It is at this at this point that we hear Barnabas’ name mentioned again ‘…But Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles…’

Whenever Barnabas was mentioned, he was always seeking to meet the needs of the Saints in whatever way he could. The first time, it was his finances that went in; Acts 4:36-37 ‘And Joses who was also named Barnabas by the Apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement) …having land, sold it and brought it at the Apostles feet’. In Paul’s case, Barnabas ensured that he  was not judged by his past and isolated , by bringing Paul to the Apostles. He helped Paul form the right relationships; not with the Disciples, but the Apostles (A greater company of people you’ll agree with me).

Perhaps, if Paul had not met the Apostles, we won’t have the record of exploits that God did through Paul. I believe part of Paul’s Exploits in Ministry can be attributed to his keeping company and rubbing minds with Apostles like Peter, James and John.

What do you think?

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Invest Your Time and Energy to a Positive Conversation from Today

A Son of Encouragement

In my little years, I have read through the book of Acts a number of times now but never did I take notice that Barnabas’ real name was Joses. That was the name he was given at christening. So it was the Apostles who named him BARNABAS. I best believe that this decision made by the Apostles was impressed by his lifestyle of being a source of encouragement to the saints of God.The book of Acts 4:36-37 introduces us to the man Barnabas. His name meant “an encourager”, no wonder he refused to let go of his Nephew ‘Mark’ even when Paul thought Mark wasn’t as efficient for the work of the Ministry.

Barnabas was a HOPE MINISTER. He wasn’t so popular among the Apostles but his ministry of hope ensured that those who would have been cast-out, forgotten and dismissed were established in the Kingdom. 

Little wonder, Paul would later request of Barnabas to send Mark over to him (Paul)because, Mark as Paul would soon to realise, was now useful for the ministry.

My question to Apostle Paul is; what if Barnabas, The Hope Minister gave up on Mark? We probably might never have had Mark’s account of the Life and Ministry of the Saviour Jesus. What a loss it would have been!

Oh! How we need encouragers in the church, in our fellowships, in our families, in our societies and even in our nations. Oh Yes! We need them to speak in the midst of the economic down-turn, in the midst of family break-downs, in the midst of academic/career or even health failures.

We need hope givers who would speak to the situation and say; although it doesn’t look too good today, things will definitely get better. Don’t the bible say “…There is hope for the tree…..it will sprout again”? (Job 14:7). Who would say things like; ‘though you don’t look up to par today, and you went way below my expectations,I still believe in you’.

We need wives with the Barnabas spirit, who will not cast down and nag on their husbands but will choose to bear with their scruples and be a source of encouragement to them even in the midst of obvious disappointments and failings.

My Dear, with an open heart ask God for the spirit of Barnabas; allow the spirit of encouragement to flow in your life and watch God do greater things through you in the lives of those you love and other people you will come across.

Love!
Esther

Daughter of Zion

There comes a time when a little damsel begins to transform

From the beautiful little girl who always finds love and security from her family and God….

To a young woman who desires to give expression to the Love she has enjoyed in her family to that “Someone Special”

She wants to share this love with someone else… She simply desires to love and be loved

…Not that her desire for God or family is no longer there…

It’s just that she desires something different at this stage of her life.

# She comes to find that there’s a  vacuum in her life that needs to be filled-up. I say ‘find’ because it was always there; but God chose to fill up the vacuum throughout these times.  He covers it up so well during her growing years and eventually; through a series of growth and development processes, the ever Loving and Kind God decides to make her aware that a vacuum needs to be filled. So, it is God himself that creates that longing in His Daughter.

# Because she’s lived her life in service to and worship of God, she begins to want to have someone that she can serve. A woman was essentially created to love by helping

# She begins to long for friendship and intimacy with a single man; not another girl

# She wants this One Man to become so many other things to her; friend, confidant, counsellor, playmate, soul mate, team mate, partner, lover; sometimes a mentor, and sometimes a father. All these in one person!

# She begins to think ‘ I want to produce after my kind’…She wants to have children that will look like her and The Man she has come to love.

FOR A DAUGHTER OF ZION, ALL THESE POINTS AND MANY MORE FORM THE BASIS OF HER SEARCH FOR LOVE OR BETTER STILL THE REASONS SHE BEGINS TO POSITION HERSELF TO BE LOVED…

Girl friend, I’m curious to know what you think… I want to know what phase you’re in your life.

# Are you waiting to be found by this ONE MAN ?or you’ve been found already

# What was the wait like, can you remember what experiences made you to desire an intimate relationship?

# Can you think of any  more than I have mentioned?

Looking forward to learning from you!

 

Looking Forward

Hey Dear

I just wanna specially say a big thank you to all of you who were able to make it to the Activity Fair last Thursday. Not forgetting those who for one reason or the other couldn’t come but prayed for us in the field; God’s sure reward is going to reach you and your generations after you in Jesus name. Amen

I’m just sitting back at home after a great time at church today and thinking about my whole experience of Thursday at the Activity Fair and LOOKING FORWARD to the great times we will be spending together, in the Presence of God and  in Fellowship this new semester.

We ended the last semester on a great note but truth is, we must understand that past victories are capable of robbing us of our future if we let them. We need to aspire for  greater heights in God. You see, your neighbour is not your competition, and neither is your course mate or colleague; your real competition is YOU.

You know why you can’t make your neighbour, friend or colleague your competition? God’s plan for your life is very different from the plans He has for your neighbour, course mate, colleague, friend or even siblings. What God expects of you is nothing in comparison to what He expects of the other person.  That is why you must endeavour to be the BEST YOU in every area of your life. Strive to step up in your commitment to God, in your academics and in all that you do.

LET THIS SEMESTER BE BETTER THAN THE LAST IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD

We are LOOKING FORWARD to greater times in Fellowship this semester and so should you in every area of your life. Don’t let the contrary circumstances you’re faced with contradict the Word of God in your life. You were born for the top, created to be the head and not the tail, in all you do. Reach out for the very best and God Himself will see to it that your desires are fulfilled.

LOOKING FORWARD to enjoying great times in God’s Presence with you in Lifeway Fellowship this semester

You’re so blessed!

Esther

Forgetting Your Past

It was only a few days back when my House mate and Friend, Kate walked in and started talking to me about certain steps I needed to start taking as a Student Journalist who aspires for excellence. Most of what she said were things I was actually considering at that moment. While she talked, one thing stood out for me; she said to me; ‘Esther, we do need to stop making mention of the good old days we had back then in our different countries and start taking advantage of the opportunities we have as International Students’. She went on stressing why we needed to learn the things that will better our lives so that if/when we do return to our various counties, we won’t have cause to regret the results of not maximising our stay abroad.

While Kate was still speaking, it came as a flash to me the words of a wise man some few years ago. He said to a number of us that were privileged to be at a meeting that day; ‘Your past is satanic whether positive or negative’.  He went on to explain how failure in the past could intimidate and limit and individual from attempting again; I mean, a lot of us can actually identify with that. But what left a strong impression on me that day was the fact that he went on to explain how a past success that an individual experiences could hinder him/her from reaching forth to new levels.

Isn’t it true even with a number of us that have succeeded in breaking away from the clutches of a past failure? We move on, and succeed in the areas we have previously fumbled but then, that’s where it stops. A few of us attempt to succeed just a little more. But that’s not God’s plans for us, He intended that we break limits in all frontiers. Not to just succeed in your academics, careers, finances, but to succeed in your marriage, your health, your mind and emotions and every other area of your life.

This is a year for us to truly break limits. It is possible with God. If others have, You and Me can.

Don’t let your past; whether good or bad hold you down, BREAK LIMITS YOU MUST!

50 Truths About 2011

50. It is New, there has never been a year like 2011 before

49. It is a privilege for you to be alive and a part of 2011

48.  It is a year full of opportunities for you and me

47. It’s also a year laden with responsibilities

46. You are already or will be a year older in 2011

45. New relationships will form in your life

44. Sadly or not, others will go away

43. It is no doubt going to be better than 2010

42. Some decisions you make in 2011 will have an immense impact on the rest of your life

41. Expect great things in 2011 notwithstanding what happened in 2010; whether positive or negative

40. It is a year of BREAKTHROUGHS UNLIMITED in all areas of your life- Bishop David Oyedepo

39. At this point, you have 359 days left to plan, make strategies and take actions in order to break these limits in your life and destiny

38. Prepare yourself to tackle fresh challenges trust me, you haven’t seen these ones that are coming your way before

37. In short, live ready everyday

36. God expects that you grow in the word and in spirit

35. To do these, you will have to make sacrifices, spend more time in prayer and in the word and sometimes, couple it with a fast

34. God will surprise you this year

33. No matter how tough it gets, never lose your praise, your song and your joy

32. Stay focused

31. As much as it is in your power, forgive whoever hurts you, trust me you are doing yourself more good

20. 2011 is a long journey, you must do away with excess luggage such as sin, strife, envy, you just name them and shame them

19. Commit all your ways and plans to the Lord, He will prosper you

18. Pray for the cities and countries you find yourself, your peace is dependent on their state of peace

17. Unconditional Love, I mean the God kind of Love will make the journey so sweet for you. Whatever you do, please do not fall out of this Love

16. Be truly happy with those who are happy and mourn with those who mourn and very shortly, your situation will change for the better

15. Whatever success your aspire to attain in 2011, remember that it is not going to be by your power or might, but by the Spirit of the Lord- Zechariah 4:6

14. Success in Life is essentially by favour; while you labour this year, trust mainly on the favour of God

13. When you arrive at any crossroads, don’t forget to cry out to God for help. A cry for help is hardly ignored, remember Ishmael’s mother in the book Genesis?

12. Witness to souls about Christ trust me, there’s no better joy than in seeing the lost getting saved

11. Work heavily on your foundations in every area of your life, nothing lasts on a shaky foundation

10. Becoming accountable to God and other respected person (s) will help you avoid a lot of mistakes this year

9. You will do yourself a disservice when you compare yourself with another, we are not all on a journey to the same destination. Our starting point might look similar or even the same, but my Dear, God has a unique assignment for each one of us

8. Don’t underestimate the power of words, what you want to see this year is heavily dependent on what you believe in your heart and what you profess with your mouth. Speak right words

7. You were born to solve a problem in this generation. There’s no better time for you to be alive than now

6. Don’t be afraid of change or be opposed to it. Changes do not come to destroy you, but to stretch you, strengthen you and in the end, make you a better person. Expect changes this year.

5. Be a learner. Much of wisdom comes by a decision to be open minded to learn new things

4. Seek to contribute in making your family grow in the love of God, whether you’re a Mum or Dad, a Husband or Wife and a Son or Daughter; ‘every little helps’- Tesco

3. Be reminded that Giving is Living; this hasn’t changed in 2011

2. Live simple; it will help restore peace and order to your life

1. In all you do, allow the life and ministry of Jesus Christ to be your greatest influence

HAVE A GLORIOUS YEAR!

Greater Things

Hi There

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU

You might be out there downcast, probably even disappointed that certain plans you had for 2010 fell through, feeling too weak and discouraged to even begin again in 2011? Don’t you worry, it’s not over yet and it can’t get any worse than it is now.

Our God is a God of times and seasons and He is expert at making all things beautiful in it’s time.

I just want to urge you to dare to DREAM AGAIN, HOPE AGAIN, PRAY AGAIN, PLAN AGAIN, STUDY HARD AGAIN, SMILE AGAIN, SOW THOSE SEEDS AGAIN, & MAKE THOSE SACRIFICES AGAIN

BUT ONLY THIS TIME, DO NOT DO IT IN YOUR STRENGTH, DO IT YOU MUST IN THE POWER AND MIGHT OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD

GREATER THINGS ARE STILL TO COME!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xudwq78GbL0&feature=fvst