“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” (NIV) Ephesians 6:18.

“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (NIV) Galatians 6:2.

Every new year is embraced with so much enthusiasm and joy. Christians across the world have long lists of prayer requests of their expectations towards a better year. Many at times, these prayer requests center on us and our well-being, our families and friends. Hardly do we extend these prayers to fellow saints/Christians we do not know.

One trait that is rearing its ugly head among Christians is the trait of individualism. We are even individualistic in our prayers. But Christianity was founded on love (John 15:13) and collectivism. An example of collectivism was demonstrated by the early Christians (Acts 2:44-45). It is not surprising that the apostle Paul in his epistles to the Galatians asked them to carry or share in each other’s burden.

So, what kind of burden was the apostle Paul talking about? I believe all kinds of burdens. Have we ever dedicated a day to fast and pray for saints who are weak in the faith? Or pray for the sick among the saints? Or prayed for the saints with peculiar problems? It is important that we go beyond ourselves and the people we know when we pray. Let us extend our prayers to all the saints especially those we do not even know.

My prayer for all saints today is that, may God keep our faith grounded in Him alone, may we exhibit total obedience to God’s word, may He bless us in all aspects of our lives and may those of us with emotional, physical and spiritual needs get solutions from Him this year in Jesus’ name, AMEN!

The windowpanes || More

"Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you …" (NIV) Ezekiel 38:7

In life, we expect answers to questions we pose to others. In the same vein, we earnestly seek a response to prayer request we put before God. We grow impatient when prayer request lingers for a while without an answer. Often when we grow out of patience, we get tempted to consider other means of achieving results. It is challenging during times like this especially when we see others who are not Christians flourish by the same thing we earnestly seek from the Lord. Before you think otherwise, I would like to pose this question to you; “Are you prepared for the answer to your prayers?”

This story might be a little out of the way but I would like to share that to bring home the message. In a conversation with a friend some time ago, I told her how I had continuously prayed for a future partner but I still do not see any sign of God at work. Then she asked this simple question: How many pillows do you have? I hesitated for a while before responding; one. Then the follow-up question was: which pillow would this partner use if God had answered your prayer? Immediately, I knew I was not prepared for the answer to my prayer.

Many of us have put before God numerous prayer requests. Perhaps you have prayed about marriage, family, new job or a new relationship but what would happen if God answers your prayers today. Will you crawl back into your shell because you are not prepared?

Let us begin to prepare ourselves for the answers to our prayers. If you seeking marriage, I guess this is the opportune time to prepare yourself as a worthy marriage partner. If you seeking a new job get the right attitude towards work and all the documents you might need ready. In a nutshell, we have to start living like we already have our prayers answered and by this, we will know the potholes we have to fill in order to embrace our answers. May the good Lord direct us in our preparation for the answer to our prayers. Amen.

Dedication || More

"And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head." (NIV) I Samuel 1:11

It is the time of the year where we often set new targets for ourselves in all aspects of life. We dream big and try our best to achieve all our goals as the year unfolds. But I want to ask; what will God benefit from all the goals you have for the year? Where will God be in all the things you want to acquire this year? How will the many prayer requests benefit God and His kingdom on earth?

Beloved, there are many scriptural references that show that the heavens respond in a special way whenever man decides to dedicate or sacrifice something valuable to God (Genesis 22, 1 Samuel 1, Judges 11:29-40). Let us consider the circumstances that the lead to the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1). Hannah, who became Samuel’s mother, was at a point in her life where she earnestly wanted a child. She suffered continuous provocation and ridicule from her rival, Peninnah (I Samuel 1:6). Hannah could have sought for other worldly options but chose to remain resolute and depend on God for her heart desire. She made a request that included a dedication which pleased God; "God, the son you will bless me with shall be given to you serve all the days of his life" (1 Samuel 1:11). Yes, Hannah did not plan to retaliate all the wicked things her rival did but believed God and was willing to dedicate the son she is looking for back to God. That was a true sign of sacrifice and selflessness. God answered her prayers and blessed her with a son who became one of the greatest judges and prophets in Israel. Her son (Samuel) had the honour of appointing the first and second physical kings of Israel and wrote two great Old Testament books (I and II Samuel). That is what Godly dedication can do!

As Christians called by God, our goals and ways of achieving them should be solely dependent on God. We should follow the steps of Hannah and dedicate something valuable to God this year before we even receive it. The great God we serve will surely respond for his name to be great. Amen!

Non-conformism – An accessory of the renewed mindset || More

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (NLT) Romans 12:2.

For most political activists and freedom fighters who led their people from the shackles of subjugation to the limelight of liberation, there is one common denominator that describes their attitude – they were non-conformists.

A non-conformist is one who does not align himself with prevailing practices and ideas or views. A non-conformist is bold enough to run the gauntlet and challenge the status quo, as long as he finds it unacceptable. That is exactly what scripture admonishes us to do in our relation to the world. We live in the world but we shouldn't let the world live in us.

That’s what Moses of ancient Israel did. He could have remained in his comfort zone as the prince of Egypt. However, scripture tells us in Hebrews 11:24-26 that “Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward” (NLT).

Beloved, to have a renewed mindset on a daily basis, we must have that Mosaic attitude. We should fiercely refuse the standards of this world. If there is anything to conform to, it must be God’s word, but even with that, we must grow in the grace and knowledge of God (2 Peter 3:18) and not just be fanatically religious.

The new mind || More