“To everything, there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (KJV) Ecclesiastes 3: 1

Beloved brethren in the Lord, I have a few quick questions to ask. How long have you been waiting on the Lord? How fervent has your prayer been? How much have you cried out to him? How persistent are your requests? How often do you listen to God speak? How much are you singing to God?

As the year unfolds to its end, many among us are joyous for many answered prayers, others rejoice too over the few ones. Nonetheless, many others have their hope dashed with a lot of no’s and inappropriate responses to their requests.

Those of us with unanswered prayers may want to know why? But let’s remember God owes us no explanations. He is Lord God Almighty. He knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end. For this reason, He does whatever pleases Himself.

So, what’s next? Must the next year suffer the same routine? What must you do differently to catch heaven’s attention?

Whatever your case may be, whether with an answered prayer or not, it is time to cry out more from the rooftop. It is time to celebrate our God for who He is and not for what we can get from him.

Oh yes, it’s time to pray more fervently and to seek God’s face closely. It’s time to persist in prayer. That is to pray until something happens. Beloved in the Lord, you have a birthright from the Lord. You are the adopted child of the Most High and you have every access to what our Lord Jesus promised you. In fact, there is a commanded blessing over you.

And for that matter, you must know the seasons. It is time to hope again. It is time to listen more closely to what God is whispering to you at night. Let it be known during the day. It is time to walk in the newness of life and to make your calling and election into the kingdom sure.

It’s time to sing in season and out of season. Whether you are happy or not; Whether you have been blessed or not; Whether your prayer is answered or not; Whether you feel loved or not by God; Whether you have waited fervently in prayer or not. Beloved, it is time!

It’s time to let go of the hurt, the pain, the disappointment, the depression, the struggles, the complaints etc. And to rest peacefully in God’s abundant love and praise.

It’s time to choose to believe God, to catch faith once more and to simply trust in Him. IT IS TIME TO TAKE HIM AT HIS WORD! May His name be praised forever and ever! Amen!

The best of appreciation || More

But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father? (ESV) Matthew 21:28-31

When it gets to December and during special occasions in the year, oral appreciation floods the media. It is as if we only remember to show appreciation during special occasions created by the church, the community or the world as a whole. Be ready to read and listen to lots of wonderful words of praise and appreciation from now till January next year.

There is a saying that “action speaks louder than words”. I believe it is true and it’s a message from God (James 1:22, Matthew 21:28-31). What does God require of us as Christians and people created by God? We are to live our lives to praise God every moment of our lives. Just saying thank you Lord always and living lives unworthy of our maker (God) is just not enough. It is what we do and say that carries weight but not what we only say. If you accept God as your creator and protector, live for him.

The best form of appreciation we can give our maker is faithfully living lives worthy of Him no matter the circumstances. It is good and imperative to give praise to God but is best if we live wholly and faithfully for God every moment of our lives. Amen!

Contentment is great gain || More

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (NIV) Phil 4:11-12

We are quick in screaming appellations in gratitude to God when things seem to go on well in life. But when our lives bear imperfections and everything seems to turn upside down, we become reluctant in appreciating Him. In contrast, Paul says a lot may go wrong with him, but he has learnt to be content. To be content is to be pleased and satisfied; not needing more [Merriam-Webster Dictionary]; to be OK with what one has.

You cannot have it all. There will always be flaws. So if your dream is to acquire it all before expressing gratitude to God, that dream will never come true. At every point in life, you have a lot to be thankful for. Be thankful if you were born with/without any physical deformity. Be thankful if you can breathe in and out with/without any medical assistance. Be thankful if you have the pleasure of feeling the urge to pass out stools and are able to fulfill that urge voluntarily. Be thankful if you can pass out urine. There are some who lack the ability to ease themselves. The list cannot be exhausted but we often overlook these little blessings. For every individual on earth, you will surely find another who is in a worse situation than you to teach you contentment. And still, another who has much more than what you think you so abundantly possess to teach you humility. Whenever you moan, realize that there's someone somewhere who wishes to be like you.

So always pray and believe God for the sweet gifts. A prayer He would invariably answer. But before the goodies arrive, be satisfied now with what you already have and be grateful because He has already done enough.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good || More

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever” (NLT) Psalm 136:1-3

Do you struggle to find a reason to thank God? Is thanking God something you do voluntarily or it needs to be forced out of you? Every Sunday at church, I see a bunch of worshippers whose attitude to worship does not reflect people whose hearts are filled with thanksgiving. There is no joy in their singing; they are just there to go through the motions.

I believe one of the reasons why God found David a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) was David's attitude of praise. At the slightest opportunity, even in his darkest hour, David found a reason to be thankful to God. So what is your excuse? Oh yes, it is true that your most cherished heart desires did not come to fruition. Yes, you wanted to get married, go back to school, get a promotion, have a successful business, crossover to 2022 with your loved ones, and a host of others. But just think about this: What if you died? Have you thought of that? The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 9:4 that a live dog is better than a dead lion.

Would you have preferred that God had given you all your heart desires in exchange for your life? Don’t you realize that one of the goodness of the Lord is to deny us of some things? He loves us so much to give us something that will destroy us perpetually. As the year tapers to an end, let us put on our reflective cap and start counting our blessings one by one. You will be amazed by God’s goodness throughout the year.

Be thankful to Him || More