FRIDAY FOOD FOR THOUGHT: PLAN TOWARD OLD AGE

FRIDAY FOOD FOR THOUGHT: PLAN TOWARD OLD AGE

Majority of the problems we face in life stem from lack of planning. Currently, I am doing a project on HOW TO OVERCOME PROBLEMS OF OLD AGE. As a Chaplain and Coordinator of programmes for Anglican Diocese of Asaba Elderly Care Ministry in the past 4 years, I have come across some many elderly people. Majority of them are suffering just because they failed to plan towards their old age. This is one thing I have discovered that they failed to plan towards their old age. Not many a people plan towards the period they will be old. They usually feel that things will remain the same. This is a very wrong orientation.

Majority of the ailments and sickness associated with old age mistakes from the lifestyles. Some of these problems are Diabetes, Hypertension, liver problem, Cardiac arrest/Heart failure, kidney failure, etc. Except on spiritual matters, some these sicknesses could be avoided or the risk reduced if we live a moderate lifestyle. At a certain age, it is expected that you will moderate what you eat. Recently, I read an article that at birth, there is no bacteria in our bodies but as adults, we have millions of them, These shows that they come into us through what we eat.            
If really you love life and want to live well, you have to plan towards your old age because by then your children would have grown and leave your house. You will need someone to live with you. Your income will not come in as it used to (except for those who have planned something) because you are now a pensioner. Therefore, do something now before you will begin to cry at your old age.
I wish you all a very long life to experience old age in Jesus name.
Happy weekend!

WHY ALL THESE CONTROVERSIES?

WHY CONTROVERSIES?

Why do people raise controversial issues of Christian faith?

1. Is it to gain popularity?

2. Is it that devil is using them or what can we say?

Of recent, I have read controversial issues like New International Version (NIV) of the Bible is satanic because of the publishing company, verses were removed and it is not good for Christians to use it. Again, a pastor posted on his Facebook page that Old Testament is outdated and doesn't offer salvation. Most people believe all these stories. If you don't know, why not ask questions?

The issue of verses of the scripture was a letter development for easy and systematic reading. It was not so initially. Another issue in that matter is the question of publishers. But let me ask them: Who built that rented apartment you live in? Who bought that taxi or bus you traveled on? The foodstuffs you buy in the market, who produced them? Did they fall from heaven? Are the producers and marketers holy men and women? Why do we emphasize against one thing and approve a similar one? Are we now placing our salvation on law?

Where are reasoning, commonsense and wisdom in Christianity today? Why can't we study to show ourselves approved as Paul told Timothy? Why are we easily tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and teachings? Why do we believe everything because pastor said or they mentioned God/Jesus? The funny aspect of these things is that even trained pastors join in spreading the story about New International Version of the Bible. Most people who propagated that will be the first to give me a pat at the back for this.

Please ask questions. Make researches and find out if what I am saying is true. These days, we have the descendants of Marcion who are twisting the truth of the gospel to suit them. They are here in the social media parading themselves as agents of light when they are darkness personified.

God is looking for men and women in this generation that will stand out for Him. He wants people who will stand for the truth no matter the level of syncretism, apostasy and evil in His church. People should study or ask relevant persons questions to know. Don't accept everything you hear whole and entire until you have confirmed the truth, EVEN WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN HERE. PLEASE CONFIRM IT AND THAT IS HOW YOU WILL GROW IN KNOWLEDGE AND TRUTH IN EVERYTHING YOU DO NOT JUST IN CHRISTIANITY.

Have a great week.

Meditation for Sunday, October 25, 2015: IMPLICATION OF LIVING BY FAITH

IMPLICATION OF LIVING BY FAITH

The word ‘live’ has varieties of meanings, depending upon its context. In this context, it can be employed in the sense of one’s manner of life or his behaviour (Romans 6:2; 2 Corinthians 1:12). Faith can convey the idea of an objective body of truth, in which one must place confidence and to which he must submit to (Acts 6:7; Jude 3). The term also may suggest one’s personal conviction and his mode of life relative to objective truth. We should understand that God specifically appointed Jesus Christ as the object of our faith (John 3:16). We can know if we are living by faith when we conform to the following.

When we live by the word of God: God told Joshua and the people of Israel to walk round the city of Jericho once for 6 days and 7 times on the 7th day by faith, not by their logic or reasoning. Many would have asked God what He meant by that instruction. He had to live by the Word from God, not his perception of how illogical the command might have been for him and his troops. The Bible says that obedience is better than sacrifice. So, live by the Word and obey His Word no matter what the perception is, that might not be logical. We should remember that living by faith is a product of word of God we hear (Romans 10:7 compare Ezekiel 36:27).

When we put all our trust in God and not man or personal reasoning: Psalm 118:8 says “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” This shows that living by faith means that we should trust God in all things no matter how small it may be. We should understand that God always entrust us with small responsibilities first before He entrusts us with the larger ones. Abraham was told simply to go, without knowing where he was going to. He had to trust God with the outcome of that decision and God didn’t fail. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Heb 11:8. So faith is voluntarily confiding in and trusting in God.

When we please God (Hebrews 11:6): That passage says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (NKJV). When God told Abraham to offer his only son, Isaac, he didn’t object to that. He chose to please God even when it wasn’t convenient for him. This is what living by faith means. Your situations and circumstances may not be convenient but you will keep pleasing and believing God. It is on that premise that God will arise for you

When our lives are not controlled by what we see or feel. It was for this reason Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7 saying “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” You may be seeing the opposite but such situation shouldn’t deter you from believing God (Roman 4:19 – 21).

Beloved, are you living by faith or by sight. Our call as Christians is to live by faith just like Abraham and other men and women of faith did. Anything less in not acceptable to God and you can’t please Him.

Tabugbo Morgan Uzoma

WHAT LIVING BY FAITH MEANS: Meditation for Sunday October 25, 2015

WHAT LIVING BY FAITH MEANS

The word ‘live’ has varieties of meanings, depending upon its context. In this context, it can be employed in the sense of one’s manner of life or his behaviour (Romans 6:2; 2 Corinthians 1:12). Faith can convey the idea of an objective body of truth, in which one must place confidence and to which he must submit to (Acts 6:7; Jude 3). The term also may suggest one’s personal conviction and his mode of life relative to objective truth. We should understand that God specifically appointed Jesus Christ as the object of our faith (John 3:16). We can know if we are living by faith when we conform to the following.

When we live by the word of God: God told Joshua and the people of Israel to walk round the city of Jericho once for 6 days and 7 times on the 7th day by faith, not by their logic or reasoning. Many would have asked God what He meant by that instruction. He had to live by the Word from God, not his perception of how illogical the command might have been for him and his troops. The Bible says that obedience being better than sacrifice. So, live by the Word and obey His Word no matter what the perception is, that might not be logical. We should remember that living by faith is a product of word of God we hear (Romans 10:7 compare Ezekiel 36:27).

                                    

When we put all our trust in God and not man or personal reasoning: Psalm 118:8 says “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” This shows that living by faith means that we should trust God in all things no matter how small it may be. We should understand that God always entrust us with small responsibilities first before He entrusts us with the larger ones. Abraham was told simply to go, without knowing where he was going to. He had to trust God with the outcome of that decision and God didn’t fail. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Heb 11:8. So faith is voluntarily confiding in and trusting in God.

When we please God (Hebrews 11:6): That passage says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (NKJV). When God told Abraham to offer his only son, Isaac, he didn’t object to that. He chose to please God even when it wasn’t convenient for him. This is what living by faith means. Your situations and circumstances may not be convenient but you will keep pleasing and believing God. It is on that premise that God will arise for you     

When our lives are not controlled by what we see or feel. It was for this reason Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7 saying “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” You may be seeing the opposite but such situation can’t deter you from believing God (Roman 4:19 – 21).

Beloved, are you living by faith or by sight. Our call as Christians is to live by faith just like Abraham and other men and women of faith did. Anything less in not acceptable to God and you can’t please Him.

Tabugbo Morgan Uzoma

Cathedral Priest

Thought for this Week – STRIVE FOR TRUE HONOUR

Thought for this Week – STRIVE FOR TRUE HONOUR

It was Albert Barnes who sagely said that “True honour consists not in splendid endowments, or great wealth and office. It consists in rightly discharging the duties which God requires of us in our appropriate sphere. If all men held their talents as the gift of God; if all would find and occupy in society the place for which God designed them, it would prevent no small part of the uneasiness, the restlessness, the ambition, and misery of the world.” These words of Albert Barnes fitly describe the ideal understanding of honour by most Nigerians. Regrettably, this is the teaching of ‘some pastors’ that Christ has liberated us from poverty. They assert that poverty is a curse and a Christian ought not to be poor. Do they really understand what poverty means?

In the words of Albert Barnes here, the true honour of anybody; be you a Christian, Muslim, someone who practices traditional religion or even Atheist is to first and foremost understand that your talent, wealth or office you occupy is a gift. Secondly, we should use these talents, wealth and offices rightly as we discharge our duties wherever we may find ourselves in any given time. These understanding will help us a lot is maintaining easy life void of unnecessary ambition and miseries of life. Having such wealth or talent and being in any office/position is shouldn’t be an opportunity to victimise or abuse people. It shouldn’t be an opportunity to embezzle money entrusted unto your watch for the good of the masses.        

Today, many people think that true honour lies in wealth they have acquired, their talents or the position they occupy in the society. Instead of using these talents and wealth for the good of humanity, they stockpile them as if they are weapons of mass destruction. They forget that the places where they keep their wealth can be burgled into or be easily destroyed by termites. This informs the reason Jesus admonished us to keep our treasures where termite or robbers can’t destroy or take them away easily.

The best way to use our talents is to apply them rightly as God requires us to do. This involves helping the poor, remembering the needy; the widows, the orphans, the destitute, the indigent people especially the elderly among them, prisoners, and as many as are ‘genuine priests’ in the service of God. In the advanced societies, people who are blessed with wealth, channel them toward charity organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations (NG0s). That is why in Western world, some pay their tithes to charity and NGOs when they don’t even go to church. This is so because they have good orientation of how to use their wealth very well.

In my devotional, My Daily Covenant with God, the topic I treated today was USE YOUR GIFTS WELL. In the conclusion, I noted that “As God has given us diverse gifts, and appointed us into one office or another; we should faithfully use them and keep within the limits of our calling so that we do not neglect our duties or invade into that of others.” How are you striving for true honour according to Albert Barnes? Are you being selfish with your wealth, office and talent? Do you use these blessings to the glory of God? Remember that you have limited time here on earth.

We should note that right use of your wealth, talent or office is the best way to appreciate God who gave them to us. Therefore, don’t become ungrateful to your benefactor who gave you freely and expects you to give freely too. Be a motivator or a helper to somebody this week. Let your acts for this week, put your name in the biography of that your neighbour, colleague, friend, well wishers, parishioner, fellow church member, etc. I wish you a great week of touching lives and restoring joy to your friends.

Tabugbo Morgan Uzoma

A GREAT LIFE LESSON FROM A WOMAN IN LABOUR

A GREAT LIFE LESSON FROM A WOMAN IN LABOUR

Any woman who is in labour, is under intense, excruciating pains and anguish. At that moment, she can curse the husband for even putting her in a family way. She can curse and regret her choice of getting pregnant at all. All these are the effect of the pain of labour. In the normal sense, she will never say such things. However, the moment the child comes out, there is a kind of joy that fills her heart. She feels a kind of serene atmosphere surrounding her. She feels relaxed and proud of her effort. She fills a sense of fulfillment.

In the same manner, if we want joy in our heart, peace around us and have a sense of fulfillment in life, we should not be deterred by the pains, anguish, labour, oppositions, attacks and struggles on our way to success in life. If a woman considers the pains of labour she will never dare get pregnant and there will not be any sense of fulfillment to her as a woman. Likewise, if we consider what it will take us to become great, the sacrifices, the self denials, the commitments, the dedications, the abandonment, the name tagging, the gossips, etc, we will never make progress in life. Nevertheless, the fulfillment that follow or the end product is what matters. If you think that finding fulfillment in life has nothing in comparison, then you have to pursue that fulfillment. 

Have you ever asked the likes of Mark Zuckerberg who is the CEO of Facebook, Tim Berner Lee who invented the internet, Jimmy Wales of Wikipedia, Evans Williams of Blogger, Nikolas Zennstrom and co of Skype, Shiva Ayyadural of email, David Filo and Jerry Yang of Yahoo, Jack Dorsey and Dick Costello of Twitter, etc what they passed through to become great inventors and notable names today? Do you know the kind of discouragement they went through? The you know the kind of pain of failure they experienced? Ask our Aliko Dangote? Ask Bill Gates? They had one or more bitter experiences in life that would have deterred them from being successful in life.

Be courageous! You can make it. That you are experiencing pains like a woman in labour, discouragement, oppositions, etc doesn't  mean it is all over with you. Pick up yourself and move forward. You are near success and fulfillment. Good luck!

  

     

BE THE CHANGE YOU DESIRE IN NIGERIA

Excerpt of my message on 1st October, 2015

TOPIC: BE THE CHANGE YOU DESIRE IN NIGERIA

TEXT: 2 KINGS 7:1 – 10

PREAMBLE/INTRODUCTION: Happy Independence and happy month of October to you all in Jesus name. Today is our 55th Independence anniversary. We thank God for what He has done for us as a nation. It is my prayer that the spirit of freedom we have received in our independence will help us grow from strength to strength in Jesus name.     

DEVELOPMENT

We all desire a country that is peaceful, united, a country with good government, good roads, potable drinking water, good housing, high standard of living, good and qualitative health care, etc.

Who amongst us care to ask why has these things eluded us in the past 55 years? Some of us believe that we have a faulty foundation; some are of the opinion that we are cursed as a nation. Some blame it on our founding fathers, etc.

We make laws in this country but hardly keep any. The result of these laws is that it has opened our eyes to more evil.

The societies we envy today, how did they come to that level of development? They made self sacrifices, commitments to their nationhood, dedication, etc. They upheld justice and equity.

In our text is the story of 4 leprous men at the city gate of Samaria. They eat by begging. Unfortunately, there was famine and no one has food to spare. They wanted food seriously and decided that waiting for people to give them will amount to death before their time and thus they decided to fend for themselves. The steps they took resulted to their deliverance and that of the city. They desired food and went for it.

If Nigeria as a nation will become what we desire her to be, we must act out that which we desire.

Do you have the desire for a corrupt free Nigeria? Then don’t be corrupt.

Do you desire clean environment? Then tidy your environment and don’t liter places

Do you desire good, dedicated and competent civil service? Then be dutiful and dedicated to your civil or public service work

Do you desire good military? Then show commitment in your duty.

Do you desire to have politicians who are just and godly? Then don’t join them in rigging elections.

Do you desire to have genuine Christians in Nigeria? Then become one in your corner.

The list is endless.

As a nation, we thank God that we are still intact but we are too fragile and can break up because we are too divided along religion and ethnicity. This is so because our present and past leaders didn’t uphold justice and equity in their governance.

However, despite all these differences and problems confronting us, as Christians, we have the duty to build bridges and not walls, and to pray for the unity of this nation, Nigeria.

On personal terms, what are the changes you desire in your life, your career and family? Be that change. Act on it and the change will come. Don’t wait for manna to fall from heaven.

We have wrong notion about believe it and claim it. Most of us will rise up, raise our hands and shout Amen to prophecies. That will be the end. When God called Abraham, he believed God and went as instructed. Isaac did same and God blessed him until he became prosperous that the Philistines started envying him. The Apostles believed and stayed put in Jerusalem.

 CONCLUSION: What are the changes you need in your life, career and family in this new month and what can you do about it? What are the changes you want to see in your spiritual life in this new month or do you just want to remain stagnant? Think about it.

Let us pray.