Posts in Guest Posts

The Word Of God ( A Guest Post)

Guest Posts The Christian Faith 7 Comments

Hiiii everyone.
I hope you’ve had a wonderful week. My week seemed really long but great all the same.
Did you read Bukunwa’s guest post last week? Here’s another interesting piece.
Settle in for a treat. 💙

Name’s Bukunwa.
I’m a student. An engineering student 😉 although I’m not too techyy like that but I like solving problems.
I love nature. I enjoy walking in beautiful gardens or by the river line.. all these serene places. I look forward to having more of those experiences. Not alone only… but with someone special hopefully.
I love theology and history and biographies that are somehow connected with Israel and the church. I actually enjoy reading stuff like that.
I also like having deep discussions with people and I like games kinda… though people say I’m serious too…

The Word of God

Some people say music is food for the soul. For others, it’s the breath-taking view of nature landscapes and scenery that gives them goose bumps. For others still, it’s beautiful artwork. Those paintings and frescoes and classical, majestic works of art that instantly transport you into another world. The idea is that these things sort of refresh and awaken the soul. They provide a unique sweetness, satisfaction, pleasure and comfort to the person enjoying them.
However, for those of us in Christ, our food is God’s Word. God’s beautiful voice that takes us away just as the voice of a lover does to his beloved. His comforting, fatherly, loving, spiritually nutritional and eternal Word is what the soul of the believer needs and naturally yearns for. We live by the Word of God. It is our everyday food.
See how King David the Psalmist and a lover of God puts it:

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

The Word of God is true and sure and sweeter than honey and enduring. It converts the soul. It reaches down deep within, and causes volumes of joy to gush out.
It rejoices the heart. It enlightens the eyes. We are to desire it more than we desire gold or ‘big money’. Take the money, give me the sweet Word of God!
We are to desire His Word: If you love God, you will love the sweet sound of His voice and the words contained therein. You will desire His Word because it pierces your heart with His beautiful fragrance and also because it is the window that grants us to a clear view of His majesty.
The Word is filled with His knowledge, nature and attributes. There’s nothing more rapturous for the believer than to continuously ascend the mountain of God’s revelation. This is what the Word of God offers us richly. 1 Peter 2.2 says that as new-born babes, we ought to desire the pure milk of the Word, so that we may grow thereby. It is very normal and healthy for a believer to long for and regularly feast on God’s Word. God’s Word is sweeter than honey and more precious than gold.
The thing about the desire we ought to have is its burning, zealous, flaming and impassioned nature. We ought to terribly yearn deeply for God’s Word. It’s a Spirit-provoked hunger. It’s the same way the babies (who have weak bones, muscles and cannot walk, talk etc.) cry so loudly when they’re hungry. You dare not sleep around them. You cannot. They’re weak everywhere else but not those vocal cords. Not at all. The loudness of their wailings is just out of proportion. How intense is your love for God’s Word? How long have you been living life without being nourished by God’s Word?
Kindly consider how much you need the nourishment and life from God’s Word. Pray for a revival of the love for His Word in your heart.
A very important key to studying the Word
Understanding the meaning:
Suppose I say,

“Debby, kindly put just three cubes in the cup of tea on the dining table”.

Simple right? So Debby puts three cubes of St. Louis sugar in the hot cup of tea on the table. I arrive few minutes after and I’m speechless. I actually needed that tea very urgently and I dare not take anything hot or my stomach would suffer for it badly. I actually meant ice cubes! Oops!
Did Debby fully understand me? Of course not! She did not get the actual meaning of what I said. She didn’t get what I meant. To her, it meant sugar cubes. To me, it meant ice cubes. So where does the true meaning of my statement lie? With her or with me? Obviously, it’s with me. The meaning of a statement always lies with the author of that statement. It is the author who actually knows most fully what exactly he or she intends to communicate.
Therefore, when we study scriptures, let us quit asking

“what does this mean to me”?

Let us start asking what it actually means. What it actually meant to the bible writers (and most surely, the Holy Spirit who inspired them). We would be greatly mistaken (many of us already are) if we just spin off scripture and interpret it as we perceived it. That’s error! We must seriously strive to find out,

“what did this mean to the apostle as he wrote this down”?

What exactly was the issue in his heart that he was trying to communicate?
We will all be amazed by how much this mind-set will drive us to such accuracy and diligence in studying what scripture actually says. We would tend to read through the train of thought and not just pick one verse out of context. We would have a richer and deeper meaning of God’s message in His Word.
Most people see the scriptures through their subjective, twenty-first century, skewed lenses. The mind-set targeting the author’s intention would remove those misleading (subjective, twenty-first century) lenses and lead to a clearer gaze at the beautiful and very pure truth that ran through the mind of the authors of the scripture. This would most surely lead to a more accurate understanding of what the Grand Author meant to communicate to us.
There’s so much more to say. However, I believe by God’s grace, these few words would serve to stir you in the deepening of you love for God’s Word.
Amen.

Breaking News (A Guest Post).

Guest Posts The Christian Faith 6 Comments

Hiiii guys.
A friend of mine is doing the writing today. I’ve known Bukunwa for quite a while and today he’s writing on both a bad and good news.
Keep reading. 💙

Name’s Bukunwa.
I’m a student. An engineering student 😉 although I’m not too techyy like that but I like solving problems.
I love nature. I enjoy walking in beautiful gardens or by the river line.. all these serene places. I look forward to having more of those experiences. Not alone only… but with someone special hopefully.
I love theology and history and biographies that are somehow connected with Israel and the church. I actually enjoy reading stuff like that.
I also like having deep discussions with people and I like games kinda… though people say I’m serious too…

Hello.
This is a breaking news because it’s worth your attention a million times over. It has to do with eternal life. I mean, you shouldn’t sleep every night and wake up in peace if you don’t have peace with God, are not in a relationship with Him, or have no concrete hope of eternal life.
So I want to briefly share the gospel. What is the gospel?
The gospel is good news. It is not some good news that doesn’t affect anybody like ‘the eagle at the top of the inhabitable Mt. Everest has given birth to three chicks. Awwwn! So cute!’ It’s not that kind of good news. It’s good news that tremendously and eternally affects you. It’s amazing news!
What makes it so amazing is that there was only BAD NEWS and looming disaster before the GOOD NEWS majestically walked in. That’s really why this good news is so beautiful, amazing, destiny-affecting and therefore very critical and important.
The Bad News: Mankind (including you, obviously) is fallen. This means that man was initially created in the image of God. (Genesis 1.27). Man sinned against God. (This is very true and factual. Every account narrated in the bible has withstood the most intense scrutiny throughout all the centuries and has proved authentic and factual). Since God is the Author of life and His breath and presence sustains all things, man’s sin or offence against God meant man stepped out or turned in opposition to God.
When the fish turns in opposition to the water where the source of its life is, what happens? Death happens gradually and inevitably. So also, man experienced a spiritual death or corruption. Man only retains the image of God in a very very residual and remote sense.
Now, the principle God set for procreation is that everything procreates after its kind (Genesis 1.11-12). Tigers reproduce after their kind. Same with spiders, banana trees and other living things. Therefore, man began procreating after his spiritually corrupted kind. This kept on going generation after generation. Consequently, we are all sinners and have a sinful nature. This fact is only proven by our natural impulses and drives for sinful habits, however they might be masked. You are sinful deep down within. And this is because you were born with a sin nature. No one can fulfil the righteous requirements of God. Absolutely no one!
The Really Bad News: God is all-powerful and completely holy. He is also perfectly just. Therefore, he will punish all sin. His punishment for sin is also everlasting. Sin always leads to eternal death and condemnation. This death will be such that the immortal soul of the sinner will experience everlasting, conscious torment, banished from the peaceful, joyful and gladsome presence of God and all good things. This is really a horrible thing.
The Good News: God is abundantly merciful and gracious. He knows about the helplessness of man in His sin and provided a way of escape. God sent His only Son (His Word which became flesh), born of a virgin (and not of the seed of man which would have rendered Him like every other child who inherits the sin nature). His Son is Jesus. He lived a perfectly righteous life because He has the nature of His Father. He should be rewarded or at least applauded right? No! He was then punished for the sins of us all (Isaiah 53.6). God’s plan of saving us was perfect.
It works like an exchange. Jesus grants us the credit for His perfectly righteous life and takes the punishment for our sins. Therefore, we are counted righteous before God’s judgement throne, our sins are punished and completely catered for in Jesus and we have eternal life! Wow!!! How beautiful.
All you need to do is to actually believe this good news. Accept it by fully trusting in it. Bank on Jesus and His righteous provision for your eternal safety. In doing that you must repent of your sins, acknowledging that they are abominable before God.
Then, you would’ve maximized the really really good news that’s been made available to you.

Boarding House Reflections (2)

Guest Posts

Hello good people. Thanks for all the love you’ve been showing on the blog. It does matter. Bloggers always appreciate comments, on and offline. Though you should always feel free to comment on the blog. It springs up conversation and makes it a lively page. Merci beau coup.
Today, someone else is sharing her school reflections with us on here.
Sharon is one girl with whom I used to gist for hours back in the days. She had this celebrity bunk bed while in ss3. She used to daydream there. Since she had no bunkmate, she removed the matress and wooden planks on top and would gaze up at the decking, mapping out her future husband and children. I was always welcome to lie on the bed with her and go to lala land.
I can relate to some of her experiences on here and I was just laughing while reading it. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this. Thank you Sharon for agreeing to write. 
She is a spoken word artist.
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MY SECONDARY SCHOOL DAYS! THE CONS AND PROS OF BEING AN EXECUTIVE OF THE FELLOWSHIP AT CHAPEL SECONDARY SCHOOL. 
In case you don’t get it, the name of the school had to be included in the title because Chapel secondary school located in Kwara state is arguably one of the most ‘spiritual’ (religious) schools in Nigeria, when you exclude convents and seminaries😁
Therefore, when you apply for admission into this School,  it is expected of you to know and understand that you have invariably agreed to surrendering your life to Jesus. So being an executive in the Fellowship of this school should mean that you are sitted with Christ in the heavenly places😁 No more, No less! 
So what were the Pros and Cons of being a religious head as a young Secondary girl? Join me!
Let me take you one year before I became an executive, my junior secondary School years, JSS3 to be precise. I was a lively girl; not the prettiest nor brightest in class (maths was and still is a problem) but I was friends with almost all. I never knew what if felt like to have a crush until then. This boy who was a very good friend of mine gave me two cards for Christmas.
My first gift from a guy! you have no idea what that meant. Someone, a human being, thought of me and then carried his legs and went to buy cards for me, you can laugh now,  but it wasn’t so much a joke for 10 year old me. I held them to my chest, I would read the words every night and think about them. By the way, the words on the card were about the birth of Jesus 😂 I don’t know how they were making me feel mushy mushy (emotional)😂
I tell you,  when you are in love, you’re just stupid (full stop) 
Now, I can say this was my first real attempt at heart matters; feelings, crushes and all and it didn’t last; Why?
If I remember well,  people were saying stuff. You know how Secondary School people are. A friend will come and say
“I heard he told one of his friends that you are cheap”,
 you will hear another girl say that another girl said that
“Sharon that does not have sense, she thinks he likes her”
Oh Girls! They can ruin marriages. 😂😂😂 
I remember telling a friend back then that if there could be so much drama when we weren’t even in a relationship, what will happen if we were more.
So, I started keeping my distance and moving farther away from him. It really wasn’t any big deal, even he had moved on and then I moved into the boarding house, in my Senior Secondary School year 1 and this is where the story begins. 
Just as I got into the senior class,  I became reserved. Was it because I moved into the hostel? I don’t think so because I remember on the first day of school that year, people were asking me, 
‘what’s wrong with you?’
‘why are you quiet’
 and I remember I kept answering in all sincerity that there was absolutely nothing wrong. Some of my teachers even thought I had a terminal sickness like cancer or something. My walk became slow, I became less chatty but I can’t trace it to the fact that I moved to the hostel because whenever I was in the hostel, I was more lively, at least a little more. I will chat and make jest with friends and juniors, about boys and other stuff
Now I was to be considered for the post of being an executive in the School’s fellowship, this was the second term of the school year. This was going to change my life forever. How:
Firstly,  because you would almost become socially dead😁 
As an executive, not only do people automatically assume an air over your life,  you also naturally get to have some changes in your life. Many people will say this change is called ‘being fake’ but perhaps not for everyone.
For example, I was made the Assistant prayer Coordinator, this meant that Fridays which every school Student used to look forward to as the fun day since it was the end of the week and you will walk to the  road with your pals or that guy you liked; it wasn’t the same for me.
As an executive, one will sometimes have to skip classes in the morning so as to arrange the hall for the School fellowship which held every afternoon. I remember my mathematics teacher always complained about me being unserious because it happened to be that his classes fell into the morning period. Also, after fellowship, you’ll clean up the hall and then as the Prayer unit head which I was, we would have our weekly prayer meeting, which could run for about two hours or more (more actually), into the evening. We actually did love it! We were like this clique, we will gist, make jest, and though our lives were not to the admiration of others but we really were fine. By evening time, my mates in the hostel are already done strolling round the school hand in hand with their crushes or chilling out, catching up with the guy they liked but I wasn’t even given that luxury. Not because I didn’t have a crush.
Oh I did,  let’s talk about him!
Dark, well built, Big boy gait, he was a year my senior. You see, even as an executive, I had my eyes fixed on the Lord and the corner of my eyes fixed on the boy😂😂😂 Hallelujah.
Now,  he wasn’t an executive. He  was one of those guys people will call a ‘bad boy’. You know,  back then in school, as long as you really weren’t an executive,  you had the tendencies to be called a bad boy or a bad girl,  For no reason! 😂 or simply because you were being a youth of your age, liking a guy or being in a relationship. 
Now, this guy never looked at me twice, he couldn’t have! I didn’t even used to dress cute and nice, I didn’t used to walk like a girl, I still don’t. People say I bounce, it’s so embarrassing and I’ve tried but you see if it’s not in you, it’s not in you. 
You know, there were girls who used to dress well and girly, nice hair do, little make up (cos my School will slaughter you if you had much make up). I was on a freaking low cut! I would hardly use powder, not because I had a problem with it but because I just didn’t think about it, not even because I was caught up in my responsibilities as an executive. There were executives who were better and more pleasing to the eye😂.
 Even if all things were being equal and this guy noticed me, there was no way any thing could have happened because as I have written earlier, there is a natural assumption made over you once you are an executive. Some would even say it’s hard to believe you like anyone,  like you are without emotions and feelings and also,
HOW CAN YOU, AN EXECUTIVE IN CHAPEL SECONDARY SCHOOL THINK OF GOING INTO A RELATIONSHIP! When you are not mad. 
A friend of mine who was an executive almost went into a relationship,
oh my! 
The higher authorities went ablaze! By the higher authorities, I refer to those above us; the teachers and Patrons. In fact, it got even me into trouble. I remember one of the teachers called me and with a serious tone asked
“What were you looking at till she got to this point where she wants to go into a relationship with him, and of all people, him!”
The problem again was that the guy she liked was one they considered to be ‘not Christian enough’
These were the cons. Your life was being monitored, sometimes excessively. Now, this is what could lead into being fake.
I remember the day I applied gloss to my lips (lip gloss)😂, normal ordinary lip gloss o, all those types most of us used back then in SSS3; brown with tiny shimmers so that it looked mildly like lip stick, I used it, innocent me, and one of the teachers called and gave me a sound lecture on how I was not to be doing ‘such’ because I was an executive. 
Another time, when were to fill in information for our year book, I wrote my nick name to be ‘Sha-baby’ because that was what many called me, a teacher called me and said ‘as a Christian, do you think it is right to write such a thing as your nick name’
Guys, I was weak.
I was so confused.
So you see, being an executive could deny you some of the Senior Secondary school thrills, but can we out rightly say it was all bad. No, my quest for the knowledge of God started, I learnt to be by myself.
Now, Yes, many who were not executives also had a relationship with God. Did I hear someone say that’s a win-win (Lol) while some were executives and lived fake, some were executives and lived true.
 I hope at this point,  you see my point *chuckles* did you notice what I just did now,  point-point, Some will say it’s nothing,😎 Forget it! 
Anyways,  my point is that at every point in time (Oh God! I did it again! I know right, I’m such a genius😂) Well, at every point of our lives, God is teaching us stuff, even for those who had not surrendered their lives to Christ back then,  God was writing a beautiful story of their lives, of everyone of us.
And even now, in a few years time, you will look back at this present moment you’re in,  and smile then shake your head and say… “But babe, you could have done things better” and that’s because you have a better understanding and have become a better person and you’ll be grateful you went through every twist, turn, normalcy and mistake, because it all has been wrought into a beautiful script and that script is you!
Ciao. 
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Hello, my name is sharonpaula. I am currently running my National Youth Service Corp Scheme in Delta State. 
Oh, I love writing spoken word pieces, making spoken word videos and editing them.
I am a very silly and sincere girl and I can be fun to be with.
You can check out my spoken word pieces on Instagram @iamsharonpaula or reach out to me on my mail sharonpaulaspeaks@gmail.com
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*clears throat* Are there some other people in the house, for whom math(s) was and still is a problem? Do testify.
As an exco though, we truly were seated In heavenly places with Christ Jesus. Prayer band helped me at that time. It was always a long stretch of hours which, funny enough, was our delight. We became a mini-family! Like Sharon, I can say that was when my dedicated quest for God started (with lots of up and down though!). 
What do you make of Sharon’s story? Interested in sharing your boarding house (secondary school) story with us? Did the ‘higher-authorities’ influence you in school? Did you (or others) think you were being fake? We’ll love to hear your thoughts.

Boarding House Reflections (1)

Guest Posts

This write-up came to me saved as “For Sisi”. Gbemibori Is a good friend and has a poetic tongue. With some training, I say she would make a good spoken word artist!
This brief series of posts that will be coming up, is aimed at reflecting on the human thought process given a few years interval. Graduating from secondary school often brings a different perspective and fresh enlightenment. 
Same will probably apply in a few years from now. A change in thought process based on growth.
I’m sure you will enjoy this trip to her boarding house years with her.
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​Dear Bori,
I remember my first few weeks in the boarding school. I cried till my eyes refused to be anything but red. During dinner, I’d sit on the slab attached to the Js1 preparatory class and literally weep inconsolably. I remember that people would pass by from the dining hall and wonder at the peculiar girl holding a festival of tears. I missed my home so much that I decided that by crying for so long every day I could force the hands of my unseeing parents excited at thrusting me into the hands of Independence.
Lesson 1. Never let the fear of uncharted waters keep you from walking on its surface.
The story of Peter in Mat 14 reminds me of all we do, yet criticise in life. He launched out into the deep on the thrill of the situation but couldn’t find sustenance because he lost his grip on the provider of that excitement. As he grew in his walk with Christ, he later shared about how the sincere milk of God’s word takes us beyond the beginning point of our relationship with Him. My happiness at being allowed to go to a boarding school was something I couldn’t’explain. Being the last child, I saw it as an opportunity to make decisions on my own without the influence of my nuclear and sometimes extended family. So, I went to the market in Lagos with my sister and shopped with much excitement but suddenly, out of the blues, I experienced a choking feeling of loss the day I was taken to school and that marked the beginning of my tear tales; something I would never forget quickly.
Lesson 2. While on water, expect  the waves
I had many interesting moments, like telling my parents that I needed to change classes because I was topping a class with 60% only to drop dramatically in the next term. Particularly, I remember my bunkmate in senior class. She’d sing loud songs and almost be without clothes in the large hostel area. She’d bring friends to the room who I’d meet after school hours on my bed, refusing me the opportunity of resting from the tiring classes. One thing I remember was our opposing beliefs; She, a Muslim, Me, a new Christian. 
So, I tried to force rules down her throat and she in turn ridiculed me before her friends. When she agreed to pray with me at the beginning of one term, I felt victorious. But the victory didn’t last because of the compromises I made. I let her pray the Muslim way in a bid to foster togetherness and she led me headlong into the things I screamed evil over.
I look back and I see that the missing link was my communion with a God I had recently accepted. Instead of craving for growth in Christ that would birth transformational yet unforced changes in people, I slowly slinked back into the life I had renounced.
Lesson 3.  True Love waits 
Solomon’s bride accurately captures the mind that oozes youthful exuberance; the need to awaken love before its time.  I struggled with this without even realising it. I’d let the onset of puberty almost take me beyond the borders of propriety and just before I could throw caution to the winds, it’d wrap itself around me and refuse to let me go.  The attractions of broken fences hidden behind a thicket of bushes, the lure of flattery from lips like honey were tools for my destruction.
Now, I smile when I realise that the things I ran after now chase after me. The little girl is blossoming into a woman and the love that I felt I desperately needed was patiently waiting in the arms of Abba.
I long to re-write history but one thing stands out in my heart from the words of John – That which we have seen, which we have heard, which our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life. This embodies the importance of various experiences that lead to a closer walk with God.
Walk unhindered in his steps, Bori.
Walk, Run, Fly.
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I’m Oluwagbemibori, an Engineering student with a single focus: God’s Kingdom. 
I love impactful words and beautiful worship. I also dance with David’s passion😀
Let’s share about God’s grace that fuels our interests on Facebook – Olaoye Gbemibori or via email – ogbemibori@yahoo.com
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“He launched out into the deep on the thrill of the situation but couldn’t find sustenance because he lost his grip on the provider of that excitement.” I especially love this part.
What are your thoughts on this post? Would you have been friends with Gbemibori from what you can tell of her at that time? Were you a boarding house student or a day student? Has your value system changed radically? Or significiantly remained the same?
Another on the same subject will be put up next week Saturday. Have  great day.
As Always,
Debby.