Posts tagged faith

Blogging hiatus |Privacy | Stories

Life Diary Non-Fiction 14 Comments

I have a friend who tells me “I don’t understand this 2020 version of Debby”. Personally, I get myself sometimes. At other times, I don’t. This is mostly because I no longer have a routine for most things in my life. No constancy. I mostly wake up knowing the tasks I have pending and I see to them – in bits. This leads to feeling bad for what’s left undone.

But one task I haven’t felt bad about leaving undone is this blog. I’ve always wanted my blog to be as open as possible; share my life and lessons. But what happens when I can’t share my life because it intersects with other people’s stories? What happens when I can’t share some bits because they aren’t ripe for sharing yet? When I can’t share my lessons? Lessons which aren’t briefly gotten but are winding lessons that takes whole seasons and years? If I can’t share, then I don’t have a blog. So I’ve been thinking which one should go? My blog? Or my privacy?

Perhaps though, it may help to write prose. Such an old time friend, this prose. I got to write prose as I understood myself a little better in primary school. I’ve always been writing, but the first time I knew I had a following, I was about seven years old.

My seatmate, Cynthia, who was my best friend at the time, loved to read my stories. I credit her with the first publicity of my stories in school. Each 20 or 40 leaves notebook was dedicated to a particular story. Pictures were on alternate pages of a story, because if you didn’t know, I’m a skilled fine artist too. I draw. Or I drew ?. It was equal parts pleasure for me. Detailed drawings that my readers marvelled at. And neat writing with an epic storyline.

So then, my classmates, mostly other seven year olds, would queue up on a written list for who gets to read my book next. It was so good, that some wise seven year olds thought to themselves that they’d gain greater ranking on the wait list, if they made some contribution to my ‘writing academy’.

I can’t remember the start or end of it, but they began to volunteer. In retrospect, it’s so funny. Lol.

There was a list of concievable roles in our company. We called it ‘ The Best Company’. I was the chief guy – the writer. And there were secretaries of different departments and even a driver, best believe. I remember this because one of those days, a classmate took home the list of ’employees’. Her mother saw it and was perplexed. Are these your classmates? Why do you have a driver there? Along with other jobs I can’t remember. I’m sure the story couldn’t add up so the mother came to school the following day and showed it to my class teacher. My teacher, aunty Hope, called me aside and asked me what it was about. I told her as plainly as possible what it was. It was so funny they couldn’t actually ask me to stop. They just made a joke of it. But there, that was my first awareness that I could create something that people love.

So let’s get back to writing a bit on here since you love to read and I love to write. I’ll try to narrate some flashbacks about experiences in my life and if ever it flows, I’ll imagine something and present you with fiction. Along the line, I know other write-ups will come. But in the mean time I do something I love and I’m open about it. Let’s have fun.

I figured you may have missed my face so I wanted to show you a picture but guys, I don’t have. I’ve not been taking pictures. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for next week.

Let’s meet in the comment section below. Love.

Stories, Truth and Blogging,

Debby

Dear Mentee || The failproof principle

Dear Mentee 7 Comments

This segment is where I write what’s desperately on my heart. Obviously, that’s what the entire blog is for, but this is different. On the blog, I’m addressing myself, addressing my future children and grandchildren, addressing you and your uncles and neighbours. This segment though is addressing my mentees or proteges, if you’ll like. The things that I desperately want to pass on to the younger ones (not only age wise) that’s what I’ll write here. They are some of the life tips I’ll tell my younger ones who come to sit beside me at night and say “advise me. Tutor me”. Its a broad range of advice. Little structures that give me the results I get.

I began to wonder what I should write to you about this time. It came to me and I was ecstatic. I think this will be my greatest principle of all time. On this blog, posts expressly dedicated to the Word are:

This principle is my backbone and the backbone of all I respect the most today. It’s the study of God’s word.

Study. Make a commitment of it. For example, a couple of times I’ve read Psalms, Hebrews, Ezra, Esther, 1st and 2nd Timothy but never before have I seen the gems in them that I have been seeing in them these recent months. I remember some four years ago when I read Isaiah and was bewildered. I thought “How come I’m getting it this clearly?”. It was no longer an Old Testament book that I had to push through. It became life.

You should know that there’s no stream of wisdom in the world today that’s not traced back to a biblical principle. Everything is from God. When you begin to study scriptures, you begin to tap into wisdom. Hidden wisdom.

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple

Psalm 19:7

What makes a man succeed in an endeavour designed to fail is the hand of the Lord upon him. The hand of the lord rests mightily upon those who obey the principles of his word. You obey the principles of his word when you know (study) his word. Ezra’s entire secret is in chapter 7 verse 10. It was deep for him. It was a heart preparation standard.

 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel

Ezra 7:10

This Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him

Ezra 7:6

You don’t get extraordinary results by doing ordinary things.

By the way, I’ve wanted to bring three posts to limelight again:

My take on House Chores. I think it’s very relevant for everyday living. Life isn’t always glamorous and we must maximize it still.

My trusted and simple False Adequacy message.

Secrets of a wise man is more recent and hasn’t gotten the traction it deserves yet for a timeless message.

In the False Adequacy post above, I mentioned the principle of locking yourself up in a cell so you have time to do this. There’s no excuse that suffices for not keeping to the Word.

I call the principle of studying, obeying and teaching God’s word failproof because I have seen every other thing fail. Everything but His Presence. Everything but his word.

In some other micro news, my guitar practices are starting to annoy me to no end for failing to produce the right sounds.

Enjoy your Saturday. Do drop a comment, and share with others.

Light and love,

Debby.

Life Update 2020 (3)

Life Diary Love and Lover 32 Comments

Hey guys!!

I’ve been skeptical about publishing a new blog post because I feel some set of eyes boring into me. Since my result was released, in some quarters, almost everything I do has been analysed in terms of my result. I tweet a scripture passage and wham, someone thinks it has to do with my result somehow. Lol.

It doesn’t.

So if you’re reading my blog because you’re inquisitive about my life, relax please. Life is simple. My blog is part of my introvert expression not an extrovert expression, so I don’t necessarily write what you expect me to write, nor when you expect me to.

If we’re on the same page, we can progress. I’m happy to write to you for one reason:

Somebody special told me to.

Mister Lover

Here’s a snippet of some of the text messages we exchanged yesterday.

Mister: Hello fried fish, I hope you have a blog plan for tomorrow.

Debby: Haha. I don’t o. Someone is drowning. Help

Mister: Do life update. Write about you and your Mister. About what it feels like to have someone who cannot help himself but love you and express it. And about God’s love. Lol. Even me I know that is personal. Second idea is to share on a recent message that has gingered your heart. Maybe from the evangelism and mission secretaries meeting.

Idea 1: He said I should write about what it feels like to have someone who cannot help but love you and express it. I want to, but as the cliche goes, I don’t know where to start.

By the way, don’t be bothered about his calling me fried fish, or barbequed moimoi in some instances. We can’t have it all. ?

So Mister lover is my supporter. Complete supporter. While people congratulate me for my excellent result at the law school, mister was the one who fasted for me the entire week I wrote the Bar exams. I had to eat because I needed the glucose for the mental tasks in the exam hall. Mister was the one who chose to fast and continue praying for me.

One of the things I told him early on after I said Yes, was that he began to gain grounds in my heart when he began to come close to my dad on the subject of praying for me.

My parents pray for me selflessly. I think in particular, that my dad is my most fervent prayer warrior in the whole world. That gives me the spring in my steps.

Mister lover (amidst other things) covered considerable grounds in my heart by starting to pray for me. Deep, continuous and selfless prayers.

Test: When last did you pray for me?

Yep. I’ve come to understand that true, sacrificial love often reveals itself in prayers. There’s a passion in your spirit for that person which can only be channeled through prayer. It’s too deep to be completely uttered superficially. The welfare of that person consumes your mind.

I’m humbled by God to have that. To be a possessor of that kind of love.

Despite starting out by saying I don’t have what to where to start, I think I just told you one secret of my confidence. Selfless prayer warriors.

So if you’re yet to pick your special somebody, use the above checklist for them. Does his(her) love for you manifest in the things that count the most? And don’t listen to the people who tell you not everything is spiritual. They don’t understand. Lol. We’re not looking for a religious and pious cloak, but everything IS spiritual. There’s a kind of guy(lady) who can’t “break your heart” because of the Spirit controlling him. Get that guy/lady.

I love you mister. I always will.

http://www.tkpradio.org/I’ve been at a conference this weekend. It started on thursday evening. It’s been power-packed. I think a couple of people have their Christian diet very limited. There’s an all-round diet you should have from your local church. It should involve a regular dose of your biblical call to evangelize, sanctification and holiness, true faith etc. The work of missions has never been for “full-time” missionaries only. You don’t get to out-source the work. Jesus instructed YOU to make disciples of all nations. Based on Acts 1:8, you start at your Jerusalem (those around you), Judea, Samaria and the uttermost ends of the earth. You can connect with The Kingdom Projects, a missionary organization labouring to connect Christians with methods of carrying out the great commission through their secular jobs. The conference continues today and you can listen in through www.tkpradio.org or connect on YouTube or Facebook or Zoom.

Another tid-bit I’ll like to share with you is this –

God is more interested in who you’re becoming than in what (activity) you do. His expectation is that we conform to the image of his son whether things work out our way or not.

If your life isn’t moving at the pace you think it should, what are you learning in the midst of it? For me, Watchman Nee has been a good teacher this season. I just moved on to another book of his:

What are you reading? And what do you think about all the issues I raised above? Pray tell.

PostScript:

Babyyyyy my Sunshine. The way I was smiling as I read your blog, my cheeks would have reddened. Wow! I love you sweetheart! I woke up this morning with a freshness in my spirit and I prayed for you more than in the recent past. Then I saw your post. I will continue and increase in praying for you by God’s grace. You’re the best, Debby.

This morning’s text message. Haha

Love and light,

Debby.

Unraveled

The Christian Faith 19 Comments

While this post could’ve been titled ‘Dear Law School Graduate’, it shouldn’t be so titled.

It should be titled ‘Dear Christian’, because it applies to all Christians.

Unraveled though, does the job best.

I had wondered why the inspiration to publish yesterday (Saturday) wasn’t available to me – I get it now. The blog post was meant to be a Sunday post based off on Saturday’s events.

El Evento/ The Event –

Circa 11pm on Friday, July 3 2020, the Nigerian Law school result for April 2019 set was released.

In the course of my evening routine, I had wanted to sing a particular hymn but hadn’t gotten round to doing so at the time I got the information that made my heart do a rapid beat. Result has been released. Deciding I best soak in the Spirit first ?, I paused and sang the particular hymn I had been putting off.

I saw a first class degree. In that moment I thought there were many other first class results and it was a big big celebration everywhere. It wasn’t necessarily to be so (with regards to the first class and not the celebrations).

Spilling into Saturday, the congratulations that flooded my phone seeing I was one of the five first class graduates in the country was overwhelming.

Being overwhelming, I followed the whelm and … I got overwhelmed by men’s expectations.

Circa 12:30am on July 5, 2020; In the middle of the night (when all the noise went to sleep), I got this message from God – Unraveled.

Here are my instant tweets as the thoughts developed:

While the song writer sang about fear, I see that a lot of us need to be delivered from worries of the future, from the expectations of men, from (insert your experience).

You need to be unraveled. Not harshly and scaringly, but with a song.

Picture that – being slowly but steadily unraveled from the cords of anxieties and expectations. Unraveled by God’s song. By God’s melody doing the work.

By his rhythm of grace.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30

God never created us to be complex and damaged. He created us to be whole and filled with his Spirit. Do not go about wrapped by bondage. But by songs of deliverance. We’re the sons and the daughters …let us sing our freedom!

You, dear reader, are not defined by your grades or your looks or your achievements. You’re wrapped in his arms of ever-singing-melodious-grace. You’re placed in a music chamber – you’re surrounded and made free by the Father and His songs.

Jesus set you free, why should you be bound?

Read also: My Playing Small Does Not Serve The World (which I wrote after my first law school dinner). In it, is this quote:

I AM A PERSON. I AM NOT A MACHINE, SPREADSHEET, AGENDA OR RÉSUMÉ. I HAVE A HEARTBEAT, SKIN, SCARS AND A SOUL. MY WORTH ISN’T CALCULATED IN EFFICIENCIES, RESULTS OR LADDERS CLIMBED. I AM NOT THE SUM OF MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS — OR THE SUM OF MY MISTAKES. I AM NOT MY AMBITION, ENERGY LEVEL, APPROVAL RATING, MASS APPEAL OR WORTH TO THE COMPANY STORE. I AM NOT AN A-PLUS OR D-MINUS. I AM NOT A MESS OR A MISCALCULATION. I AM NOT A MISTAKE. RATHER, I AM A MIRACLE. AND SO ARE YOU. BECAUSE I AM A PERSON, MADE OF LOVE IN THE HANDS OF GOD. I WILL BE A PERSON TODAY. I WILL BE ME. I WILL RESIST THE URGE TO BELIEVE I’VE GOT TO FIGHT FOR MY PIECE; GOD SAYS THERE’S MORE THAN ENOUGH TO GO AROUND. I WILL SEE THE BEST IN OTHERS AND RECOGNIZE THE BEST IN MYSELF. I WILL REACH FOR VIRTUE MORE THAN TROPHIES, DIGNITY MORE THAN STARDOM. I WILL CHOOSE ENCOURAGEMENT OVER ENVY. I WILL REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO REJOICE. I WILL STAND TALL ON THE INSIDE, EVEN IF I’M FEELING WEAK ON THE OUTSIDE. I AM A PERSON, A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM, WHERE THERE IS UNENDING GRACE FOR ME. BECAUSE I AM A PERSON, AND I BELONG TO JESUS

Sing your freedom, you who are defined by God’s word and not the happenings of life. Sing your freedom.

#TeamUnraveled

You unraveled me with your melody You surround me with a song Of deliverance from my enemies Till all my fears are gone – Listen on YouTube

As always, Love and light

Debby.

Our response to Corona Virus and Ebola

The Christian Faith 15 Comments

I read The Circle by Ted Dekker last year and did in fact review it on this blog this year. In book 1, Black, a virus is released upon the world – The raison Strain. Unlike Corona virus, its completely airborne and within the shortest possible time, everyone has caught it.
In Black, when a certain charming reporter first catches wind of the fast-spreading virus through the mouth of his scientist girlfriend, he jokes, “how bad is it? The Ebola?” To which he is told, “Even worse“.

 

Ebola.

But first,

Corona Virus.

Before Corona Virus hit Nigeria, I had began studying the book of Job. Reading through each verse of Job’s calamity and pondering.

Hold that thought still, and let’s discuss bedbugs as the prelude to this.

Bedbugs.

 

Some weeks ago, I obeyed the clarion call to serve my nation in the compulsory one year youth service, and I was thrust in the southern part of Nigeria – Rivers state.

 

In the capital city, my first night at my lodge was a living hell. I got awful reactions from bed bug bites; my body was swelling all over and itchy. I was most uncomfortable and the room was very hot. In the initial misguided notion that it was mosquito bites, I had slept (well, the closest I could come to sleeping) under a small mosquito net drawn over the slim mattress placed on the floor. It was the worst night I’d ever had. I couldn’t turn on my side without bodily discomfort. In accidentally touching the mosquito net in that heat, the itch would burn even worse. By the time we discovered they weren’t mosquito bites but bedbugs bites, my reaction was very far gone.

 

It all got settled finally. I was treated that night. Lacking the right drug and cream in the clinic, I was alternatively helped with drips and injections until the swellings were down the following morning.

 

Now, I write all of this to tell you when I read Job chapter 7 vs 4-6, I could picture it mentally. I could relate. The night of the bed bug infestation, I couldn’t sleep. One minute was like an hour. Four hours like twenty tortuous hours.

 

Here, Job speaks of his turmoils, worst being that his own days are spent without hope. I had hope. Follow Job:

 

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of tossings to and fro until the dawning of the day. My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken and become loathsome. My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle and are spent without hope”.

 

I had nothing close to what Job went through. My flesh wasn’t coated with worms and clods of dust.

How did Job in the midst of what he went through (not for one night, but) for weeks on end, not curse God?

Or
How did Nigeria’s Igonoh hear the heart breaking words “Your blood tested positive for Ebola” and not curse God?
Dr Ada Igonoh was twenty eight; young, brilliant, beautiful, bright and full of ambition. How could she go into isolation and there watch people with the same condition she had, writhe in pain and bleed through their eyes, noses and mouths till they die.

These were people occupying the beds to her left and right, other health professionals like herself who got infected when striving to do their jobs. How?
Igonoh would come out to testify that her faith kept her through. Her faith. This is the subject matter.

 

So with Covid-19 pandemic ongoing, what if, my friend, the news wasn’t that anyone was recovering, what if the news wasn’t that there could be an escape from death? What if the situation is that you caught it?
What then? Do you curse God?

 

Selah.

 

Will you, when God appears to be silent about your matter, refuse to be silent to him?
Will you say like Job:

 

I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause. Job 5:8.

 

For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace

Hebrews 13:9

 

Christian, at what point do you really curse God?
You can read Dr Ada Igonoh’s Story online and when you do, read carefully of how her exposure came from working professionally as a doctor. Experience through reading, the deserted ward she was placed in, read of her young husband and ask yourself at what point you would blame God.

 

We are a generation of them that seek Him even when his face appears to be (hidden).

 

Whether we have a reaction to bedbugs, or a physical ailment, or corona virus disease, or Ebola or the Raison Strain, we are convinced that no physical ailment can separate us from the Love of Christ.

 

Psalm 27:13,14:

 

” I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the lord in the land of the living

Wait on the lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the lord.

 

Job 19: 25-27

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

And that, friend, is a Christian’s response.

Have you read Dr Igonoh’s story? What’s your comment? Don’t forget to share this post with your friends.

 

As always,

your friend,

Debby.

My False Adequacy

The Christian Faith 6 Comments

Hey guys. I’ve come up with a structure. Posts are meant to come up every Saturday but I’ve been pretty unstable with that recently. Yet, I have heard compliments in recent times about my consistency. Its non–existent in my opinion.

Stemming from this, I have decided to clear it out – a post every two weeks for the remainder of my time at the Law school.

Keep up the communication line when you can, by replying newsletters or using my Contact page. Much Love.

It comes to me as flashes at different times, this quote I published on my blog:

I was pushed into a cell, but you have to push yourself into one. You have no time to know God. You need to build yourself a cell, so you can do for yourself what persecution did for me – simplify your life and Know God

The full blog post is here, I wrote on Christian persecution.

It’s humbling, this discovery I’m making: I am NOT a humble person. Over time, I have somewhat trusted God to lead me into humility ( guys, I was going to type ‘I’ve somewhat been hitting the mark’ i.e I’m quite humbls, but it occurred to me that probably no humble person states that they’re humble. Amusing).

However, these past few days, my eyes have been open to see humility in a new light. It is so humbling. Here’s it: My pride is displayed when I don’t consciously take time to study the scriptures for two days simply because I’m pressed for time. My pride is displayed when I don’t daily consult the Holy Spirit for all my life decisions anymore. I used to. I have however under the pretext of ‘growth’ and ‘I’m attuned to the holy Spirit always’, given up the place of actually waiting, just quietening down to hear his voice. A false adequacy.

Here’s my take:

“The most dependent on the holy Spirit is the one who prays always.The proudest is the one who can weather a day without God, after all no be yesterday dem born me i.e I was not given birth to yesterday.” A false sense of adequacy. I need to push myself into a cell, creating time away from my distractions. Build myself a cell and simplify my life.

“This is the one I esteem

He who is humble and contrite in spirit

And trembles at my word” Psalm 66:2

I see “trembles at my word” in a new light. I always knew it to be taking God’s word as final authority, to obey it, to not underestimate it. But now, I certainly don’t tremble at the word if I think two days without it won’t turn my life upside down. I’m saying ‘I’m not a novice at life, I can navigate to some extent’. To ‘tremble at’ it is to inquire, to search it out because I know its veracity. It is to lock up myself in a cell until the light comes. It is to give it more respect than I give law school.

Friend, If you can cope without reading the word, you may be in this boat I just left. How you treat the Word is in fact, how you treat God.

I’d say it again: The way you treat the Word of God is the way you treat God.

Let’s hope I get round to giving the pictured book a dignified reading, since just its title crystallized this lesson.

Love from this end,

Debby

Age-enduring love and Kindness

The Christian Faith 2 Comments

Oh guys, I’m left to ask “what do you come to the blog to see?”

“… the messengers of John having departed, He began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What have you gone out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what have you gone out to see? A man arrayed in fine clothing? Behold, those in splendid clothing and living in luxury are in palaces.

But what have you gone out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one more excellent than a prophet. This is he concerning whom it has been written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’

I say to you, no one among those born of women is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

This blog here, is what I’m led to write each moment. Check my ‘about page’

Today, here’s the content of the blog post I want you to carefully digest. Not traditional but needed. Much love from this side of the hub.

Here:

1SING, O barren one, you who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child! For the [spiritual] children of the desolate one will be more than the children of the married wife, says the Lord.

 

2Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; spare not; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes,

 

3For you will spread abroad to the right hand and to the left; and your offspring will possess the nations and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

 

4Fear not, for you shall not be ashamed; neither be confounded and depressed, for you shall not be put to shame. For you shall forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not [seriously] remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.

 

5For your Maker is your Husband–the Lord of hosts is His name–and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth He is called.

 

6For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken, grieved in spirit, and heartsore–even a wife [wooed and won] in youth, when she is [later] refused and scorned, says your God.

 

7For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion and mercy I will gather you [to Me] again.

 

8In a little burst of wrath I hid My face from you for a moment, but with age-enduring love and kindness I will have compassion and mercy on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer.

 

9For this is like the days of Noah to Me; as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you.

 

10For though the mountains should depart and the hills be shaken or removed, yet My love and kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace and completeness be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you.

 

11O you afflicted [city], storm-tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in fair colors [in antimony to enhance their brilliance] and lay your foundations with sapphires.

 

12And I will make your windows and pinnacles of [sparkling] agates or rubies, and your gates of [shining] carbuncles, and all your walls [of your enclosures] of precious stones.(B)

 

13And all your [spiritual]children shall be disciples [taught by the Lord and obedient to His will], and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children.

 

14You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God’s will and order): you shall be far from even the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

 

15Behold, they may gather together and stir up strife, but it is not from Me. Whoever stirs up strife against you shall fall and surrender to you.

 

16Behold, I have created the smith who blows on the fire of coals and who produces a weapon for its purpose; and I have created the devastator to destroy.

 

17But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.

Thank you for the love shown me on my birthday, two days ago. I’m honoured.

The error in having Handpicked, Politically Correct Messages in Church

The Christian Faith 6 Comments

I want to start this post by typing “In a world where righteousness has fallen away from many churches” but then I am unsure if I ought to start that way. These things have always been. I am the one stepping out into that world and experiencing these things firsthand.

Or maybe it has become so widespread to meet each of us right at our doorsteps.

God! Where are the churches still teaching holiness and righteousness? I just searched on YouTube to download a certain message by brother Gbile Akanni, “Ordinary men who burn for God”, I typed that in and I saw a good number of messages by Gbile Akanni, and the strikingly familiar thing was the topics of these messages, which breed honest and pure desire for God.

Other topics: Burning perpetually for God, Ever-burning fire on our sacrifice, Plucked to burn for God, The blood provision for our deliverance, Preparing to become a pillar in God’s hand, Silent chapters that derail a man, Fields to burn, What postpones God’s rising on a man, Men who set the pace, Taking God by his word, God’s concentration on lives he intends to use, and many more.

The message I made reference to searching on Youtube, “Ordinary men who burn for God”, I had it on my laptop some years ago and its one of my all-time favourites, a strong blessing to my life. I recommend you listen to it. I remember days alone in my room while in 200 level, I would climb on my top bunk, and have beautiful communion with God through many of these messages.

I also remember the strict sermons in my home church, the instructions from my mission secondary school, The training from my immediate family and The Kingdom Project. These things have led me to have a personal encounter with God and I cannot do some things. Cannot. I cannot worship in some places that violate the sacred principles of the word of God. How many churches today do you still find topics like the ones I listed above?

It is beautifully powerful to teach on other relevant principles in the word of GOD including knowing who you are in Christ, understanding God’s provision for you in health and wealth etc. I teach these too. But, detailed and wholesome teaching of the word of God ought to combine everything. By the time we’re through teaching, we ought to realize everything is covered in good proportion for wholesome Christian living.

I read sometime two months ago on the trouble of topical sermons and I think this is prevalent in many churches today. I quote it below from www.relearnchurch.org :

“…topical teaching isn’t inherently bad. But since the bible has become more offensive to the culture, many pastors have opted for topical sermons to avoid unpopular or politically charged topics.

In contrast, the goal of an expository teacher is not to hear, “what an entertaining speaker” or “what an uplifting message” but to hear “thank you. Now I know what that passage means”.

Friend, if the church will hand pick topical sermons and teach you only appealing aspects of the scriptures, you better save yourself. Carry the bible and read. Open from Genesis and read through till Revelations. Do it again and again. Get a wholesome understanding of the word that can sustain you.

The query I have today is what have you fed on? What are you feeding on? What will sustain you for the days ahead? You need sound teaching of the word of God that makes you love God as he is and not look for a ‘God’ who will give you license to live like the world and still quote scriptures. Believe me, you don’t want that kind of God.

Acts 20:26, 27 “therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God”

Whats your take, friend?

As always, in truth and love,

Debby.

What’s my name?

The Christian Faith 2 Comments

That’s straightforward guys.

My name is Deborah.

Deborah Ibukunoluwa Adebayo. Read this page detailing more about me.

I have a lesson to share with you as regards my name.

Debby(as I’d rather call it henceforth) was a judge and prophetess in the scriptures. Her story is contained in Judges 4 &5.

She was happily married to Lapidoth (I know of this happiness, guys. She informed me). And she judged under the palm of Deborah.

Mama Debby was a nation lover, a patriotic, loyal and strong woman. She was desperate to solve challenges and lead the people nearer where they ought to be. This desperation, as it always does, led her to her calling where she solved disputes as the chief judge, and also told the people the mind of God as a prophetess.

But mama didn’t loose sight of the truth in the midst of this. There was something holding it all together.

Debby made God’s business her business and God made her business his business. She could’ve gotten carried away with the pressing case of Rachael whose husband wanted to put her away or the case of Nathaniel who flagrantly disobeyed the instructions of God, and in being carried away by that, she could’ve ignored God’s new demand at the battle field.

She started out heeding the call to help at a local level and quashing the comfort of staying back at home doing the chores(I wrote why chores are good in this post) while discussing the men who weren’t at battle. She took up God’s work and God seeing her heart, took up her work – her desire to see a nation whole again.

The lord will take up the national matter on your heart, not to worry. You, my friend, just take up his work.

And when the call comes to go on higher, don’t be carried away emotionally (or logically) with the urgency of the work on ground (cue Nathaniel and Rachael).

Helping Nathaniel and Rachael were very much in line of God’s will for her but her extreme passion to help had a possibility of getting in the way and hindering the real deliverance of Israel.

“Make God’s business your business and God will make your business his business.”

AFAQ (Anticipated Frequently Asked Questions). I know guys, I know.

1. Hey Debby, are you certain national matters were on her heart?

Yes dear, I am certain. God finds it hard to speak to a person on things their heart are not attuned to. That’s because they won’t hear. You hear God clearly on a situation of which you are waiting and hoping and praying.

2. Debby, I have issues detecting whether God is giving me a higher assignment. I don’t seem to hear him.

Okay, pray that your ears will be open. You can make a daily declaration to that effect, it serves to put you in a place where you are conscious of your desire to hear God. Also, reduce the distracting noise around you, okay? Cut down on assignments God didn’t ask you to take up. Apologize if you have to but draw back from busyness that’s not productive. Importantly, Read the scriptures.

3. Deb, this is not a question. You do have a beautiful name.

Well thank you reader, I’m over here smiling.

No matter how pressing your current assignment or heart preoccupation is, God’s business should be number one. God should be number one.

Toodles guys, till next time.

Don’t forget to drop a comment and share.

I remain Debby.

P.S: I’m totally glad to write on here again after three weeks. ? I hope to send out a newsletter soon telling you some things?.

Dear Mentee || The HolyGhost and Sleep

Dear Mentee Educative 7 Comments

So I have this leading to start a segment where I write what’s desperately on my heart. Obviously, that’s what the entire blog is for, but this is different. On the blog, I’m addressing myself, addressing my future children and grandchildren, addressing you and your uncles and neighbours. This segment though is addressing my mentees. The things that I desperately want to pass on to the younger ones (not only age wise) that’s what I will write here. They are the things I’ll tell my younger ones who come to sit beside me at night and say “advise me. Tutor me”.

Today, what’s on my heart is “your sensitivity to the Holyghost”.

I have been in meetings where the Holyspirit woke me from sleep to attend them. I have been in meetings I left for in the rain because my spirit was restless. None of those meetings have been in vain. I have been sleeping in vigils – on two distinct occasions, when the Holyspirit woke me up and said ‘Its time’. It always was time*.

I would’ve missed some blessings, had the Holyspirit not tugged at my heart till I gave.

Friend, you need this thing. Its called divine ordering of steps. The Holyspirit does it!! He did it for Philip and it is forever recorded for Philip that he led that Ethiopian Eunuch to Christ and many others through that means. Its seen in the entirety of Jesus’ life – He lived in sync with what he received from heaven. Don’t be blind to the spirit’s move per time.

If in your spirit, you never have the prompts, develop your sensitivity to the holyghost. Start first by having a relationship with him. These steps may help:

  • Tell him you want to be best friends
  • Study your bible and pray in the spirit
  • Read books (like those on Kathryn Kuhlman) and listen to ministers like Benny Hinn. These people because they have had wonderful relationships with him and teach us how to.

He is a person and he wants to be more real to you, than your friend is. More real to you than I am too.

That’s it for today. Do not miss out when others are getting help through this very means – let the spirit order your steps.

Till next time, mentee.

I remain Debby.

  • Because you’re my mentee, I’ll tell you bluntly : If you so like, go around sleeping at vigils, waiting for the Holyspirit to tell you its time, you go sabi.