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A Message For The Lovers

Chude Obuaya
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A Message For The Lovers
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It’s that time of the year again. On the 14th of February, social media platforms will be filled with pictures of couples posting the gifts given, dinner shared and love mutually received. Valentine’s day shows romantic love at its finest and is a reminder of what joy love can bring. But after Valentine’s Day ends, does the love? Can the love that appears to be so rampant on Valentine’s Day be continued all year round?

God is Love

Before we take about the love shared between a man and woman, we must first consider the origin of love. The Bible makes it clear that God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). Any love that is shared between mankind must be understood in light of the purest form of love. C.S Lewis differentiates between the divine love, the love that derives from God; and the lower form of love, love that is shared between humans. We will only rightly love people if we first understand God’s love towards us and Himself. This is how the Bible testifies of this love “By this, the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9). Love by its nature is both sacrificial and inviting. God shows His love for us by sending His Son to die for sinners so that sinners might be brought into an eternal relationship with God. This dynamic truth ought to be the foundation by which all romantic relationships thrive.

Forever Love

Love is sweet. There’s nothing like being cared for, wanted and served by the woman or man that you love. But we will not be able to love well if we do not root our understanding of love in God. Whilst love can be expressed in various ways, the Bible repeatedly describes love as sacrificial. In fact, that is how we first encounter love. In Genesis 22, love is first mentioned within the context of Abraham sacrificing his only begotten son. In light of the New Testament, we now understand that this scenario was a foreshadowing of God sacrificing His only begotten Son for the world (Genesis 22:2, John 3:16). In a world that encourages self-love, the Bible calls us to love others even to the inconvenience of ourselves. If we want to love our partners well, we have to leave room for pain, disappointment and betrayal. There is no other way to mirror the love that Jesus displays than to give love without the guarantee of it being reciprocated. After all, isn’t this how love ought to be demonstrated within marriage? Isn’t this the high call that Paul appeals for men to illustrate within marriage (Ephesians 5:25)? If we want to have fulfilling relationships that go beyond the beautifully crafted posts on Instagram, we have to love this way. We have to be willing to love in such a way that leaves plenty of room for vulnerability. We can only learn to love this way when we rest in the One who loves us in this way. Do you want that forever love? Well, look to Jesus who will love you forever and strive to mirror that (Ephesians 5:1-2).

To The Lonely Single Christian On Valentines Day

Oluwaseyi Sobogun
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To The Lonely Single Christian On Valentines Day
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It’s Valentine’s day and we’ve already been inundated with adverts, vouchers and special offers of gifts for that special someone. But what if we don’t have that person to share this occasion with? How do we handle this day? 

Being single as a Christian can be sold as the best thing in the world, a blessing. While there are many positives, it doesn’t stop us from feeling lonely. We can still have longings, moments of despair and envy towards others experiencing what we desire. Single Christian, I want you to know that it’s okay. Here are some tips to deal with loneliness this valentine’s day:

Get it out – Be honest

We are so afraid of saying that we want a spouse, a life partner or significant other. So often do we use platitudes like “it’ll happen when it happens or God’s timing is best” as a cover for how we truly feel. Yes, His timing is best because He does know our future and our lives are in His hand but, it’s still normal to be a little anxious. Remember, what we are seeking is not simple or easy to come by. We are asking for God’s best for us when we pray for a spouse. Marriage is a sacred covenant (Mark 10:9). So try to express your true feelings as often as you can to God because He sees you, knows you and understands (Isa. 41:10).

God Gives Hugs

If you’re feeling lonely, know that God gives hugs, only ask (Deuteronomy 33:27). He’s not so far from us, that He won’t hear us when we call on Him. He doesn’t just care about the big things, but also the little things that matter to us. God has also given us a community through the church, fellow believers and even family, who can give us a hug when we need one. If you find yourself lacking a community, seek and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to the right people and place. You are never alone. 

Only God Satisfies

Remember that if you’re feeling an emptiness within at this time, it’s not the role of a partner to fill it. That spot can only be filled by God. So spend time in God’s presence and ask God to help you. Our expectation for something we have asked of God tests our faith. Ultimately it should draw us closer to Him. However, instead of drawing closer, we find ourselves growing distant. As we go through another single valentine’s day, another lonely winter or solo trip to a wedding. These moments can add pressure on our expectations for the provisions of God. But the thing we believe God can provide should deepen our reliance on Him as we seek Him first. It’s only God’s love and our embrace of that love that can fill the thirst within. And we can only love from a place of love. We love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Do Things That Make You Laugh Or Make You Happy.

Use the time to celebrate yourself and show love to others (1 John 4:7). Instead of focusing entirely on the lonely feeling that valentine’s day can sometimes create, spend the day having as much fun as you can. Embrace love for it’s beautiful effect and remain hopeful for the future to come. Christian, more than anything, our desire should be God above all else.

A Year Older, A Year Wiser?

Chinedu Agwu
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A Year Older, A Year Wiser?
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For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding -Proverbs 2:6

Birthdays are an exciting time. You’re stepping into a new age which for some can be exciting while for others it can just be “another day”. However, as you view birthdays, entering a new age is always a great time to ponder and reflect on the past year. A time to fully reflect on what revelation God has given you, lessons learnt and what you might do differently in this new age. I’m sure you’re familiar with the term “a year older, a year wiser” but is this always the case? Do we all grow in wisdom as we age, if not…why not?

I recently celebrated my birthday, and I took some time to ponder and reflect on lessons learnt in the past year, a habit I developed when I turned 25.

Lessons learnt

  1. There is kindness in my yes and my no
    • “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.” Matthew 5:37
    • Whilst saying “yes” to people is a great feeling and pleases people, don’t feel pressure to say it when you don’t mean it. By saying yes, all the time to avoid “feeling guilty” or “disappointing people” you can fall prey to people pleasing and eventual burnout. Trust me I have been there, and it is not pleasant! When you say ‘yes’ to a person or task you should do so with sincerity and willingness and not coercion. Furthermore, your “no” could create an opportunity for someone else to say yes and rise, so whilst it may be a closed door for you, it could still open the door for someone else. I would always advice praying before giving an impulsive answer, to decide on next steps.  
  2. Self-care and self-preservation is crucial
    • “Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.” 3 John 1:2
    • We must remember that as humans we are made up of body, mind, soul, and spirit. We need rest. Most importantly we need to include Jesus in every part of our lives. In a fast-paced world that is all about acceleration, short-waiting times and 24/7 grinding, it is easy to forget that we need Jesus to survive as He is the ‘Bread of life’ and the ‘Well that will never run dry’. We cannot pour out from an empty cup and for that reason must be aware of our physical limitations. Examples in the bible where physical needs were met 1 Kings 19 (Elijah), Mark 6:41 (5 loaves and 2 fish), Exodus 16 (Manna from heaven) and countless more where God saw the physical need of His people and made provision for it, however it is up to us receive it!
  3. Our Joy is eternal
    • “The joy of the Lord is my strength” Nehemiah 8:10
    • The joy we receive from God is independent of circumstances and people. Let that truth sit with you a bit. Joy is a state of being, accessible at ALL times, it may not feel like it but it is the joy that comes from knowing the Lord that carries us through different seasons and gives us strength to face each day no matter what lies ahead.
  4. Service is important but so are boundaries
    • Sometimes in our desire to serve others, to serve your church we can burn ourselves out.
    • Naturally as members of the body of Christ we want to pour into kingdom and serve people, but it is important to have boundaries to ensure we serve out of passion and not compulsion.
  5. We must never mirror other people’s actions or emotions
    • “We are light and salt” Matthew 5:13-16
    • Sometimes it can be easy to echo other people’s opinions without taking the time to form your own, which is dangerous as our thoughts/actions should be spirt-led.
  6. Don’t make assumptions, ask questions and be certain
    • “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ,” 2 Corinthians 10:5
    • It is important that we “don’t think” for people, our mind can combine with our insecurities and make a concoction of very unhealthy thoughts
    • If something has been said or done, it is better to approach someone in love for clarification and work towards reconciliation than to make a wrong assumption and get offended
  7. Understand friendships are fluid and that’s okay
    • “There is an appointed time for everything” Ecclesiastes 3:1
    • Understand that relational intelligence is necessary to manage your relationships and manage your expectations of them
    • Whilst Jesus had 12 disciples, he had 3 close disciples. It is okay to categorise the people in your life

So, I have shared a few lessons from turning a year older (an age I will not reveal!) and I cannot express how insightful and empowering it is to reflect on the year and renew my perspective. As we age, I pray that we do grow in wisdom and become effective and healthy vessels for the Kingdom of heaven.

Five Things To Remember When Sharing the Gospel

Shumi Mararike
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Five Things To Remember When Sharing the Gospel
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Faith is a sensitive subject. It’s not the easiest thing to talk to people about. The call to follow Christ is a weighty one. It is packed with moral baggage and inconvenience, demanding a shift in our outlook on life and the way we live. This, among many other factors, makes sharing the Gospel difficult. Therefore, there are things we must remember to encourage ourselves as we do so.

1. Remember your message

Firstly, you must remember your message. The Gospel is simple enough for a child to understand (Mark 10:14), yet so profound that we will fail to comprehend the fullness of its depth in this lifetime. There are elements of creation, the fall, redemption and restoration of those who have been redeemed and the world large. Stripped down to its most basic elements, we have a message of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life centred on the Person and work of Jesus Christ (John 3:16; John 5:24). Jesus came to rescue sinners and bring them into a relationship with the holy God from whom they’ve been separated in their sin by dying in their place and His resurrection from the dead.

But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

2. Remember that this is a spiritual work

Moreover, sharing the Gospel is a spiritual work. Naturally, our hearts are not receptive to the Gospel. Before being born again, we may have been adamant that we did not need the Gospel. Convinced that we were not that sinful, that sin is not that serious or that we were good enough to be accepted by God on our own merit. This is because sin pollutes our minds, wills and emotions. Therefore, we were unrighteous and rejected God (Psalm 14:1-3; Romans 3:9-12). Spiritually speaking, all people are dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-5). Loving the darkness as opposed to the light (John 3:19) – the former being a metaphor for evil and ungodliness. Lacking understanding of the things of God (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:14).

Believers are not better than non-believers. This is how we were (Ephesians 2:4-5), and these are the people we now converse with. Only God can give sight to the spiritually blind. Supernatural intervention is required to bring a person to acceptance and belief in the Gospel. Only then will they receive Christ as their Saviour and follow Him as their Lord. Therefore, effective evangelism begins on your knees.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Corinthians 4:4

3. We proclaim the Gospel

Our job is to simply proclaim the Gospel. We have good news, the greatest story ever told which transforms lives. God is looking for willing people to proclaim it. In ancient times, heralds were the messengers who proclaimed war or peace to the community. They were the bearers of good news. In a like manner, we are heralds, God’s messengers with the most glorious news. Our message is the good news of peace and the salvation of God through Jesus Christ. Accordingly, it is through our proclamation of the Gospel that God saves people (Romans 10:13-17).

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the herald,
who proclaims peace,
who brings news of good things,
who proclaims salvation,
who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Isaiah 52:7

4. God saves, you don’t

God saves people, you don’t. We are powerless in bringing anyone to faith in Christ. God alone possesses the power to give new supernatural life to the natural person who is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:13) so that they may understand and respond to the Gospel. By His mercy, people believe because they are transformed by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). In short, we proclaim, God saves. As Jonah realised ‘Salvation belongs to the LORD’ (Jonah 2:9).

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Titus 3:5

5. Leave the results to God

Lastly, when sharing the gospel, we leave the results to God. The truth is that some will believe and others won’t. However, this should not discourage us. We must never place limitations on God. Never believe that some people are beyond His reach. Scripture is replete with examples of the most ungodly people coming to faith in Jesus Christ. In the Gospels, we see a cheating tax collector turn from his conniving ways to follow Jesus (Luke 19:1-10). At Calvary, we see a thief being crucified next to Jesus come believe in Jesus’ messiahship and request entrance into His kingdom (Luke 23:42-43). In the Acts of the Apostles, we see the most devout Jew and zealous persecutor of Christians become the most relentless evangelist, with exception of Jesus, who wrote nearly half of the New Testament (Acts 9:1-19). Hence, we must never lose hope. Wherever we are, God has prepared people to respond to the Gospel, receive Jesus as their Saviour and follow Him (Acts 13:48).

Keep sharing the good news, remembering the 5 points above as you do so. Share the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results to God. For how will they believe in the One whom they have not heard (Romans 10:14)?

How Do I Discover God’s Purpose For My Life?

Emmanuel Oganla
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How Do I Discover God’s Purpose For My Life?
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Why am I here? What is my purpose? What am I supposed to be doing in this period of my life? These are questions that anyone with breath in their lungs will either have wrestled with or might be wrestling with. You as the reader might even find yourself pondering these questions. My hope is that by the end of this read, you will be filled with a God centred trust, peace and hope regarding your future.

Your Present And Future Is God’s Past Memory.

In other words, you’re contemplating what God has already envisioned. Psalms 139:16 comforts us with the following verse, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Jesus stated that he came to do what was already written in the scriptures according to God’s will (Hebrews 10:7). God essentially authored the autobiography of Jesus’ life, the prophetic words we read in Isiah 9:6 and other passages of the Old Testament are the things Christ became flesh to fulfil. In the same fashion, God has envisioned and authored the fulfilling and purposeful autobiographies of you and me. He created our human bodies for His vision to be fulfilled on the earth. We do ourselves a great disservice trying to figure out the answer to these big questions of our life without its source.

Prioritise Intimacy With God

The psalmist states “My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven together in the depths of the earth (Psalm 139:15).” Our lives were formed in the secret place and it’s in the secret place that we uncover it. In the secret place is where we ask God the deep things concerning our lives and he guides us in connecting the dots of the skills, passions and talents that He intricately formed in us. It’s where he leads and guides us into what He authored beforehand as we prayerfully, persistently and patiently ask Him to lead and guide us. One of the superpowers of the secret place and intimacy with God is seeing the famous verse on faith come alive and replace all our worries and anxieties about our present and future with confidence and assurance. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1).

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Prayer Is The Master Key

When Cornelius calls for Peter, and Peter goes to see Him, they are both led by God to meet one another in their times of prayer (Acts 10). When the Church at Antioch were praying and fasting, they were led by God to consecrate Paul and Barnabas for his work Acts 13:2. There’s an obvious correlation that we ought to learn and emulate between Jesus’s prayer life as documented all over the gospel, and his seamless discernment of and submission to what the Father was saying (John 12:49) and doing (John 5:19).  May the Holy Spirit direct us to discern and enable us to perform God’s will concerning our lives in the present and future.

Love Is Not Self Seeking

On Mission
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Love Is Not Self Seeking

Joke: Which Bible character was super-fit? Abs-salom.

Love is the greatest gift that God gives. In 1 Corinthians 13, we have an elegantly beautiful description of God’s type of love. To help us understand all that love entails, the apostle Paul includes some things that love is not. For example, love “is not self-seeking” (verse 5), also translated as love “does not insist on its own way” (ESV).

The Greek phrase literally means “does not seek the things of itself.” Self-focus, which is the antithesis of love, marked the Corinthian church. 

This was evident in the church’s divisiveness regarding leadership (chapters 1–3), its attitude toward Paul (chapter 4), its attitude toward legal issues with other Christians (chapter 6), its attitude toward the Lord’s Supper (chapter 11), and its attitude toward spiritual gifts (chapter 12). 

Paul wanted these believers to stop focusing on their own needs and preferences and serve God and one another.

Discuss

  • Why do we find it dificult to not focus on our own needs?
  • Do you think we live in a ‘Dog eat dog’ world?’ — Do you have any examples of this?

How Do Rid Ourself of Selfishness 

The corrective to self-seeking is God-seeking. The remedy for selfishness is love. Jesus said, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

The second [commandment] is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31). Love for God and others is to mark the believer; not love for self.

Some have mistakenly interpreted “love your neighbour as yourself” as teaching self-love in order to love others. That is, we must love ourselves first before we can truly love others. But this is not the teaching of the passage. 

Self-love is assumed to be the default condition; Jesus was teaching that concern for others must equal the natural concern we have for ourselves. 

Also, Jesus was appealing to the Torah, specifically Leviticus 19:17-18, which reads, “Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbour frankly so you will not share in his guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD.” 

The context deals with treating others fairly, without vengeance, and with love. It has no reference to self-love.

This focus on others and their needs correspond to Philippians 2:4, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others.”

The command appeals to the selfless actions of Jesus Christ as the ultimate example. The New Testament often mentions the need to turn from self and toward helping other people.

A person who demands his own way, who tramples on others’ rights for the sake of upholding his own, or who insists on having his due is not showing love. Love is considerate of others, always.

The one who loves is willing to forgo recognition and lay down his rights for the sake of the loved one. Jesus showed love in this way: He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). No self-seeking there.

The New Testament and ‘Self-seeking‘

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour” (Romans 12:10 ESV).

When we love one another we publicly, and privately, esteem them more honourable than ourselves. Instead of drawing attention to our own accomplishments or good characteristics, we point out those things in the lives of others.

“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight” (Romans 12:16 ESV).

Loving unselfishly means that we do not think of ourselves as better than others. That is prideful thinking and stifles humility. Acting as if you are better than others makes them uncomfortable around you because it makes them think they are worthless. Or it will cause arguments and futile debates between Christians trying to outdo one another. Neither of these attitudes depicts the unselfish love of God in our lives.

“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions…Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother” (Romans 14:1, 13 ESV).

One who practices love that is not self-seeking will strive to never let his or her opinion be the basis by which someone else questions his or her faith. We should always express ourselves in a loving way, not a confrontational way. The Christian is commanded to serve others (Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 4:10); it is difficult to maintain a prideful attitude when one’s motivation is serving others.

Selfless love cares for, and encourages, others

As believers we are to “care for one another” (1 Corinthians 12:25 ESV), we are to attempt to restore a fallen brother or sister as we comfort them. As much as possible, we are to agree with one another and live in peace. When we live this way, the “God of love and peace” will be in our midst (2 Corinthians 13:11 ESV).

How to trust God in the transitional period

Esther Babatunde
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How to trust God in the transitional period

The transitional period is a time or season in which things are changing from one form to another. It’s when a phase in your life has ended and you’re moving to a new phase. The transitional period is usually uncomfortable and can be quite worrying sometimes. It creates a feeling of uncertainty and leaves people fearful for the future. This article will be discussing how to trust God in the transitional period.

Examples of transitional periods

Transitional periods usually occur where an individual is leaving the known and delving into the unknown or the uncertain. An example of a transitional period is when a person leaves university and starts applying for jobs. Or when a person is leaving one job and either hoping for a new job or moving to a new job. It could also be a waiting period for those who are single and hope to be married. Or even just a move from one country to another or from one year to another.

There’s no exact timing for a transitional period, but it’s common for people to be worried during this time. We may not know what is coming next or how it will come, but it is important that we remember that God does and He is in control. So we must trust God, the author, and finisher of our faith; Hebrews 12:2.

How to trust God in the transitional period
  1. Tarry in the presence of God: God’s presence transforms, renews, promotes, instructs, rejuvenates and instills hope. Where there is God, there is hope. So spend time in God’s presence, worshipping and speaking to God. It will build you and prepare you for the next steps. There is no way you can tarry in God’s presence without a change for the better occurring. God’s presence will also bulster and strengthen your faith.
  2. Read the Bible: You need to find out what God is saying concerning you. To find it, you have to search the Word of God. It’s in His word that you will find solace and God’s promises concerning you. God’s word also encourages and reminds us of His faithfulness. The Bible also shows us historical stories of men and women who had faith in God and did great things. It allows you to consider the story of Daniel, Abraham, Joseph, Esther, David, Jesus and so many other great people of faith who went through the transitional and waiting period. Not one of them can say God failed.
  3. Hold unto God’s promises to you: Hebrews 10:23; “We must hold on to God’s promise that we have said we believed. And we must never let go. He has promised and He will do it.” Job in the Bible was going through a rough and extremely painful period, but He still held on to God; Job 13:15. Remind yourself that while man can fail, God will never and can never fail. So if God has said it, He will surely do it. You need to repeatedly remind yourself of what God has said concerning you. Then remind yourself, that every word that God has spoken, He has fulfilled; Joshua 23:14.
  4. Keep working on yourself: Don’t stay idle and expect thigs to fall into your laps. Instead, find ways to develop and build yourself. The new skills you acquire and the things you invest in could be the stepping stone to your greater change. So don’t shy away from development and change. Instead grasp life with both hands and do the best that you can. Don’t become idle, David made massive errors that led to a lot of heartache because he was idle (2 Samuel 11); (Proverbs 18:9). But make sure that what you do is not in contravention with the will and word of God. Abraham wasn’t willing to wait and instead he had an affair with Hagar which brought a lot of heartache. Joseph on the other hand held on to his faith and fear of God instead of succumbing to Potiphar’s wife and it worked out gloriously for him.
  5. Profess goodness and success: There is power in our words, so make use of it. The more you state something, the more you believe it. So speak what you want to see. Speak what God has said to you and speak your hopes out loud. Command your morning, your day, your evening and your night. Profess progress and success into your day and your life.
  6. Ask God to help your unbelief. If you’re struggling to stay hopeful or full of faith, just ask God to help you have faith. Ask Him to strengthen your faith and He will surely do it. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (1 John 5:14).

Dear Christian, Be An Alien

Chude Obuaya
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Dear Christian, Be An Alien

Since you’ve become a Christian, what has changed? Do you have different desires, interests, passions or battles? Or are things the same? Throughout the scriptures, Christians are described as aliens. As those who ought to be experiencing a transient reality in this world. Yet, a problem first identified in the early church, finds itself present in the modern church. This problem is conformity. Whilst Christians are ought to be lights that are set on top of a hill (Matthew 5:14), we often find ourselves dimming this light as if it’s a shame to share the glow of Christ. When the world around us tempts us to imitate its nature, the call of God declares in defiance be alien.

You’ve Been Changed

Another way to consider being an alien is to be holy. To be holy is simply to be set apart or dedicated to God. When a person is saved, they are immediately made holy. This person is taken from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13). Now you have been made holy, the next step is to be holy. This is the message proclaimed by the apostle Peter to the Christian exiles in the first century (1 Peter 1:1). Like the early Christians, we can be tempted to deviate from our new nature because of the various trials that we face. When times are hard, we can be drawn to one of two extremes: either trust in our good works to prove our holiness or discarding holiness altogether and swimming with the current of whatever culture deems acceptable. But there’s another way, a better way that Peter presents to us. Before any call to holiness, Peter reminds us that we are holy already (1 Peter 1:1-2, 3-5). Peter lets us know we aren’t trying to become holy, instead we are called to live out who we already are (1 Peter 1:13-14). The impetus behind our holiness is not our actions but Christ’s

Dare to be different

The temptation to conform is all around us. It can seem like a never-ending bombardment of ungodliness that seeks to penetrate our minds to tell us “Holiness is impossible”. And yet, Peter quickly dismisses this notion by repeating what God first told the Israelites on their pilgrimage to the promised land, “Be holy” (Leviticus 20:7; 1 Peter 1:16). Or in other words, be alien. This is not a call to be different for the sake of being different. Instead, it is a call to fulfil what we were created for; to spread the fragrance of God’s glory anywhere we may find ourselves (Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 8, 2 Corinthians 2:14-15). To be an alien is to be so consumed by the glory of God that it impacts every part of your being. This may mean that you don’t watch certain shows or go to certain events. But it does mean that as you go out into the world people should be able to say of you “…these people have been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Don’t Give Up On God

Chinedu Agwu
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Don’t Give Up On God
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Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life

Proverbs 13:12

Can you believe we’re in the year 2022! That came around quickly, didn’t it?! Naturally around January, being the start of the year, there is a lot of conversation about “New Year’s Resolution”, “Goal-setting” and so on…you may have already set yours! I remember in the year 2020, it was all about “2020 vision”. However let me ask you something, what happens when that goal you set/or the vision you wrote down doesn’t come to pass in the time you expected or in the way you wanted it to? Or you were disappointed with a particular outcome from the previous year. How do we muster the courage to hope again? Hopefully, by the end of the article, we’ll be closer to the answer.

Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets

Habakuk 2:2

I can say with confidence that we have ALL been there, you’ve entered the new year and you’re eager to set goals and New Year’s resolutions e.g., healthier diet, start the gym, do better at uni/work, pray more, cut off that relationship, the list goes on. Yet whilst we may start strong at the beginning our motivation and focus may wane through the year, it doesn’t always endure. Or we are hoping and praying for something such as a financial increase, healing, a change in location, a spouse, that new job etc. We hope and hope, yet we don’t see a shift. We don’t see a change in circumstances. Is it all in vain? In our hope and anticipation about what is to come, we shouldn’t neglect the gifts of the present nor should we desire the thing we are “hoping for” more than the God who we want to grant it. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7). In some Bible translations of this verse, it says “ask and keep on asking”, the underlying theme of persistence is present but also our heart posture is important during the waiting period, we must ask/seek/knock with expectation.

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Let go of your timeline…

Friends your feelings of frustration and restlessness are natural but “let patience have its perfect work” James 1:4-8, exercise patience during these times. Adopt a farmer’s mindset, we plant seeds (goals/resolutions), we water it and nurture the soil then wait for the harvest (God’s response). In some cases, we sow and reap in the same year (Genesis 26:12), whilst sometimes it takes longer to see the harvest. Either way, we must trust that God’s word doesn’t return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11), if God’s not done working then we should not be done waiting! So let us pray for grace to wait well. Reignite the flame of hope once more and fan the flame by speaking God’s Word into that vision/new habit/goal. Open your heart and mind to His will but continue to do your part, whilst leaving space for God to do what only He can do in your life.

He makes all things beautiful in His time

Ecclesiastes 3:11

Ideas for when your hope is waning

  • Pray for renewed hope/vision
  • Revisit the journal you wrote your idea down or write down your heart’s desire in a journal
  • Create a Vision board (without putting a year/date) and stick it on your wall/phone/laptop screensaver
  • Talk to your accountability partners who started the journey of hope with you

Waiting is not easy. Recovering from setbacks and disappointments is not easy. Yet we have been given a resilient spirit and we serve a God who we can confidently put our hope in. Always remember that “anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame” Romans 10:11. This is not a “nice phrase” but an anchor to stabilise us in times of fear/anxiety/discouragement.

Cancel Culture vs Calling People Out

Tobi Oludipe
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Cancel Culture vs Calling People Out
Prefer to listen? Listen here!

Cancel culture has had a huge impact on our generation. Authors, Influencers, Celebrities, basically
anyone who is in the public eye has probably had a stint with nearly or undeniably being cancelled.
More recently, we saw many attempt to ‘cancel’ Molly Mae for her comments on the fact we all
have the same 24 hours. It is clear that many in our generation believe they have a moral high
ground over people who are in the public eye and it is their right to enforce it. This article question
how true that is and as Christians what should our response be to cancel culture?

The Nature of Cancel Culture

Firstly, this article does not attempt to deny the need for accountability. In the bible Jesus instructs
us that “if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit
of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1). There is nothing restorative nor gentle about cancel culture. This is
not me saying that people should not be corrected when they do wrong but when we do so we must
do so to provoke a repentant and changed heart, not to emotionally abuse people through our
keyboards or force them into sharing our opinions. Cancel culture is what the bible calls ‘the clanging
cymbal/ resounding gong’ – meaning words not said in love that just cause a lot of irritating noise.
Yes, the person being ‘cancelled’ may have lost a few thousand followers and issued a public apology
but at what cost? Frustration is an inevitable emotion but it is not one that should be laid to rest on
another human.

When we think about the love of Christ we really do not have any right to call ourselves worthy of
cancelling one another. The bible says ‘let he who is without sin cast the first stone’ and immediately
we all realise we are unworthy. It is pride that give us a false superior moral stance and makes us
think we can cancel a whole person. We must Take out the log in your own eye before you talk
about the stick in someone else’s. It is important to ask ourselves what would be the verdict if all the
wrong things we had said about others were brought up. I personally know that I would have no
case to stand.

Instead of engaging with cancel culture here are some way to call out wrong doings.

Be intentional with your language

When calling out people’s wrongs make sure that your language is beneficial and spoken in love not
anger. (Proverbs 18:21)

Does it always have to be public?

In order not to be another voice in an array of abuse, why don’t you try and speak to people in a
more personal way, send a direct message? If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private
(Matthew 18:15)

Has pride entered the chat?

The bible tells us that pride comes before the fall. (Proverbs 16:18) Pride means seeing yourself as
higher. Be aware that if we looked into your history would you be proud of everything you saw.
Always reflect on your intentions before you comment on someone else’s wrongdoing. Engage the
Holy Spirit and look out for the soft still voice in the midst of the rage and try and hear for the best
way to get your thoughts across.

Remember as Christians we are called to be set apart and not just follow the crowd. We are not called to simply go with flow of culture even when it may appear justified. The bible instructs us to constantly renew our minds and be filled with love not rage.

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