It is commonly said that many are asleep dreaming big while only few are awake making it big, my question to you therefore is are you awake or still asleep? Are you one of the few, that are busy putting their dreams to the test? Hoping and believing God that it will actually come through some day? The scripture says in proverbs 24:33 that a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest; so shall your poverty come like a prowler…” you see, God is anti-poverty and also anti-laziness, He has not put within us the spirit of laziness or fear rather the spirit of sound mind to think and comprehend dreams.
He has placed within our heart to accomplish. It is good to dream good dreams, but it is bad to remain at the level of dreams alone without working them out to reality. The reality of life goes beyond just dreaming, it requires you to see far ahead.
A dream is not just that mere picture you experience while asleep, a dream contains goals, visions of what you want your life to become in fulfillment, Sharon Hall puts it this way “A dream is the seed of possibility planted in the soul of a human being, which calls him to pursue a unique path to the realization of his purpose”, it is the reason for living, it is that idea that burns inside you, something you cannot ignore immediately nor for long, it keeps coming back to your mind, you just can’t let go. I define DREAMS as a strong desire to achieve something unique in line with your purpose and potential, your dreams cannot be separated from your purpose it is always in alignment with Gods plan for your life, perhaps Joseph may not have become a very important figure if not for dreams God placed in his heart which came through in fulfillment of his purpose. I choose to believe that every man and woman has a dream, because god designed every single person to have a dream, without it a man can be frustrated and possibly with no future.
Most people I know have a dream, while some are happy to discuss it, some are reluctant to talk about it, yet many don’t know if their dream is something they can really achieve or destined to fail; note this ,no one is destined to fail, failure at first doesn’t mean you are a failure forever, failure is only a price we must pay to achieve success(John Maxwell) some people must face failure repeatedly before they move forward in pursuit of their dreams, Walt Disney failed multiple times before succeeding in establishing the multi-billion dollar company he has today so no dream is too small or inferior to achieve always remember that and don’t give up the fight too soon.
I believe God wants us to dream and to dream big, because He is a Big God who wants to do big and extra ordinary things and He wants to do them through us. However it is not just enough to dream, but it’s much more about putting the dream to the test/work. Even God did not just dream the salvation of humanity He put it to the test by sending Christ Jesus through whom we have salvation. Don’t just sit there waiting for a miracle, put your dreams to the test means setting a cause of actions to take, developing plans, set a time for accomplishment, getting out of your comfort zone, acquiring resources you need to achieve your dreams all things pertaining to life and godliness has been given to us don’t just sit there dreaming rather get up and do something, compel yourself to follow the pathway that leads to achieving your dreams, the bitter part is that if you don’t do it, somebody somewhere else will do it. Don’t give in to opposition or obstacles; opposition rose up against Nehemiah when he was building the walls of Jerusalem again but he never let that obstacle stop him from achieving his goal. Trust God to help you overcome the opposition that may arise.
Finally on this note, let me say this “An hour work in the Spirit will Accomplish more than a year’s work in the flesh and the fruit will remain” GOD is the source of your dream. When people dream without God they find it unsatisfying. Every person must come to Jesus for his or her dream to make sense. In pursuit of your dreams in life, you must establish His presence in your life as God sees your relationship with Him as the only success required in achieving your dreams.
Always remember life is more than just a dream, take the next step to putting your dream to the test! Shalom!
Written by: Olamide Isaac Oyewole
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Cynthia, a young and charming girl once lived with her uncle, she was the only surviving daughter as she had lost all her family members in a motor accident when she was a baby.
Her uncle adopted her as his second child; he took very good care of her, ensuring that she lacked nothing.
One day during the long vacation, Cynthia told her uncle that she was going for a special youth vigil in the church, at first, her uncle resisted because Cynthia had never gone out in the night alone for the past 16 years of her life, but Cynthia persuaded her uncle that all would be fine and she was going in the company of her friends living across the street.
Unknown to her uncle, Cynthia left for a party she was invited to by her friends on the eve of valentine! That was her first time in a night club, though Cynthia was raised in a Christian home, her fantasies and association with bad friends really influenced her so much that she desired to have similar experiences with her pals.
She got to the party at the delight of her friends, there were so many boys and girls dressed in all manner of skimpy dresses and the atmosphere was very romantic, in short it was all ‘love in the air’. From just a little touch by the guy that was dancing with Cynthia to some other very close contact dancing steps, Cynthia told herself she would go all the length except sex, but contrary to her self-will and decision power, that same night she lost her virginity. She returned home in the morning and told her uncle how great the ‘church vigil’ was.
Few months later, Cynthia discovered she was pregnant and to hide it from her uncle she went for an abortion (to murder an innocent child), unfortunately for her, there was a complication after the abortion was carried out, and she was referred to a bigger hospital where she was admitted.
Her uncle was devastated when he was informed about the incident. He reminded Cynthia how much love he had shown to her, so she could be a good girl that would be fervent in the service of the Lord and that would also become a plus to her generation, but Cynthia because of the love of the world did not take heed to all the warnings and advice.
When Cynthia eventually got back home, her uncle had already packed her things and told her that she was not going to live with him anymore, Cynthia was crying and begging but her uncle would not listen, soon Mercy, the only daughter of Cynthia’s uncle came back from the campus and pleaded with her father to allow Cynthia remain with them as they had been together all this years. Mercy was such a girl that her father could not resist her plea, she had been a devoted Christian right from her childhood, her life was a challenge to all the single girls and guys everywhere she went, in her school she was the leader of the evangelical team of her fellowship and also sang in the choir. Cynthia was allowed to remain because of Mercy’s plea.
Two years later, Cynthia got admitted to the same university where Mercy was in her final year. At the university, Cynthia started attending the same fellowship with her sister Mercy, but was not very committed as she still moves with bad friends, she was influenced to have a boyfriend like others and was partying around campus, and soon Cynthia stopped attending fellowship, every plea by Mercy for Cynthia to return back to God fell on deaf ears.
One day Cynthia went with her friends to a night party outside the campus. An argument started between Cynthia and a guy and before you know it Cynthia had stabbed the guy with a broken bottle, the guy died as a result of severe blood loss before getting to the hospital!. Cynthia ran back home and confided in her sister what happened at the party. Not long after, Cynthia was arrested by the Police and was charged to court.
On the judgment day, it was obvious from all the court proceedings that Cynthia would be sentenced to death probably by hanging as the case was a murder case punishable by death. The entire atmosphere was so tense, everybody started crying and sobbing, Cynthia’s friends were very sober as they watched the final decisive moment of their friend. Soon the judge read the death sentence passed on Cynthia and was about finalizing the court order when suddenly a young lady started shouting from behind, everyone turned and behold it was Mercy, she was running to meet the judge and was shouting No, No, No.
She told the judge she was responsible for the murder! Cynthia could not believe that Mercy could take her position, she started weeping. The case was reviewed, Mercy took the place of Cynthia… she was sentenced to death by hanging….
Mercy was remanded in prison pending her execution, Cynthia went to meet her at the prison, and Mercy told her that she wanted to give her the opportunity to dedicate her life to Jesus, which was the reason why she volunteered to die in her place, as she didn’t want Cynthia to go to hell. Cynthia wept and repented of all her evil and wrong doings and became dedicated to Jesus.
The final day came; Mercy was executed amidst tears and wailing.
Cynthia lamented… I was the one to die…. But Mercy said No!
I would have been rotting in Hell… but Mercy said no…
I would have been lost in the everlasting darkness of torments and sorrow but Mercy said No…
Thank you Jesus for redeeming my soul, thank you for giving me a second chance…thank you Lord, for your Mercy…..
Friend, why must you die in your sin when someone has taken your place!
Have you ever considered the consequences of the way you are living your life now without any regard for eternity. Your life is full of all manner of evils and vices, you are the popular boy or girl known everywhere for bad behaviors and you say to yourself “I must enjoy life to the fullest”.
The bible says there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end of it is destruction!
Or in your own case, you were once born again but today the story has changed, you are not that girl/boy that your parent used to know, you are now a shadow of yourself, you now commit all manner of immoralities and live a degenerated lifestyle. The more you struggle to live a godly life the more you sink in the miry clay of sin, and now your confession is “oh wretched person I am, who will deliver me from the body of this death?
The bible says for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 3:23, 6:23). Because all have sinned, all are expected to die! The devil is ready to have everyone in hell but thank God for Mercy…. the devil wanted you lost forever in hell! But Mercy said No!, Jesus has paid the price by His blood, he made himself the perfect substitute by taking our place on the cross of Calvary! He died so we can be set free!
Congratulations you have a second chance! Will you continue in your sin and end up in hell or will you accept the Love of God by accepting the substitute that has taken your place – Jesus Christ! “For God so loved the world that he sent His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16
“Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain MERCY, and find grace to help in time of need” Heb. 4:16.
Today, you can accept this offer by simply bowing your head in prayer, confess all your sins to God and ask Him for forgiveness (He will forgive all your sins no matter how bad they seems to be, the bible says though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as snow, though they be like crimson they shall be white as wool), confess Jesus Christ as your Personal Lord and Savior, invite Him in to your heart; by saying this simple prayer.
“Lord Jesus, I have seen myself as a sinner, forgive me all my sins, and cleanse me with your blood. I confess and accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Let all the works of darkness be destroyed in my life. Thank you Lord for accepting me as your child, let my name be written in the book of life. Thank you, Jesus, in Jesus name I pray (amen)”
If you have prayed this prayer wholeheartedly, I want to happily welcome you to God’s sweet family. As you have received forgiveness, you must forgive all those that has despitefully used and hurt you. The bible says forgive and you shall be forgiven!
Written By Paul Ojomu
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That sounds crazy, right? Or simply impossible? That was exactly what happened to me in Lagos, Nigeria, about 10 years ago!
I just relocated to Lagos, it was my major job interview, I needed the job badly!
On the final interview date with the CEO, after answering all the questions to the best of my ability, he looked at me and said “Paul, I’m not going to employ you”, He wrote KIV (keep in view) on my resume!
I got home dejected and frustrated, my wife and I had fasted and prayed for several days for the job!
The following morning, I got a call from that same company to come and pick up my appointment letter!
What a miracle!
Listen, it doesn’t matter what man may say, God has the final say!
Are you there, struggling in the valley of frustration and despair?
Cheer up and hold fast to the promises of God! Man may give up on you, but God will never forsake you! He is not finished with you yet, YOU ARE A DIVINE PROJECT! YOU CANNOT BE ABANDONED!
Always remember, God is bigger than the size of your CV / Resume!…. You have a father who sit in heaven and make the earth His foot stool..HE IS BIGGER THAN YOUR PROBLEM! If you have Him, you’ve got the greatest CONNECTION!.. So my dear, LEAN ON HIM!
Don’t give up, cast not away your confidence! Have faith in God.
Go for your goals while fixing your eyes not just on the finishing line but on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith!
ARISE! IT’S YOUR SEASON!
I T’S THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA IN YOUR LIFE!
I see you getting that job! I see you fulfilling that dream of yours, I see you getting that Visa, I see you getting that school admission, I see you crossing from poverty to prosperity! I see you getting that right relationship! I can see you at the TOP!
Rejoice! Cos it’s your season!
Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to depend on God!
God is not through with you yet!
Put all your FAITH in Him, You will share your TESTIMONY soon!
Written By Paul Ojomu
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In recent times, many believers have lost sight of the true meaning of Christianity. This brutal message is aimed at reminding us as believers about The Essence Of Christianity. God bless you
I always asked myself why I received a lot of criticism and attack when our ministry started. What was different about me, that made everybody practically restless and apprehensive?
Was I wrong to be a young man that loves God?
Was I wrong to love my denomination and believe in her future?
Was I wrong to sacrifice my professional career for the ministry?
Was I wrong to love excellence?
Was it wrong for a pastors kid to become a pastor?
Lots of question on my mind…
I came across this scripture, it blew my mind and answered a lot of questions.
2 Corinthians 12:7
And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
The devil senses greatness when he sees one.
Wherever he sees an abundance of revelation, he knows this is exaltation above measure in-the-making. He can’t keep quiet and watch you have a smooth sail to the other side of your exploit.
When he predicts and senses the greatness you carry, he employs the services of thorns and devilish messengers to buffet you.
Suddenly it looks like all hell is let loose.
My dear, it is the heavy duty assignment and destiny that you carry, that the devil is responding to in advance.
Even the devil couldn’t allow Jesus rest, because the devil perceived his assignment. Attacks everywhere, children were killed just to eliminate the assignment. Temptations, rejections, attacks and betrayal were the thorns in His flesh.
The Devil had never attacked any man the way he attacked Jesus. Because the greater the assignment, the greater the attack.
In most families, those children that their lives come with lots of struggles and battles always grow up to have tremendous destinies. Most of them, their thorns even start from when they were in the womb. Some after their birth, struggle to survive. After the survival, they come up with many untold challenges.
You cry, pray and wonder why it looks as though your case is negatively different.
My dear, it is your destiny speaking.
You might have prayed for the attacks to stop. But they can’t stop, because you have abundant revelation.
The more you know, the more the attacks. Because the devil and his siblings knows that abundant revelation always brings exaltation above measures.
2 Corinthians 12:8-9
Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
But this is the good news. The Grace of God is sufficient for you. It means you have the capacity to pull through it. The attacks are not meant to kill you. After-all, people attack what they don’t know or understand. Your abundant revelation is causing the panic.
Wherever there is an abundance of revelation, there must be exaltation above measures. But before the exaltation above measures, comes the panic attacks from the devil. You are bigger than the thorns.
When same people that attacked us begin say good things about us. I only conclude that the devil only used them as a thorn in our flesh. The thorn on your flesh is nothing but a phase and a process you must go through.
Soon you will be exalted above measures.
This message was written By Francis Udeh Jnr [AG Worship Center Onitsha]
While growing up, we used to sing a song on the assembly ground in my basic school, which, I am sure, readers would know. It goes thus: “Parents listen to your children, we are leaders of tomorrow, try to pay our school fees and give us sound education”.
In my adult life, I have been asking myself the whereabouts of tomorrow’s leaders we have been singing about? What has happened to their hopes? Have they all gone into extinction? At some point, I asked myself, did teachers tell us all that stories to make us strive for excellence in our studies? Was I deceived? May be the leaders of tomorrow have gone into oblivion I thought. At last, while searching, the veil was removed from my sight and I stumbled on the leaders of tomorrow in places not worthy of mentioning.
I saw some in gambling houses, trying to make sudden millions in predicting game. I saw some others engaging in cyber crimes. While I tried to understand if they were in productive ventures; before I could gather my thoughts on what the so-called leaders of tomorrow were up to, SARS officers rounded them up and hurled them into Black Maria. Then, I asked, when shall these leaders emerge?
In a country of over 180 million people, the youth constitute over 65 per cent of its entire population and I wonder why the political class has neglected this very important demography. We must understand that the future of this country lies on the shoulder of the today’s young people and what we invest in them would be a precursor to what the future would look like, whether gloomy or bright.
It is ruinous of the governing class to have forgotten that the most valuable and treasured resources we have are the youths. It is shameful that successive governments have appointed old people to decide the future of young people in the country. One would have thought that the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as president was a good omen for the youth in politics, but sadly, the youth suffered under his administration and we found our way back the old order.
It is not enough to trade blames, we as youths must come out of the delusion and come to terms with the fact that unless we develop and position ourselves strategically, we may never become the leaders of today, much less leaders of tomorrow. The youth of today are lost in a world of illusion brought about by the social media and the Internet. With large following in the social media, we are supposed to see ourselves as movers and shakers, and that we can influence the world from the comfort of our bedrooms. It is a pity that many of us are not using our influence in the social media positively.
Who still thinks political struggle and economic emancipation are a tea party? Prof Browne Onuoha, a foremost Political Scientist, once said for young people to become relevant in the scheme of things politically, “they must carry our political bag”.
We must get ourselves involved. Sadly, the youth of today are carried away with the flamboyant life styles of the Kims of this world, 30 billion gangs and that is why we see every young man wanting to delve into world of entertainment. We must have this at the back of our mind that those social media celebrities we choose to emulate have paid the price for their fame and glory. They toiled steadfastly through hard work, prepared and availed themselves for opportunities to create niche for themselves.
What have young people done to be truly and deservedly called the leaders of tomorrow? Are we ready to pay the price of hard work, diligence, patience, perseverance? It is not enough to shout “not too young to run”, what have we done to equip ourselves when the chances come begging? Ask Hebert Macaulay, Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Odimegwu Ojukwu, Aminu Kano, MKO Abiola, Tai Solarin, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Gani Fawehinmi, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and others, they also passed through the trenches of oppression and repression.
Political revolution is neither a child’s play nor tea party. We would be building false hopes to assume that we would get liberated without challenging the obstinacy of the old order with better ideas.
I have discovered that one of the problems that has hindered the youth from being relevant politically, economically and socially is the declining level of education. Unfortunately, we have an education system that rewards only grades.
Also, I have discovered that sound knowledge of history played an integral part in the developed world. Take a critical look at China and how its embraces its history, culture and values and how its citizens have used this to foster development in the country.
A nation cannot develop when the youths have forgotten their roots. The only way we can embrace true development is to remember our history and we should not forget the labour of our heroes past.
In order to set things right, the youth of today must re-invent themselves, learn and re-learn. We must strive to better ourselves, educate ourselves, learn skills, embrace entrepreneurship, and participate in the political and economic processes. We must understand that the governing class doesn’t want us to have a mental emancipation, rather they are satisfied to have us educated enough to pay our taxes and uneducated enough not to challenge the status quo.
Benjamin Disraeli said: “Almost everything that is great has been by youths.” To achieve greatness as a nation, the youth must be incorporated into the developmental plan of the nation; they must also develop and equip themselves for opportunities in order to be relevant and reach their full potential.
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