STAY AFLOAT!!!

 “The world is drowning, don’t sink with it.” (Sever Andzenge)

Exodus 1:22-2:1-10 - ²² So Pharaoh issued a general order to all his people: “Every boy that is born, drown him in the Nile. But let the girls live.” ^1-3 A man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman. The woman became pregnant and had a son. She saw there was something special about him and hid him. She hid him for three months. When she couldn’t hide him any longer she got a little basket-boat made of papyrus, waterproofed it with tar and pitch, and placed the child in it. Then she set it afloat in the reeds at the edge of the Nile.

^4-6 The baby’s older sister found herself a vantage point a little way off and watched to see what would happen to him. Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the Nile to bathe; her maidens strolled on the bank. She saw the basket-boat floating in the reeds and sent her maid to get it. She opened it and saw the child—a baby crying! Her heart went out to him. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrew babies.”

⁷ Then his sister was before her: “Do you want me to go and get a nursing mother from the Hebrews so she can nurse the baby for you?”

⁸ Pharaoh’s daughter said, “Yes. Go.” The girl went and called the child’s mother.

⁹ Pharaoh’s daughter told her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me. I’ll pay you.” The woman took the child and nursed him.

¹⁰ After the child was weaned, she presented him to Pharaoh’s daughter who adopted him as her son. She named him Moses (Pulled-Out), saying, “I pulled him out of the water.”

It is not news that the world we live in at the moment is becoming dangerous by the day. God is being gradually taken out of every single aspect of society. I was thinking about all the stuff going down and I’m just like, ‘Oh mehn, I really don’t wanna bring a child into this drowning world which is sinking real deep and deep in the twinkle of an eye. It’s scary raising a child in such a world. He would have to be protected from almost everything at a point. #sigh#  It’s truly scary. However, there is still hope for the coming generation if we play our cards right. Yes, there’s hope.

Let’s take a look at the Biblical account above. Three important things stand out from that story; the Nile, the basket, and the lady Miriam.

v The Nile River represents the world and its many distractions. Because of course we live in the world, we are in no way shielded from the many distractions it presents. It is a flowing river with numerous distractions. Some of these distractions include humanistic beliefs, the fashion craze, ungodly music, the crave to belong, homosexuality and many others. There are distractions grabbing at our attention by the day. And what are these distractions? In simple terms, they are things that take our eyes off the goal ahead of us. Therefore, we must beware of such distractions and rely on God’s helps and grace to keep us focused on the goal, which is to live for God’s own pleasure.

v The Basket represents the Word of God. The Word of God is what is able to keep us afloat the waters of evil. Without the Word of God we will sink deep down into the waters of the ‘Nile’ (the world) and drown. Moses’ mother made a basket of papyrus and even went ahead to coat it with pitch and tar so it would stay afloat and so also to prevent the waters of the Nile from seeping into the basket and drowning her child. A time will come when we would have to release our children into the waters of the world and the only thing we can give them to help them stay afloat is the Word of God. The Word of God will serve as a basket that will keep them from drowning with the world. The Word of God is the only weapon that we have to fight the battle against the evil one. Therefore, we as parents and parents-to-be are responsible for immersing our children in the Word of God so that even when they aren’t under our watchful eyes, we can be confident that they will not sink, just like Moses’ mother had confidence that her baby wouldn’t sink in the basket she made for him. Also, she made the basket HERSELF. This means that no one else but US as parents must teach our children the Word of God. It is our responsibility and God will hold us accountable.

v The Lady Miriam represents destiny helpers and disciplers in the lives of our children. We must back up our teachings of God’s Word with prayer, constantly asking God to raise destiny helpers and disciplers for our children wherever they are thrown to in this life. Such people serve as watchmen and encouragers to our children. God can raise them anywhere; at their schools, work places, church, wherever. God raise some for a season, and some for a lifetime, but in every place, He has placed ‘Miriams’ who will help our children walk into the destiny that the Lord God has prepared for them.

Moses’ mother saw that her child was a special child and had a destiny to fulfill and that was why she did all she could to keep him alive; which included letting him into the Nile. To current parents and us future parents, we must see our children as special and each with a destiny to fulfill. The life Moses’ mother preserved became the redeemer of his people.

To us as parents and grown people, the world is drowning, but we can’t and shouldn’t sink with it. We have the Word of God which is able to keep us afloat and alive to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives.

So… there’s hope for the future, I just have to play my role well and be confident that God’ Word will be able to keep me and my child/children from drowning.

STAY AFLOAT!!! The Lord is counting on you to raise a godly generation.

 REFERENCES:

The Holy Bible (MSG & NIV)

STorMs oF LiFe...

Luke 8:22-25 “One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

1.       You were born to face the storm – I’m sure you’re most likely wondering, like huh? Well… the truth is that you were actually born to face the storm. Storms of life were never reserved for a particular set of people.  As far as you are alive, life will definitely bring storms your way, small ones and mighty big ones.

2.     Jesus does not promise me a life void of storms, but He does promise to be there with me and give me peace when the storm comes. - Jesus, being God, most definitely knew that a storm was coming on when He and His disciples got into the boat. He is well aware of the fact that I will experience storms in my life, but when the storms come, His peace which passeth all understanding will guard my heart and mind (Philippians 4:7). God’s presence and peace is far greater than any storm I have faced, I am facing, or will ever face.

3.     Do NOT chicken out of a storm! – Just like there’s light at the end of every tunnel, so also is there land at the other side of every storm! Be ready for the storm and courageously face it. Once you have Jesus in your boat, you do not need to worry about the storm. Because He has power over every storm, I do not need to fear anything.

4.     Faith in Jesus will see me through any storm –Where is your faith? Are you passing through depression, fear, the loss of a loved one or even physical pain? Put your faith in Jesus Christ! These are all storms of life and only your faith will take you through it all. Faith is key if I must successfully get to the other side of the storm. Sure, you’ll probably lose it every once in a while but do not lose your faith. Remember that even if you have faith like a mustard seed, it can work wonders for you. (Luke 17:6) In those moments when you think you are drowning, call out to Jesus to raise you up! He is able!

“Lord, I do not ask you to prevent me from the storm because I am not immune to storms of life. All I ask is that you increase my faith in You. Deliver me from doubt so that You can bring me to the other side. Amen.”

References:

The Holy Bible

Images from Google Search

Nuggets To Help You Study Better

Hey folks!

Personal study has helped me a great deal in my academic journey for the few years of my life nowJ.  I would like to share with you what I have learned and practiced over time that I believe will help you study better. Yes you.

1.               Identify what keeps you alert: This is very important as a key element in studying is staying awake. It’s obvious that you can’t study while asleep. For some people like me, music is quite adequate to keep us awake while we study and does not pose much of a distraction. For some other people it’s sipping on coffee or eating. Find what keeps you awake.

2.           Develop a positive attitude towards all your subjects: In many cases, when you dislike a subject, you find it very hard to want to study it. This is because your dislike for it will cause you to see only the difficult sides of the subject and make it look impossible to understand or even eventually pass with good grades. When I developed a positive attitude toward Mathematics, I found it easier to study and had good grades at the end. Attitude is important folks!

3.           Study in a conducive environment: It is best to avoid noisy or crowded places. It is also advisable to stay away from places that have any distractions that you know will cause you to have divided attention. A serene and quiet environment is the best to study in. This does not include your bed!

4.           Set out a specific time daily to study: Set out an hour or two, or even three that is convenient for you to study on a daily basis. Try as much as possible not to allow this time encroach upon your resting time. Avoid time stealers! Do not allow anything unimportant to take you away from you study time.

5.           Sit up!!!! : Do not make the mistake of fooling yourself thinking that you can study lying down on your bed. This technique is very tricky! You can become too comfortable and fall asleep before you know it. Therefore, it is advisable to study using a table and chair.

6.           Are you a night owl or a day person? : When do you study best? At night or during the day? Find out what time suits you and fix your study period then. Personally, I find it easier to study at night.

7.            Set goals: For each daily period of study, set goals for yourself. Write down all the things you want to achieve in that period. It is important to write it down. This list should include the subjects you want to study, the duration of time allotted to study each subject and the topics you want to cover under each subject. Additionally, set long term and short term academic goals. What do you want to achieve in each particular subject by mid-term? End of term?

8.           Turn it off!!! : Unless you are using your mobile phone for research purposes, if possible, turn it off while you study. You will see the difference.

9.           Rest well: In order to study better, you also need to rest well. Make effort to get enough sleep daily.  Well, I would say 8 hours if possible. Hahaha. This will keep your mind ticking and also aid in avoiding exhaustion.

10.     Pay attention in class: This too is important for better studying. When you listen in class, it makes your personal study easier and more understandable. You will only be studying to refresh your memory from the lecture and you will have more time to carry out more research on your topics.

Finally, my advice? STUDY, STUDY, STUDY. Do not wait for the rush period before tests or exams to study.  When you study daily, you will be able to make more valuable contributions in class. You will also be better prepared, have better composed answers, and be much more relaxed for tests and exams. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (KJV) Burn your midnight candles, bulbs, phone lights and torchlights now, it will all be worth it in the end.  J

References:

The Holy Bible (King James Version)

Pictures from Google Search Engine

Follow, Follow… Who are you following?

I listened to a story of a man who went to Germany for a couple of days. He went out to a restaurant to eat and at some point needed to use the loo. Well, since he couldn’t read German, he decided to follow this man who was going to the loo as well. On getting there, he walked in and used the toilet. However, when he was done and about to open the door and leave, he heard women’s voices just outside his door. Then it hit him!!! First of all, he realized that that was not a “man” he followed, but actually a woman, dressed and appearing like a man. Secondly, he had just been led into the ladies loo! He had followed the wrong person and ended up in a wrong place! He was so ashamed to come out while they were there, so he had to wait until all the ladies left and then he quickly left the toilet! Funny story but one that holds some heavy truth for you and me. 

1 Peter 2:21 says “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”

The question I’d like to ask here is this: Who are you following? And where is that person leading you to? The story at the beginning is clear proof that it matters very much who you follow as much as where that person is leading you to. These days, many of us have gotten sidetracked from following the perfect example of Jesus Christ. We feel that following Jesus, and following Him keenly is too much of a difficult task for us. We are not fully ready to take up our cross and follow Jesus. We are not yet ready to slam the door in that old man’s face (self). We are not ready to boldly stand on what is right even when we may have to do that alone. We are more attracted to following fellow humans who seem like the perfect examples to us. I am not saying that it is wrong to look up to a human that you respect and that follows Christ, that’s good…especially if you are in a discipleship relationship with such a one, but we must be careful not to make any man our standard for life. Jesus is the standard for us to follow. He is the perfect pattern Son. No human man can ever bring us to where Jesus can. They are not capable enough to form the life of Christ inside of us. Only Jesus can. Remember that you become who you follow. Man can easily lead you to hell.

But Jesus is calling us to follow Him… Matthew 16:24 says, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” It’s a choice to follow Jesus, however, we MUST also be ready to say ‘No’ to ourselves and take up our cross and follow Jesus.

We must be cautious about who we follow, because following the wrong person will automatically lead you to the wrong destination… ultimately, you must also have an envisioned destination in mind before deciding on who to follow. I therefore ask you, what is your expected end? Where do you intend to arrive at? Following Jesus will surely bring us to an expected end, Heaven. And in following Him, we are learning of Him, and He is making us into His likeness… this in turn will cause us to become pointers, pointing others to Jesus. Even as we follow Jesus, we must be careful not to become idols of men, but ONLY pointers to the One whom they must follow; JESUS.

Remember, JESUS is the standard for godly living…. Do you desire a godly life? Follow Jesus. 

References:

The Holy Bible

Story told by Dr. Ackah

Images from- niceonenana.com, stjohnsranmoor.org.uk, friskychile.blogspot.com

ZOOMED OUT – Not I, but CHRIST.

John 3:30 – “He must become greater; I must become less.” (NIV) “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (KJV)

I love cameras, being both in front of it and behind it. A shout out to all camera lovers reading this. #highfive# This one’s for you.

You’ll agree with me that using practical examples to pass on a Biblical truth makes more meaning than just going on and on about it. When a practical example is given that I can relate to, the truth behind it sticks to my heart for life. Last Sunday I was in discipleship class when the issue of what it means for Jesus to be magnified in my life was brought up. And almost immediately a bell went ding! in my head. And I was like wait a minute, wait a minute… I can so relate to this!

Okay, okay, okay, so this is what came to my mind: When a camera zooms in on a particular object or image, it focuses solely on that thing and the other parts of the background just kinda fade away from the area that the camera lens is zoomed in on at the moment. So simple an example, yet carrying such heavy truth! I felt God speaking directly to me on the issue being discussed. I realized that when Jesus is magnified in my life, I am no longer seen, but Christ is seen in full view of everyone who looks at my life. Like Apostle Paul would say, “…Not I but Christ…” (Galatians 2:20)

This equally means that my sole duty as a believer should be to live for Christ in every area of my life. When I do this consistently, the lens would be zoomed IN on Christ, and I on the other hand, will be zoomed OUT. And this brings to mind when the rapper Lecrae says, “I could play the background, so won’t You take the lead?”

Jesus Christ must be seen in me and through me. When that happens, He is being magnified. And I am reminded from the Bible that when the Son of Man is lifted up, He will draw all men to Himself.

Its time for me to zoom OUT… so that Jesus can zoom IN…

I leave you with the lyrics of Lecrae’s song, “Background”

Bless…

"Background"
(feat. C-Lite)

[Chorus:]
I could play the background
I could play the background
Cause I know sometimes I get in the way
So won't You take the lead, lead, lead?
So won't You take the lead, lead, lead?
And I could play the background, background
And you could take the lead

[Verse 1:]
It's evident you run the show, so let me back down
You take the leading role, and I'll play the background
I know I miss my cues, know I forget my lines
I'm sticking to your script, and I'm reading all your signs
I don't need my name in lights, I don't need a starring role
Why gain the whole wide world, If I'm just going lose my soul
And my ways ain't pure if I don't live according to Your Word
I can't endure this life without Your wisdom being heard
So word, to every dancer for a pop star
'Cause we all play the background, but mine's a rockstar
Yeah, so if you need me I'll be stage right
Praying the whole world will start embracing stage fright
So let me fall back, stop giving my suggestions
'Cause when I follow my obsessions, I end up confessing
That I'm not that impressive, matter of fact
I'm who I are, a trail of stardust leading to the superstar

[Chorus:]
I could play the background
I could play the background
Cause I know sometimes I get in the way
So won't You take the lead, lead, lead?
So won't You take the lead, lead, lead?
And I could play the background, background
And you could take the lead

[Verse 2:]
I had a dream that I was captain of my soul
I was master of my fate, lost control, and then I sank
So I don't want to take the lead, 'cause I'm prone to make mistakes
All these folks who follow me, gon' end up in the wrong place
So let me just shadow you, let me trace your lines
Matter of fact, just take my pen, here, you create my rhymes
'Cause if I do this by myself, I'm scared that I'll succeed
And no longer trust in you, 'cause I only trust in me
And see, that's how you end up headed to destruction
Paving a road to nowhere, pour your life out for nothing
You pulled my card, I'm bluffing, You know what's in my hand
Me, I just roll and trust you, You cause the dice to land
I'm in control of nothing, follow you at any cost
Some call it sovereign will, all I know is you the boss
Man, I'm so at ease, I'm so content
I'll play the background, like it's an instrument

[Chorus:]
I could play the background
I could play the background
Cause I know sometimes I get in the way
So won't You take the lead, lead, lead?
So won't You take the lead, lead, lead?
And I could play the background, background
And you could take the lead

[Bridge:]
I know I'm safest when I'm in Your will, and trust Your Word
I know I'm dangerous when I trust myself, my vision blurred
And I ain't got no time to play life's foolish games
Got plenty aims, but do they really Glorify Your name
And it's a shame, the way I want to do these things for You, yeah
Don't even cling to you, take time to sit and glean from You
It seems You were patient in my ignorance
If ignorance is bliss, it's 'cause she never heard of this

[Chorus:]
I could play the background
I could play the background
Cause I know sometimes I get in the way
So won't You take the lead, lead, lead?
So won't You take the lead, lead, lead?
And I could play the background, background
And you could take the lead