Forgive and Forget...

When God has an area He wants us to address, our thinking, meditation and even exhortation from outside points to that particular topic or issue. In the last week or so, forgiveness has been one area God has been dropping in my heart and I have been doing some soul searching asking God to help me in any area I might be failing as regards this and you as well.

 

A woman who has worked for years alongside her husband, has sacrificed not only time but her entire life to improve a man's lot, build a life for him, assist him in moving forward in life and all of a sudden, the man is all made and the woman no longer befits his status!

 

A man who forms a partnership with his friend and the friend decides to outsmart him and dupe him. A friend you assisted and raised from the dung decides to slander your name and give you away to those who particularly do not like you. The scenarios are endless...

 

You and I know there are so many scenarios where human limitations and weaknesses hurt and break hearts. I used the common examples for fear of touching overly sensitive areas in the lives of people. Whatever the case maybe, God is calling us to forgive and forget. I hear this all the time, when we talk about forgetting can a woman forget the face her rival who 'stole' her husband? Can a man forget the face of his buddy who decided to have an affair with his wife? Can a woman forget the face of a drunk driver who killed her only son? and so on and so forth.

 

Whatever way you and I have been offended or grieved, the Word of God is this:

Proverbs 24:29 KJV

"Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work".

 

God alone is the one who is able to pay everyman the due he deserves and award the right judgement for each one's deed. Beyond what you can imagine or do God is able to give everyman a recompense many years after the fact, when you no longer have the strength or ability to fight back.

 

How you been cheated, hurt, offended and you know without a doubt that you are right? Then whole heartedly turn your hurt over to God. He will heal your heart and restore your joy and when you think its all over, nothing can be done about the injustice you experienced, the righteous JUDGE of the whole earth will rise on your behalf to punish those who have grieved your soul.

For your own good, the year is running to an end, find it in your heart to Forgive and Forget.

Who Speaks?

The weight of a word depends often on who speaks it. When wisdom is displayed in speeches, preaching or verbal communication, audience and respect would be given to the speaker.

 

 A friend of mine told me that her guardian at a time told her that she had never come across a child as dumb as her before. What did she do wrong? She had a grade of 'C' in mathematics... This individual is smart and her children are very brilliant, so she expected my friend to possess the same level of smartness as her children. Since my friend could not, her guardian called a friend and was discussing her 'situation' with the friend. "Auntie" as the friend was called said to my friend; 'you better start having babies because education is not meant for you'. My friend was content with the decision but wanted to work and find the right guy before starting to produce children. She got married and her husband told her "you lack insight to how life works because you are not educated". Her spouse's words confirmed what she had heard before! I love this story because my friend in her own words said from then she saw education as a personal war that she had to win. Today she is a graduate and doing well in her chosen field.

 

A whole lot of times we are hurt by utterances, words that are spoken especially by those who are close to us; parents or those who stand in position of authority or validation; spouses, bosses, siblings, close friends and so on. There are so many people whose lives have been defined by the utterances that were spoken to their lives a long time ago. They just do not know how to go beyond such hurtful and nasty words.

 

When the mean or hurtful words are spoken by those close to us and we tend to see the 'manifestation' perhaps years later, we often times conclude that such words are true and we cannot do anything about them. How many children have been told by their parents or guardians that they cannot amount to anything or that they will only go so far in life. When such children come across 'normal' life challenges, they do not have the determination to forge ahead to overcome obstacles. If a man tell his wife, you can never be productive or you are dumb, lazy or good for nothing, the woman may internalize such words and find herself unable to reach out to pursue any meaningful goal in life. If you are quick to remind your husband where his peers are or how he falls short as a man, then you are hurting and limiting his potentials. Such words do not go away, they play back at times when he is alone! We remember words that some of our siblings said to us when younger or how they compared us to friends or other children around such words make us believe the worst about ourselves when faced with life's challenges.

 

However, all these things do not matter because the word of God is asking a question this morning:

Lamentations 3:37 NKJV

 

"³⁷ Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass,
      When the Lord has not commanded it?"

 

For me when situations present themselves and I seem to have a sentence that is not pleasing in any particular situation, I ask the situation this question and guess what? It does not matter who or what, the answer will always be NO ONE! You do not need any man to validate or discount you, God has the final say because He is the only one who controls times and seasons! So if negativity has been spoken into your destiny, arise and cancel it, reaffirm who you are in God and what He has said concerning you. To answer life's question, you have to know the all knowing God who has all the power and answers. Tell your situation it is lying, tell your limitations that you will forge ahead, be determined to apply violence against anything that want to steal or rubbish your destiny. It is only from the mouth of the Most High that woe and well-being proceed. In other words, when am in favour with God no man can speak negativity to my life and render me captive.  Go into this week with confidence in the word of God and face every man and situation with the right answer; only God has the final say!

 

Shalom!

Too Marvelous?

The streets were deserted and empty, no one lived up to be called aged, the land had been ravaged and hope was all gone. That was the situation of things in Jerusalem and perhaps that describes your present situation - dead end, hopelessness. The report of the doctor, your inability to gain admission or make progress at work. The home you have given up everything to build has collapsed. It seems all is gone especially when you compare notes with your friends, peers and contemporaries. You wonder why you had to be the one married to your spouse who is difficult, impossible as a matter of fact he/she has done nothing but slow you down in life.

 

Hear ye the word of the Lord: Zechariah 8:6 -7

 ⁶ This is what the LORD Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the LORD Almighty.

 ⁷ This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. ⁸ I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”

 

God is asking you a question about your situation; "will it seem marvelous (hard, difficult, impossible) for me? He is the God of all flesh and nothing will be impossible for Him. When your situation steers you in face, bombards you with ideas that are ungodly or magnifies itself above your God. Then you need to identify the word of God that answers to that situation and refuse to give up. Take God's word back to him and since He created all things He is able to cause that difficult teenager to be transformed, build you a house regardless of what the economy of the world is saying, make your impossible spouse your hearthrob again and bring that long awaited promotion.

He has the key to unlock the barrier to your breakthrough, success and yes, nothing shall be impossible with Him. What is it that you think is too marvelous? God says not with Him! Take hold of His word, apply it and give Him upfront praise! Solution is here do not give up!.

 

Celebration cometh!

Fragrance of Christ

Fragrances are always refreshing, soothing and welcoming. Whether cologne, perfume, deodorant or air freshner, we all enjoy walking into a clean car, room or area with a fresh smell of flowers or fruits. Have you also noticed how the smell of a nice perfume can change the ambience of a  gathering? When you hug someone wearing a nice perfume, the smell lingers long after they have left. The names of some perfumes are comely that you would like to see or smell them; Beautiful, Pretty,Pleasures and so on.

Even so God has called us to diffuse, exude the sweet fragrance of Christ everywhere we go among Christians and unbelievers alike. It is very easy to be a Christian in church and another person when at work or among our circular friends in order not be considered weird. Every time I plug an airfreshner  into the socket I feel good about my environment because the smell is nice. When we exude the fragrance of Christ among believers, God is glorified, when we attest to our relationship with Christ through our lifestyle and conduct, unbelievers cannot but marvel at how God can be evident in a life. Kindness, good works, selflessness,  righteous living, holiness and contentment make others see God in us and through us. I ask myself just the same way I would love you to ask yourself; what kind of fragrance do I bring into God's nostrils by my lifestyle? The ingenuity of manufacturers is seen in their ability to bring whatever smell you want to perceive to you; lavender, ocean, tropics, strawberry, spices and so on.

2 Corinthians 2:15 NKJV

"For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing".

Have you ever sat close to someone who smells dirty and nasty? Phew! You will choke, puke and your system will be upset for as long as they hang around close to you. That is exactly how we are to God among believers or unbelievers when our lives do not glorify God. Do you give off a sweet smell to God  by the way you treat your spouse? Do you represent God positively to those around you or are you always an offence to others? Pride, ego,cheating, lying, selfishness, greed and violence make us irritating before believers and unbelievers alike. I mixing fragrances so its hard to identify what am wearing. So also we can mix the fruit of the spirit and unbelievers and believers will always sum ourlives up as sweet fragrance. When you mistreat or abuse your spouse you become pungent unto God's nostrils. When your way of life falls short of God's expectations you become a bad odor and not a fragrance! God has deposited in us all it takes to make a difference. So you need to yeild unto God totally in order to be a sweet fragrance.  

Blessings!