IN THE QUEST FOR PEACE IN A GOD REJECTED WORLD (2Sam.7:1) 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 WALKING BLINDLY WITH GOD! 👁‍🗨👁‍🗨👁‍🗨👁‍🗨👁‍🗨👁‍🗨👁‍🗨👁‍🗨👁‍🗨👁‍🗨👁‍🗨👁‍🗨 It seems crazy to think of it...how can I walk blindly when nothing is wrong with my eyes...yet that's God's desire for us... But then, God isn't thinking not talking about our physical eyes at all...it way more than that; Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. (Mat 13: 13) When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. (Mar 2: 17) If we had the choice to walk blindly or by sight, everyone of us would choose to walk by sight. It’s scary to walk blindly because we can’t see what’s ahead. While it may seem safer to have our eyes to rely on, we are actually called to walk blindly with the Lord...and it's called Faith. Many a time in our lives,we do think we see and understand more than God... especially because of somethings He would require us to do. Things that seem like madness in reality. Yet,that is what God wants...to trust Him unconditionally...Pro.3:5 tells us not *to lean on our own understanding* Isaiah 55:9 reminds us, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I have always maintained that until you are CALLED A FOOL because of your walk with God,you haven't really developed a close intimacy with God. His ways are always beyond what we can see or understand, except the ones He wants to He created us, and knows our individual capacity... that's why there's no GRACE MATE. We will never be able to predict God’s ways because He works through the impossible. God loves to show off in our lives and He does so by doing things beyond what we can think or imagine. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” God will not and can never limit Himself to our small-minded thinking. He wants to do miracles in our lives, but WE MUST BE WILLING TO FOLLOW HIM EVEN WHEN IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. We are to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). If we have been accustomed to making decisions based on our common sense, we must ask ourselves are we really walking by faith? We read throughout scripture that the people God used all had to take steps of faith and get out of their comfort zone. God asked Abraham to leave his home and country to a land he couldn’t see. (Genesis 12:1). David who wasn’t trained up as a soldier was able to defeat Goliath, the greatest warrior of his time with just stones and a slingshot (1 Samuel 17:50). God asked Gideon to bring only 300 men to fight against thousands of Midianites. (Judges 7:7). Hosea had to marry a prostitute... imagine God's own prophet marrying a prostitute! Prophet Isaiah had to (under God's Instructions) walk naked it the streets of Israel for three(3) years. Jeremiah,our weeping prophet, sometimes called the prophet of doom ate dung mixed with faeces under Divine direction. The scriptures are replete with amazing stories of weird things God asked His children to do,to demonstrate HIS OMNIPOTENCE, OMNIPRESENCE AND OMNISCIENCE. Just imagine marching round a huge wall,with the battle ready enemy waiting to strike. God asked them all to do what didn’t make sense so that He would have the glory. Scripture makes it clear that God was with them and it was God who brought them success. WHAT OF OUR CHRIST JESUS,PEOPLE NEEDED WINE AT A WEDDING IN CANA, BUT HE TOLD THE SERVANTS TO FILL THE DRUMS WITH WATER AND SERVE IT LIKE THAT TO THE GUESTS...IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE BEST WINE THEY HAD EVER TASTED. IF THE SERVANTS HAD REFUSED AND SAID *HE IS MAD*.... This is the God we serve – the GOD of all IMPOSSIBILITIES Matthew 19:26 says, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” God will never operate in our common sense ways because He doesn’t have to. If He can move in ways that will blow our minds away, He will do it for His glory. What step of faith is God calling you to do? Will you put aside your fears and trust God despite what you see? God wants us to learn to trust Him. It will require us to step into the unknown and believe God will come through. Just as God was with Abraham, David, Gideon, and many others, He is also with us and for us. No matter what we go through, we can rest, knowing God is always working for our good (Romans 8:28). We must remember that we are called to walk blindly with the Lord, trusting that He sees what we don’t. It’s normal to be moving forward without knowing everything. God wants us to learn to depend on Him and less on ourselves. We shouldn’t wait until it all makes sense before we follow God. It’s only when we are willing to surrender our ways to God that we will be able to see Him do wonders in our lives. May we take steps of faith so that we can say, “Not to us, Lord, but to your name be the glory..“(Psalm 115:1). So remember, walk blindly with the Lord. Prayer: Lord, even when things don’t make sense, I trust that You see beyond what I can see. Amen🙇🙏!

JUST A MINUTE, PLEASE! [THE PREACHER'S CORNER] 🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆 THE PULPIT__IS IT FOR THE SOULS OF MEN OR THE SWEAT OF MEN? (PT.ONE) 🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆 By His Grace and Mercy,we have discussed this extensively,but I'm burdened to revisit it. ...but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. (Pro 12: 21 b) This is exactly what's happening today. The wicked are filled with mischief. Let's get one thing clear here. Each time we read about "THE WICKED" in the scriptures,we are quick to POINT fingers at,or RELATE it to our PRESUMED OR PERCEIVED ENEMIES! But on the contrary, THE WICKED, MEANS ANYONE, INCLUDING YOU AND I LIVING OUTSIDE GOD'S WORD... WHETHER YOU'RE A PASTOR, BISHOP, APOSTLE OR WHATEVER TITLE,WE GIVE OURSELVES...IN AS MUCH AS WE ARE NOT LIVING IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD,WE ARE EQUALLY CLASSIFIED BY SCRIPTURES AS "THE WICKED!" It's why sometimes we unknowingly pray against ourselves,and were God to be hasty to answer,many of us would be long gone. Now,ideally,the Church is a place of Salvation,a place of discipleship,a place of grooming and making men for Christ Jesus. It's an environment where lives are broken,moulded and modelled after Christ Jesus to take their place in destiny. Sadly,the focus of our pulpits today is a far cry from what we read in our Bibles. BOTH IN LITTLE AND LARGE ASSEMBLIES, THE ATTENTION IS NO LONGER ON HOW TO HARVEST THE FRUITS OF THE SOUL OF MEN...BUT RATHER, IT'S ON HOW TO HARVEST THE FRUITS OF THE SWEAT OF MEN! The number of unguarded pulpits we see today in solid Bible believing churches is quite shocking. Not unguarded in a physical sense but a spiritual one. Unguarded against those who pretend to deliver God’s Word but instead deliver error to meet their selfish ends. And for a keen observer of the happenings in our pulpits today, these erroneous diversion from God's Undiluted Word has unleashed a scourge more harmful than any satan used to limit her in the dark ages. And this is mostly encouraged by us believers in the PEWS, who have become too distracted and lazy to study God's Word for ourselves nor improve our prayer lives, EXCEPT TO PRAY AGAINST ENEMIES,WHEN WE SHOULD BE PRAYING FOR REVELATIONS AND SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT. WITHOUT REVELATIONS,THERE CAN NEVER BE RESULTS. Today, Churches that offers the prophetic and prosperity as their trademarks are jam-packed during their meetings by fortune seeking christian believers,who usually return home famished in their spirit man. Because, instead of being fed with God's Undiluted Word that brings conviction of our dependency on Christ Jesus for our existence,we are entertained with curious stories and physical expressions,that more than often leaves the hearers with more faith in what satan can do than what God has for us in Christ Jesus. THE ENDGAME OF ALL THESE IS HOW TO REACH DEEPER INTO OUR POCKETS INSTEAD OF OUR HEARTS. MANY ARE MADE TO SELL THEIR HARD-EARNED VALUABLES OR EVEN BORROW TO SOW SEEDS TO THESE WORKERS OF INIQUITIES! A Biblical pastor is one who receives or hears and speaks for God and not self...who also can courageously convey God's Message to His people. That is, they're messengers, servants, shepherds and watchmen of God and not the people; Then spake Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. (Hag 1: 13) Read also,Amos 3:7,Jer.17:16,Isa.62:6,etc. Their authority comes from God alone whose Messages (not their own personal messages) they bear. Jer.1:4-8. The main purpose of God for His Messengers was to bear His Word for the aim of teaching, reproving, correcting and training in righteousness... 2Tm.3:16,1Tm.6:11. But this noble, inspiring and Divine function,very many of us have apparently shunned and abandoned for the filthy lucre of the flesh; 10. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 11. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. (Isa 56: 10-11) But what we fall to understand or perhaps believe is that, God is very much aware and angry with us, including even the people we are misleading who are running to us. God is very much aware of His sheep we are leading astray,and His Judgement has begun in His House; 2. Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; 3. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! (Eze 13: 2-3) And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them. (Jer 14: 16) Read also Eze.14:10,Jer.23:13-22 To be continued by His Grace and Mercy!🙇🙏!

JUST A MINUTE, PLEASE! [THE PREACHER'S CORNER] 🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆 GRACE IN THE MIDST OF THE FIRE! 🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆 As a Christian believer, have you experienced real pain...pain that can't be put into words...pain that no matter how masculine you are,only hot boiling tears can express? Yes,there are some pains that are so overwhelming that we are tempted to shove the Cross aside. Having been in it for a better part of my life,and still in it, without giving up,by His Grace and Mercy, I can boldly tell you, though it isn't easy, THERE'S GOD'S GRACE RIGHT THERE BY YOU, IF YOU DECIDE TO SEE IT! Quitting your Faith is what the devil expects,but YOU AIN'T GOING TO GIVE hIM THAT SATISFACTION. Indeed,there are some fires that most fervent believers are passing through today, that are worse off than Nebuchadnezzar's fire. But because,much of it today is spiritual,many will not understand. As a believer,I must admit that, oftentimes I feel it isn't just worth it, but such thoughts aren't for Christians. I say this because, I know that God is working in my trials and I do believe He has a purpose. But truly, there are days when I struggle to see beyond the pain and, in my humanity, my present feelings cloud my eternal perspective. But some how, I see the GRACE,and I survive the moment. Some days...I want to be rescued, rather than sustained. That's why we're flesh and blood. Remember this, it doesn't matter how blazing the FIRE, He Meets Us There. His GRACE is there to sustain us. Don't bulge... don't yield! He never fails. When our heart grows weary and we feel like giving up the fight, the Spirit draws near, carries us through those moments, and as fix our gaze on Him and cry out to Him, we are gradually infused with a fresh sense of hope and perseverance to trust the One who rules over the length and heat of the fire. He will do that for you today as you re-read Proverbs 17:3...“Gold is put in the fire because it is gold.” It sounds so obvious. But it holds far more meaning than it may seem at face value. You and I are not in the fire to be burned, but to be refined. And He only refines His treasures...that which carries great value and worth in His Eyes. Yes, to be rescued would be temporary relief, but to be refined is a lasting blessing that cannot be lost or taken when the next fire comes. I ask, have you prayed for a miracle and wonder why God has allowed your trial to continue? Have you seen other’s situations improve while yours only seem to worsen? Remember this...God only refines that which He Loves. And to add insult to injury, the enemy often unleashes on those whom God sees worth refining because they are a greater threat to him than those who are drunk with comfort. If God rescues you (which He sometimes does), it shows the world His Power to change circumstances at His Word. But if He doesn’t, and we choose to serve and trust Him anyway, it shows the world His Power to change a heart...a heart that loves Him above all else. Many people (even non-believers) can make sense of our joy over an answered prayer and improved circumstances. And it’s often easy to attribute earthly reasons for why or how our changed circumstances came about. But to the one who continues to endure hardship with a heart that is “sorrowful yet always rejoicing,” there is no earthly explanation for it. It causes us to stop and wonder when someone GROWS in character, peace, perseverance, contentment, hope, strength, and joy in circumstances that should naturally destroy those very things. He Stands With You and I. Brethren, I pray you will be encouraged to press on today...not because you’re strong or resilient enough to endure the flames, but because if you have been chosen in the furnace of affliction, Rather than standing over us with the fire of condemnation (which we all deserve), Christ Jesus stands with you and I, and HE is strong enough to not only endure the flames, but to bring you forth as gold through them. And they will not last a moment longer than HE deems necessary. Charles Spurgeon wrote; “You often think that Christ Jesus does not care because He has not interposed with a great miracle. Gradually you are getting poorer or becoming more afflicted in body. My dear friend, sometimes God works a greater wonder when He sustains people in trouble than by delivering them. To let the bush burn with fire and not be consumed (Ex. 3:2) is a greater thing than quenching the flame and saving the bush.” May our lives bear such testimony. Eternal Life is worth all the Fires of this world. And remember, HIS GRACE IS WITH US IN THE MIDST OF THE FIRE! 🙏🙇!

FROM THE EARTHLY SHEPHERD'S DIARY! 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 IMPATIENCE...THE VIRUS THAT CAUSES MOST OF US TO BE LOST IN TRANSIT! 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 Patience is a very necessary tool in everyone's life, regardless of religious beliefs. But it's even MORE NECESSARY AS A VIRTUE, more than anything in the LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVER! For ye have need of PATIENCE, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Heb 10: 36) Lack of patience has made many of us seeing ourselves ARRIVING OUTSIDE DIVINE TIMING OF OUR DIVINE ASSIGNMENT! Impatience is a dark and prevalent sin that we love to explain away. What excuses do you reach for when your patience runs low? Like Saul,that the people were becoming restless as they didn't see Samuel and so made himself a priest? We all know what it costed him. Do we know that it was IMPATIENCE THAT BREEDED MOSES' ANGER? Lack of patience more often than not, brings our real self...our sinful nature to the surface(Matt.15:11) So where does impatience come from? At bottom, impatience grows out of our unwillingness to trust and submit to God’s timing for our lives. Many pastors have wonderful assignments from God but couldn't wait to be SENT by WHO Owns the assignment,and so they SEND themselves,only to have regrets as their reward. For it's either they're working in a wrong location and labouring for someone else to receive the eternal reward,or they're bluntly disappointed in ministry. Impatience is a child of our pride and unbelief. It rises out of our frustration that we do not control what happens and when in our lives. We see this dynamic in the wilderness, among the people God has just delivered from slavery and oppression: From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God. (Numbers 21:4–5) “Impatience grows out of our unwillingness to trust and submit to God’s timing for our lives.” Even after God had brought them out of Egypt, and walked them through the Red Sea, and wiped out their enemies behind them, and fed them with food that fell from heaven, they still grew impatient. Why? Because the life God had promised them, the kind of life they really wanted, didn’t come fast enough. The path he had chosen for them was longer and harder and more painful than they expected. They grew angry over how much they could not control. So much so, in fact, that they even began to long for the cruelty of Pharaoh,for to them,they at least got to choose what they ate (Exodus 16:3). Our impatience has much in common with theirs. But we ought to know that God’s plans for us are famous for upending our plans for ourselves; For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jer 29: 11) So when we are confronted with our lack of control, when life inevitably interrupts what we had planned, when we are forced to wait, we typically respond with discomfort. IMPATIENCE tries to wrestle with God for control, while PATIENCE gladly kneels, with hands spread wide, ready to receive all that God has planned and given. Impatience grumbles, while patience rejoices, even while it experiences real pains of delay. So where does PATIENCE come from? If IMPATIENCE is a child of our pride and unbelief, PATIENCE springs from humility, faith, and joy. Humility subverts impatience by gladly admitting how little we can see in any given moment, however difficult or inconvenient the moment may be. When we grow impatient, we overestimate our own ability to judge our circumstances, and we underestimate the good God can do through unwanted inconveniences and unexpected delays. The humble receive the same inconveniences and delays as callings, not DISTRACTIONS...as God revealing HIS WILL and TIMING through them. 👉 IMPATIENCE IS A TOOL OF DISTRACTION BY THE DEVIL, TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY(SKD)OUR MANDATE...OUR DESTINY...OUR JOY! You see, if the enemy can’t destroy you he will distract you. But our adversary is predictable and uses the same old tricks time and time again. It is up to us to stay alert so that we won't fall prey to the enemy. The purpose of distractions are to get you out of God’s will. The enemy wants you so preoccupied with your situation that you take your eyes off of God. Focusing on your situation will make it seem like it’s bigger than God, but it’s not. God is greater than anything we could be up against. For instance, he will make a woman look at herself that, she's getting old and still unmarried. Impatience then makes her to marry outside God's Will for her. And when married with no child,the enemy makes her see her friends' bubbling with children,not taking cognizance of the fact that God is reserving her womb for a great seed. And so, impatiently,she seeks for children outside God...and the consequences are usually hard to bear. For the men,they see their school mates hitting it big, living in mansions and driving big cars,and wonder what they are waiting for. They no longer remember as believers,we have our different timing by God. They may be soberly patient enough to even think about how those school mates hit it big(probably within a short time frame)! Before you know it, they're out of the PATH AND WAY OF HOLINESS THEY SO HOLD DEAR BEFORE. It's the enemy at work...steal,kill, destroy (Jn.10:10) It's the reason evil social vices are on the increase daily. Some self sent pastors go into the occult and resort to sorcery to make it in ministry. THEY WANT THE POWER, BUT AREN'T PATIENT ENOUGH TO WAIT FOR THE GIVER OF THE ULTIMATE POWER...THEY VENTURE OUTSIDE THE COUNSEL OF HIS WORD AND PIERCE THEMSELVES (1TM.6-10). The enemy also distracts us with words and with actions. Understand that when the enemy speaks it’s always a lie! There is no truth in him as he is the father of lies (John 8:44). You can discern his voice because it plants seeds of fear and doubt. He’ll use anything: past wounds, idols in your life, social media, good God-given desires (such as the desire to be married like I mentioned above), and even your friends. If we fall for the distractions then we will become ineffective in our faith. You have a unique purpose, but the enemy doesn’t want you to live it out. He’ll use social media to get you focused on how much attention someone else is getting so you’ll pursue popularity instead of purpose, ALL BECAUSE OF IMPATIENCE. BEFORE WE KNOW IT,WE ARE LOST IN TRANSIT... BECAUSE WE DECIDED TO TAKE A WRONG ROUTE,WHICH WE FEEL IS EASIER AND SHORTER... THAT'S HOW THE ENEMY WILL PAINT IT. Our adversary will send “friends” into your life who are fun to be around but discourage you from walking in obedience. Realize that not all distractions are negative or troubling. Some look like answered prayers, like a man who is seemingly everything you want as a woman,etc. That’s why it’s crucial to use discernment. All that glitters ain't God.So what do we do? How do we avoid these pitfalls? 👉Expect the attack Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. - 1 Peter 5:8 The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5 that the devil is looking for someone to devour, but many of us are still caught off guard when the attack and distractions comes. We have to expect that we will be attacked. We may not know how or when, but we can make an educated guess. When the enemy comes to plant doubt and fear, be ready to talk back to Him with TRUTH! Throw it in his face! When you feel weak remember that God’s Power is made perfect weakness (2 Cor 12:10). God is with you, so stand up and don’t be afraid. 👉Walk in your God-given authority Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. (Luke 10:19) Christ Jesus has given us authority over ALL the power of the enemy. The enemy knows his time and power is limited, and that you can overcome him. As a follower of Christ Jesus, be firm enough to rebuke unsolicited advice outside God's Word, and walk out of ungodly associations, no matter how genuine they look. Take time to study spiritual warfare. Read Ephesians 6 and 2 Corinthians 10:3-6. 👉Stay close to the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4 Shepherds care for their sheep. They lead them to food, guide them away from danger, and protect them from attacks. Christ Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Stay close to Him. When we are under attack by distraction and are afraid, our first instinct is to protect ourselves and run. But isolation is the worst thing you can do. Train yourself to run to the Shepherd at all time, but especially when attacks(distractions occasioned by impatience) come. That’s where the protection is. Christ Jesus laid down His life for us. We can trust Him because He’s proven His love for us. WHEN WE WALK FAITHFULLY WITH HIM IN ABSOLUTE SURRENDER, WE CAN NEVER BE LOST IN TRANSIT, AMEN🙇🙏!

FROM THE EARTHLY SHEPHERD'S DIARY! 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 SOME FACTORS THAT INHIBIT OUR "CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH"! (JUDE 3-4) 🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥🚥 When asked what the opposite of faith is... these six answers verily come to mind, perhaps in the order below👇; 👉Unbelief 👉Self Sufficiency 👉Doubt 👉Fear 👉Sight 👉Inaction While it's true that all the answers(especially unbelief) are correct,yet the 4th one "FEAR," is the most resounding factor that feeds our UNBELIEF. Also,all the six answers are actually incredibly linked to one another. The environment we found ourselves in, has the potential of negatively or positively impacting on our Faith, and then, contending for it. This is where FEAR and DOUBT(UNCERTAINTY) come in. Thus, while we may look into all six, I want us to start with FEAR, and I'm sure that by the time we look into it, you will see no need in looking into the rest, for they're truly interrelated. 👉FEAR...A BROTHER TO DOUBT! “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40). “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6). I began by emphasizing on our ENVIRONMENT as a major factor at play in the exercise of our FAITH... that's CONTENDING FOR OUR FAITH! 👉 MATRIMONIAL ENVIRONMENT Like all married couples, my wife and I occasionally used to express our disagreements with a certain unhelpful zeal… In other words, we fight,which unfortunately often opens the door to the enemy, always lurking around(1Pt.5:8) However important the issue might seem at the time, we have come to realize that our disputes are often over stupid or trivial things,so that we can claim the title of the *Rightiest Person in the Room.* And having discovered that, we mutually agreed to respect each other's opinion,going forward, to avoid "frigidity" in all our discourses. Unfortunately,this also affects BIBLICAL ISSUES oftentimes, where we may have different understanding in some scriptural doctrines. Here,though we are fully convinced of our beliefs, DOUBT AND FEAR OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF ENFORCING SAME ON OUR SPOUSES,WHO MAY NOT SHARE THE SAME ZEAL,END UP SHUTTING US UP. Why? We are avoiding friction in the family. The truth here is that,we are doing a great DISSERVICE TO OUR FAITH,AND BY EXTENSION,OUR GOD! It might be okay in secular issues, but certainly not in issues that involves our ETERNAL LIFE. Therefore,we must prayerfully and in love,spiced with patience and tolerance bring our disagreeing spouses to the Light of God's Word convicted in us. NO STAKES ARE HIGHER THAN OUR ETERNITY, EXCEPT WE DON'T TRULY LOVE OUR SPOUSES! 👉PEER AND EXTENDED FAMILY ENVIRONMENT The fear of *WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF ME, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING FRIENDS AND FAMILY RECKONING,* has made many of us to doubt the wisdom in CONTENDING FOR OUR FAITH when in their midst. And as such,we lose many opportunities of winning souls to God. Personally, I've this problem,and I see in it selfishness more than fear,for Salvation is involved here. Thus,we must redefine our priorities and put God first in all our dealings,no matter how hard the situation is.(Jas.1:22) 👉 WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT This is almost like our peer and extended family environment. The FEAR OF LOSING OUR JOBS BY OFFENDING OUR EMPLOYERS AND COWORKERS MAKE MANY OF US TO HIDE OUR FAITH. Very sadly, in many cases,we find ourselves compromising our Biblical standards,just to fit in...and even sometimes end up enjoying these laxities and eventually lose our spirituality on the altar of the flesh. IT'S VERY ACCURATE TO SAY THAT MANY LOSE THEIR FAITH IN THEIR WORK PLACES/ENVIRONMENT, IN PREFERENCE TO "TEMPORARILY" LOSING THEIR JOBS! We have cases where Female marketing officers(including christians) sleep with potential clients in order to meet targets. Here,we have doubt,self-sufficiency and trusting the physical at work. We don't believe that God can make us meet target,"IF WE DENY HIM NOT," and resort to sinfully misleading human wisdom; “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). “We walk by faith not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (Jas 1: 17) 👉 ENVIRONMENT OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL PRESSURES Traditional beliefs and practices often clash with Christian values, oftentimes leading to social pressure and discrimination...This includes Religious Extremism. And this leads to not just discrimination,but persecution as it's being experienced in Northern Nigeria and other parts of the world. BUT, THERE'S NO BETTER TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO "CONTEND FOR OUR FAITH!" (Jude 3-4) Easier said than done,you say,but God giveth Grace in all things. Everyone who has begun to travel down the road of faith knows that there can be obstacles along the way. Some spiritual obstacles cannot be avoided, but they can be overcomed. 👉 HOWEVER, IN CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH, WE MUST; (A)Demonstrate humility: Christians can and must contend without being contentious. Just like Jude’s audience, we have been called by, purchased by, and kept for Christ Jesus. Whatever insights we may have into Scripture are not due to our superior intellectual or moral attainments...they are gifts from God meant to bring Him glory and honor. This is why, in all our contending, we must reject “an unhealthy craving for controversy” (“1 Timothy 6:4), and instead “be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” (Titus 3:1–2). The contentious person is simply looking for a fight. He “stirs up division … is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:10–11). (B) Love others: Contending is not about making doctrine more important than people. Christ Jesus’ message to the church at Ephesus is instructive for us on this point. In Revelation 2, we read: I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. (Revelation 2:2-3) This is what Christ Jesus wants from us,as *WE CONTEND FOR THE FAITH!* May God grant us grace to love others with no less fervor than we love the truth...Amen🙇🙏!