Have you noticed how candid the Bible is about its heroes? It doesn’t whitewash the flaws and foibles of its characters.
Abraham is not only the Father of All Who Believe but the scared rabbit who puts his wife in jeopardy to save his neck. King David is not only the Man After God’s Heart but the adulterer who lies and kills a man to try to keep the affair from being exposed.
Peter is not only First Among Equals in the band of apostles but the frightened fisherman who denies knowing Jesus of Nazareth in his hour of need – not once, but three times.
So how can these people be “saints” and “examples” to the rest of us? How are we supposed to find hope and encouragement from reading their stories?
That que...
Posts with Tag: Love
“Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing'” (Luke 23:34). What must people around his cross have thought?
Hatred seems to come so easily to human beings. In a tit-for-tat world, forgiveness seems to make no sense. Why should I turn the other cheek after an insult, if I can match his – and go him one better? Why should you overlook her slight, if you can tell someone about it – and damage her reputation?
Why should we not burn down your store and house, if you harm someone of my race or faith group – even destroy our entire community? I’m sure you get the point.
Hatred seems to come so easily to human beings. In a tit-for-tat world, forgiveness seems to make no sense. Why should I turn the other cheek after an insult, if I can match his – and go him one better? Why should you overlook her slight, if you can tell someone about it – and damage her reputation?
Why should we not burn down your store and house, if you harm someone of my race or faith group – even destroy our entire community? I’m sure you get the point.
Why is forgiveness such a powerful thing? In my experience, I have seen people struggle when it comes to forgiving others who have hurt them. How many times have I heard people say, “If you know what he did to me, you won’t ask me to forgive him” or “I can’t ever forgive her for what she did to me, not now, not ever!”
Forgiveness is a core tenet of the Christian faith. You can’t ignore it and you can’t avoid it. Sooner or later, someone is going to hurt you, someone will step on your toes and it will really hurt. For other people, forgiveness might be a matter of choice but for the Christian, it is not a choice really, it is what is expected of us.
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But of you do not forg...
Forgiveness is a core tenet of the Christian faith. You can’t ignore it and you can’t avoid it. Sooner or later, someone is going to hurt you, someone will step on your toes and it will really hurt. For other people, forgiveness might be a matter of choice but for the Christian, it is not a choice really, it is what is expected of us.
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But of you do not forg...
Boast – “To talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one’s achievements, possessions or abilities”.
This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
There is usually the natural tendency for people to boast about the things they possess or about their achievements.
As a student many...
This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
There is usually the natural tendency for people to boast about the things they possess or about their achievements.
As a student many...
(Edited March, 2024)No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends. (Joh 15:13, Amplified Bible).Many Christians all over the world recognise the last week before Easter, as the Hoy Week. It symbolizes the week when Jesus faced the sentence of death, not for what He did wrong but as a sacrifice for the whole world.Was it easy for Him? Definitely not! Imagine Him in the garden, knowing the task which lay before Him. Imagine the description of His sweat falling from His body as great drops of blood. I believe Jesus went through any trauma you can speak of; psychological, physical and mental.
In her album, 'Throne Room', Cece Winans reminds us of the all-important principle of love in the track, 'Without Love'.
Every time I listen to the track, I am reminded that every thing God did for me is motivated by His love. The consequence of this is that I have an obligation to show love to others through my thoughts, deeds and actions.
It is however not that simple. If it was simple and easy, I do not think the Lord would have commanded it.
The first words of the Bible most of us probably heard preached to us, are the words of 1 John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life".
It was the love of God that rescued us out of sin and...
Every time I listen to the track, I am reminded that every thing God did for me is motivated by His love. The consequence of this is that I have an obligation to show love to others through my thoughts, deeds and actions.
It is however not that simple. If it was simple and easy, I do not think the Lord would have commanded it.
The first words of the Bible most of us probably heard preached to us, are the words of 1 John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life".
It was the love of God that rescued us out of sin and...
I recently watched a scene from an episode of NCIS Los Angeles. Special Agent Kensi Blye was having a conversation with a young girl while they played cards.
The girl’s mother had died but before she did, she gave a note to her daughter, addressed to a man who the girl learnt was her father whom she had never met.
At some point in the conversation, Kensi asked the girl, ‘How are you sure he is your father?’ The young girl, who was also suffering from a form of autism, just shrugged her shoulders. After a while, when it seemed the discussion has been forgotten, she asked Kensi, ‘Did you know your father?’ To which Kensi replied, ‘Yes’. The girl followed up with the question, ‘How did you know he was your father? “Touché” I said out loud and my son who was also...
The girl’s mother had died but before she did, she gave a note to her daughter, addressed to a man who the girl learnt was her father whom she had never met.
At some point in the conversation, Kensi asked the girl, ‘How are you sure he is your father?’ The young girl, who was also suffering from a form of autism, just shrugged her shoulders. After a while, when it seemed the discussion has been forgotten, she asked Kensi, ‘Did you know your father?’ To which Kensi replied, ‘Yes’. The girl followed up with the question, ‘How did you know he was your father? “Touché” I said out loud and my son who was also...
When my son was about to celebrate his 2nd birthday, I spent days wondering what I would buy for him as a birthday gift.
I decided to check out a departmental store and browsed through the toy section. I could not really make up my mind on what to buy. Just as I was about to give up, I saw a toy motorcycle and I knew I had hit jackpot! My son loved motorcycles and would appreciate this toy as a birthday gift!
On the day of his birthday, I presented the gift to my son and boy, did he love it! Nothing interested him any more but his 'Okada'. Back in the day when we were living in Nigeria, that was the name given to commercial motorcyclists.
That same day however, the motorcycle and its plastic rider met their untimely end. I was quite upset, could not imagi...
I decided to check out a departmental store and browsed through the toy section. I could not really make up my mind on what to buy. Just as I was about to give up, I saw a toy motorcycle and I knew I had hit jackpot! My son loved motorcycles and would appreciate this toy as a birthday gift!
On the day of his birthday, I presented the gift to my son and boy, did he love it! Nothing interested him any more but his 'Okada'. Back in the day when we were living in Nigeria, that was the name given to commercial motorcyclists.
That same day however, the motorcycle and its plastic rider met their untimely end. I was quite upset, could not imagi...
There are different kinds of relationships which exist among men. We have the relationship between parents and children, between husband and wife, among colleagues at work, among extended family members; uncles, aunties, cousins, nephews and nieces.
It is usual in some cases for the presence and attention of blood relations of an individual to be required. These are usually within the immediate family definition. These core family units are known to have very strong ties because of the fact that they are born by the same parents. This obviously underscores the saying; ‘Blood is thicker than water’.
There is however another family whose members are related by blood. Unlike the normal or usual family setting, this family is not limited by geographical locat...
It is usual in some cases for the presence and attention of blood relations of an individual to be required. These are usually within the immediate family definition. These core family units are known to have very strong ties because of the fact that they are born by the same parents. This obviously underscores the saying; ‘Blood is thicker than water’.
There is however another family whose members are related by blood. Unlike the normal or usual family setting, this family is not limited by geographical locat...
I'm always amazed to read the scathing blast of a Christian self-righteous sermon in print. A couple of Bible passages are always given as a reference to illustrate the point of the sermon. Then the inevitable guilt club is picked up and swung, right at a sinful heart, in perfect judgment.
"How dare you ask God's forgiveness, when you are not forgiving!
How dare you ask for mercy when you are not merciful!" The questions and accusations are hurled like darts at a pulsing target, and when they hit the heart, many things can happen. These accusations can make a person, weighed heavy by sin, feel hopeless, as they suppose that "not even God will forgive my sin." I've seen this happen, and I...
"How dare you ask God's forgiveness, when you are not forgiving!
How dare you ask for mercy when you are not merciful!" The questions and accusations are hurled like darts at a pulsing target, and when they hit the heart, many things can happen. These accusations can make a person, weighed heavy by sin, feel hopeless, as they suppose that "not even God will forgive my sin." I've seen this happen, and I...
In recent times, people who know me to be a Christian have tagged me in Facebook posts which were clearly anti-Christian.
I was initially angry and wanted to take any or all of the following actions; one, block the profile of that person, send a message warning the person from tagging me in such posts or two, blocking such posts from my wall. I however did not take any of those steps; rather, it made me begin to think about God's mercy and how He must feel when we reject Him.
As if that were not enough, over the weekend as I was listening to radio while driving, a popular radio presenter in London, Ian Dale, expressed his sentiments about the Christian church being homophobic and sexist and asking people to call in and comment. He could not understand why the church re...
I was initially angry and wanted to take any or all of the following actions; one, block the profile of that person, send a message warning the person from tagging me in such posts or two, blocking such posts from my wall. I however did not take any of those steps; rather, it made me begin to think about God's mercy and how He must feel when we reject Him.
As if that were not enough, over the weekend as I was listening to radio while driving, a popular radio presenter in London, Ian Dale, expressed his sentiments about the Christian church being homophobic and sexist and asking people to call in and comment. He could not understand why the church re...
Truth-telling seems to have gone by the boards of late.
Over the past few decades, college professors and best-selling authors have been found guilty of blatant plagiarism. Journalists have been exposed for writing stories from interviews they had with people they never met at places they've never been. There are periodic reports from major universities of students being expelled for printing term papers off the Internet and offering them as their work.
A turbulent American economy traces more directly to a fundamental lack of honesty among people in the financial markets than to terrorism. Investment firms urged their brokers to dump poor-performing stocks on trusting buyers. Top officers at major companies used "creative accounting" to pursue their greedy goals - and...
Over the past few decades, college professors and best-selling authors have been found guilty of blatant plagiarism. Journalists have been exposed for writing stories from interviews they had with people they never met at places they've never been. There are periodic reports from major universities of students being expelled for printing term papers off the Internet and offering them as their work.
A turbulent American economy traces more directly to a fundamental lack of honesty among people in the financial markets than to terrorism. Investment firms urged their brokers to dump poor-performing stocks on trusting buyers. Top officers at major companies used "creative accounting" to pursue their greedy goals - and...
I never cease to wonder at the unceasing and relentless love of God for man. What strikes me more than anything else, is the fact that in spite of the natural man's relentless efforts to distance himself from Him, God's love has not waned a bit. He continues to seek and to save those who are lost.
As I wondered about this, I began to think about what was written in Ephesians 1:4, 'Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes'.
Imagine! Before you and I came into this world, God loved us! Before we had a name to identify us, God already knew and loved us with an everlasting love. How awesome is that?
When a couple decides to adopt a baby, they are subjected to many checks as well as made to satisfy legal...
As I wondered about this, I began to think about what was written in Ephesians 1:4, 'Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes'.
Imagine! Before you and I came into this world, God loved us! Before we had a name to identify us, God already knew and loved us with an everlasting love. How awesome is that?
When a couple decides to adopt a baby, they are subjected to many checks as well as made to satisfy legal...
I am passionate about unity in the body of Christ. I guess it is because I have also discovered that our Lord Jesus Christ not only preached it but also spent a significant part of His prayer in John 17, asking God to help the church to be one even as He is one with the Father.
In Genesis 11:1-6, we read that the whole earth was of one speech and language. There was one global language. It was no wonder therefore that they decided to embark on a project - to build a high tower to the heavens as a means of identification so that no matter where they find themselves, the tower will always be their guide back.
Listen to what God says, "And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now no...
In Genesis 11:1-6, we read that the whole earth was of one speech and language. There was one global language. It was no wonder therefore that they decided to embark on a project - to build a high tower to the heavens as a means of identification so that no matter where they find themselves, the tower will always be their guide back.
Listen to what God says, "And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now no...
How many times have you heard this question? If you are married, your spouse probably asked you this question a couple of times. Young people in a relationship probably asked this question more often than not.
Why do people ask this question? While it may be difficult to establish the exact reason why this happens, due to the complexity of human nature, we can safely conclude that this question seeks re-assurance.
If you walk up to a stranger and ask him or her the question, 'Do you love me?' They would look at you with an expression that says, 'Are you out of your mind?' This establishes one fact; before a person would ask this kind of question from another, there would already exist a relationship.
Having established that a relationship already exists. We move to...
Why do people ask this question? While it may be difficult to establish the exact reason why this happens, due to the complexity of human nature, we can safely conclude that this question seeks re-assurance.
If you walk up to a stranger and ask him or her the question, 'Do you love me?' They would look at you with an expression that says, 'Are you out of your mind?' This establishes one fact; before a person would ask this kind of question from another, there would already exist a relationship.
Having established that a relationship already exists. We move to...
When my wife and I were courting, I had such ideals about being the perfect husband. I believed so much in those ideals that I told my wife what I looked forward to doing after we become husband and wife.
I remember telling her how I would give her rest days while I do all the housework. I remember telling her how I would make sure I am always at home for her and the children any free time away from work. There were so many other things I looked forward to doing which I have forgotten – but my wife never forgot.
Not too long after our wedding, we began to have quarrels. I began to ask myself why I could be upset with someone I loved so much that I sometimes found it difficult to sleep just thinking about her? I knew I didn’t make a mistake marrying the woman I loved, so w...
I remember telling her how I would give her rest days while I do all the housework. I remember telling her how I would make sure I am always at home for her and the children any free time away from work. There were so many other things I looked forward to doing which I have forgotten – but my wife never forgot.
Not too long after our wedding, we began to have quarrels. I began to ask myself why I could be upset with someone I loved so much that I sometimes found it difficult to sleep just thinking about her? I knew I didn’t make a mistake marrying the woman I loved, so w...
