Virtue is a necessary ingredient that fosters the journey of a man on the path to purpose. It is an entire package on its own. On the pathway to purpose, strength is measured by virtue. It is therefore safe to say that the yardstick to determine the strength of a man is how much virtue he has and have acquired overtime. While some virtues are inherent, some are acquired along the path. This is because virtue does not only aid in the success of the journey, it sustains a man at the destination. Virtue does a lot in the life of a man of purpose. It shapes the character and attitude of such fellow. It prunes away the excess baggage a man is carrying. This is what is called pruning for productivity. What is your attitude to the task ahead? How do you approach the situations that come your way? How committed are you to the course set before you? Voila! Virtue answers them all. It is the practical response to all these questions. Virtue determines how far a man goes in life. Virtue is not just necessary on the path, it is much more necessary for the destination. Whereas the period of preparation offers virtue FOR the path, it is also acquired ON the path to and for the destination. This kind of virtue makes one to stand the test of time and last long in purpose. This comes in form of attitude and character shaping. Attitude and character are very strong and inseparable virtues. These duo are efficient both on the path and at the destination. Sometimes, favour can carry a man to that point of purpose or destination, character and attitude are the virtues that sustain such a man at that point and possibly lead to other open doors for higher heights. Acquire virtue at every given point of your life. Do not be carried away by the beauty of the destination that you forget the current surrounding events and what they teach. Meekness, kindness, gentleness, nobility, prudence and much more are virtues one must covet. Always remember that beauty and favour brought Vashti to the palace but character and attitude expelled her from the presence of the king. No one is untouchable but virtue serve as the necessary shield.
The glorious fruits of a man of purpose bring so many thoughts and imaginations to the spectators. Amidst all these speculations, one thing everyone must know is that those glorious heights are not attained within the twinkle of an eye. It takes time, diligence, commitment, devotion, sacrifice and endurance. It is an entire package on its own. Genuine fruits of purpose are sweetened overtime. The path to purpose is demanding. One could sacrifice so much to an extent that he/she will seem to have nothing to sacrifice again. The path never promises to be easy but the process is worth it. One peculiarity to the path of purpose is that it is uniquely designed. That is, it is the path which only you can take. The vision you have about the glorious destination eludes the challenges you could face along the path. For example I see myself at a destination far from my current location. The only thing in my head is the nature of the destination, it’s beauty and splendor and probably the distance, but I may not see the hold-up on the road to that place, I will not know if students will cross the road and I could be required to stop and wait, I could encounter delay in takeoff time and many other seeming inconsistencies that could delay my movements. The estimated duration of movement to my destination from current location could be 4 hours but I may end up spending up to 8 hours. This is what the path looks like. Virtues play important role in the process. Virtues are the necessary ingredients and equipments that help one to stand the test of time. Virtues build strength and capacity. In the path to purpose there are distractions via entanglements, people with different visions and lots more. The road is rough, with thorns, it is rocky, with hills and valleys. But we do not GIVE IN to situations, neither do we GIVE UP but then we GIVE A WAY. This is where virtue plays it’s own part. One thing we must always remember is that we are not path mates.
Growing up as a Nigerian Child I heard a lot of stories told to me, stories seen as myths by elders. These stories were about the amazing and phenomenal “Amadioha” (a god known prominently in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria by the Igbo’s) and “Sango” (a god known prominently to the Yoruba of the Western part of Nigerian). These two gods were prominent and known to be “gods of thunder”. We heard these stories and it gave us a certain perspective about who they are and what they do. We never saw them as heroes talk less of appreciating what they do. But years down the line Marvel Studios and comics decided to create a “Science-Fiction” movie called THOR, this character was painted to be a god of thunder like “Amadioha” and “Sango” but unlike our African Super Heroes, Thor is more celebrated and known for his gifts and abilities which are never viewed as evil or Barbaric. Note: we know “Amadioha” and “Sango” to be gods of thunder but nobody ever told us of any atrocities or evil crimes committed by them. But we just somehow have a perspective of them being evil probably because of our thoughts towards our old religious practice and way of life. The reason for this little exposure and story is to bring us to the fact that some of the things we look outside to find as individuals and as a people is within us if only we had looked more closely, isn’t it an amazing fact that the Benin Empire already understood and applied the technology concept behind Street lights before the white man came, we have the ability to create and innovate even in time of crisis and under unpleasant conditions as in the case of the Nigerian Civil war and we as kids made out of bottle cocks and threads what we call “Zita” which was later repackaged and sold to us with a model they made with rubber by the Chinese, we already created toy cars and other amazing toys using local materials such as harvested maize stem, metallic strings etc. As kids, we already applied certain principles that were formally taught to us in school without reading any textbooks or materials. Africans are gifted in both natural resources and intellects, we have the ability to do the impossible when we believe and look within. We have to as individuals and as a people start looking within and not without cause that’s where our change begins.
Examining yourself, is examining your faith. That is what this article is about. But it is completely no what you’ll expect. Read on! It is necessary for you to constantly examine yourself and check your faith because it defines everything for you. There are 1001 perspectives but your faith makes the difference. So your faith is what makes you unique. But what is faith? Faith is an act/mindset/decision(VERB)that is based on a CONVICTION, and that conviction is based on a KNOWLEDGE/information/story, and that knowledge has a quality called TRUTH, and truth is a function of SOURCE. Firstly, your source. Who do you feed from as regards ideas, knowledge, information, perspective, etc. Is it God or elsewhere? If it is in God, then it is truth, if not then it is false even if it is factual. This does not mean you will not have to listen to men. God does speak through men and other means, even as He speaks directly to an individual. Therefore, the first examination to perform on yourself is to check your connection with God. Are you hearing from Him? Are you getting His perspective on life and issues which He has communicated and is still communicating? Secondly, truth. But we do not have to deal too much with this if source is dealt with. When we say that truth is a function of source not fact, we do not mean that truth is completely anti-fact. Actually, over the years/age, when you consider the things that has come to us which were not from God, which we acted on/lived by, you will notice the vanity/emptiness in them. Politicians give huge promises with analysis that proves the feasibility, but fails. Following success principles that are anti-God to attain a level and still feel same or worse emptiness that riches seemed to be able to take away. The facts do not usually or eventually add up (no matter how long) when it is not from God. So you want to examine yourself now: is your worldview true? Is your mindset true? That information, knowledge or prejudice you are about acting on or living by, is it true? Does the facts add up in the long run? Over the ages, how have the people who held same position you’re in or about to hold, ended? Do I want to end that way? How certain were they of the afterlife, how certain am I of it? Truth is a quality from a source, and you will know it from the depth of your being and how that it outlasts time. Third is knowledge/information/story/message. A lot of people live or act based on just empty feelings.Hardly do they know what they are doing or saying or affirming to others. This is not to say that there will not be times one acts or moves without knowledge, for there are many times God takes one through such paths. Rather, other times that the knowledge is very much within reach or common (that is, everywhere – Scriptures, books, patterns, etc) and is necessary. Therefore to examine yourself: while I need to check my ideas and opinions if they are true, do I even have an opinion? What exactly are my grievances or arguments? Do I know about the subject matter I want to talk about or practice? Do I know about the idea I want to question or criticize? Do I have a message? What is the summary of the message to myself or to my audience? Do I know the true story? Is there even a true story or there are many accounts of it and I have to gather them together? Get more knowledge by reading books, scriptures, articles, listen to experts or elders or those who know more than you, etc. Just search andknow. The next is conviction. Let me ask you a question, can you die for what you believe? If no, then you do not believe it. A lot of young people are actually just shallow about some matters, they believe and argue something at the top of their voices until it attracts persecution or criticism or opposition or questioning, and then they suddenly let go of the very thing(s) they have always upheld. Oh God help us! You want to check: this thing I believe, how is it going to affect my talking, my pocket/account, my marriage decision, parenting decisions, relationship with people, my work, my life and death, etc. Am I willing to die for the idea? You get convictions by the Divine One within as you meditate on truthful knowledge. Lastly, we have action. Is there not a difference between what you know and what you feel like doing and what you eventually do? Oh yes, I can bet you feel that huge difference which gives you a sense of insufficiency, hunger for the perfect/ideal, and emptiness sometimes. I guess we all have it to different degrees commensurate to our growth. You need to act, live by, decide based on, think based on, your convictions. Your faith makes no difference until it comes into. That verb might be waiting, moving,talking, keeping quiet, deciding and letting it known or hiding it, taking a stand, taking a position, etc.Just make sure you are ‘acting’ on your convictions. Do not let peer pressure make you act contrary. You display your conviction by surrounding yourself with things and people who echo same convictionsas you. Peradventure you are in a strange place, cloud your mind by your convictions through meditation and beckon those reality deeply rooted in you. In a nutshell your faith makes the difference for you. You must examine if you are in faith. Examining yourself involves checking your source, checking for truth from within and by time/age; checking your knowledge and dealing with ignorance by searching well; checking your conviction, and building it by the Divine one within through meditation; check your actions of and actually living according to your faith.Examine yourself today.Blessings!
One morning I said to my father, “Dad tell me from your experience about forgiveness all through your walk with people…” And he smiled and said forgiveness is much more than what we all think it is. “To err is human but forgiveness is divine”, is a popular quote used by most people who don’t really understand what it means. First let me tell you a little about the divinity of forgiveness. True love is the foundation of forgiveness and this main ingredient is responsible for the divinity of forgiveness. Most times when we encourage people to forgive, we do so, not understanding that love is the main factor responsible for that. As humans we forgive but are limited by the consequence of the crime committed against us, we can forgive when the hurt is not too deep or the repercussion of the crime against us is not too devastating. Forgiveness is what it is regardless of the nature of the crime committed against us. Son, I have from experience discovered that almost every human being by nature has successfully classified offenses relative to forgiveness into two main classes; forgivable offences and unforgivableoffences and this classification most time is not done deliberately but subconsciously, because I can’t think of anyone who would sit down and write or take out time to plan for him/herself crimes or offenses to forgive or not, this classification come as a result of the world we are grown in, thepatterns of the systems, what crime is pardonable and which is punishable, the people we have around us and how they forgive etc. Most times we fail to realize that we are not meant to conform to the patterns of this world. The world system has its own view about everything just to suit its own system even if it is not really what it is. That’s why most people truly don’t understand what it means to forgive. When you come to the true reality of forgiveness you could have people call you a fool. just like a story told of a man who made a quick business trip, this man was known to be a pastor in his neighborhood not necessarily because he was ordained, he was called a pastor in his neighborhood because of how he prays, you know he prays quiet loud… this man travelled and another man known for trouble to an extent, came to his house and engaged in a serious and heated misunderstanding with his wife, the entire neighborhood came out to separate the fight it was really serious. When the man returned so many people though regarding him as a pastor expected him to go and do something about the whole matter and when I say something I meant he should go and confront this man for fighting his wife and maybe have him arrested or beaten properly, but he didn’t and for a while people in the entire neighborhood couldn’t help but fantasize how they would have handled the case if they were in his shoes. You must understand that the first foundation of the divinity of forgiveness is love, that’s why Jesus commanded that we love our neighbors as he as loved the church, for out of the abundance of his love he laid down his life for us (freely forgave us even before we were born and our despicable crimes not committed). The next most misunderstood concept about forgiveness, son, is that aspect of forgetting we sometimes say we have forgiven but never forgotten, people say “how can I forget what this person has done to me, how can I erase it from my mind?” The truth is you don’t and forgetting doesn’t entail erasing the offense or crime committed against you from your mind, it means your ability not to count or regard it as a crime or offense against the person anymore. when you forgive someone you must have to let it go and not carry the same school of thought most people carry, they just place the offense somewhere in the archives of their mind and when the person unfortunately offends them again the simply bring back those documents and build an enormous case there by trying to remind themselves and the individual or people involved “you are already in my black book”. When we forgive, we must do it with the whole of our hearts, the right way, as little children. When little children have any form of misunderstanding, they could fight themselves but just give them a few more minutes they come back together and completely forget they ever had any misunderstanding. You know, son, one question we should ask ourselves is this; as children we forgive better, love better, forget crimes easily, but as we grow things begin to change and we gradually forget that this is not so from the beginning. You know I have never seen a young child keeping malice before, it’s not in their nature to do so. Sometimes it is great wisdom to consider the ways of a child than that of an adult because children by nature have better applied understanding of forgiveness, love, obedience, trust so many other noble traits.
Greetings to you there, and a very happy new February to you.So some useful questions came in as to what the theme “Being Intentional” really means. And you know, it made me realise that just because the theme plainly says “Being Intentional”, doesn’t mean everyoneunderstands it as ought, and thus with the intent of making it understood to everyone as much as is possible, I need to keep defining and redefining the theme as I received/conceived it.So what does “Being Intentional” mean?The word ‘Intentional’ derives from the word ‘Intention’ which means ‘what one wants to do or bring about’. And the word ‘Intention’ comes from ‘Intent’. Intent as a noun from Merriam-Webster dictionary means ‘the state of mind with which an act is done’. And as an adjective from same dictionary, means, ‘having the mind, attention, or will concentrated on something or some end or purpose’. Let’s quickly jump to the meaning of Intentional from same dictionary: ‘done by design’.So you see, the word Intentional comes with two implications: An intention, a goal, a purpose, a vision, an end, or a target, etc. That is, if someone is said to be Intentional, he/she must have something that they’re aiming at to get, do or achieve. Secondly, he/she must actively engage the perceived right actions to put in place in order to get, do or achieve their aim. You see, between March and June 2020, so many governments of countries including Africa’s, declared a lock down of their country. Although, the decision affected the economy of some African countries, the intention of these countries’ governments was to contain or control the spread of the COVID-19, using their perceived right ways. The governments were Being Intentional as regards the problem thatfaced them. If we remember somewhere in 2019, everyone was surprised and wondering why the Nigerian government didn’t seem to want to sign the AfCFTA Treaty. Now whether or not the government was working on it, we all must have assumed that the government was not Being Intentional as regards the state of our economy because, signing the treaty will surely help our economy and the African economy at large. Read more about AfCFTA https://www.tralac.org/resources/infographic/13795-status-of-afcfta- ratification.html. If I fall to the ground, and realise that I can’t stand again maybe because of a fracture or my weight, I will call to you: “please help me up, brother or sister”. I wouldn’t wait there, hiding my inability, wishing that somehow you will pity me and help me. I will call out to you for help. I am Being Intentional with my aim of standing up from the ground. If I need a job, and I understand the system that I’m in – one that needs a connection and adequate competence to get a job. I will build my competence, publicize my skills through LinkedIn and other platforms/means, and while doing so, I will put call through to some of the influential people on my contact list, and then I will keep reminding them. If I have a product but no customers, I will reach out to you, with the product so that you’ll buy or help me market/advertise it, and then I’ll keep disturbing you (in the very reasonable sense of that word to give me feedback of when and where to supply. I won’t just assume you’ll pick it up without forgetting, I will keep reminding you. Meanwhile, I won’t put the whole of my survival on you, I will call the other person too, and I will take the product to retailers and other people that I don’t know before now. If I feel down, disconnected from my faith. I will fast, pray, study the scriptures, as I wait to hear what my Creator is saying to me so that I will be strong again. No, I will not wait or over worry or get depressed. I will do the necessary to get connected again. When I keep this attitude continuously in every area of my life – that is, to intend for something and actively take necessary actions to achieve those intentions – I am Being Intentional.When I take good inventory of my situations, perceive rightly, take decisions to change those situations (i.e. aim), and then actively engage necessary and right actions to change those situations, I am Being Intentional. You see, the direct opposite of Being Intentional is passively hoping that your aim will become realizewithout your active participation. That participation might be involving someone, asking for counsel, asking for help, doing it yourself, taking decisions, setting goals, etc. You know it. Just do it. Be IntentionalBlessings!
“And if I cast out demons by the Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges ” – Jesus in Matthew 12:27. I was in a congregation some few years back. It was a congregation I DIDN’T LIKE. I was there because I was persuaded by people I respect. Then my ‘mr. perfect mind’ started criticizing everything from the pew to the pulpit, members to workers to the point man. “That’s not how to do ministry” “This or that is what the bible says” “Oh even see their this or that, it is not proper or excellent.” while I nurtured these things in my mind, a question popped up that kept me so quiet and humble: you have complained and criticized everything here, but what have you done? Of the visions, great dreams and ideas that you have, how many or how far have you started and sustained successfully? Hmm! And there was silence inthe space of about half an hour within the perfect mind.. Lol. Is this not a dominant attitude among so many people today, even you? You complain about a school, a government, a business, a minister, a leader, even your parents, etc. You analyze the life, beauty, and every good thing about them to death, putting the spotlight on areas they’re still working on to grow or areas they failed woefully. In the passage of Scripture above, Jesus had casted out demons out of people and those who DIDN’T LIKE HIM rather accused Him of doing so by the prince of demons. But the question Jesus asked them is the same each of us should go with from this message. He says (paraphrased) “even if I cast out demons by the prince of demons, by whom do your sons cast them out?” “even if I don’t do it well, how many or much have you, and those you teach, done? ” “You are criticizing me and my works, your works and results will be your judge in the same matter. For with the same measure that you meet, it shall be measured to you” You say “that’s not how to win souls to the Kingdom”. How many have you won? “That’s not how to do ministry”, which ministry have you started or done before, and successfully sustained? “That’s not how to sing”, how many have you sang? Or what are you singing? “That’s not how to teach children or students…” “That’s not…” “That is…” “This isn’t…” What have you started, and successfully sustained over time with tested, proved, and consistent results in your life, calling, field of specialization, your potentials, your ministry, etc. Bishop TD Jakes said, “I have come realize that nothing takes the place of experience.” This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk when God directs us or when we see wrong/evil, but we must avoid empty and cheap talking. A great writer said to his son about some people – “knowing neither what they say nor the things that they affirm.” Focus on what God would have you do, not beefing those who are doing, diligently what they perceive God would have them do.
I know it has been a long time you heard from us over. Over the last one month now has been very challenging is it not? The happenings all around you, and your personal experiences has impressed so much uncertainty, brokenness, and discouragement upon your heart. Let’s quickly read through a short story: Now it happened, on the third day when David and his men came to Ziklag, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burnt it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them and went their way. David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burnt with fire; and their wives, sons and daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelites and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. Then DAVID WAS GREATLY DISTRESSED for the people spoke of stoning him, because the people were grieved, every man for his sons and daughters. BUT DAVID STRENGTHENED HIMSELF IN THE LORD HIS GOD Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me” And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. And David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And GOD answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all” Just as it seems we are about to have a major breakthrough in Nigeria and Africa at large, then comes something to remind us that ‘we are limited’; and this happens in our personal lives too, right? Where you find yourself sandwiched within tough decisions, people who you cannot dissociate from, etc., and all these make you feel “will I ever get to that promised land?”, “was the land even promised to me or I was just fantasizing?”, “everyone is making demands on me as if the whole issue was my fault”, “everyone was there to enjoy the good times, but now there is an issue and everyone thinks I masterminded it or that I should spit out answers” etc. Well, David had the same experience. David was given Ziklag by the king of the Philistines. Ziklag was his, not borrowed. It was not a hide-out cave. It had become David’s home, together with those who are with him. He had just offered going to battle against the Philistines with Israel but faced a major rejection; him and his men – “what an embarrassment!” you may say if you were one of those with David. Yet on getting to Ziklag, they find everywhere ransacked, their wives and children taken. So much uncertainty for David. How will life be for him now and thereafter? Will he ‘make it’ again if he starts afresh? Will the wives and children he gets again fill the space that the taken ones filled? are those taken still alive? Will the men who has always believed him, believe him again? Will he succeed if he tries to recover what was taken? If he tries to battle, will he win the fight? Are the men and even himself having enough morale and energy to even fight? (the story says they wept until they had no more strength to weep), and many more uncertainties, discouraging thoughts and broken-heartedness. However, in the midst of all the uncertainty, David was certain of something – that he could talk to God and God will answer, giving him the direction that he needs from the tough experience. That was all David needed – something sure, which he has known before that time (2 Tim 3:14), to hold on to by which he deals and goes through uncertainty, discouragement, and broken-heartedness. You also. You have some SURE THINGS to refer to, in the midst of all those uncertainties, tough corners, lacking of strength to continue that great idea, discouraging thoughts, people who are disappointing with whom you have to associate, broken-heartedness, etc. SURE THINGS as the promises and principles founded upon ‘God cannot lie.’ Those SURE THINGS take you through the storm, and even make you deal with it. You know that God will not leave you helpless in any situation, so stand up and locate what you ought to do. You know there is no food for the lazy man, so wake up! You know that that destiny will come to pass only if you continue in the things you do. You know that that job of 400k will not come until you are certified, so take that of 10k while you pursue certification! Many more sure things. Why sit you there, tired, discouraged, uncertain, broken-hearted, idle and you see doom ahead; refer to your notes and look at those beautiful things you heard and were taught, those sure things God told you, those life principles that won’t bend for you. Focus on those things when life’s turbulence hits. As for me, one of those sure things is that I have been made precious to Sow Precious Seeds into lives with my mouth and life. Bless you! We are back!
One of my most pleasurable moments are the times I am on a bridge and passing through. Whereas I cannot place the exact reason, I have often enquired within me why that joy comes. I have resolved that whereas there may be others to be discovered, my joy comes from the fact that I am able to escape all that is down under the bridge. A bridge serves a couple of purposes. The remote service of a bridge is to make way. The more obvious services I find are: 1. An escape from the entanglement under and arrive at an earlier time. In some areas where bridges are built, they are built over existing roads. The passageway the bridge creates is oftentimes better to pass through, easier, and faster, for one to get to his destination. 2. An escape from drowning. Many other times, at the end of the present road we tread is the large water body. Yet, that is not our destination. To arrive at our desired place, one must have to cross the water. Since men are not built to fly, they have learnt to build bridges. By reason of the bridges, we can safely cross to our desired places of rest. In any case, bridges are important to arrive at one’s destination. If we remain on the road of the lowland, we may find ourselves entangled in the hustle and bustle, and may either find it hard to step out and continue our journey, thereby arriving later than we ought to have arrived. If we do not have bridges, times will come where we are at our wits end. There will be nowhere else to turn except to go forward. In these times when going forward appears like being in between the devil and the deep blue sea, we need a bridge, so that we do not drown. Without mincing words, I have found that Jesus is the bridge of life, necessary to arrive at our designated or desired destination. Jesus is the means by which we passed from death to life. Our passage from death to life is the assurance that we can pass from any seeming dead end and yet blossom in greater dimensions, even those yet unknown to any man. Jesus assures us of this; we can rest assured. By this, we know that we have hope for life ahead. If we yield to Jesus and allow him bridge the gap between our present situations and our desired places, we will be better off. If He does, we will arrive better, faster, and in a grander style than we may have conceived. God’s presence in our lives is an everlasting signature of hope. Although unseen, he makes this hope tangible to us by tokens of signs that he shows us. He wants us to believe Him and stay put on that bridge. Do not look back, do not turn back; Jesus has got your back. There is hope and a great deal of potential for success if we stay on the bridge. We get excused of every contrary element on the way. Our best bet therefore, is to stay put on the bridge. You can read from the top again and understand in context. Jesus is the bridge. He is the guarantee of hope, a blessing that makes rich and adds no sorrow. Just one message to end: STAY ON THE BRIDGE!
“Careless words have the capacity to quickly run a life off course.” The tongue, as plain and hidden as it may seem, is not just responsible for taste. It is the most powerful organ in the entire human body. It carries the power of life and death. Whatever word that is being said to any man, object, atmosphere or system has the already made capacity to either kill or give life. Words are so powerful in this realm because the entirety of our universe was created with words from The Creator who decided to create man in His own express image. This gives us that same capacity and potential to be creators through the words we speak. When we speak to ourselves,family, society, environment or even nation, we call forth life or death and hence, there is a necessary need for us to bridle our tongues. “with great power comes great responsibility”. We are accountable for the words we speak no matter the circumstance we find ourselves, we have to be life givers with the words we speak to ourselves, our family, the government (leaders), our nation and even the environment. It is written in the Holy Bible, “… that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment [Matt 12:36]” Let every word we speak, even in joke, hurt, and distress, give life and ensure that people, society and nation we all so desire are being made.
The foundation of the African society is well entrenched in idolatry and wickedness. Understandably therefore, wickedness is natural to man, especially one who knows not God. He will go to any length to do as he pleases. That is why many fear “our village people”. The unsavory consequence of this is that we become scared to step out to do that which God has placed in our hands and hearts to do. For those that step out, they try to walk so cautiously that they hardly make any remarkable headway in a long time. Some of these fears are unfounded, and for others, there are actually people who rise up against them to trouble them on all sides. Others attempt to inflict us with their own unbelief in God, by making us believe when they say to us that “there is no help for us in God.” In spite of our perception of these village people or wicked friends or the actuality of their existence in our individual spheres, the Lord Almighty, whom we serve and whose we are, has revealed to us this unassailable truth: HE IS A SHIELD FOR US; HE IS OUR GLORY; IT IS HE WHO LIFTS OUR HEAD. God is the shield who bore our griefs. When He took them all on the cross, we were in Him, under cover. Regardless of what anyone might do to us, we take cover under the truth of the death of Jesus Christ for our sakes, and the victory He won for us. Now we truly can sing, God is for us, nothing and no one can stand against us; as our Shield, He bore it all for us. The arrows that would have been shot against us He endured, the curse and rejection that would have been our lot was His’ to bear. In majesty and glory He bore them for us, making a public show of them, triumphing over them in it. We are Christ’s and our lives are hid with Christ in God. Now, we can wield God’s Word as a shield too. When we enforce His words in prayer, making declarations and decrees concerning God’s word, we wield His word, and it becomes our Shield. As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler(shield) to all those that trust in him. Understanding that Jesus is our Shield and He is with us, we can cry to Him and he will hear us, He will answer us, and He will sustain us. Fear is rooted out also. Should anyone come against us, we remain bold knowing that our Shield has made them toothless bulldogs. In conclusion, our Shield is Glorious for many reasons. First, He took all the ills that would have come to us and covered us under the shadow of His wings. Next, He put Himself inside of us so that each of us can wield this shield in our own individual peculiar situations. Lastly, though not least of all, this shield is Light. The glory that He exudes by Himself and through us paralyzes darkness and leaves them dumbfounded. By giving us Himself, he has given to us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, and all of these are in the face of Christ Jesus, our eternal shield. Hallelujah! We step out with honor! Hallelujah! We step out with glory! We step out without fear! We have peace on every side! We can rest assured that our enterprises will succeed, because we are under cover, and the one who covers us can never be defeated. We are allies with the Commander of the Universe. Glory to God!
