I CAN BEGIN AGAIN

Life is truly amazing. My recent mantra has been "I can begin again with the passion of a child!" and I truly believe it. God always gives us new opportunities to start again. The Prophet Isaiah spoke about God doing a new thing. Jesus through John the Revelator says "Behold I make ALL things new". I can give a Faith Shout for that! Failure, it is said, is never final. The battle is not over until you win. Most often it seems we are at the end of the road and we tend to put a closure on it but its usually a bend. The end of one road is the beginning of a new one! If there happens to be a mountain on my way, then I bore a hole through it. I won't give up now because its not working. I won't throw in the towel because I made a mistake; or putting it succintly, I sinned. I will not let the enemy have a field day because I have messed up my last opportunity. I won't stop dreaming because I have hit the big 4 and looks like I'm stepping into the evening of life! I won't give up on friendships because one went sour! I won't stop being a blessing because someone didn't appreciate my last sacrifice. I can't stop loving because I have been hurt by someone who probably didn't deserve my love (I wonder if there's really anyone undeserving of love). That I failed at something doesn't mean I can't win at something else. Truth is; I CAN BEGIN AGAIN! I can be renewed and ready for a fresh start. Yes I can! I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. I can begin with a new passion and make a success of whatever I have set my heart to. So what do I do then? I will wake up from my slumber; look myself in the mirror and tell myself one more time: I CAN BEGIN AGAIN! SELAH! See you next time!

ONE DAY AT A TIME!!

I used to be a non-conforming idealist who saw life through what I believed was Ideal! I mean if something is black why say its got a shade of grey or worse still try to convince me that it is actually white, being reflected as black or something as crazy as that? I saw life as one straight road and of course with my scientific mind I believed that, as is seen in all mathematical equations, 1 + 1 should invariably be 2! No matter the proposed hypothesis tomorrow if there ever should be, at least to the best of my knowledge, I don't think another theory would be proposed tomorrow that 1 + 1 is now 8 or something as preposterous as that! I couldn't see why certain people fall for certain things! Now in hindsight I wonder what shade of spectacles I really wore! Anyways, I think many live in that ideal world where for example Jack meets Jill, they fall in love and they live happily ever after or brother X marries sister Y and never have marital storms that threaten the foundation of their marital experience or one gets born-again and after their salvation experience, never fall into temptation because its all a smooth ride or probably never have some habits or stuff to deal with! In this 'Ideal World', nothing SHOULD go wrong for crying out loud! I mean once you get saved everything should be alright, right? WRONG!!! The 'younger' I get the more I see the truth about this life and walking with the LORD. When we read the words of the Psalmist, he says '...even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death...".. Hmm! So there are moments when the one whom the LORD shepherds actually could walk through such a valley? Don't we all wish it doesn't have to be so? However in the real world where I now belong, it is a daily walk! It is a daily cry 'Precious LORD take my hand and lead me on". When am up on the mountain or down in the valley of life I must always remember, He loves me with a love that will never let me go. I should never judge another through the spectacles for my vision as He knows the way we all take and sometimes He may take Daniel through the lion's den in order to show the kings of the earth in our lives that He is the King of kings! He may take a young innocent Joseph through various stages only to to have him end up in a dungeon, in order to show the world that He can take a man from the dunghills and place him to sit with kings and princes! He may choose to elect a Solomon, born out of a relationship whose genesis is adulterous and tainted with murder of the 1st degree (my judgement) yet place him on the throne of Israel and give him rest on every side! No wonder Paul daring or should I say with a slip of his pen began to say that now we have come to know God, corrected himself and stated that God has come to know us because we really do not know Him. He is a mystery that is only unfolded in our daily walk with His Spirit. So what is the conclusion of this matter? Simply, ONE DAY AT A TIME! Putting my hands in His hands and trusting Him to lead me all the way. Never pretending or should I say presupposing I have all the answers to all the stuff that's going on in my life. Never thinking that I understand all mysteries about Him and know the way my life should take because in the words of Oswald Chambers (My Utmost for His Highest), He sometimes may pass me through uncertain waters which have nothing to do with me but the lives that He wants to send my way. SELAH! See you next time!!!

WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE

There is such a craze to have, to be and to show! Many struggle to be like or to be more than! Others strive to have as much as or if possible have more than other! There is such a blind competition that is tearing God's people apart rather than unify as the Spirit of Christ desires. For instance every Saturday there is a wedding and many seek to 'out-dress' the others if possible be the silent star of the day or probably the one to make the fashion statement of that day. Many-a-singer (that's my department), wants to 'out-sing' the others who went upstage so they get the loudest applause and the list goes on and on. Paul speaking to the Corinthian church taught us all a blessed way to live where each one simply lives to their optimum comparing themselves with whom they see themselves to be through the eyes of the scriptures and with no other mortal. When we compare ourselves with ourselves, we are not wise he says! You cannot be running a race and looking backwards for who is closest to you, catching up with you or even about to outrun you! That will certainly slow you down! He gives the best prescription to the Hebrews when He says to each one of us, 'Looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith'! Each one of us needs to keep our eyes on the mark for the prize of our HIGHCALLING in Christ Jesus! I feel like shouting a big HALLELUYAH!! When I cease from comparing myself with anyone, then I begin to see the uniqueness and beauty in others and strive to encourage them to be their best. I will see that I do not have everything but a portion of the divine nature that needs absolute expression on earth and everyone created by God has a unique portion of the Divine that needs full manifestation and interestingly we are all interlinked and cannot get to the apex of our purpose without others. So, when all is said an done, truly LIFE IS A STAGE and each has a part to play, when your part is done, you leave the stage for someone else to play their part. In His eyes though, even when you are not one the centre stage but either are waiting to play your part, have played your part or are right now on the centre stage, each one is a STAR in His eyes if we walk with Him and do His will!! Hmm! Here's a thought. How would it be when each STAR learns to celebrate every other STAR? When you are offstage you stand in high applause for the one onstage and celebrate the courage of the ones who are now offstage. Hmm! I really wonder!! SELAH!! See you next time!! (c) 2011 Chinelo Dillimono

ANYTHING FOR MY JESUS!!

When she woke up that morning, I guess her sleep must have been pretty light. Somewhere in between her sleep thinking, wondering, possibly calculating. She alone knew the burden on her heart. She alone knew where He had touched her life. Truly, she who has been forgiven little loves little and she who has been forgiven much loves much!

She loved Him but she needed to show it. But how? What does she have to give Him? What can she do to make Him know how much she appreciates Him? She's heard it Him teach about not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing so how can she show her Master her love for Him?

Then she remembers! Alas! There is an Alabaster box worth a whole year's wages that she'd kept for sometime in the future. It was her priceless possession. It was her savings for her future. She alone knew the cost of that oil! She alone knew the attachment she had had to it. She alone knew what it meant to her but you see, ANYTHING FOR JESUS! had become her mantra! Anything to show Him how much He is loved.

Interesting how Simon the Leper could criticize her! He had forgotten that according to the Jewish laws he was what my people (the Igbos) call an OSU! An outcast, one who's place of dwelling according to the Law was outside the camp but who had by virtue of the mercy of Christ received access yet he boldly could criticize this young lady who only Jesus knew the weight she's carried, why and for how long!

Yet, inspite of the criticism, the snares, the behind the scenes whispers, the gossip, the side comments (she too dey do), out of the depths of her heart was a simple determination; ANYTHING FOR MY JESUS!

He was worth it all! He had given her hope for a better life, a better future, a stable existence. He had become her all and deserved her all!

My heart sings, ANYTHING FOR MY JESUS! I will let down my pride, I will take the scoffs and snares! I will endure the disbelief and silent abuses; ALL FOR MY JESUS! I will serve for Him, Love for Him, Live for Him, Deny myself for Him, Go through the pain for Him, Touch for Him, Stand for Him,Sing for Him!! ANYTHING FOR MY JESUS!!!