Lara M

I am Amethyst beloved of God, I reign with Christ! I am God's glory

[Lara M @Lara_MKing]

@iyekefejiymg Bamboo oo

[Lara M @Lara_MKing]

100% of 0 = 0
Let that multiplication you are praying for find something in your hands to multiply.

Jesus multiplied 5 loaves and 2 fishes. He turned jars of water into wine, what do you have in your hands?🙏🏾

[Shahriq Khan @RealShahriqKhan]

I used to think Jesus couldn't be God because He didn't fight back.

Arrested. Mocked. Beaten. Crucified. And He just took it.

I thought, "Where's the power in that?"

Then I realized something that shattered me:

Jesus wasn't refusing to fight because He was weak. He was refusing to fight because He was dying for us.

It's like asking why a father doesn't strike back when his hurting child lashes out at him.

Love doesn't always defend itself. Sometimes it absorbs the blow to heal the one causing it.

Islam taught me that strength was domination. The cross taught me that strength is restraint.

Real power is having the ability to destroy and choosing to forgive instead.

Jesus wasn't a victim.

He predicted His own death.
Walked straight toward it.
Held back legions of angels.
And chose the cross anyway.

"No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." (John 10:18)

That's not weakness.

That's a King so committed to saving His enemies that He willingly suffered for them.

Jesus didn't fight for a crown. He took a cross to win the war forever.

He wasn't proving He was God by destroying His enemies.

He was proving how far God would go to save them.

That's not weakness. That's how heaven wins.

[POJU OYEMADE @pastorpoju]

Minister @DunsinOyekan started a series on the tabernacle of David, which I believe is highly prophetic.

The emphasis on the tabernacle of David is really the key to world harvest and discipleship. The mountain upon which the tabernacle was set up in which the ark was placed was called Mount Zion.

This is the mountain Isaiah prophesied saying all nations will come to this mountain seeking the Lord desirous of being taught by him.

Isaiah 2:3
"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."

It is the mountain referred to in the book of Hebrews when it said.........

Hebrews 12:22
"But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels."

Its on this mountain we have the feast of fat things where the veil is taking off and a flood tide of Revelation knowledge flows. A place where death is swallowed up in victory and tears wiped off the faces of people. It is Mount Zion beautiful foe situation.

Isaiah 25:7-9
"7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

It is this tabernacle of David that holds the key, unlocking the mystery.

When Apostle Paul had a serious contention with some of the teachers who had some restrain on the Gentiles freely coming into the Body of Christ, the matter was taken to the "council of apsotles" in Jerusalem and James authenticated using the scriptures where it was prophesied that all nations shall come to the Lord. The key to the global harvest, as stated by James through the prophets, was in rebuilding the tabernacle of David in our midst. Understanding its spiritual essence.

Acts 15:13-19
"13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:"

What they were seeing in the harvest of the Gentiles coming in was the fulfilment of the prophecy given by Amos about the tabernacle of David being rebuilt.

In this tabernacle, we offer up perfected praise. We render the calves of our lips unto God.

Hosea 14:2
"Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips."

We come in the inquire of God, and even if you give us a house full of gold or silver, we won't go beyond the instruction of the Spirit of God. David understood that obedience to God and not yielding to the desires of men over you was the first act of worship. He was a man who sought the heart of God.

[Lara M @Lara_MKing]

Musings with the Holy Spirit 21.10.2025

[Lara M @Lara_MKing]

@GbengaWemimo It is from within you carry power to rule the outside. Jesus loves you irrespective. ❤️

[Lara M @Lara_MKing]

@GbengaWemimo She was hoping her hubby would notice she had slept with someone else, and when he didn't, she self sabotaged. Guilt is a bastard. Aunty Tanya, you will heal, but you have to love yourself first, your validation cannot be from outside. Jesus love you irrespective ❤️

[Lara M @Lara_MKing]

@GbengaWemimo I wish I could hug her tight😔. It is not a spiritual issue, the grass always looks greener until you get to the other side. Eh yah🤗

She can only stop feeling guilty with help of the Holy Spirit. Guilt is a distraction and I think what she did was a cry for help.

[Gbenga Samuel-Wemimo @GbengaWemimo]

Queen of Sheba: Unveiling King Solomon's Heartbeat

The Queen of Sheba questioned the wisdom of King Solomon and travelled to see whether he could live up to his reputation.

(The midrash relates how she created several scenarios to test King Solomon and was impressed by his responses. She also posed four riddles to him, all relating to gender and family. The Queen was so overwhelmed by King Solomon and God’s miracles that she converted to Judaism after visiting Solomon.)

Narrative of the Queen’s Visit to Solomon
In the midrashic account, the Queen of Sheba heard of King Solomon’s great wisdom and declared: “I will go and see whether he is wise or not, and I will come to test him with riddles.” She came to Solomon and asked him: “Are you the Solomon about whom, about whose kingdom and about whose wisdom I have heard?” He replied that he was. She then said to him: “You are truly wise, now I will ask you something, and we shall see if you are capable of answering me,” to which he responded: “For the Lord grants wisdom; knowledge and discernment are by His decree” (Prov. 2:6). The Queen of Sheba asked: “What are the seven that issue and nine that enter, the two that offer drink, and the one that drinks?” Solomon answered: “The seven that issue are the seven days of menstrual impurity. The nine that enter are the nine months of pregnancy. The two that offer drink are the breasts, and the child is the one who drinks”

The Queen of Sheba exclaimed: “You are truly wise, I will put another question to you, and we shall see if you can answer me.” He responded: “For the Lord grants wisdom.” She asked him: “How can a woman say to her son: ‘Your father is my father; your grandfather, my husband; you are my son, and I am your sister?’” Solomon replied: “The two daughters of Lot” (who became pregnant by their father and bore sons).
When the Queen of Sheba saw that he solved her riddles, she brought before him children who were of the same height and who were in like attire. She asked him: “Distinguish between the males and the females.” He made a sign to his eunuchs, who brought him nuts and roasted ears of corn, which they scattered before the children. The males, who were not bashful, collected them and tied them within the hems of their garments. The girls, however, were bashful (since their bodies would be revealed if they were to tie their undergarments) and therefore tied them within their outer garments. Solomon told the queen: “These are the males, and these are the females.” She told him: “You are exceedingly wise”

The Queen of Sheba brought a number of people before Solomon, some circumcised and others uncircumcised. She asked of him: “Distinguish between the circumcised and the uncircumcised.” Solomon immediately made a sign to the High Priest to open the Ark of the Covenant. Those who were circumcised stood or bowed their bodies to half their height, while their countenances were filled with the radiance of the Shekhinah. The uncircumcised, however, fell on their faces.
Solomon immediately told the Queen of Sheba: “These are the uncircumcised, and these are the circumcised.” She asked him: “How did you know?” He explained to her: “From Balaam the uncircumcised, of whom it is said: ‘who beholds visions from the Almighty, prostrate, but with eyes unveiled’ [Num. 24:4]. If he did not prostrate himself, he would see nothing. I also learned from Job, for when the three friends of Job came to console him, he told them [Job 12:3]: ‘I am not less than you’ [literally, I do not fall from you]—I do not fall like you, for you are uncircumcised, while I am circumcised” (Midrash Proverbs [Buber ed.] 1).
The queen said to Solomon: “But I did not believe the reports [of your wisdom] until I came and saw with my own eyes that not even the half had been told me; your wisdom and wealth surpass the reports that I heard. How fortunate are your men and how fortunate are these your courtiers, who are always in attendance on you and can hear your wisdom! Praised be the Lord your God, who delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel. It is because of the Lord’s everlasting love for Israel that He made you king to administer justice and righteousness [I Kings 10:7–9]” (Midrash Proverbs [Buber ed.] 1). According to another tradition, the Queen of Sheba’s praise was mainly for the righteousness that she saw in Solomon’s kingdom, which is why she ended with the words “that He made you king to administer justice and righteousness” (Shir ha-Shirim Zuta [Buber ed.] 1:15).
Other Riddles and their Answers
The riddles that the Queen of Sheba put to Solomon attest to familiarity with the stories of the Torah, and especially with those about Gentiles (the daughters of Lot, Balaam, and Job). The queen’s interest in Jewish culture is consistent with the tradition that her encounter with Solomon led to her conversion to Judaism (see below). The main shared element of all her riddles is that they are concerned with gender: the first focuses on women, the two middle riddles relate to males and females, and the fourth, to men.

QUEEN OF SHEBA Seven riddles asked by Makeda, the Queen of Sheba to King Salomon.
Queen of Sheba's riddle: Where does that power come from? Is it your hand that bears the sword? Then what part of your body gives you This infinite power over men? And where does that power come from? Is it your foot that rushes to the battle field? Then what part of your body gives you This infinite power over men?
King Solomon's Answer: Your tongue,
Queen of Sheba's response: Oh, King of Kings, It enthrals the one who listens to you. Your tongue, oh, King of Kings, Has the power of life and death over your people.

Queen of Sheba's riddle: This bird has no flesh This bird has no blood This bird has no feathers Its colour is as pure and beautiful as gold This bird might be dead Or it might be alive This bird does not move Its colour is as virginal and sweet as milk
King Solomon's Answer: An egg has no flesh, An egg has no blood, An egg has no feathers. Its colour is as pure and beautiful as gold An egg might be dead Or it might be alive An egg does not move Its colour is as virginal and sweet as milk

Queen of Sheba's riddle: Sometimes it is sweet, sometimes it is bitter The water that suddenly appeared along my journey Sometimes it is honeyed, sometimes it is harsh The wave that seized me all along my path.
King Solomon's Answer: The water of tears is sometimes sweet, sometimes it is bitter These tears that suddenly appeared along your journey” “The water of tears is sometimes honeyed, sometimes it is harsh These tears that seized you all along your path.”

Queen of Sheba's Riddle: Birds idolize it Fish despise it Birds idolize it Fish despise it It’s the rich man’s finery But also what the poor take with them to their tomb.
King Solomon's Answer: Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known in English as linen and are traditionally used for bed sheets, underclothes, and table linen. Its oil is known as linseed oil. In addition to referring to the plant, the word "flax" may refer to the unspun fibers of the flax plant. Birds use it to build their nest and fishes hate it because it is used to build their net
Queen of Sheba's Response: Oh King of Kings. Birds go mad over its leaves Flax, flax, oh King of Kings. From which the net is made that fish so greatly dread Flax, flax, oh King of Kings. That bedecks your vanity, you the most powerful of men Flax, flax, oh King of Kings.

Queen of Sheba's Riddle: It’s buried deep inside the darkness And yet it’s still alive! The farther it fades into the void The more life around it comes to bloom It’s buried deep inside the darkness
King Solomon's Answer: Grain of Wheat. It’s buried deep inside the darkness It’s the grain of wheat the farmer sows, And yet it’s still alive! Like the seed from which our son will spring It’s the grain of wheat the farmer sows, And the farther it fades into the void.

Queen of Sheba's Riddle: What is this bit of nothing, this breath, --No, i say and yes it is— What is this bit of nothing, this spirit, --I say i dont want it and yet I crave it — With impatience it makes the heart explode asking if he or she feels it too and who she or he feels it for? It drives you mad and keeps you sane, it makes you cry and makes you cry, crushes you and makes you float
What is this bit of nothing, this spirit
King Solomon's Answer: What is this bit of nothing, this breath, “It’s my desire for you
What is this bit of nothing, this ethereal spirit, “It’s my love for you,”
It makes my heart explode with impatience
What is this bit of nothing, this breath, “It’s love"

Queen of Sheba's Riddle: Seven, nine, two, one, seven interrupt each other Seven, nine, two, one, nine begin Seven, nine, two, one, two offer a drink but only one accepted!
King Solomon's Answer: Seven days interrupt the flow of blood Seven, nine, two, one Nine months begin a feverish awaiting Seven, nine, two, one Two breasts offer a drink to Seven, nine, two, one One thirsting little child!

Explanation of the Riddles, not in the order they were asked

The last riddles pertains to the female’s birth cycle: menstruation, pregnancy, birth, and nursing. The riddle is elusive, since its verbs are couched in the masculine: “yozim [issue] … nikhnasim [enter] … mozgim [offer drink],” and Solomon’s wisdom is patent in his discovery of the solution in feminine matters.

Queen of Sheba’s Conversion
The midrash relates that after hearing all of Solomon’s wisdom and the miracles that God had performed in his time, she proclaimed: “Praised be the Lord your God,” and with this declaration she expressed her desire to join the people of Israel. The Rabbis compare the Queen of Sheba with Jethro and with Rahab, two important Gentiles who sought to adhere to Israel. The queen’s visit to King Solomon is a fulfillment of Jer. 16:19: “To You nations shall come from the ends of the earth and say: Our fathers inherited utter delusions, things that are futile and worthless.” The queen came from the ends of the earth and, as a result of her stay with Solomon, came to believe in the Lord (Ex. Rabbah 27:4). This midrash of the queen’s conversion may have led to the development of a literary tradition that appears in a later midrash, according to which Solomon married the Queen of Sheba and she bore him a son named Ben Sira (Alphabet of Ben Sira, in Ozar ha-Midrashim [Eisenstein], p. 35, para. 1).
Yet another midrashic tradition maintains that no woman ever reigned over Sheba, that “whoever says that there was a woman who was Queen of Sheba [Malkat Sheva] is in error,” and that these Hebrew words really mean the kingdom of Sheba (Malkhut Sheva), which is why these verses are in the feminine, reflecting the gender of the word malkhut, rather than referring to an actual woman. The kingdom of Sheba sent high-ranking ministers to Solomon, and the words of admiration for Solomon are attributed to the entire kingdom, not just to its leader (BT Bava Batra 15b).
Additional riddles posed by the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon are to be found in the Targum literature, in Targum Sheni to Esth. 1:3; and in the late midrash: Midrash Hefez, published by S. Schechter, Folk-Lore 1 (1890), pp. 349–358. These legends, in compact form, were also collected by Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews (Philadelphia, 1947), vol. 4, pp. 142–149.

PS: Watch out for our Grey Area Dabate for the month of April, it is to test the knowledge of our fellow believers on the scriptures and it's applications through critical thinking processes and developments
We will be visiting the issue of Divorce and Remarriage this time
You are welcome to join the conversation and participate
The aim is to enlighten the church and broaden our perspective as believers

[Dunsin Oyekan of #Geni @DunsinOyekan]

How can the city of God be sick?

How can the city of God be broke?

No no no! Rise to a new level of Life!

Know who you are in Christ! Enforce it and take responsibility where necessary!!!

#cityofGod

[Apostle Harrison Ayintete @TGNLEAD]

WILL A BELIEVER CAUGHT FORNICATING DURING RAPTURE MAKE IT?

In case you didn't read the caption well.

The question is, if a believer was fornicating and the trumpet sounds, will the believer make it?

So here is the answer

1. The believer's body is NOT FOR FORNICATION!!

Our bodies are to glorify God!

FORNICATION, adultery and other works of the flesh do not glorify God!

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Notice what it says!

We are bought with a price!

All of us who believe in Jesus!

Our bodies and our spirits belong to God!

How?

Because God BOUGHT US with the blood of His son!

2. Now that you know you have been bought, or purchased or redeemed by God's own son, you must live that way!

1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1 Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

We have been redeemed!!

Bought with a price!!

3. Now that we are bought with a price, I hope it is clear that no believer owns him or herself.

Thus, when the Lord comes back for His property, HE WILL RAPTURE EVERYONE HE HAS BOUGHT!!

EVERY SINGLE ONE!!

He has told us this already!

St. John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Again.

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.

Notice it didn't say we MAY ALL BE CHANGED!

It is clear , bold and affirmative, WE SHALL ALL BE CHANGED!

From the physically dead to the living!

In whatever state you are, YOU SHALL BE CHANGED!!

4. In whatever state the believer is, WE ARE GOD'S!!

Look, when you buy a property, even when the property is bad or defective or unprofitable, the PROPERTY IS YOURS!!

The one who is bought has no right to determine it's ownership!!

Romans 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

In whatever state we are, WE ARE THE LORDS!

5. Read my lips!

Unmistakably so!

In whatever state, in whatever action, in whatever mental sickness or spiritual depravity a believer maybe, we are JESUS' PROPERTY AND HE HAS ASSURED NO ONE WILL BE LEFT BEHIND who He has redeemed.

Either you ask if the believer is fornicating or sleeping or having sex with his wife or drinking or smoking!!

While the believer must live as the redeemed, if he chooses to live otherwise, he still God's property!!

6. Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Don't grieve the Spirit.

Why?

He WON'T LEAVE TILL THE DAY OF REDEMPTION!!

Are you fornicating?!

He won't leave!

Are you stupid?!

He won't leave!

Are you mad?!

He won't leave!

Are you depressed?!

He won't leave!

Are you angry with this post?

He Woooooooooooont LEAVE!

Salvation is not at your terms, it is at God's terms!

He has BOUGHT YOU, stop thinking you have an eternity outside Him, HE HAS BOUGHT YOU!!

Get used to this slavery!

It is an eternal one!

Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

You are slaves of Righteousness now!

And no one can deliver you from God!

St. John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
St. John 10:30 I and my Father are one.

Either this post blesses you or offends you, my brother, it is bible I just taught o, I didn't kill somebody

✌

Revd Harrison Ayintete

[Lara M @Lara_MKing]

@GbengaWemimo I have the mindset of the just, I have the mind of Christ!
I am living in the Word and not the world,
I sleep in the boat of my own peace in any storm! I am not carried by the whims and caprices of men! I rule and reign over all things! Thank you Father! Glooooorrryyyyy to God!

[Gbenga Samuel-Wemimo @GbengaWemimo]

Thriving in Challenging Times

It has been my experience since I was a child, that the economy of nations has always been bad
The price of commodities had always gone up
The salary being paid to workers both in the private and public sectors had never been enough
Fraud, corruption, and abuse of power have always been the characteristics of every government
It had never gotten better in the world, it had always been worse
When the military ruled, it was terrible
When the civilians took over, it was terrible
There had always been a tunnel, a dark one with a promise of light shinning beyond it
We have never seen that light, and we never will
It had also been my experience and my observation that what people believe plays out in their reality
Those who believe in government, listen to the news dedicatedly and always end up bitter and disappointed that there is no good news
Yes, sometimes the government will declare free education for primary and secondary school students
A short season ago, fuel subsidy was the one thing that every citizen of Nigeria benefitted from directly from the government
We know what the price of fuel was all over the world and we know how much we were buying it
Some criminally minded citizens, however, decided that they would make a killing by taking what we were having for cheap, exporting it to neighboring countries, and padding up figures so that they could suddenly be called rich in society
Other criminals decided that they would claim to have imported fuel at a certain amount, collect the subsidy plus the fund for the fuel on the imported figures from the government without delivering the fuel to the people
It was a field day for criminals
It was the duty of the news to tell us what was going on
Soon all the things we were enjoying for free became bitter in our tummies
We still wanted it for free but we didn't want the smart Alecs to have their way with our resources that way
We shut it down
We would rather all suffer than allow the few smart Alecs to rob us of our commonwealth
Politicians have always looted our treasuries
Civil servants had always embezzled our commonwealth
It is how it was from the beginning, it is how it will be forever
I am not n=making a confession or declaration
I know human nature and the culture of a nation outside of the programming of God
There is nothing new under the heavens
The name of the culprit may change and the position he or she is holding in government may change but the crime is pretty much the same all the time
Many had gotten away with great evil, it is the ones who were not smart enough to escape that we see and cry foul
Has there ever been a time when things got better?
Has there ever been a day when a crime or two were not committed among citizens in a country or a state?
We embraced religion like a second skin thinking in it we would be able to launder our image and gain the respect of many who would not see us but would see our devotion to God as a sign of our good nature
Under this guise, we perpetrate the most heinous crimes against one another and get away with some while we get caught for others
A drummer in a church i once attended lured a girl in the choir to his parent's house and raped her
He was 19, she was 16
The girl's younger sister lured the keyboardist to her father's house in the guise of "My mummy wants to see you"
The keyboardist got to their house, and this girl hit him with a stick at the back of his head
He woke up naked, tied to a chair with his mouth properly tied
She then proceeded to ride him like a mule, for hours
Their youngest sister witnessed both events and came to church to report
Everybody denied it
The sister recorded bits and pieces of it with a phone's camera
Enough to see how true her story of the two accounts was
The two sisters denied it
The two brothers denied it
The mother of the three girls turned on the youngest sister and flogged her mercilessly, saying to her in Edo language that it is not everything a child sees that the child should have the effrontery to share
Truth forever on the scaffold, lies forever on the throne
Pastors with collars on their necks will use the "Perception" of dignity their office gives them to perpetrate frauds all in the name of making money and a name for themselves
"Many a man proclaims his own loyalty and goodness, But who can find a faithful and trustworthy man?" Proverbs 20:6
We have systematically slanted the purity of the message of the gospel so that it can profit us and our various ideologies
We have introduced a lot of pagan and unwholesome occultic confessions into our Christian consciousness
Our prayers had become more dictated by fear than guided by the Holy Spirit
We are stuck in the valley, sinking in a miry clay with our mouths full of lamentation
This is the state of every nation under the reign of darkness in today's world
The takers from the West are still taking
The oppressed of the dark continent are still serving their masters
Brain drain is on the rise and the gains are at an all-time low
The politics is getting harder and harder to sustain
The economy is worse than it has ever been all over
The whole of creation is still groaning
And yet the Believer has been given the right to choose either in this reality or create another one that is independent of circumstances and far above the dictates of men, their policies, idiosyncracies, ideologies, philosophies, bigotry, and evil nature
The key to this reality lies in accepting all that being in Christ represents and deliberately speaking and living this life here and now
Living and speaking in the mindset and the wisdom of the Just
The wisdom of the just refers to the mindset of the righteous. It’s a mind that’s yielded and given to the Word—easily persuaded by the Word to act in conformity to the Word.
Such a person is willing to accept the Word and to make adjustments on the basis of the Word. That’s functioning in the wisdom of the just. True wisdom is living in, and by God’s Word; being influenced and propelled by the Word to the right thoughts and actions.
1 Peter 4:17 says, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” The underlined portion of the preceding verse is the verb of the noun we read in Luke 1:17: “that obey not.” The Greek word is “Apeitheo,” meaning the disobedient; one who’s willfully disobedient and unbelieving; the foolish. The Bible says, “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God…” (Psalm 14:1 NIV).
Being born again, you have a different mindset: the mindset of the just. Therefore, be swayed and easily moved by the Word of God; take your actions on the basis of the Word. It doesn’t matter how something appears, or that you find it appealing to the senses or your emotions, if the Word of God says otherwise, conform to the Word. Discipline yourself to accept and live by the Word of God only.
How do you apply this?
Speak it, think it, be convinced of it, and act out your conviction
This was how Jesus lived
Surrounded by Roman soldiers, in an occupied nation choking with religious fanatics and angry people seeking freedom from their oppressors
A nation that had turned to religion as opium and governed by men whose desire to please the Romam Emperor exceeded their capacity to rule fairly
Born of poor parents into an inconsequential family living in a city in which it was said that nothing good could come out of it
Jesus had a mindset that is greater than the world
He was never aware of lack, limitation, or any disadvantage
His introduction to us as a miracle worker was at a wedding at Cana of Galilee
His mother had put him on the spot
He had no stake in the wedding
He could have given a speech like "Cut your coat according to your cloth" and we would all have read it later and said Jesus is so wise or Jesus is full of some profound truth"
His mother put him on the spot because it was not his first time doing such a thing
It was however his first time displaying his mindset in public
He didnt complain, blame the host or the party organizer
He said they should fill pots with water and he simply solved the problem using the resources available to him
And he did it so well that everyone at the wedding testified
This is how to thrive in challenging times
No matter what the world may be going through at any time, you have been raised far above principalities and powers, far above the economic conditions of this world, and far above the prevailing circumstances of the time
You are not subject to sickness, affliction, illness, curses, abuses, depression, oppression, elements of this world, or the whims and caprices of men or women
See yourself as you truly are in Christ always and never see yourself as the world assumes you are in the world with them
You are not of this world
You are a saviour out of Zion, equipped with all the benefits of an ambassador of Christ, lacking nothing!
Always remember this
You are either living in the Word or living in the world
You are either living the Word or living the news and issues of life
You are either asleep in the boat of your own peace in the storm or troubled by the storm for your sinking boat
It can never be both
It is always either!

The wisdom of God is at work in me mightily; I know what to do, what to say, who to meet. All at the right time. I’ll never miss my way. The knowledge of God is increasing in my life. I increase in Grace which produces in my life, beauty, honour, acceptability, loveliness, goodwill, benefits, endurance, promotion, elegance, charm, glory, favour.
I increase in divine favor, I increase in speed and accuracy. No weapon formed against me shall ever prosper. Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, ye I have a goodly heritage. Ministering spirits are at my disposal, working for me. I am a world-over-comer; I am more than a conqueror. I can never be disadvantaged; for all things are orchestrated for my benefit.
I cannot be disadvantaged in any way, it's all working together for my good because I love the Lord. My finances are booming all the time, I lay up gold as dust. I increase in fortune. Great is my peace and prosperity. I am a great personality; a force to be reckoned with, I have access to all nations, no limitations, no boundaries.
The glory of God is risen upon me, I am the effulgence of God’s presence. God tabernacles in me, I carry His atmosphere of miracles everywhere I go. I am strengthened, energized, endued with power, ability, and might. I am a great minister of the gospel of our Lord Jesus. I am an ardent soul winner. The word of God shall prosper in my life and fulfill in me what it talks about.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I am who God says I am. I am a blessing to my world and All I lay my hands upon to do shall prosper and be blessed. Kings shall come to my rising. My future is bright and glorious, I cannot fail, and neither can I be defeated. I win always, in every situation. Every mountain before me is made plain, all crooked paths are made straight. Hallelujah.
I am the head and not the tail. Any careless word that I have spoken or has been spoken concerning me is nullified in Jesus Name. Grace and peace are multiplied unto me. Springs of joy well up within me all the time. The word of God is effective in my life.
I am super-favored, I live in superabundance because I am connected to God’s unending supply system. The love of God is shed abroad in my heart and this love radiates to all around me. Nothing can stop me, nothing can hinder me. The hand of God rests upon me and my household.
I function from the position of rest, I live a struggle-free, worry-free life all the time…Oh, glory to God!! I’ve been qualified to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light. Darkness has no place in me, for I’m native-born to the light.
I manifest this light to my world ever so brightly today and always. I walk in the light, as He is in the light… I walk in glory, strength, victory, and righteousness today. My life is the manifestation of the wisdom and grace of God! I’m what God says I am. Glory to God. Hallelujah!

-GSW-

[Gbenga Samuel-Wemimo @GbengaWemimo]

Laying It Bare

There is a sentimental attachment that we all have with familiarity, if someone or something had kept us warm and safe and happy for a while or several seasons, letting such a person or place go can be a challenge
Sometimes we know we must let go of such but the fear of the unknown, the shared history, and mutual benefit we believe we
are getting from such a relationship, friendship or union keeps us from seeing that as long as we hold on to such we will never make progress
Take for example a young lady who met a man at a party
She was an undergraduate and he was working with a bank
He was ten years older than her
He came to strike up a conversation with her because he was bored and she looked bored
He was right
She was bored and was suffering through the party because she did not want to offend the person who invited her
He was good company
He made her laugh and took her mind off the party and other issues bothering her
Within a few minutes of being with him, it felt as if she had known him all her life
She was easy on the eyes and therefore attracted a lot of male attention
She knows the look in the eyes of men and could interpret and separate lust from like and genuine interest
She had never been the one to ask any man for his phone number before but by the time the party was over, her phone was out and she was taking his number
He was rich, classy, smooth, handsome, well-connected, wise, witty, clear-minded and purpose-driven
He was the kind of man anybody would do well to have in their circle of influence
All the way home she was thinking of him
When she got home, she excitedly sent him a message thanking him for the night and hoping he would keep in touch
He had her by her intestines and she didnt even know it
She had fallen for him
He replied to her message
He thanked her for bailing him out of boredom and keeping him enthralled throughout the day
He promised to call her as soon as he could
He called her the next day and told her he was in her school
He came to see her instead of talking to her on the phone
He took her to lunch and then they took a long walk and just talked
When they were done with their date, he began to walk away from her to his car
Her heart started pounding fearfully
She didn't want him to go
They had connected on levels that she did not even know she had
He fit right into the "life partner" category, the one!
And it was only the second time they would be together
The third time, she was the one who called him after several days of daydreaming about him to ask him if he was available the following weekend
She wanted to see his world
She needed to know if he was for real or catfishing
She told him she was free and wanted to spend some time away from campus
She said she was willing to stay in a friend's house close to him but she would like to have his address
He sent it to her
She lodged in a hotel close to his address
She visited him the next day which was a Saturday at home
She saw with her own eyes that he was single and unattached
She looked for all the signs
She had been in relationships with both single and married men before she met him
She considered herself an expert at detecting if someone was single or married
He was single
He was her final answer to the question of getting married or staying single
If he asked her to marry him, she would say yes immediately
She had never felt that way about anybody before
Later that afternoon, she forced the conversation the only way she could
He kept talking and being all nice but he did not make any move to have any physical contact or intimate moment with her
He was polite and distant, almost as if he was friend zoning her
She said, "Are you not sexually attracted to me?"
The question took him off guard but he adjusted quickly and started laughing nervously
He didn't reply, he just looked at her and lapsed into silence
This made her unsure of how he perceived the question
Did he think her too forward or she was throwing herself at him somehow?
He gave her the impression that he was liberal and open-minded
She hoped she didn't read him wrong
Suddenly he leaned toward her and kissed her
She gave everything to him
The key to her blouse, skirt, upper safe, and lower safe
She gave him all the contents of the safe and the safe itself
He took his time to take everything she offered
He was a meticulous lover
She expected the relationship to progress from there
It did but not in the direction she wanted
They did everything a happy couple would do for each other but he was determined never to get married
She didn't know she ought to ask a man if he was the marrying kind or not
Every time she talked about marriage, he would shake his head and change the subject
He gave her everything
She became his traveling companion, his best friend, his lover, his unofficial secretary, his advisor, and heart song
she had access to his laptops, his phones, his local and international documents, everything
She had a key to his apartment in Lagos and Port Harcourt
He took her to the studio apartment he owned in London and Paris which he uses for AirBnB whenever he was out of the country
He listed her as his next of kin on several documents
She would sometimes fill out sensitive documents for him so that all he had to do was append his signature
Sometimes she signed his hand
It was the best relationship anybody who had ever been in love could ever hope to have
She was essentially his wife in every vital way
He got her a job as soon as she graduated ensuring that she was independent of him financially
Encouraged her to save and even helped out members of her family who fell on hard times or needed anything he had to give
Her parents got to know about him and later got to know him
He was the only man in her life
The only man she ever wanted to be with
Ten years later, she was in her mid-thirties and nothing had changed
Her mother had called her to have the talk several times
Her father never bothered her about it but he was concerned even in silence
She tried everything she knew to convince him to marry her
He said he was not the marrying kind
She broke off the relationship but the first day without him felt like the moment a fish is taken out of the water
She was sure he would come for her, bend for her, make a compromise for her sake
They were too in love not to do much for each other
He didn't
He didn't date another babe or block her or throw tantrums
He just kept his nose in his job and if he cried about her leaving him, he kept his tears to himself
She joined a church and started searching for a husband
The church is obviously the first place to go
She felt if he saw her with someone else, he might be stirred to jealousy and do the right thing
She knew he was not made of iron and steel
He was a man and he loved her, of that she had no doubt
She wanted a wedding, she had dreamt of ot since she was born
She wanted a home, she wanted to have children
He gave her so many things but he denied her the very things she wanted and truly desired
She met new prospects but they were nothing compared to him
Sometimes she would call him in the middle of the night, crying
He would drive to her place and comfort her
He would move mountains and level valleys to give her temporary comfort
He refused to yield on the issue of marriage
She even offered to have children, even if it is just one child for him
He refused
Clearly, they do not want the same things in life
She knew he wouldn't bend or change his mind
She continued to search for alternatives but she still couldn't let him go
She kept telling herself she had invested too much in him for another babe to come into his life and get married to him in less than six months
She knew it could happen
That would really break her
So she kept an eye on him while looking for another match with her second eye
The redefinition of their relationship did not faze him
That she was having dates with other guys did not move him
He would call her whenever he needed her and she would run to him
She had moved out of his apartment and started trying to wean herself off him
When he is traveling abroad for the summer holidays, he buys her tickets and she goes with him
She just couldn't let go of those perks especially as he was offering them with no strings attached
Another three years went by
By this time she had dated many other guys but none of them got to the point of proposing to her before she broke things off
She went to see the Brother in Jeans and T-shirt for counseling
She told him everything that had happened
She also told him the man was no longer a lover, that the two of them had settled for friendship
She was closer to forty and he was a bit above fifty by this time
She still felt a strong desire to get married but to who?
She was worried she would not be able to have children at that age or that the children might have some issues because the quality of her eggs must have depreciated
She was worried she would live alone and die alone with nobody to love and care for her as he did
Even as friends, he was the only one person she was sure would drop everything he was doing and come rushing to her if she just sent him a smiley or any signal indicating she wanted him around
She didn't understand his fear of marriage and why her love for him could not break it
The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt told her she must do what she believed was best for her
"Take a few days off, talk to the Holy Spirit about your situation, and listen to him. Whatever he tells you to do, if you do it, you will find yourself rejoicing in fulfillment in no time"
Her relationship with the Holy Spirit was just a few days old by this time
She had been a nominal Christian all her life before her situation made her turn to spirituality for succour
She took some days off as counselled
She spent them praying in tongues and reading her scriptures out loud
She had talking sessions with the Holy Spirit
She laid it all bare
On the fourth day, she got an email from a headhunter
A company in the United Kingdom requires her expertise and the pay is good
She had never considered living abroad
She felt this was something new and a change of environment may not be such a terrible idea
She said Yes
One month later, she left for London
It was an opportunity for her to start all over and she took it with both hands
She couldn't resist telling him about it
Hoping he would maybe tell her not to go and propose
She couldn't resist the longing for a miracle in that direction
It never happened
She got to the United Kingdom on a Saturday
She resumed at her desk two weeks later
Six weeks into the job, she met a guy
He asked to take her to lunch and she said yes
As soon as they sat down to their meal, he said "I am going to marry you"
She almost choked on her food
He meant it
They were married four months later
She was forty-one years old and he was thirty-eight

PS: I am happy to announce that they delivered their first child overnight
The baby came at 12:03 AM WAT
She said it was as if God recovered several years for her in the last year
She kept saying "Brother Gbenga, but you know, you know where i am coming from, you know my story, it is as if i am dreaming"
We must all learn to trust God early and not lean on our own understanding
We must learn to go to him and say "See, sir, see the mess I have made"
Children do it to their parents always and parents help their children to clean up their messes
The earlier we do this, the better for us
Especially as Born Again Christians

-GSW-

[Gbenga Samuel-Wemimo @GbengaWemimo]

When you begin to rationalize or try to make a miracle make sense to you, you commit a blunder
You begin to put God in the mold of man and you might lose your ability to walk in the supernatural
I learned this from Joyce Meyer some years ago
She did not really say it that way, but she said when we are no longer wowed by miracles, we will lose the essence of our supernatural abilities and may just find ourselves becoming common or natural
Since then I have taught myself how to shout Glory and stay in awe of the supernatural
Yesterday I got a call that my daddy died in America
He is 74 years old and has lived a good life
I was neither happy nor sad about it
I just ignored the news
Then we had the Night of Glory service and immediately afterward prayed for him
The next thing i heard was that he was back to life
I celebrate the Holy Spirit for this awesome miracle
Wow!
WoooooooooooooooooooooooW!
It is always as it should be
There are miracles that happened in the course of 2023 that i didn't have the boldness or the confidence to share
Some of the miracles were the stuff of sheer madness
I couldn't make sense of them and so i left them to be
I am a writer but sometimes words fail me
Take for example the issue of Sister Salewa and Pastor Alex
I am mentioning their names because they gave me the permission to
This is their story and it is to the glory of our almighty God

Sister Salewa and Brother Alex met in Cross River state
She is from a rich home and he is from a poor home
Her parents refused to consider him as a husband to her
She pushed and begged and cried but her parents did not budge
Her father decided she must go to the USA for her masters and also so she can forget him
The night before she left Nigeria she went to see the love of her life
Even though they had met in a Christian fellowship and kept the relationship platonic, she threw caution to the wind and slept with him
She knew she might never see him again
She got to America and discovered while she was in her uncle's house that she was pregnant
She delivered the baby and didn't bother to inform Brother Alex about it because it would just lead to unnecessary complications
He was best left alone to find his feet in peace
Her father welcomed the baby and adopted the child as his own
She was his only daughter and the baby was the son he never had
He also gave the baby his name to bear
She was half Yoruba and half Efik
Her mother named her Salewa after her mother's late older sister
She delivered her baby and settled down to her studies
She graduated and got a job
Four years later she met a man who proposed to marry her
The man was a super blessing to her
He was previously married with three children and he became a father to her son
Thirteen years went by and the child, now a teenager began to behave in a manner that was unsettling to everyone
He began smoking marijuana and cussing anybody who dared to want to correct him or come into his space
Brother Alex in Nigeria had gone into ministry and had become a Pastor
He had a thriving ministry in Lagos and was also in the logistics business
Pastor Alex got married to a beautiful and healthy woman
After they got married, he tried very hard to have a child but they couldn't
Medical tests all showed both of them were fine but will just have to be patient for the baby to come when the stars align
they waited seven years
At the start of 2023, Pastor Alex was praying one day and the Lord led him to the Book of Isaiah
The Holy Spirit told him this year is his year
He said I am bringing your sons and daughters home this year
This was followed by a vision in which he saw his wife with a son and then a daughter
He took these promises as a sign that God will give them their children this year
He began to make confessions, trusting God for the fulfillment of that which he had seen
On the 3rd of November 2023, i was in my house when I began to hear the name Salewa
It was strange but not new
I didn't just hear it I saw it too
In my walk with the Lord this has happened several times
I just kept praying in the Holy Ghost while waiting for further instructions
That same day, in the afternoon, i got a call from America
A lady called Salewa called me to seek counsel on behalf of her son
The young man had gotten into a deep problem with the police and they had already committed him to a juvenile facility at 14
He got involved with two other friends who went to rob a corner shop
she didnt know what to do
I listened to her and explained to her that I had been expecting a call or a message from her
I told her the Lord brought a Salewa name into my consciousness earlier that morning
We talked for a while and prayed
Within four hours her son was cleared of all wrong and escorted back home by a police officer and social services personnel
She was shocked by the turn of events
She called me to share the testimony
I told her, not to bother, the issue was not about sharing a testimony
The Lord was calling her attention to something and I was very sure unless she paid attention to that thing and resolved it, another crisis would soon happen in her life
She said she could not say what it was
I said, "What has the Lord laid on your heart to do but which you had refused to do because it will make you feel vulnerable and uneasy?"
She didnt hesitate to say it was about her son
The same young man and the issues regarding his paternity
She said she would sleep many nights and wake up terrified because her son pulled a knife on her and was asking her to show her his father
I said "Please do the right thing and introduce this young man to her father"
The shocking this here is that a few days before Sister Salewa reached out to me, Pastor Alex did the same
On his own side, he called me to ask why the Lord had not made his wife pregnant in 2023 as promised to him earlier in the year
He shared with me scriptures and assurances of the promise of God regarding 2023 and how the year had gotten to November and his wife had not gotten pregnant
He said his wife had fallen into depression over the issue and had started suggesting that they part ways because she wanted to be a mother and he was not giving her children
I didnt know Sister Salewa and Brother Alex knew each other or had a history
Sister Salewa reached out to Pastor Alex on the phone
This will be fifteen years after they met for that farewell that resulted in her pregnancy
They talked and she told him he had a son called Alex and so on
The young man and his father had a video call where they talked and met for the first time
The call was a very good one and the young man asked his mother if he could come to Nigeria to meet his father
She agreed and they picked a date for late November
Sister Salewa and her son came to Nigeria
They met Pastor Alex and the man and his son met each other face-to-face for the first time
Then they called me to tell me the good news and I was shocked that Sister Salewa and Pastor Alex knew each other
I mean....
The kind of miracle that can make you miss your bus stop, or forget you drove to an event and walk on and on for hours in awe
The word of God came to pass, Pastor Alex's son came home
Two weeks later, I got a call from Pastor Alex
His wife had taken in for the first time in seven years
Oh wow!
If it was a coincidence, it was a crazy one
But it was a miracle and that is how miracles come
As a package of wonder and awe
Who can explain what?
I have tried writing this testimony several times but I did not know how to without mentioning names
The Holy Spirit knows how to weave the fibers of human reality that is so delicate and intricate to the point where nobody can know or explain how but everybody will know what!
This is why we call Him El Gibbor!
“El Gibbor” is a Hebrew phrase that means “the Mighty God”.
The word “Gibbor” means “strong” or “mighty” and is often used to describe heroes, warriors, or victors. In the context of the Bible, “El Gibbor” is used to describe God as a great conqueror who is strong, mighty, and brave
The deeds of God are beyond words, I have seen so many miracles this year in the course of preaching the gospel that I have come to only one conclusion
He is God the Almighty!
My brother and fellow minister of the gospel, Baba Oluyemi, a prophet of the most High God released a song at midnight today
Right after our Night of the Spirit service
It is titled EL Gibbor
https://t.co/uwb8prXghT
https://t.co/VhG2zzLSRq
Please listen and share it as much as you can on all the platforms where you are able to share
He has ministered globally with notable signs and wonders all over
I have ministered with him on many platforms
As you listen, the one who corrects the course of life and destiny will visit you and sort you out. Amen

[Gbenga Samuel-Wemimo @GbengaWemimo]

Naked and Ashamed

He said he had never felt ashamed of anything in his life until that moment
A moment when his wife used a secret he told her on their marriage bed against him in an argument
He said it was not the content of what she said but the fact that it dawned on him that he had been naked with a woman with whom he could not share anything of worth or note in his life any longer from that day
He said from that point the desire to be naked with her also began to wane
There was no more joy in being naked just for the fun of it
Intimacy for him was not just in the physical act of lovemaking, it was in the ability to empty himself of the issues, fears, doubts, issues, and secrets plaguing his soul to another and knowing that he was in a safe space and would come to no harm on the issue even upon the pain of death or any form of peril
It was the one thing he looked out for in a woman when he started praying for divine guidance to marry the right
He wanted to marry his soul mate, someone with whom he could share everything
His life had been without much drama as a person
He lived on the straight and narrow lane of life, even then life had happened to him several times and he yearned for someone with whom he could share his reality with
She told him she was a woman of great discretion
It was her unique selling point to him
She told him she did not like the spotlight and would retire to the ends of the earth with him as long as it was the will of God
Of course, she was a beauty and she didnt keep friends by nature
She fitted into the mold of someone who didn't need public validation or people's opinion to live her life
They began to meet in public places for a meal, or a stroll and sometimes they read books together at a public park
She came as advertised
No frills or unnecessary entanglements
A straight shooter with no drama
He fell in love with her after three months of their unique courtship
One day she asked him how he coped with sexual frustration as a single man since he had no relationship whatsoever with any woman before he met her
He told her he masturbated once in a while
She laughed with him and the matter ended there
He asked her the same question, and she told him she had been celibate for a while but before then had been sexually active and dated quite several guys
It was part of the process of learning from each other
They talked a lot in the early days, they talked about everything from sun up till sundown and then from sundown till sun up
Sometimes they would go for days without sleeping
She completed him
From personal issues, they moved to family issues
They talked to each other about their family members
Who was who, what who does, who was with who, and whose children were who
They courted for a whole year and then he proposed
She accepted the proposal and they had a simple wedding
A few days after the wedding, they quarreled over an issue relating to their dinner
She told him to order pizza
He ordered something else
When they delivered the meal, she got very upset
He started laughing at her because he didn't understand how someone could get upset over food
She called him insensitive
He laughed and called room service to make the order
They brought the food in a few minutes later
She refused to touch it stating it was an afterthought
He told her not to get angry over something so unimportant
She said "I know now why you were so single all this while that nobody bothered to be with you. You are mean, self-centered, selfish, callous and wicked.
No wonder all you could do for sex was masturbate, I should have known this is the kind of person you are from the moment you told me you were a virgin who had only masturbated in 30 years of existence.
Your mates were learning how to be with ladies and understand women, you kept yourself in your selfish world and you are now using me to experiment with marriage.
I will not accept this from you"
She then stormed out of the room in a fit of rage
Her words stung him to his soul
He stayed a virgin because that was what he believed to be right
He had several opportunities to have sex with someone but he felt he should wait it out until he was ready
And this was what she spat on so nonchalantly
Was he supposed to apologize for being a virgin?
Did he ask her to apologize for being sexually active before meeting him?
He didn't know it was a sore point for him but it turned out to be
That the right in his perspective was so readily twisted to mean wrong by her was a deal breaker
He sat in silence for hours, wondering what he did to warrant such an uncalled-for outburst
By the time she returned to the room, he had packed his bags
The honeymoon was over, he was returning home

She didn't expect the reaction she met when she got to the room
She had expected him to be sulking and for the two of them to sulk and then play the battle of wills game in which they would see who would cave first
She had actually caved
She already sent him a written apology on his phone as soon as she calmed down and realized she had overspoken
But as she was stepping into the room, he was moving out with his luggage
He did not say a word to her
She didnt know what to do
He didn't wait to talk things through or explain what he was doing
She stepped in and before the door closed, the concierge had arrived at the door of their room and he was handing bags to him to take to the reception
She sat on the bed and watched him as he wore his overcoat, and left
Gently closing the door behind him
"Wow"
It was the first time she had seen him that way but it was not the first time she had lost out on a good man because she couldn't bridle her tongue
Even with her friends and colleagues at the office
She would often keep quiet and act as if she does not talk but once she gets angry and begins to talk, she would say anything
to hurt whoever she deemed to be the enemy
She had even shared with him some of those instances from her past while they were courting and how she would use the information given to her or to which she was privy, to turn an argument in her favor
They both laughed over her antics at the time
Why didn't he see it as one of such cases and that she really meant no harm?
Maybe she meant to hurt him but not in an "I dont want to marry you again way..."
It was all so confusing
She called her mother and told her what had happened
Her mother called her husband but he did not pick up her call
Her mother told her to call her husband's younger brother
This was a problem because she had been rude to her husband's younger brother before and even though a big deal was not made of it, it was difficult for her to now call him and be vulnerable
She did not want anything to be lorded over her by anyone
She cried herself to sleep, believing somehow things always get better the next morning
As soon as she woke up the next morning, she called him
He told her he realized he couldn't continue to be naked with someone who made him ashamed due to his being naked with her
He didnt know what he would tell her that would come back to haunt him in the future and he didn't want to be with a woman he could not be vulnerable with while knowing his confidence would be kept and sealed regardless of the storm they pass through
She realised she was in trouble
She begged him to give her an hour to think
Within the hour she wrote a letter of undertaken in her hotel room, stating her name and promising that if she ever made him feel ashamed by betraying his trust or words at any other time during the marriage, he reserved the right to walk away from the union without compensating her as his spouse.
She took a picture of the letter and sent it to him
She tried calling him all day but he did not pick her call
Later that evening, at about 6pm he returned to the hotel with all his bags
She watched him settle in from afar
She was hurt that he made her go through the stress but happy that he was back
He walked towards her
She stood up and flew into his arms
They kissed and made the mood wonder who stole her light
They tore into each other like a pair of turtle doves
When he had pressed the button and the alarm sounded "Grrrrrrrr", she rested in his arms and cried softly. She apologized again for her gaffe
He cuddled her and said "I want to make a confession"
She said, "What confession?"
He said "I am gay"
She burst into laughter from the depth of her heart
She said "I won't fall for it, even if you say you are an angel and have no genital, I will keep my mouth shut. I want you to trust me and not feel threatened or unsafe when you talk to me"
He laughed and kissed her
The rain started falling all over again

-GSW-

PS: Many sexual partners are naked with each other but their nakedness is full of shame
Many couples have gulfs of secrets they keep from each other for one reason or the other
Some husbands are scared their wife's life goal is to take advantage of them
Some wives believe their husband's life goal is to limit their star from shinning
Spouses should be the safest space for each other
If this is not so, the union is not healthy
A true union requires that the couple takes delight in being naked with each other without any form of shame
Being able to share it all is the true test of sincere relationships
We have a couple's hangout from the 29th of December, if you can join us as a couple, we will be glad.
Kindly reach out to me on 08072744871 On WhatsApp message only and register as a couple.

[Gbenga Samuel-Wemimo @GbengaWemimo]

Shaping Thoughts

Churches in Africa seem to lack an understanding of how reality works and how to use the word of God to change the things that they find to be incongruous with the word of God in society.
This is baffling, given that many of those who lead large denominations in Nigeria especially will boast of being highly educated and even wear their professorship or doctorate degrees like a coat of armour to the altar
Critical thinking is very much missing in the Nigerian church and this is a pity
Take for example many of the prayer points that these men of God feed their church members every day from the altar, books, tapes, and other channels or mediums that has led to a fearful mindset and altered their worldview from that of a victor to that of a victim in their daily lives, if these so-called educated men of God had paid attention to the Bible, they would have chosen a very different approach to solving those problems which requires no prayer
There was no place in the Bible where Jesus led the disciples to pray against any of the cultural practices or traditions of the Jews which were unacceptable to him
He merely did what he knew to be right and challenged them through the Word of God to accept his verdict on things rather than stick to unproductive traditions in the name of being loyal to Moses whose laws had become obsolete and grossly irrelevant in the days of Jesus
The law says nobody should work on Sabbath day, Jesus did
He didnt turn it into a prayer point, he simply worked and every time he was challenged he quoted scriptures and asked questions that challenged the reasoning of the religious leader
If he was a Nigerian GO, he would gather his members and tell them to pray to say "Father, every demon of religion operating in the life of the religious leaders in our synagogues, fall down and die in Jesus name" Luke 6:1-11, Luke 13:10-17
Jesus simply did the right thing and this encouraged the disciples who were with him to defy the sabbath laws too and eventually the church started doing the same
Jesus taught the Jews that these rules were wrong and showed by example that the Sabbath day was a day to honour him and His Father by doing good and worthwhile things such as helping people.
You dont change the culture of a people by inventing demonic prayer points, you change a bad or evil culture by teaching people a better culture and demonstrating this by example.
The Jews had cleansing baths of all kinds in their religious rites, John the Baptist introduced another culture entirely which involved dipping people into a flowing river by immersion, and the Israelites embraced it
Jesus took this several steps further by introducing the church to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Many Nigerian G.O who claim to be Christians are still skeptical of the Holy Spirit's baptism and would rather conduct deliverance for their members *to cast out evil spirits) every quarter rather than get them filled with the Holy Spirit as recommended by Jesus Himself so that they are preserved from the evil one once and for all.
This is baffling to me.
To hear members of certain denominations in this time and age on social media, especially X, arguing against praying in tongues, the authority of the believer, prophecy, and the other gifts of the Spirit is not just outrageous, it is almost evil
Jesus was our example, the one we are to model our lives after and He walked in these gifts right after receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit but one Professor General Overseer or Doctor of Science General Overseer from Nigeria is inventing prayer point of "Every evil arrow shot at me from the pit of hell, fall down and die"
Wow.
Mary Sclessor did not invent a prayer point to stop the killing of twins at Okoyong in Nigeria, she actually stopped the killing of twins by sending out twin missionaries to mission houses to take care of all the twins who were rejected and condemned to be evil.
When the twins grew and started doing well without bringing any evil to communities, people embraced them, and the evil law was changed
You dont pray against ignorance, you spread knowledge and ignorance dies
You tell young Christian women that those with evil intentions against them can come to their wedding, spray money, and cause them to be barren or to ensure their marriage fails
On their wedding day, the bride is all tensed up and sensitive towards the people around her and whatever they say which she believes is very powerful and could derail her marital fortunes
What about your own blessings, what about your own declarations? Are they ineffective? Are they that impotent?
The bride is fasting, the groom is fasting, and both of them are looking at close relatives suspiciously and fearfully, interpreting every gesture as harmful or with the potential to cause harm
They are tensed up, easily provoked, and afraid, why?
Because of your teachings which focused on the evil in the world rather than the power that is at work in them.
What a shame!
I have conducted weddings, seeded couples with living words and the anointing of the Holy Spirit and none has ever been able to hurt those who are of the light under my care.
I say this with my full chest
For there is a power at work in a believer, darkness cannot comprehend it unless the believer was taught otherwise by his or her General overseer and pastors.
I was listening to members of a denomination (A couple) speaking at a hospital in Abuja a few months ago.
These guys live in America, they have lived there for many years and they work and have adapted to that society very well even though they are Nigerians
Their words were full of fear and a morbid consciousness of evil
Every time they open their mouths, they will say something like "Our Daddy in the Lord told us the story of a man who has a great glory but his parents went to tie down his glory so that he will not travel abroad and leave them alone in Nigeria because he is an only son"
"Our G.O told us the story of a man whose older sister saw that he was doing well and then went to a river to call his glory and busy it in the mud"
This G.O is educated and he didnt tell his church members the exploits they can do to change the world in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit
Rather, he seeded them with tares about how the darkness has figured them out and is now powerful over them so much that if they dont pray all the prayer points he brings out of his morbid stories they will be victims
Wow.
That is not the gospel of Jesus Christ
I told these couple what the gospel is, i opened the scriptures and showed them who Jesus is and who Jesus in the Believer through the Holy Spirit is, and what the word of God says about those who believe in the Lord Jesus.
They were looking at me as if i was from another planet
They would rather believe the "enemy" from their village is out to get them than believe they are the light of the world whose mandate is to go out and make this "enemy" a child of God by the display of the grace and glory resplendent in a believer
As a young boy, i was told by one of the GOs never to go to my village because once I go there, my destiny will be destroyed.
I believed at the time and so did my mother
I kept away for as long as I could
Then i came to know the gospel by reading the Bible by myself and I got filled with the Holy Spirit
I lead one of the most outstanding Christian fellowships in the world today and the headquarters is in my village.
In my village, they do the Oro festival but they dare not do it when my fellowship is in town
You can use ignorance to tie up the unenlightened but if you put "touch not" on a local lamp and I put "Touch not" on a transformer and we dare each other to touch our power sources.
I will touch yours and kill it with my bare hands
You will touch mine and your death will put the fear of God in the whole community
Christian leaders are tacitly working hand in gloves with the devil by keeping the church ignorant of their power to shape cultures and change traditions all in the name of keeping people
compliant in the name of religion
What harm will it do to set the people free with the right knowledge?
Are you afraid they will no longer deify you if they see that they are deities too?
Are you afraid they will no longer call you Daddy and hang on to your words once they begin to see the truth for themselves?
Is it the tithe or the offering that they may stop paying that is making you keep them from the truth?
They were called to operate in the perfect law of liberty not in bondage anymore that they may fear
Prayer points that came out of devilish stories have no positive impact on the church
The gospel is good news...glad tidings of great joy!
An imagination that has been made impure from the pulpit that was supposed to set it free, brews fear and torment in the heart of the believer and this affects how he or she sees the world and processes reality
A woman got married, her mother-in-law came joyfully towards her calling her "Our wife" which is normal in Yoruba culture
The woman looked at her mother-in-law and said "I am not your wife, I am my husband's wife. I will not allow anyone to pour evil water at my feet and bring me into an evil covenant in the name of marriage"
(The Yorubas have a culture in which a new bride will be admitted into the family by older brides and women of the family. they will pour water on her feet and pray for her that her time in the family shall be full of joy and rest)
She was taught this tradition was evil
She was not taught that "nothing shall by any means hurt you"
or that "Idols are nothing"
She was taught to believe more in the efficacy of evil than the reality of who she is in Christ
The marriage failed, not because of the power of the enemy but because of the mindset planted in her by the church which put her at odds with her husband's family, fed her insecurity and
made her see the support system she was supposed to influence with her light as the enemy.
No one I have taught or shown the gospel will ever back down for the power of darkness or count darkness as anything but a nuisance
It is time for the church and its leaders to wake up and show the believers who they truly are in Christ.
Jesus shaped thoughts. Thoughts shape words, words shape beliefs, beliefs shape actions, actions shape learned behaviours and attitudes, learned behaviours and attitudes shape norms, norms shape cultures, and cultures shape worldviews.
This is how he has been changing the world till today
Dear General Overseers, Church leaders and church members, please be like Jesus
Thank you

PS: I was playing FIFA 19 with my 12-year-old son last night
It was my first time playing the game and we were taking
turns to play
His 10-year-old brother was waiting to play the winner between the two of us
I took a shot from the midfield
My first son said "Come on Dad, you have to be reasonable here, you should know you cannot score from there"
I tackled him and took another shot from the midfield and I scored
My son said "Wow, Dad, how did you do that?"
So I showed him and he used it when he was playing with his younger brother a few minutes later
It is easy to believe something is impossible until you are shown it is possible and possibly even easy to do
There is no darkness like ignorance and there is no light like the gospel
Why those who are born again are afraid of the deeds of darkness is because of their pastors who feed them stories of the deeds of darkness
You are ambassadors of Christ, can you please teach Christ
Can you stop preaching about twisted realities and deeds of darkness and focus on the finished works of Christ and the Acts of the Apostles (You are one of them too)
If you insist on the light, there shall be light.

I am dropping another Christmas Carol under this thread from Sister Priscilla Omoruyi, from GSWMI Canada, please enjoy

[Docta Funto P (Deborah) @OlufuntoP]

Learn what you have to learn. Get those experiences. Let time do its work.

God will announce you when you are “done”.

[Docta Funto P (Deborah) @OlufuntoP]

I once fried thick chunks of plantain on very high heat because I wanted it to get done quickly.

I didn’t enjoy the outcome😢. It looked good but tasted uncooked. I had to bin it.

Be patient during this season of preparation. Go through the process. Avoid short cuts.