Loving Jesus Everyday

My hero is nothing like those you see in the movies or comic books. She has no cape or fancy outfit. No quick and witty sidekick. Her superpowers are not what you would expect or even respect. Selfless, humble, and persevering she stands perfectly wrapped in bold dark skin. Skin baked and cracked by the relentless African sun. Skin that would glow if only she gave it a chance. If only she treated it the way she did me and my siblings. The way she did Father. Father who comes home every night to a beautiful smile and a warm meal, even though his response is almost always a tired grunt. Sitting on a stool in the backyard washing the vegetables, I discreetly watch Mother pounding away in the late morning sun. With the back of her hand, she pauses to wipe the sweat off her brow before continuing to plunge the pestle powerfully onto the content of the mortar. Again and again, she pounds away. Singing joyfully into the clear skies, you will never guess Father almost shouted the roof do...

Christmas Meditations

John 3:16 is likely the most popular verse in the Bible. For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE... Even in a culture that is doing everything to take Christ out of Christmas, the very essence of this season prevails in the tradition of giving gifts. During Christmas, we express our love through giving. Most of us Christians spend the month of December meditating on the Christmas story as written in the New Testament. There is indeed a lot to learn from all the characters involved. These are a few lessons that stand out to me this year. JOSEPH Matthew 1:18-25 Kindness: Even though he felt betrayed by Mary, Joseph did not retaliate the way most of us would these days. Despite what he thought Mary did, he still planned to break off the engagement in a way that would not hurt her. Dreams: God speaks to us through dreams: Many of us do not pay enough attention to our dreams. Remember how God changed Solomon's life through a dream? May God give us grace to discern dreams from Him and i...

The Danger of a One-Sided Story

Years ago I watched this TED talk by Chimmamanda Ngozi Adichie that first introduced me to the idea that one can form strong opinions based on incomplete or inaccurate information. I am still baffled at how common it is to hear one side of a story and confidently pass judgement. Sometimes we even take action based on such flawed judgements. When King Solomon had to judge a case between two women ( 1 Kings 3:16-28 ), he heard two versions of the same story. He had to use wisdom to discern who was telling the truth. Wisdom is absolutely necessary for correct discernment. Stories can be crafted to elicit a specific response, therefore they are a powerful tool for manipulation, whether used intentionally or not. This can be seen clearly in three areas of life: RELATIONSHIPS - when there is conflict between two or more parties. MEDIA - for political, social or economic gain. RELIGION - for manipulation and control. In the relationship context, one-sided stories are usually proliferated by ...

How to Effectively Manage Relationships

Matthew 22:36-40 (NKJV) “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” The second greatest commandment is all about relationships, but how many of us in church are intentional about managing our relationships properly? The Bible is very clear and redundant on the importance of living peacefully with each other, but unfortunately many of us are passive about it. Romans 13:8-10 (NKJV) Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are...

My Current Top Five Preachers

A great sermon is not only intellectual but also emotional. Most importantly, it is spiritual. A sermon ought to be much more than a history lesson or motivational speech. The best sermons are those that cause positive change in the hearts and lives of those who hear them, and this only happens through the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, a preacher who is not Holy Spirit filled (and led) can hardly preach convicting, life-changing sermons. Unfortunately, powerless sermons are more popular today because the role of teacher/preacher has largely been reduced to a job instead of a calling. There is a reason why "Teaching" is one of the spiritual gifts...it is beyond intellectual...it is divine. It requires revelation from above and supernatural delivery of that revelation. Without that gift of the Holy Spirit, a preacher simply cannot reach the hearts of his audience the way he should. A truly anointed preacher does not blindly follow a sermon plan but is always list...

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