The Giver (A true life story)

A pastor who was praying in his church, received a call from his wife. She told him the kids were all sent home from school for their school fees. She told him she had gone back to the school to beg the management for some more time to pay up, but they had refused.

The pastor had some amount of money with him – thirty thousand naira in total. He told his wife to wait at the school while the children returned back to class.

“I am coming to pay something. Give the principal the phone let me talk to him.” He instructed.

The phone was handed over to the principal and the pastor told the principal to allow his children attend lessons.

“I am coming to drop something sir. I am on my way please. Let them return to class. I do not want them to miss classes.” He said.

The principal agreed.

Quickly the pastor picked the amount of money and flagged down a taxi. He announced his destination to the driver and the journey began.

While in the taxi, a conversation was raised by a passenger about the situation of the country. The pastor told the passenger that he was on his way to pay his children school fees and he didn’t even have the complete fees yet. The driver also complained about his inability to pay his own children school fees.

“I haven’t even finished feeding my family not to talk of raising school fees. Just yesterday, my wife just delivered of a baby, and I do not have money to pay her hospital bills. My rent would soon be due. I do not know what else to do.” The driver spoke bitterly.

Everyone spoke at random about the country’s situation. While they spoke, the pastor heard a voice clearly. It had come through his right ears.

“Give him the money in your hands.”

The pastor laughed to himself. The passengers in the car wondered why the pastor was laughing.

To the pastor, the message sounded funny, considering the fact that God knew he needed the money to pay his children fees. God couldn’t possibly ask him to give out his children school fees to a man he never knew from Adam.

“O devil you are liar.” The pastor muttered to himself and blurted in tongues.

Half way to his destination, he heard the voice a second time. This time, it was louder and clearer.

“Give him the money in your hands.”

The pastor became sad. He knew it was the voice of God. But then, he thought about his children. He thought about the commitment he had made to the principal. He thought about the way his wife will feel when he tells her he had given out his children fees to a random driver he had met in a taxi to solve his problems, while he was still left with his unsolved.

When the driver arrived at his children school, instead of paying his transport fair, he pulled out thirty thousand and handed over to the driver.

“Take this. Pay your wife’s hospital bill. And settle your rent. It is all I have.” He announced.

The driver collected the money with tears in his eyes. He immediately came down from the cab and knelt down to thank the pastor who had done him such great favour. The pastor lifted him up and helped wipe his tears.

As a means to keep contact, and one day attend his church with his wife, the driver collected the pastors number before driving off.

The wife of the pastor who had seen from a distance all that had happened, ran up to her husband. She saw the look on his face and immediately knew her husband had done something that would both affect them.

“Where is the fees?” She asked.

“I gave to the driver. His wife is in the hospital.” He replied.

“How much.” She inquired.

“Thirty thousand.”

The wife broke down in tears.

“Thirty thousand? In such a situation and time when we need money the most you gave out thirty thousand?”

“It was the voice of God.”

“I do not think you know the voice of God and the voice of the devil any longer. God cannot tell you to make such a drastic sacrifice. God cannot tell you to give thirty thousand to a common stranger, while our three kids are being sent home for school fees. Even God knows we need the money more than him. Why will you allow the devil use you to put us to shame? Why?” She shouted bitterly.

The children were brought out of their class rooms and made to go home with their parents until they were able to settle their fees.

It so happened that the driver that same day, was driving back home. He picked a random passenger who was just standing in front of the airport gate.

During a random conversation with the driver, the passenger announced that he was a pastor who was new in the country. He told the driver that he was sent by his church to supervise a big project which was suppose to begin in the country. But he has no one to trust who could show him around, and help him execute the project.

“I know a man. I know a man who is trust worthy. A good man. A man who had just helped me moments back. He is a pastor like you. See, he gave me thirty thousand to pay my wife’s hospital bill and also settle my rent. He gave me this money, yet he had no money to pay his children school fees. You can trust this man sir. I collected his phone number. I believe if you call him and speak with him, he would be able to help you.” The driver spoke confidently.

The pastor was convinced. He requested for the number of this pastor, whom this driver had spoke of.

“Give me his number, and I shall call him right away to meet me in my hotel. If he is trust worthy as you say, he shall handle all projects in this country, while I return back to my church. He shall be paid handsomely too.”

The call was made. The meeting between both pastors took place. An agreement was reached. A contract was initiated and signed. The pastor who had listened to the voice that spoke to him, was awarded the contract to supervise the establishment of 17 churches in the country. The pastor was also invited by the visiting pastor to come to his country to preach to his congregation too.

The life of one struggling pastor was changed in one day, because he listened to a voice and made a sacrifice.

How many times have you heard the voice speak to you, only for you to ignore it? How many times have you had that urge and feeling to help someone and you turned it down? Many have missed an opportunity that would have changed their lives forever, just because they refused to listen to that voice. They failed to make that sacrifice because they felt they needed it more. They felt the urge yet they ignored it.

May God help us not to miss that opportunity that will secure our future and destiny in life.

Don’t let this message end with you alone.

Do well to mention someone to read this story as well. Like and share the story.

Let a life somewhere be touched.
Inspiring people to be better

(A true life story)
by Praises Chidera Obiora

A pastor who was praying in his church, received a call from his wife. She told him the kids were all sent home from school for their school fees. She told him she had gone back to the school to beg the management for some more time to pay up, but they had refused.

The pastor had some amount of money with him – thirty thousand naira in total. He told his wife to wait at the school while the children returned back to class.

“I am coming to pay something. Give the principal the phone let me talk to him.” He instructed.

The phone was handed over to the principal and the pastor told the principal to allow his children attend lessons.

“I am coming to drop something sir. I am on my way please. Let them return to class. I do not want them to miss classes.” He said.

The principal agreed.

Quickly the pastor picked the amount of money and flagged down a taxi. He announced his destination to the driver and the journey began.

While in the taxi, a conversation was raised by a passenger about the situation of the country. The pastor told the passenger that he was on his way to pay his children school fees and he didn’t even have the complete fees yet. The driver also complained about his inability to pay his own children school fees.

“I haven’t even finished feeding my family not to talk of raising school fees. Just yesterday, my wife just delivered of a baby, and I do not have money to pay her hospital bills. My rent would soon be due. I do not know what else to do.” The driver spoke bitterly.

Everyone spoke at random about the country’s situation. While they spoke, the pastor heard a voice clearly. It had come through his right ears.

“Give him the money in your hands.”

The pastor laughed to himself. The passengers in the car wondered why the pastor was laughing.

To the pastor, the message sounded funny, considering the fact that God knew he needed the money to pay his children fees. God couldn’t possibly ask him to give out his children school fees to a man he never knew from Adam.

“O devil you are liar.” The pastor muttered to himself and blurted in tongues.

Half way to his destination, he heard the voice a second time. This time, it was louder and clearer.

“Give him the money in your hands.”

The pastor became sad. He knew it was the voice of God. But then, he thought about his children. He thought about the commitment he had made to the principal. He thought about the way his wife will feel when he tells her he had given out his children fees to a random driver he had met in a taxi to solve his problems, while he was still left with his unsolved.

When the driver arrived at his children school, instead of paying his transport fair, he pulled out thirty thousand and handed over to the driver.

“Take this. Pay your wife’s hospital bill. And settle your rent. It is all I have.” He announced.

The driver collected the money with tears in his eyes. He immediately came down from the cab and knelt down to thank the pastor who had done him such great favour. The pastor lifted him up and helped wipe his tears.

As a means to keep contact, and one day attend his church with his wife, the driver collected the pastors number before driving off.

The wife of the pastor who had seen from a distance all that had happened, ran up to her husband. She saw the look on his face and immediately knew her husband had done something that would both affect them.

“Where is the fees?” She asked.

“I gave to the driver. His wife is in the hospital.” He replied.

“How much.” She inquired.

“Thirty thousand.”

The wife broke down in tears.

“Thirty thousand? In such a situation and time when we need money the most you gave out thirty thousand?”

“It was the voice of God.”

“I do not think you know the voice of God and the voice of the devil any longer. God cannot tell you to make such a drastic sacrifice. God cannot tell you to give thirty thousand to a common stranger, while our three kids are being sent home for school fees. Even God knows we need the money more than him. Why will you allow the devil use you to put us to shame? Why?” She shouted bitterly.

The children were brought out of their class rooms and made to go home with their parents until they were able to settle their fees.

It so happened that the driver that same day, was driving back home. He picked a random passenger who was just standing in front of the airport gate.

During a random conversation with the driver, the passenger announced that he was a pastor who was new in the country. He told the driver that he was sent by his church to supervise a big project which was suppose to begin in the country. But he has no one to trust who could show him around, and help him execute the project.

“I know a man. I know a man who is trust worthy. A good man. A man who had just helped me moments back. He is a pastor like you. See, he gave me thirty thousand to pay my wife’s hospital bill and also settle my rent. He gave me this money, yet he had no money to pay his children school fees. You can trust this man sir. I collected his phone number. I believe if you call him and speak with him, he would be able to help you.” The driver spoke confidently.

The pastor was convinced. He requested for the number of this pastor, whom this driver had spoke of.

“Give me his number, and I shall call him right away to meet me in my hotel. If he is trust worthy as you say, he shall handle all projects in this country, while I return back to my church. He shall be paid handsomely too.”

The call was made. The meeting between both pastors took place. An agreement was reached. A contract was initiated and signed. The pastor who had listened to the voice that spoke to him, was awarded the contract to supervise the establishment of 17 churches in the country. The pastor was also invited by the visiting pastor to come to his country to preach to his congregation too.

The life of one struggling pastor was changed in one day, because he listened to a voice and made a sacrifice.

How many times have you heard the voice speak to you, only for you to ignore it? How many times have you had that urge and feeling to help someone and you turned it down? Many have missed an opportunity that would have changed their lives forever, just because they refused to listen to that voice. They failed to make that sacrifice because they felt they needed it more. They felt the urge yet they ignored it.

May God help us not to miss that opportunity that will secure our future and destiny in life.

Don’t let this message end with you alone.

Do well to mention someone to read this story as well. Like and share the story.

Let a life somewhere be touched.
Inspiring people to be better

VALUE ADDED WIFE (VAW)

Many think that Jacob loved Rachael because she was beautiful, beauty only attracts a man to a woman but what determines his true love for a woman goes beyond beauty. Rachael was not just beautiful, she was industrious per excellent.

Why do we have a lot of beautiful ladies today yet no husband? Because beauty without value and virtue is like a smoke. What impressed and attracted Jacob to Rachael was her industriousness. While her brothers and elder sister Leah were at home, Rachael singlehandedly brought her father’s flock to the well. That was where Jacob met her for the first time. No sensible man can resist a woman who is beautiful and industrious.

What made a man worked for 7 years for the woman he loved and yet felt like he just worked for 7 days? Value! My man doesn’t respect me, is because you are not a Value-Added-Woman (VAM).

Do you realized that Jacob did not pay Leah’s bride price? They gave him Leah as bonus. Because she has no value. This was why Jacob had no respect for her and her children, hence he set them as first entourage when he was going to meet his angry brother. If you forced yourself on a man, he may never respect you. If he got you cheaply, he will never respect you. If you are not adding value to his life, he will never respect you.

Even after marriage, Leah was begging and buying the attention of her own husband. Rachael was practically in control of Jacob.

Rachael was a shepherd in the midst of her siblings, a profession meant for men. She was in control of her father’s business. This was what glued Jacob to her.

Gen 29:9 Jacob was still talking with them when Rachel arrived with her father’s flock, for she was a shepherd.

How can boys be in the house and a girl (last daughter of the house) be the one to tend her father’s flock and family business? Industriousness!

After Jacob slept with Leah, he still went for Rachael. Sex don’t keep a man, value does.

Leah had 5 children, Rachael had none, yet Jacob still loved Rachael more than Leah. Having children is good but adding value is better. Don’t ever think you can pin a man down with children. If you like give him a nation, if you are not adding value to his life, he will walk away someday.

I’m pleading with our parents not to raise their daughters in a way they will be liability to a man. Make your daughter a shepherd before her Jacob arrives. Give her a source of livelihood before marriage. If you want her husband to respect her, give her quality education and hopeful future. Don’t train her merely because of the bride price you want to collect on her head. Laban wasted the bride price he took for his daughter. But he lived on the flock kept my his daughter even after she was married out.

This is why many men fall for their ugly hardworking housemaids than their beautiful house wife. We indirectly train our housemaids to be industrious while we train our daughters to be lazy and dependants. Future will tell.

Be a Value-Added-Woman and your man will respect you.

Who is our neighbour?

According to the dictionary, neighbour is defined as the person who is living next to you; a person sitting next to you; a person in need of help; might be your brother or sister or your in-laws or your parent or child or your spouse or a stranger.
Jesus in the parable concludes that the neighbour is the one who shows mercy to the injured fellow man.

The Bible warns us in Proverbs “don’t plan any harm against your neighbor, for he trusts you and lives near you.” Whatever other commands there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
As Christians, if we know Jesus, we then have the power to love. If we have Christ, we have the ability to act in love, even though we have differences. Paul says we are obligated to love others. “Owe no man anything but to love one another.”

Christ’s love in us does not allow us to throw stones at others. Christ’s love in us will not allow us to tear others down. Christ’s love in us stops us from hating others. Christ’s love in us will not put others down. Christ’s love in us does not allow us to throw cheap shots at others.

Our biggest problem/challenge is our lack of love, our inability to love one another. Everything we know in life revolves around that problem. We may win the wars, discover new medicine, tame the wild animals, build amazing structures, speak different languages, deliver powerful sermons, send sophisticated equipment to space but we still are unable to love our neighbour.

But the love of God is radical. It will make us do the unthinkable, unimaginable, undeservable. Why? Because that’s what Christ has done for us.

God’s love is radical. The love of God, the love of Jesus and the love of the Spirit compels us, motivate us, to open up our home, to walk an extra mile, to give a cup of water, to offer two small copper coins, give away our coat, visit the lonely in the prison, hug the unlovable, share a meal who are not of our “type”….Love of Christ challenges our hearts “if anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone…”

How can we love like that? Only when we humble ourselves and exalt Christ in us.

Now that is the power of Christ love. If we have Christ in us, we will never be the same again. We will be changed from inside out. God’s love will break the chains of hatred, envy and prejudice.

IGNORING GOD’S LAWS LEADS TO JUDGMENT

Zechariah 7:8-14

They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry. Zechariah 7:12, NIV

The judiciary convicts criminals and metes out appropriate punishment. Their service is required in order to clear the society of the menace of troublemakers and lawbreakers. God is the judge who pronounces judgement on lawbreakers in His kingdom.

Before the people of Judah were taken into exile, they were commanded to be just in their judgement (vs. 9a), show mercy and compassion to one another (vs. 9b), desist from oppression -particularly of the less privileged (vs. 10a) and avoid plotting evil against each other (vs. 10b). They however, decided to flaunt these four-fold instructions given to them and responded to God in an unacceptable four-fold manner. They did not pay attention (vs. 11a), they turned their backs against God (vs. 11b), covered their ears (vs. 11b), and made their hearts adamant (vs. 12a). In response, God also meted out to them a four-fold judgement: He became angry at them (vs. 12b), refused to listen to them (vs. 13), scattered them among nations (vs. 14a) and their land became desolate (vs. 14b).
For every action, there is a reaction. When a man fails to obey the instructions of God, there would always be consequences. Hope you don’t find it difficult to obey God? What are the things God has told you to do? Act on them now so that you can avoid God’s wrath.

Insight: God is an incorruptible judge.

Prayer: Lord, help me pay attention to Your instructions.

WHY DID JESUS FOLD THE NAPKIN?

This is an interesting story ..

WHY DID JESUS FOLD THE NAPKIN?

This is one I can honestly say I have never seen circulating in the social media; so, if it touches you, you may want to share it.

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes.

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed separate from the grave clothes.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.

She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, ‘They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!’ Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside.. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying to the side.

Was that important? Absolutely!

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it.. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.

Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know it was time to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m done”.

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because………..

The folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back!”

He is Coming Back!

For those of us who still read the Bible, we know of this. However, I thought we should share this with those, who may have forgotten the significance of the folded napkin.

Please share this with all of your contacts. They would enjoy reading and being reminded of His second coming.
He is coming back.’!!!

Are you ready?

Jesus napkin at the grave