Deliverance & Breakthrough Prayers with Pastor Olu Famous

Apologies to those who contacted me but I couldn’t attend to them fully in the last 2 weeks leading to the first Saturday Service of Living Seed Church. I hope you understand that I was engaging in serious multi-tasking then? Good thing is, I’m back now and available for Counselling and Prayers. Feel free to contact me from any state in Nigeria, including my base – Abuja.

We had the Saturday Service, though some couldn’t get permission from their place of work or had to attend to pressing family engagements. Those who made it to the venue were blessed.

After serious consideration, since Abuja is a city where many individuals go to work on Saturday, we could be going fully into Sunday Service pretty soon.

Truly, it is an anomaly for many Christians to be under the burden of poverty as is the case today. I was truly worried about this situation even before the Lord gave me this Big assignment.

If you need prayers for your Deliverance, Blessings and for Breakthroughs to be activated in your life, contact me with the details below:

ADDRESS:
Plot 156 (Zone A)
Apo Resettlement Estate
Abuja, Nigeria.

Pastor Olu Famous
08032272037

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How To Pray: 5 Practical Tips

I’m a wanna-be prayer warrior. I long to grow a deeper prayer life, but I have a secret struggle with boredom. I know prayer carries power and changes lives. But when I sit down to pray, I find it hard to focus. After three minutes, my mind travels back to the last season of Downton Abbey, or wanders to my to-do list. Or I try to pray before bed, but I fall asleep.

I’m left wondering how to pray better.

I don’t mean to be flippant. Prayer is an amazing privilege. Through words like these in scripture, we have an open invitation from the God of the universe: “Call to me and I will answer you.” (Jeremiah 33:3a) We have a promise that He hears us: “You will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:12)

Through the pages of our Bibles, we see examples of men who prayed. Even Jesus, the Son of God, prayed. So I know I should too, but I find it challenging. I suspect I’m not alone. Many Christians struggle with knowing how to pray.

Why do we struggle with prayer? 
Maybe we over-spiritualize it. We think we have to pray long and eloquent for it to really work. We measure ourselves with spiritual giants like Billy Graham or Mother Teresa, and we feel unqualified and unworthy. Sometimes we separate prayer from the rest of life; we look at it as something we do at prayer meetings or in our quiet time.

When I read Paul’s words in Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful,” I wonder… how do I devote myself to prayer when I have a regular life with a job and kids? I forget that Paul was surely talking about a heart attitude, not a never-ending prayer meeting or devotional time. Devoted prayer is a heart tendency to turn to God at each turn in our day.

On my journey from prayer wimp to warrior, I’m discovering a few practical tips for how to pray:

Tip 1: Pray Simply 
We might think we have to pray passionate, persuasive words for God to hear us, but in reality He listens even to our shortest “SOS” prayers.

“The fewer the words, the better the prayer,” said Martin Luther. Isn’t that reassuring? We can talk to God in everyday language, just like we talk to a friend. We don’t have to pray long. God delights in a simple word of praise, like “Lord, I love you.” He treasures the anguished prayer of a mother when she calls, “Heal my child.” He answers the simplest request: “Lord, give me strength for today.”

Tip 2: Read The Word 
Have you ever had a one-sided conversation with someone who talked continually without listening to you? The conversation didn’t go very far, did it? We do the same thing to God when we pray without reading the Bible, His eternal letter of love and wisdom to each one of us on earth. Reading Scripture helps us get to know God. It brings life to our prayers.

If you want to have a more effective conversation with God, read Scripture. Let David’s words in the Psalms enliven your prayers. Stop in the Gospels to pray over a verse that strikes you, asking God to work that truth into your heart. Let the words of Paul’s letters give you specific prayer requests for yourself and the people you love.

Tip 3: Make Prayer Active and Multi-Sensory  
Prayer grows dull when we turn it into a purely mental exercise. God made us creative beings, so why don’t we bring creativity to our prayer lives? Lighting a fragrant candle can send a signal to our brains: “It’s time to pray.” It can bring a sacred sense of awe to a few minutes of prayer. Listening to music can help us focus on God. Many people enjoy doodling, drawing, or painting while they pray.

I help my ADHD-plagued brain focus on prayer by keeping a prayer journal. Making a list of requests keeps my mind alert; I stop to pray for each petition after jotting it down. Occasionally I write out longer prayers like a letter. A prayer journal builds faith when you look back over your petitions and recall God’s answers.

Remember you don’t have to sit quietly to pray. My best prayer times happen out on the walking trail. Praying aloud also helps me keep my mind engaged, but I save that for prayer times at home.

Tip 4: Make Prayer an Integral Part of Your Day 
This verse baffles me: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;” (1 Thess. 5:16-17) Is it really possible to pray without ceasing?

How about trying an experiment? Start and end your day with prayer. Lift up short prayers to God as often as you can throughout your day. Pray over your schedule. Ask God to help you with your to-do list. When you hear a troubling news report, lift the situation up to God. Say a prayer for your spouse or child as you give him or her a hug. Pray for the person you’re talking to. A friend of mine gives thanks whenever she stops at red lights while driving. Look for prayer moments that work for your life.

Tip 5: Pray Expectantly 
Prayer becomes a lifeless exercise when we’re not looking for answers. Jesus invites us to expect God to work. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

How much more exciting prayer becomes when we keep our eyes open to watch for God’s answers. Sometimes I wonder how many answers we miss because we don’t really expect God to respond.

Remember Colossians 4:2: “Devote Yourselves to Prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

How about getting started today? Don’t get discouraged if you get distracted like I do. Just get back on track. Pray and watch for God’s answers, so you can thank Him. He might answer differently than you expect, but His answer will always be better than what you had in mind.

[written by Betsy de Cruz]

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Putting Faith Back Into Your Future

Worrying about the future is big business and a big burden. We ask our kids what they want to be when they grow up. Tiger moms and dads pressure their kids to perform at a high level at very tender ages in order to get little Johnny and Jenny out in front of the future.

In the process, we are creating kids who are paralyzed by the Putting Faith Back Into Your Future prospect of not meeting expectations.

Case in point, I asked a high-school senior the other day what her college plans were and she walked away from the whole group. In her mind it was easier to excuse and embarrass herself than to take on her future. This obsession with controlling the future is getting out of hand and adults are no better. We are constantly peering into the crystal ball, planning ahead, forecasting, imagining what may be, dreaming of new realities, and how to avoid potential pitfalls. But what happens when my future fails to meet my own, someone else’s, or culture’s expectations?

ANSWER: It becomes a burden. 
Not meeting forecasts, getting behind on “the plan”, missing goals, dates and deadlines can be consuming. Uh-oh – What now? Is the solution to become better planners, make more task lists –properly prioritized – work harder, smarter and longer – constantly chasing the unknown?

The fact is that we are all afraid of the unknown. In the precarious space between the known and unknown, we spend a lot of energy trying to discern the unknown, predicting and protecting ourselves from the unknown at the expense of the present.

Don’t get me wrong, planning ahead is a valuable skill. Wise people always think ahead. But trying to control the future can also become an idol, inhibiting us from loving God and loving others. Few would ever say they actually are trying to control or predict the future but watch what happens when unplanned disruptions to the “plan” occur. The emotional response says it all without saying it explicitly.

What does God say about worrying about the future? He says, “I’ve got this. Give me tomorrow, and rely on me today.”

God used King Solomon to tell us exactly how we can actively put faith back into our future so that we don’t miss the present. Listen closely:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:5-6

In other words, TRUST God’s person, LEAN on God’s wisdom, and LIVE OUT God’s ways to start getting God’s direction toward your future. This is God’s tried, true, and tested way of resetting and returning your faith to your future. The question is this: are you trusting, leaning, and living out your faith presently?

Jesus put all of this into a practical perspective on two specific levels. First, he said “Do not worry about your life…Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

In other words, it is emotionally and spiritually unhealthy to take on the future. Get that. Resolve not to do that. Instead, Jesus says, put that energy into knowing and doing life in God and with God today.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” — Matthew 6: 33-34

Still not convinced? Listen to King Solomon again:
“When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.” – Ecclesiastes 7:14

Because we are not God, we shouldn’t assume his responsibilities. The focus needs to be on being present today, and trusting God with tomorrow. We all have problems, and worrying about future ones doesn’t help. God isn’t telling us to ignore them, stop planning or trying to get ahead. He’s just saying let it go. Give it to him. Trust him with it. And, be present. You have a chance to make a difference in the world when you are dealing in the moment. But chasing the future can steal away our energies, wear on our relationships and erode our ability to be intimate with God and others.

[written by Kenny Luck, a leadership pastor]

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Married Lady & Her Boyfriend plan to sell Husband’s property

A newly married young man, identified as Fatoke Kenechi was nabbed in Ibadan on Saturday by his Mistress’s husband after secretly planning with the Mistress, mother of two kids, identified as Rosemary Ngozi, married to Mr Abolade, to sell some of her husband’s properties.

The young man traveled from Owo, Ondo state to meet the married lady in Ibadan, not knowing the husband has been secretly following up with his conversations with his wife.

The lover was arrested immediately he got to Ibadan. The details…

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6 Helpful Tips For Starting A Small Business

Starting your business is stressful and quite demanding, however, there are some helpful tips to help ease the process to a reasonable extent. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 6 helpful tips for starting a small business.

Have Plan To Execute Your Idea 
It’s not enough to just have a great idea for your business, you need to develop that idea and you need a plan to do that. You should first develop a business concept, then from there you write a solid business plan to guide your development of the business concept. The business plan is a very essential tool for bringing your business idea to life and presenting to potential investors for help in setting up your business.

Establish A Budget 
A budget is essential for efficiently managing your financial resources. It is necessary to first do some research to find out about the standard cost factors within your industry, then develop a budget to run your business based on this information. Once you are able to efficiently manage your financial resources, there is a higher chance of success in your business venture.

Get The Right Investors 
This is one mistake common to first-time entrepreneurs – failing to get the right investors for their business. Not just any investor is right for your business, because there are some that might take advantage of your inexperience. It is therefore extremely important to find an investor that shares your passion, understands your idea and is someone that you can work with (that last part is extremely important).

Get a Great Support System 
At the initial stage of your business, you typically need to spend a lot of time and resources getting things running. As a result, you’ll need support from family and friends. You should first ensure that your family is on board with the necessary sacrifices you are going to make in terms of time and resources, and your loved ones should be prepared for how challenging financially and even emotionally things might get. It helps to assure them that it’s only for a while and that it won’t last forever; but then you also have a personal responsibility to ensure the cost of your business venture to your loved ones isn’t far more than they can bear, because in the end ‘family should always come first’.

Ensure the Legal Aspect is Well Taken Care Of 
The key word here is ‘well’. You cannot afford to be nonchalant with the legal aspects of your business venture; that can prove to be a very costly mistake. Secure the necessary permits and licenses, determine your tax obligations and get a good lawyer to guide you legally every step of the way (especially when negotiating with investors).

Take Advantage of Free Resources 
The sub-heading says it all; if you can get it for free, then please do. You are not going to be given a medal for paying for every single thing relating to your business, so if you are able to negotiate and get a couple of things for free, then it really can help the success of your business venture in a monumental way and take a lot of financial pressure off you.

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Brother Finally Reunites With Sister After 25 Years Apart

A Nigerian journalist, Mustapha Abdulrahman, has recounted how he reunited with his sister after being separated almost 25-years ago. He shared a pic with her on her wedding day and wrote:

So, after 25 years of separation, I got to meet my younger sister (on her wedding day). We were separated as kids due certain circumstances, and we reunite as adults. I feel so happy and I have a feeling of having back a missing part of my body. #alhamdulillah #reunited #blood Thank God they are back together.

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4 Ways To Pray When Bad News Comes

When you receive bad news what is your first response? Do you get angry? Do you get depressed? Or do you experience a little of both? Does disappointment provoke you to become angry with God or others whom you perceive to get in your way? Do you panic?

How do you respond when bad things happen? There are many different ways to respond, but in the first chapter of Nehemiah we see the best response of all — prayer.

Stop. Before you keep reading this post, read Nehemiah 1:1:-11.

In the providence of God, Nehemiah was given a tough assignment. His burden was to regather the Jews who had returned to Judah after the exile to Babylon, rebuild God’s city, and return the people of God to the Word of God. When he first heard the bad news concerning his fellow Jews and city, he could have become angry or slip into depression. Instead he prayed, and God answered, and God used Nehemiah to bring comfort and hope to His people.

In his example, we see 4 essential elements of compelling prayer.

Be consecrated in body and mind (v. 4). 
As soon as Nehemiah heard the bad news, he prayed; prayer was his immediate response. Long before it was written, Nehemiah understood the admonition given in the NT: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). The text says he “wept and mourned for days” and “continued fasting and praying.” He was moved with compassion for his people, which compelled him to pray with fasting.

In OT times, fasting was an outward manifestation of an inner affliction of the soul. This affliction may have been the result of grief over loss, or deep sorrow over the ugliness of one’s sin. When the humiliation was deep and profound, fasting was usually accompanied by tearing one’s clothes, putting on sackcloth (a course fabric made of goat’s hair), and sprinkling ashes on the head. Prayer often accompanied fasting, and facilitated increased concentration in prayer (See, for example, Daniel 9:3 and 2 Samuel 12).

However, fasting was not only present in the Old Testament. We see a number of examples in the New Testament, as well. John the Baptist directed his disciples to fast. Jesus said, “When you fast,” which implies He expected His disciples to fast at times. Probably the most memorable NT example is when the church of Antioch prayed and fasted to discern God’s will in regard to sending out servants into the harvest. It was when they had fasted and prayed, the Spirit directed the whole congregation to send out Barnabas and Paul (Acts 13).

What all of these examples teach is this: Fasting sometimes accompanied prayer as a demonstration of humility and deep intent to seek the will of God and surrender to it in humility,

Be confident in God’s character and promises (vv. 5, 8-10). 
The title “the great and awesome God” indicates Nehemiah’s appreciation of who God is: the one whom Nehemiah feared and the source and object of his deep faith. “God’s awesomeness is the impression his total character and person leaves on all who encounter him. Those who know and trust God are those who fear him” (Brenemen). This same fear of God is modeled in Psalm 86:1-10.

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.In the day of my trouble I call upon you,for you answer me.There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,nor are there any works like yours.All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord,and shall glorify your name.For you are great and do wondrous things;you alone are God.

Nehemiah prayed, “Remember the word.” This does not imply that God forgets, but is a way of saying, “Lord, I believe You. I trust you to keep your Word, to fulfill your promises.” To ask God to remember is to ask Him to intervene. Therefore, Nehemiah was asking God to intervene on his behalf, and on behalf of the people whom He had redeemed from Egyptian bondage. Before they entered the Promised Land, God warned them through Moses (Deut. 24:25-27). He had promised to chastise them because of their sin. However, God also promised to restore them once chastening had done its work of bringing them to repentance (Jeremiah 29:10-13). Nehemiah prayed with confidence because he trusted in God, that He is faithful to honor His Word and fulfill every promise He has ever made.

Be contrite in spirit when confessing sin (vv.6-7). 
When Nehemiah approached God in prayer, he did so as God’s “servant;” i.e. with humility and meekness. He then proceeded to confess his and their sins to God. The Bible celebrates a contrite spirit. In Isaiah 66:2, the Lord says, “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” And in Psalm 51:17, as King David confessed his sin before God, he said, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

The Hebrew and Greek words often translated contrite mean “crushed, crippled, or broken.” A contrite heart refers to a conscience that is crushed under the weight of its own guilt. God draws near to the person who has a contrite spirit. In Isaiah 57:15, God says, “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15). In contrast, God turns His ear away from the proud heart. The psalmist confessed, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Ps 66:18). Unconfessed sin short-circuits prayer, but brokenness and humble confession open the door to answered prayer.

Be courageous to make big requests (v. 11). 
Nehemiah asked God to grant him favor in the eyes of the king. Now readNehemiah 2:1-8 to see God’s answer. Nehemiah took a big risk when he showed his transparent sadness before the king, but God went before him—He prepared the way—because this servant prayed.

Sometimes we fail to bring big requests to God because deep-down we believe whatever we long for is not possible, or that God is somehow less than good. What is your “impossible”?

• Maybe it is the salvation of a hardhearted friend or family member
• Or restoration of a marriage (yours or someone else’s)
• The return of a prodigal son or daughter
• Or an employment need
• Perhaps it is for the Lord to overcome your infertility
• You name it…

Whatever your “impossible” is, know this: Scripture testifies that nothing is impossible for the Lord (Genesis 18:14). God says, “I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jer. 32:27).

God is good, too. “You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees” (Psalm 119:68). “The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made” (Psalm 145:9). There is nothing God cannot do, and He is surpassingly good.

Therefore, do not fear. Bring your big requests to Him.

[written by Paul Tautges]

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Man Caught Wearing Girl’s Pant & Bra For Rituals In Lagos

Tension rose at Oduloju street in Sabo-Oniba Ojo area of Lagos on Saturday night around 3a.m as a man from Abia State living in the street was caught by the Nigerian soldiers in an attempt to fulfill ritual requirements with the daughter of his landlord named Ijeoma.

The suspect, identified as Brother Hyacinth, who lives in a room with his wife and kids allegedly owns over five shops with business name ‘A.Y’ in ASPAMDA trade fair complex Lagos and about 7 plots of land at Igbede just a bridge across the Oduloju waterlogged area.

This bridge is secured at the Igbede end by soldiers whose Boss is a high ranked officer of the Nigerian army.

According to neighbors, he is a very kind and generous man who has assisted the landlord since he packed in and has offered driving the children to school. He is popularly know as ‘brother’. According to his landlord ‘Papa Ijeoma’, who has four kids of 3-girls and a boy, Brother has been of huge financial aid to his family at hard times

An eye witness said the Soldiers who caught him performing the ritual on the bridge heard a recurring chant of incantations with the name Ijeoma and quietly sneaked closer to the direction of the voice, but the suspect noticed their presence and ran away but the soldiers pursued and tracked him to his house where the wife pleaded for mercy.

The case was subsequently handed over to the Oduloju community.

When the day became clear, the Oduloju community reported to the Sabo-Ajangbadi police station where the suspect is currently detained. The police has also searched his house and found nothing implicating although there’s widespread rumour that the wife is paying off security.

Brother Hyacinth, whose wife has been barren for many years of marriage until last year, was said to have been in the practice for long until luck departed from him. He was caught wearing the bracelet and pant of the girl while performing the incantations.

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How To Help Non-Believers Going Through Hard Times

What should a Christian say or do when someone who does not share faith in Christ needs counsel, help and hope?

“Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.” ~Proverbs 15:30

Experience has revealed that wisdom must be employed when we are seeking to connect with others in ways that touch their sensitive and fragile emotions.

When a follower of Jesus is going through a hard time, there is common ground: point them to Him and then walk alongside in any way we are able. Jesus is the clear focus when believers comfort and minister to one another. However, when the person needing hope or encouragement does not believe in Jesus, what can we do? I believe that wisdom guides us to consider the following four steps…

1. Don’t assume that their hour of need is your moment for evangelistic ambush 
Christians have a reputation, whether valid or not, for hijacking difficult moments in non-believers’ lives and turning them into an open door for proselytization. Be sensitive to their surface needs as you prayerfully seek direction from God about the needs of their souls. If they sense you rushing past their fear, their pain or their emotions in order to bulls-eye them for spiritual conversion, you may actually take them backwards in their considerations about the Gospel. Obviously you want to be ready for the possibility of them meeting Jesus personally, but do not assume that the immediate moment is sovereignly designed for their salvation. Listen carefully for God to guide you.

2. Slow down and listen intently 
This step applies to more situations than just our discussion today! We Christians tend to speak more quickly than we listen. Additionally, we also listen sometimes only in order to find a way to give a rebuttal or clarification of something being said to us by non-believers. Hurting people sometimes say things they don’t mean, or which are inaccurate or even, in our opinion, ungodly. Non-believers can be refreshingly honest about their doubts toward or anger with God. Avoid turning their emotional words into an argument, especially when they need to know that you are a safe place for them to express their struggle or confusion about what is happening to them. Listen to them and don’t give in to the impulse to “set them straight” theologically if they process raw emotion in ways and language that Christians might never utilize.

3. Offer them objective hope 
Christians know that God loves our non-believing friends and family members. They may not share our confidence about God’s love, but we know that He cares for them. Look for ways to gently share how God has come alongside you in your own times of heartbreak, doubt or pain. If the opportunity arises, tell them your own story, leaving off that grappling hook to reel them in to see things the same way you do. All humans share one thing in common: we have all known pain and suffering on some level.Connect with them as a fellow human and offer them true compassion as you tell them how your own personal hope continues to rest in the Lord. You may simply be the gentle seed-planter during this season of struggle in the person’s life. Be content with that. Planting and watering belong to us. Plant testimonial seeds of hope within them from your own life. God harvests those seeds later at the appropriate time.

4. Remember that there is only one Savior (and He is not you) 
You likely cannot fix their dilemma. You probably won’t be able to make all of the pain go away. Their fear will not magically disappear simply because you care for them. Jesus ultimately has to do the heavy lifting in times of struggle, so you can be free to serve your non-believing friend or family member without any sense of guilt or failure if things do not immediately change for them. God will use you in those lives, and this is contingent more so on your availability than your ability. Do not fear messing things up; you will not create any catastrophe as long as you are intentionally loving, relationally sensitive, and sincerely compassionate.

Before I left the hospital that day, I was, for a couple of hours, able to make small talk with all of the family members – both the Christians and those who were not. When it came time for me to leave them, they knew that I was more of a friend than someone trying to play the rescuing hero. I politely asked if it would be appropriate for me to pray for their loved one in the ICU and, interestingly, all of the family members came and joined hands as we went to the throne of Jesus to petition aid for the man in the hospital bed.

Whatever God did that day in their hearts and minds, my hope is that they considered the possibility, as non-believers, that Jesus is very real and able to do abundantly more than we asked or thought during their season of hardship. At the very least, I wanted to leave them with an opportunity for valid hope. I presented that package as best as I could. They would have to decide whether they wished to unwrap it and discover for themselves what was inside.

[written by Jeff Lyle]

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6 Effective Ways To Promote Your Startup Online

There are quite a number of startups in Nigeria who are constantly searching for the most effective, best and affordable ways to promote and advertise their businesses. Now with the internet, there are so many platforms you can advert on to reach millions. 

If you have been pondering on where to promote your business online, Jumia Travel shares 6 best and most effective ways to do this.

Email newsletters 
Your weekly or monthly newsletter can also serve as a way to promote your business. You can design a nice banner and attach it to every newsletter you send out. You can also encourage your employees to do the same. It does not have to be restricted to newsletters.

Facebook Ads 
With Facebook ads, you have the opportunity to run target ads. The advantage here is that you will reach more people. In other words, if you promote your ads on Facebook, people that will not normally see it will.

Appvertising 
Appvertising, as the name implies, is advertising in mobile apps. This can also work because many people have embraced the download and use of apps. Just find an app that speaks to your specific audience.

Google AdWords 
This is one of the very popular ways to advertise. Google Adwords is the largest ad network for advertisers. Select keywords for which your ads will get optimized and whenever a user searches for the word, your ads will pop up on Google.

Twitter Advertising
You can also advertise your startup on Twitter at an affordable rate. Like Facebook, your ad will reach more people, compared with your tweet.

Sponsored post 
You can publish a sponsored post about your business on a popular website or blog. This can also be very effective.

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Today’s Motivating Bible Verse

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Scientists Are Tampering With Human Embryos; will this lead to ‘Designer Babies’?

Scientists have reportedly carried out the first project of embryo editing in the U.S., according to a report from the MIT Technology Review.

Although scientists in China have reportedly already conducted such experiments, this is the first time embryo editing has been carried out in the U.S.

The process involved a controversial gene-editing technique known as CRISPR.

The project was undertaken by scientists at Oregon Health and Science University, and led by scientist Shoukhrat Mitalipov.

Scientists believe this new technology has the potential to revolutionize the world. It would supposedly make it possible to eradicate many genetic diseases by altering the gene code in embryos who would no longer pass these diseased genes onto their children.

Embryo editing may lead to what has been termed “designer babies.” Although the technology could lead to diseases not being passed on to future generations, many religious organizations, civil society groups, and biotech companies have expressed concerns that tampering with the genetic code can have far-reaching consequences.

The U.S. intelligence community has even called the CRISPR technology a potential “weapon of mass destruction.”

The U.S. government also has laws in place against allowing an edited IVF embryo to develop into a human child.

“Genome editing to enhance traits or abilities beyond ordinary health raises concerns about whether the benefits can outweigh the risks, and about fairness if available only to some people,” said Alta Charo, co-chair of the National Academy of Sciences’ study committee and professor of law and bioethics.

[written by Veronica Neffinger]

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CONFESSION: "Ladies Run Mad After We Used Them For Yahoo Plus"

Suspect: My mother introduced us to cyber fraud voodoo.

“After spending lavishly, we sometimes go bankrupt. So, we have no choice than to use metaphysical powers to hypnotise our victims online. The act of using voodoo is what people nicknamed ‘Yahoo Plus.’ 

“I use it so that the victim, otherwise known as a ‘client’ will fall deeply in love with me and obey my every command. At least, I have been into dating scam for a while now and I can boast of two cars and a house.”

The above is the confession of 26-year-old Hakeem aka H Funds. He dropped out of university when he was in 100 Level. After dropping out of school, he embraced cyber fraud. Interestingly, he has been able to buy cars and build house through the scam.

Hakeem is toeing the path of many Nigerian young men and women who are embracing cybercrime. Many of them have left the traditional method of attempting to sweet talk victims into parting with money. Today, they now use voodoo, otherwise known as ‘Yahoo Plus or Science’ to collect money from unsuspecting victims.

Many of the young men, who spoke with our correspondent spoke, said the cost of a particular voodoo, depended on how challenging a certain internet fraud might prove to be. They also confessed that aside from the fact that Yahoo Plus makes them richer, it also is a stress-free way of making money. They revealed that native doctors, Islamic and Christian clerics usually prepare the charms for them.

Hakeem insisted that Yahoo Plus was the best gimmick to apply in online dating scam.

He added: “I use voodoo for dating scam. I use it to spellbind my online victim and make him or her easier to control. There are different kinds of voodoos; one is to use the image of the white client, another one is to make incisions on our hands, place our legs on a tortoise or take the client’s name to a cleric or native doctor.

Sometimes, we take our phones and computer to the shrine. The type of Yahoo Plus I do is to take client’s name to the shrine.”

Another operator, Lanre, 25, said that he and his younger brother wouldn’t have succeeded in internet fraud, if not for the help of his mother. He disclosed that it was their mother who introduced them to the new level of cyber fraud.

According to New Telegraph, Lanre said his mother didn’t believe in them at first until he carried out a scam and bought a car from the proceeds. The car got his mother so tickled that she decided to take them to a herbalist for charms.

He said: “Although my father is late, we have been successful in this cyber fraud business because my mother supports my brother and I. My mother took my younger brother and I to a woman’s place. The woman took us to a river and bathed us. Asides that, I do other sorts of rituals like ‘Oshole.’ Once you have done Oshole, you will succeed in every kind of internet scams.

I must confess that I have achieved a lot by God’s grace. I haven’t seen any repercussion because I do go back to the herbalist’s place to renew my voodoo.”

Another internet fraudster, who gave his name simply as T Money, said that he had been using black magic for his cybercrime for long.

T Money, a 200 Level dropout, disclosed that after he abandoned his university programme, he had tried his hands on several menial jobs, but failed to succeed in any. He finally went into cyber fraud.

The 27-year-old T Money explained why he abandoned the traditional Yahoo Yahoo to delve into the occult world of Yahoo Plus.

He said: “When I started the internet fraud, I couldn’t earn much. I only earned enough to buy clothes, some pair of shoes and an IPhone.”
According to him, while his friends were hitting big money and living lavish lifestyles, he was counting pennies.

He said: “I became intrigued on how my friends were making good money. I asked questions and got answers. It was the answers that led me into Yahoo Plus. It is what most of my friends do. I went to meet an Islamic cleric.

“I was into dating scam when I first started. The dating scam was not really fetching huge amount of money. I began using Yahoo Plus because my friends were making it big and buying cars. Once they make big money, they will go and lodge in hotels. I desperately wanted to belong. I wanted to know what it feels like to be rich. I had no choice than to meet the cleric whom I paid money for the ritual. Look at me today, I’m doing fine.”

A cyber fraudster, who introduced himself as Sir Cash, 28, said there were different categories of Yahoo Plus – ‘Oshole’ and ‘Irapada.’ According to him, the two are used to enhance internet scam operations.

He added: “There is another Yahoo Plus. It is very bad and dangerous. It entails using the ‘glory’ of innocent girls. You rub something like oil into the private part of a girl before having sexual intercourse with her. She either becomes sick or will never amount to much in life. We also use prostitutes. Most of these rituals have repercussions. One must be very careful.

“Most of us do a voodoo called ‘Oshole.’ Oshole has little or no repercussion and most of us use it. The way Oshole works is that it compels the victim to pay money.”

According to Sir Cash, there are various repercussions to the use of voodoos on girls. One of the repercussions is insanity.

He said: “There are some of our guys, who after using the voodoo to get richer, but also forget to return to the shrines or clerics to renew their voodoo. That’s when problems start.”

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Things To Do When Your Flight Is Delayed Or Cancelled

Flight cancellations and delays are a norm among our airlines. Without providing information, they simply announce that your flight has been canceled or delayed. You are shocked and angry not because of the cancellation but due to the lack of courtesy for you and other customers. 

A good example is Medview Airline that canceled its flight from Nigeria to London thereby leaving many passengers stranded at the airport in both Nigeria and London. They did not make any provision for these passengers. Anyway, Jumia Travel shares ways you can deal with flight delays and cancellation.

Focus 
Getting the news that your flight has been abruptly canceled can easily make you lose focus. This is because you already schedule your itinerant and not flying on that day can be costly. Think of the next thing you have to do. Is it for someone to pick you up at the airport? Call your boss? Or find a place to sleep?

Keep your cool 
You will not be blamed if you lose your cool. You have all the right to go berzerk. There were reports of passengers beating up airline staff for flight cancellations and delays. You do not have to be counted among them. Be firm but polite with staff. Chances are that, it’s not their fault. Don’t just lose your cool.

Make friends/network 
Making friends is always good especially when you are waiting to be airlifted. This is just one of the perks of your flight being canceled or delayed.

Entertain yourself 
Always carry with you something that helps you kill time. The first thing that comes to mind is your phone. So ensure your phone is fully charged and do not forget your external charger.

Eat and drink 
Eat and drink to help you keep your cool. Dehydration and hunger are obviously going to make you feel worse later on. So, if you have not eaten, visit a restaurant to quench your hunger.

Seek compensation 
Don’t allow things to go just like that. God will not come down to change things because some Nigerians will say they should leave it in the hands of God. So, seek compensation from the airline for delaying your flight and if they do not respond, you should go to court (if you can).

Make a complaint 
You can make a complaint to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Of course, you may think that they may not do anything but still, you should still make your complaint. The more the complaint about a particular airline, the more they will be prompted to do something.

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Doctors Said My Wife Can’t Conceive… But Look At Us Now

A Nigerian man with three kids has shared his testimony after he was told by a doctor that his wife won’t be able to conceive a child. Ifeanyi Okeke said rather than worry over his wife’s medical condition, he believed in God that something positive will eventually happen and it did.

Below is how he chronicled his story:

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR BECAUSE GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS – What was my Prayer Point: God please takeaway these wealth and give me children, even a child give me whether male or female. Dated March 2008.

In March 2008 I had been married to my wife (my Blessing) for eight years without a child. Eight years is not eight days or eight weeks or eight months. I mean eight years, enough to graduate and bag a PhD and be called a Professor.

I was blessed with a flourishing banking career. About the most popular banker in town already an Assistant General Manager (in-waiting). Nothing was more frustrating to me as going home to my wife with the news of a new promotion, a new car for her or a new house I intend building because of the response which will give me: what is all these worth without a child together.

It was in this frustration that I went into my room on that fateful but equally blessed day, went Unclad, knelt down, raised my hands up to heaven and made the radical prayer request.

To put things in perspective, in October 1999 we were both serving (NYSC) (having been dating since 1997) when I proposed to her. March 2000 just one month out of NYSC we got married (paid her bride price). Yes we got married, TW and Church wedding were ceremonies that followed later. I got a job April 2000. On June 26, 2000 we got into a night bus together at Ido park, Lagos on a journey to Kano as I had completed three months training and was posted to Kano Main branch of the elsewhere Universal Trust Bank (UTB) as a Credit and Marketing Staff. We arrived Kano early morning June 27 2000 and moved into a one room she lived in as a CORPER which shared toilet, bathroom and kitchen with with another CORPER (Helen MO, tagged)

It was about October in 2004 that a renowned Consultant Gynecologist and Head of Gynecology & Obstetrician Department of Teaching Hospital in Nigeria after a laparoscopy procedure on my wife, had given his verdict to myself and wife that she will not be able to carry a child. In his opinion, even if she is able to conceive either naturally or assisted, her WOMB could not carry a baby. He further advised that I discuss with my wife to marry another lady if I want to have kids. Story for another day back to my answered prayer.

Yes God granted the two petitions I made in March 2008 but the second one came first “give me even a child”. In January 2009 our first child, Angel oluebubechukwu (Miracle work of God) was conceived and was successfully carried to term and delivered September 2009. About the time of her delivery God was already in motion to grant the first “takeaway all my wealth” as the stock market crashed with all I had worked for. At this point I was a Deputy General Manager in a top bank. One year after different circumstance had led me to leave my job. Well I got another the next month at the same level in another top bank. Four months after God decided it will not only be a child but children so my wife conceived again, this time twins, CHIMZARAMEKPERE (My God has answered my prayer) and CHIMDERA (Once my God has written or ordained) carried to term and delivered November 2011. Two months before their delivery God completely answered the first prayer as in a circumstance beyond my control but by mutual consent I left my top banking job.

What would you say: YES GOD granted my prayers offered to him kneeling down Unclad with my hands raised to heaven.

A month after their delivery I couldn’t afford to buy pampers. Three/Four months later I couldn’t afford to take then to church for dedication. One year after I couldn’t buy even a cake to mark their birthday.

What did I do: I ran back to God Unclad, knelt down with hands raised up to heaven. I pleaded with God and said: Yes I told you to take away my wealth and give me children or even a child but I didn’t ask you to takeaway so much that I cannot afford to feed them. God said: my child I granted your request exactly as you asked. This was in 2012. Well I believe God has a reason for everything under the sun. We went through struggles through for two years. By late 2014 through the special intervention of the Mother of Perpetual Help (Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God) God looked back with a smile and started the restoration process. It’s been three years of God’s divine restoration project in our lives.

Yesterday when I took these shots of my kids the entire memory came back so I decided to share with you. These kids I will not exchange for all the wealth in the whole world.

Friends, please bless God with my family. But beware what you ask from God because he answers prayers.

When you are down and out inside the gutter, run to the Mother of Perpetual Help (The Blessed Virgin Mary) to intercede for you. She NEVER fails to get result from her son who NEVER says no to her Mother.

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A Prayer Of Appreciation

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1

We trudged slowly back to the car through a crowded parking lot in the Texas summer heat. Hot, humid, full sun bearing down. I noticed my daughter matching my steps, walking close by my side the entire way back. Little legs stretching out as far as they could to match my stride. She smiled up at me and said, “Mom, look, I’m walking in your shade.” She’d found the shadow, the safe place to walk. I loved that my side was her shield, giving her protection from the heat.

We may not always see it, or feel it, we might forget it’s there at times, or even wonder if God has left us to fend for ourselves in the heat of hard situations of life. But His protection is real.

He doesn’t, He can’t, forget us or ignore us. If we belong to Him, His love is too great to leave us on our own.

In whatever troubles we face today, God is the place of refuge we can run to, He is our safe place.

A reminder for us, especially in the tough stuff, that we never walk alone. Full heat of troubles bearing down hard, heavy, it’s a struggle at times to keep trudging through it all. Pressure and stress can seem as stifling as a hot afternoon summer sun. Yet God whispers truth, strong and sure, “Walk in my shadow, up close to my side. 

 It’s in the safe place that brings confidence; for when we are resting in God’s shadow, we will never face the full heat of our difficulties. He shelters from that pain. His shade, His shadow, diminishes what is actually felt in the intensity of all the heat. Rest, peace, and calm rise up strong, right in the struggling mess of life, and we’re assured, He’s in control.

Don’t ever doubt it. God works on behalf of those who love Him and honor His name. He is so good to us. We may never fully know, this side of heaven, how very much He has sheltered us from in this life.

A Prayer Of Appreciation:

Dear God, Thank you for your presence with us, thank you for your Almighty Shadow. Thank you that you go before us, and cover us from behind. Thank you that you are in our midst, and that our future is secure in the place you’re preparing for us. 

Your words bring such hope and comfort. Remind us of your strength today, may we see glimpses of your glory and blessing along the way as we seek after you. For victory and salvation are found in you alone. In the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen.

[A Prayer from Psalm 91 by Debbie McDaniel]

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Man Gets His Wife A Car For Not Giving Up On Him

A Nigerian lady is very excited after receiving a lovely gift from her husband. She revealed that her hubby got her the new ride for not giving up on him when they had nothing.

The wife, Nina Ogbuokiri, wrote:

Who says God dose not answers prayers. This my new wipe from my hubby. To my husband for putting smiles on my face, I’m here to say a big thank you for all that you have done for me all this years, all you want is my happiness. May God bless and keep you for me Honey. 

I wasn’t expecting it this big. Were will I start from? This is too much. I could remember back in the days how will started together and here we re as husband and wife now to this. Love is a beautiful thing oh yea. Thanks once more honey… 

I want my story to inspire the poor and to let ladies know that u must not sell your body just to look rich.

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5 Ways (Beyond Just Reading) To Enjoy Your Bible

Christians in America are blessed to have complete accessibility to the Bible. Even if you cannot afford to go to a bookstore and buy one, there are numerous places to obtain Bibles for free. Not to mention, most of us keep a smartphone in our pocket that can look up verses at the touch of a screen.

With such wide accessibility to the Bible, many of us sometimes forget what a blessing it is to be able to read Scripture at any time.

The possession of a Bible would result in persecution in numerous other countries around the world, but we have the freedom to open up Scripture and hear God’s Word. Obviously, we should take this opportunity and read the Bible, something that far too few of us actually do in our daily lives. But what if I told you that reading the Bible is only the beginning of where God’s Word can lead on your faith journey?

Pastor and author David Mathis writes for Desiring God that Christians are to make the most of the Bible. Yes, it starts with reading. But because the Bible is “no ordinary book,” our study should take us beyond just reading the words on the pages.

Mathis suggests that we enjoy the Bible in the following ways:

1. Ask questions about it. 
What good is reading if you do not understand it? When you encounter a difficult or confusing passage, ask about the meaning. You can do this in one of two ways: Ask God in prayer for comprehension, or ask another person (such as a pastor) to help you understand the meaning of the text.

Mathis writes, “Don’t be afraid to pause and pose questions — the simplest kind and the very hardest — and then expect to find answers. And be ready to do what it takes to pursue them. We call this Bible study. And it can be time-consuming, and greatly rewarding. Perhaps the main obstacle that keeps us from doing it well today isn’t that we’re not smart enough, but that we’re too lazy to put in the energy to ask the hard questions, and the time it takes to really pursue the answers.”

2. Meditate on it. 
The Bible is not for speed-reading. Instead, slow down and ponder what you’re reading. When you come across a verse that you find meaningful to your life, meditate on it. Read the passage multiple times, and allow it to speak into your situation.

We know that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). But we cannot fully grasp the Bible’s valuable teaching when we blast through Scripture like an out of control tornado. Slow down and think.

Mathis says, “Meditation funnels our Bible intake to the heart. It takes the mental work of reading (and study) and presses it down into our emotions to better feel the weight of the meaning. Meditation also pairs well with Bible memory, and the most fruitful memorization, I’ve found, is a rigorous form of meditation.”

3. Use it to pray. 
Do you just get the Bible off the shelf and read? Or do you pray over your time in Bible study, asking the Lord to point you to the passages he wishes you to see? And your prayers should not stop there!

Mathis suggests, “You might want to pray back to God the precise words of the biblical text, quoting back to him exactly what he’s saying to us. But another way to ‘pray the Bible’ is to take in his words, meditate on them, press them to our hearts and make them our own, and then pray back to God, in our own words, in view of what we’ve heard from him in his speaking to us.”

“We haven’t yet learned the fullness of what to do with a Bible if it’s not inspiring and guiding our prayers.”

4. Obey what you read. 
“He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’” (Luke 11:28)

If you know that the law says do not steal, and you do it anyway, you should not be surprised when you go to jail. In the same way, it does not make sense to read the Bible, and disobey its teaching.

“When we open the Bible, we come into contact with the King of kings. Through Christ, we approach his throne of grace. Hearing his words, and not obeying them, is a ticking time bomb. He is patient and kind (Romans 2:4). He makes his sun to rise on the righteous and unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). He is patient toward us, not wanting any to perish (2 Peter 3:9). But he will not always suffer our disobedience,” writes Mathis.

5. Share it with others. 
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

How many times have we heard these verses, and yet, many of us struggle with this part of Bible study. But we are told not to hide our light from from others (Matthew 5:15-16). We have this light because of our faith. We do not glorify God when we keep it to ourselves.

Strange though it may seem at first, Mathis suggests we try the following: 

“Invite a neighbor, co-worker, or friend to sit down with you and read a brief passage together, perhaps from the Gospels, and discuss for a few minutes. Taking God’s very words in the Bible as the catalyst for interaction is powerful. One-on-one Bible reading may be the single most effective step you can take to bring a nonbeliever to faith.”

If you are find yourself struggling to read the Bible, ask yourself why. Is it due to time constraints? Boredom? A feeling of separation from God? There may be stretches during your faith walk that reading the Bible may seem like a burden, but friends, it is not.

Crosswalk.com contributing writer Amy Green says, “Whenever the Bible talks about spending time with God through reading the Word, it’s never in the context of a burden. Just take a look at Romans 15:4, ‘For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.’ I don’t know about you, but I could use more hope in my life.”

If you’re struggling to open your Bible, I highly recommend you click over to Amy’s 10 Fresh Ways to Study Your Bible and open yourself up to new ways of study. One of her creative ideas might set you on a path to deeper study, and a stronger relationship with God.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

[written by Carrie Dedrick]

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4 Myths About Air Travel Busted

People tend to believe all sort of things concerning air travel, and this is largely because they have not taken out time to get the necessary information to help them better understand what it entails. 

Jumia Travel busts 4 myths about air travel.

Planes Dump Waste While in Air 
This just isn’t true. It is physically impossible for a pilot to dump a tank of waste while in flight, so the idea of planes dumping waste while in air is not feasible. Planes have a vacuum toilet that sucks the waste down the plane’s sewer line into a 200-gallon holding tank. The waste remains in the tank for the duration of the flight and is vacuumed out by the cleaning crew after landing.

Oxygen Masks are Useless and Just Decoys to Keep People Calm If Things Go Wrong 
If the plane cabin ever loses pressure (which can easily happen without leading to a crash in anyway), oxygen masks are essential because without them everyone is left breathing in the air at 30,000 feet which is oxygen poor. The oxygen masks help to keep everyone breathing normally till the pilot is able to bring down the plane to about 10,000 feet.

Turbulence Can Bring Down a Plane 
Turbulence is more unsettling than it is dangerous, and it is rare for turbulence to bring down a plane. There are strict regulations ensuring that modern planes are fire-resistant, easy to evacuate and capable of going through major trauma without falling apart, therefore turbulence is a phenomenon that rarely brings down a plane.

Flying is Less Safe Than Other Means of Travel 
If you’re afraid of flying, then you might as well be afraid of pillows or anything that could kill you but almost certainly will not. A lot of safety precautions are strictly adhered to in the design of a plane and modern planes are built in such a way that it’s one of the safest (if not the safest) means of transportation known to man. It’s okay to be concerned about certain aspects of your flight, but to be so afraid you decide to never board a plane or your knees buckle violently when air travel is mentioned is unnecessary. One of the reasons why air travel seems dangerous is because every plane crash is reported and made general knowledge, much unlike other means of transportation. Imagine if every single car crash with its resulting casualties was reported and made general knowledge, you’ll likely be more afraid of cars than planes.

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Today’s Inspiring Bible Quote

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7 Unchanging Promises of God to Us His Children

Change is a natural and necessary part of life. Even good changes stretch us and cause us pain.

Therein lies another lesson; without pain there is no growth. Gains — growth — cost in the short term so that the rewards may be seen in the long term.

Perhaps you are a person who welcomes change like the mice, Sniff and Scurry in Dr. Spencer Johnson’s best-selling book, Who Moved My Cheese? Sniff and Scurry are prepared to move on and forge ahead in the face of change. Or, maybe you are more like the mice, Hem and Haw, who lament reality and play the victimized mourners of yesterday gone by?

Today, I propose another perspective. I propose that remembering the never-changing aspects of life and eternity will ground us as we face both desirable and undesirable changes in our temporal circumstances of today.

In the midst of continuous change in our homes, places of work, cities, nations, and places of ministry, here are seven things God has promised will never change. Some are beautiful promises, others hard truth—but all can anchor us and point us toward the God who remains a holy… same.

1. Purpose 
As long as we have breath in our bodies, we are guaranteed God has a purpose for our lives. He has called us to love God, love others, and to spread His glory among the nations. He has called us to make disciples. (See Matthew 22:37-40, Matthew 28:19-20)

3. A Place at the Table 
God has promised an eternity with Him for those who believe. Further, He has promised to reward the work we do in the name of Jesus. (See Matthew 6:20) God rewards our acts of righteousness with a reward that cannot be taken away.

4. His Presence and the Word of God 
While Jesus is preparing a place for us, He has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us and lead us into all righteousness. God will not leave us or forsake us. He cannot; that would be like forsaking Himself and He cannot do that. (See John 15:18-26) Additionally, He has given us His never changing truth of scripture by which His Spirit speaks. (See Hebrews 4:12)

If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13)

5. Principles of Creation 
There are over 100 narrowly defined constants that maintain, and even permit, life on planet earth. Further, these constants point to a Creator. God has designed creation in such a way that even when our personal worlds are in a state of flux which cause us stress or anxiety, we can count on the sun to rise and set each day and for the rain to fall and the flowers to grow. (See Genesis 8:22 and Matthew 5:45)

6. The Poor and the Persecuted 
In the Sermon on the Mount as recorded in the gospels, Jesus says, blessed are the poor in spirit and blessed are you when they persecute you on my (Jesus’) account. We can count on the poor and the persecuted to be among us. Perhaps we will be given the task of being the poor and the persecuted in this life. Jesus tells us to:

“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 6:12)

If we are among the poor or the persecuted, we are in good company. The poor in spirit and in possessions will always be with us. There is always ministry to attend to. (See Matthew 26:11)

7. The Pressing 
Dishes in the sink, hair and teeth that need brushing, clothes that need washing, jobs that need to be done, and bills to be paid. Pressing work remains. This may sound like a constant we would rather do without; however, Jesus delighted in the work of creation and He established the earth to be cultivated and subdued. He created us for work and desires that we find joy in our toil.

I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—that is God’s gift to man. (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)

We’ve determined seven constants that we can count on during days of change. What would you add to this list? What constants do you lean on? I would love to connect with you and discuss this more.

[written by Brooke Cooney, a Pastor’s wife]

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Have You Ever Wondered By Job Suffered So Much?

Job started so well. His faith was as invulnerable to Satan’s onslaughts as a turtle snuggled up inside its shell is to the frantic pawings of a dog. Job tucked his head and feet inside his faith in God and said, “The Lord gives, the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

Later, however, Job was rebuked by God for his complaining spirit. What went wrong? 

There are at least four reasons Job’s trust in God took a tumble. First, he listened to bad counsel.

Avoid Bad Counsel 
If you are going to handle your calamity in a wise, God-honoring manner, you must ignore well-intentioned but unbiblical counsel. If Job’s counselors had been from the church in our era, they probably would have said, “Job, look at these terrible things that are happening to you. We have to break the generational curses that have power over your life. We have to cast out the demons of skin disease. You need to send 500 dollars to the faith-healer, I. M. Acharlatan, at Better-for-aBuck Ministries.” People will say all kinds of crazy things to you when calamity strikes (“don’t worry, God didn’t know this was going to happen.” Really? now I am worried!). Don’t let their well-intended but unbiblical counsel trip you up spiritually and send you sprawling. To handle calamity, you must ignore unbiblical advice with a gentle smile and a thank you. People speak to you because they care; receive their counsel with a gracious attitude, but don’t let their unbiblical advice throw you into a tailspin like Job did.

Time Keeps On Ticking 
A second reason Job went off the rails was that he let the termite of time gnaw at his faith. According to Job 7:3, Job’s grief and the burning torment of his physical ailments had extended for months by the time his friends arrived. Job’s suffering felt eternal; the sheer duration of it was wearing him down. Like an eager marathon runner, Job bolted off the starting line of faith, but as the race of responding to his calamity stretched out mile after mile and day after day, Job’s faith began to stumble and stagger. Time is a killer in trials. Like Job, we start with strong faith, but as we tick off days on the calendar, turn over the page to a new month, eventually buy a new calendar for next year, and then a new one for the year after that, we can easily despair. Time makes trials hard.

The Expectations Trap 
A third reason Job stumbled is he had false expectations of God. In chapter 29, Job listed his many accomplishments. For example:

• He was a respected civic leader: “When I went out to the gate of the city … the old men arose and stood” (29:7–8).
• He was adored by the poor and disadvantaged because of his philanthropy: “I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame” (29:15).
• In summary he declared, “My steps were bathed in butter, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!” (29:6).

Because of his success and his great kindness to others, Job had built up some expectations—things he believed God owed him because he had been good. In chapter 30, Job had this flash of insight into his confused and angry heart: “When I expected good, then evil came; when I waited for light, then darkness came. I am seething within and cannot relax; days of affliction confront me.” (30:26–27)

Job’s summary is both pathetic and perfect: “When I expected good, then evil came” (30:26). The expectation that God owes me good if I have been good is dangerous because it leads to feelings of betrayal and anger at God. God, however, never promises endless good if we are a devoted mother, a patient father, a faithful taxpayer, or if we don’t run with the wrong crowd at school. To handle calamity rightly, Christians must avoid Job’s mistake of building up the expectation that “God owes me because I’ve tried to be good.”

The Shield of Faith 
Finally, besides bad counsel, time, and expectations, there was one other reason Job stumbled: he lost his grip on the shield of faith. In chapters 1–2, Job was solidly entrenched behind an impenetrable barrier of faith in God’s wisdom—a perfect example of Paul’s teaching about the shield of faith in Ephesians 6. The soldiers of the ancient world often carried large shields. When enemy archers fired a volley of arrows, they ducked behind those shields and let the arrows harmlessly ricochet off. 

In Job 1–2, Job had done just that. Satan had fired a barrage of fiery darts at him, but the shield of Job’s faith had deflected them all. That’s how faith works: no arrow of Satan—no matter how hot or deadly—can overwhelm simple, childlike faith: “I’ll trust God whether I understand what he is doing or not.” In chapter 3, Job allowed the handle of the shield of faith to slip from his sweaty fingers. Rather than preoccupy himself with believing trust, Job allowed his thinking to be dominated by frustrated expectations and, later, by the disheartening, untrue accusations of his friends. In the Gospels, the man cried, “I do believe; help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). In calamity, we must voice a similar cry to Christ: “I believe; rescue me from my doubt, fear, anger, and unbelief.”

For these reasons, Job stumbled. But, thankfully, that is not the end of the story. In heartfelt worship, Job returned to a fear-of-the-Lord-faith which enabled him to humbly walk with God the rest of his days.

[written by Paul Tautges, a senior pastor]

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