GOD loves the UGLY

Too often, we look at ourselves with all our weaknesses and imperfections and say of what good are we to God? Someone I know once said God might like sinners but certainly not one like me. He said he had done too many terrible things and there wasn’t any God will forgive him much less love him!

Of a truth, we all don’t deserve the mercy of God. Scriptures declare that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God – Romans 6:23 but God being an ever loving father forgives and never holds grudges.

Let’s get this straight. Nothing about us surprises God. Before we were formed in the womb, He knew us (Jeremiah 1:5) and He doesn’t change his mind about us even when we falter. He knows everything we will say and do before we do it.  He knows the day, the hour, the second that we will do something silly but instead of Him preparing His wrath for us He is ever ready to forgive us the very instance we err and extend mercy toward us.

If you feel or have ever felt like you have had a messed up life, no worries! Don’t be hard on yourself. Don’t walk around like you are of no good because you have done so many wrongs. God loves the ugly. GOD’S LOVE IS NOT RESTRICTED TO WHEN WE THINK WE HAVE DONE WELL. HE LOVES US EVEN WHEN WE MAKE SILLY MISTAKES AND FAIL.

Remember Moses? The one in the bible..! Moses was a murderer and a fugitive from justice in Egypt yet God used this same (murderer) Moses to bring out the Israelites from Egypt. This (murderer) Moses wrote the Ten Commandments and wrote the first five books of the bible.

Remember David? He committed adultery and conspired to murder the innocent husband of Bathsheba his best friend. David was a cold blooded murderer, a liar, a cheat, a chronic womanizer yet this same David was a poet and wrote most of the books of Psalm and Proverbs and in case you didn’t know, David is the great grandfather of Jesus Christ.

God called David a man after His heart yet David broke every of God’s command in the bible.

If God could use Moses, considering all he was, if God could love, use and call David a man after His heart given all that he was, then God loves everybody and can use anybody regardless of what that person may appear to be.

We live in a culture where people (even Christians) are so quick to point at others faults forgetting that it is by grace that they are saved. Sometimes we just like to take the transgressions, faults, weakness and imperfections of others and crucify them with them.

Fault finding as I know is not a fruit of the spirit. If all we do is beat the drum of people’s weaknesses, they will lose confidence in themselves and when people lose confidence in themselves, they will not want to get close to God.

We must not judge people with their faults and weakness because once upon a time, we were like them and even all that we were, God loved us.

God knows every hair on our heads and knows every inch of our soul.  We may feel like we have ugly lives but He loves us regardless; God loves the ugly and He is sitting with His arms open waiting to receive us.

Remember Jacob was a cheat, Peter had a bad temper, David had an affair, Noah got drunk, Jonah ran from God, Saul (before he became Paul) was a murderer, Gideon was insecure, Miriam was a gossip, Thomas was a doubter, Zaccheus was short, yet God loved them all.

In conclusion, I want to say if you don’t know Jesus, this note was written with you in mind. You may have had a broken heart or an ugly life but Jesus is saying to you today come! Come! Come! God loves the ugly!

Just Sharing My Thought

Listen. Laugh. Smile. Relate. Share.

Don’t lose your JOY

We live in an unhappy world. Everyday there are things and host of situations that turn to rob us of our joy. It may be the loss of a loved one, it may be the loss of a job, it could be the break-up of a relationship, it could be pressures at work, it could be a problem in the family, it could be current economic realities, it could be people who don’t do what they say they will do, and it could be concern about the future.

All you need to do to fall into deep depression is to put on the TV. Happenings around the world are enough to make you sick.

Our joyless state has produced a joyless society. We have joyless homes, joyless marriages, joyless jobs, joyless relationships and more. If there is something we desperately need to get back as a people it is the joy of the Lord in our hearts.

One of the hardest things in life is to rejoice in the time of trouble, however being joyful in the time of trouble is one skill we all must learn if we want to live in total victory. WE NEED TO BE A PEOPLE WHO WILL LOOK AT REALITY IN THE FACE AND STILL STAY JOYFUL.

It is easy to be joyful when the circumstance is convenient but what happens when the circumstance is not convenient? According to the scriptures, no circumstance or person should make us unhappy. The joy of the Lord is not dependent on outward circumstances—it comes straight from the inside.

We are to be joyful in the good times and in the bad times. We are to be joyful on the mountain top and in the valley below. We are to be joyful when we have money in our pockets and when we are empty and broke.

We live in a real world full of ups and downs. One moment you are up, the next moment you are down, confused and discouraged. We sure can’t control all of our circumstances but we can and should rise above negative circumstances and decide that no matter what comes against us we are not going to lose our joy.

One of the things I’ve learned is that I don’t always have to have my way in order to be happy. I got to a point in my life when I had to say I’m done with letting people and circumstances always make me unhappy. Things may not go the way I want but I am not going to lose my JOY.

Let’s not allow people steal our joy. People will always be people; they may do things and make decisions that may irritate us but we can decide to keep a smile on our face and be happy regardless of what other people do to us.

Let’s not allow circumstances kill JOY. Things may not always go according to how we plan but then we must live in the awareness that God is working things out for our good. Scripture says in Rom 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
When we have joy in the midst of trials and test, we put the devil on the run, because the joy of the Lord is our strength! Nehemiah 8:10b. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

So where do we find real joy? The answer in simple! THE LORD GIVES IT. Joy is not a commodity we buy from the market. JOY is a fruit of the spirit and it is found only in the LORD.

If you wake up each morning and don’t find your name in the obituary column, rejoice and be exceedingly glad. You are alive and amongst the living. God has so much in store for you and regardless of what the devil throws at you, do not lose you JOY.

It is God’s will for us to be and stay joyful so let’s be joyful. Don’t lose your JOY!!!

AJust Sharing My Thought
Listen. Laugh. Smile. Relate. Share.

Don't give up HOPE

The homeless is still homeless. And the poor is still poor. In today’s world and given present economic realities (unemployment, hunger, insecurity etc.), it is easy to give up hope.

The world is in chaos. The economic crisis continues as the oil crisis looms. War rages in many places and in some quarters, it’s a time of revolution.

Newspaper headlines don’t portray HOPE and the doom shown on TV isn’t encouraging either. Transportation fare has doubled, prices of food have become ridiculously high, house rent is (pay 2 years in advance) but amidst all of these, we cannot afford to give up HOPE.

Hope is something that every one of us needs to face life. Things don’t always go as we want it to. People disappoint us, plans fail, problems mounts, pressures of life intensifies and more but that doesn’t mean we should feel hopeless.

The worst thing that can happen to anyone is giving up hope. When you lose hope, nothing else matters. It is said that HOPE is the last thing you can leave a person and that’s exactly what I intend with this note.
Hope brings peace. Hope gives strength and scriptures say our hope is the word of God.

Don’t let anything or anyone make you give up HOPE. No matter the challenge you go through in life, always know that God can and will see you through. Before you had that challenge, God had the solution!

The hope that God gives does not vanish when the storms of life are raging because it is not based upon the circumstances of our lives. Our HOPE brings peace in the midst of the storm. Our HOPE is greater than sickness and diseases because He (GOD) is the greatest physician.
Our God is eternal and so is the hope that He gives. A hope for today and a hope for tomorrow. We have a God of all HOPE. We have a HOPE that is built on Jesus Christ that King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

The world’s systems and governments may be failing but may I to announce to you that heavenly system and government never fails. God never closes down.

We all have times when it seems like the entire universe is out to get us, and we will never be able to laugh again, but I want to urge you to be strong and not give up HOPE (and believe) that things will get better.
Don’t give up on yourself because of what you see around you. With God, there is no hopeless situation. Don’t give up on your dreams; your dreams are not bigger than God.

Don’t give up on your dysfunctional family. God can fix anything. Don’t give up on your challenging relationship/ marriage.

God loves you with an everlasting love and regardless of what the present circumstances may seem like, your future has unlimited possibilities. You are not beyond the reach of God’s grace.

Never say God’s is through with me because He is not. With God, that which is broken can be mended. Dreams that have been crushed can be reborn. Out of defect can come a new beginning.

God is still on the throne and nothing shall be impossible with Him. God is our real father and He alone has the final say on our lives; not the world’s system and government or life’s situation.

Our HOPE is not based on wishful thinking but based on the ever living word of God.
It is only the word of God that promises; LOVE, JOY, PEACE, COURAGE, HEALTH, PROSPERITY, SECURITY, HOPE, STRENGHT, FORGIVENESS, HAPPINESS, ABUNDANCE, and ETERNAL LIFE no other word does…

Dear friend, I want to urge you to be brave enough to let go of your fears and HOPE in God. HOPE because God is working on your behalf. In all things God works for the good of those who love Him. ROMANS 8:28

May the Lord bless you, and may the Lord keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and may He be gracious unto you. May the Lord prosper everything and anything you set out to do and may He give you Joy UNSPEAKABLE. Amen.

It is well with you… don’t give up HOPE

Just Sharing My Thought
Listen. Laugh. Smile. Relate. Share.

Welcome to Twenty Twelve

Last night was 31st night and of course the last day of 2011 and like the ritual it has become, almost everybody went to church. No pranks guys, I saw Muslims and even pagans in church.

There is something about 31st nights I believe that it make everyone to want to cross over in God’s presence. On 31st nights, we all pray our hearts out, confess and repent of our sins, and we make a thousand and one promises to God.

Interestingly, for many people, once they cross into the New Year, they forget about all the promises they made the previous night in God’s presence. They return to the habits we said we’d stop and do all the things God doesn’t approve of.

The irony in this is that although we seldom keep to our part of the bargain, we want God to keep to his part by blessing us. Who will want to bless a disobedient child?

When we trust God so much that we do things His ways, He opens up heaven and pour down blessings on us. I know you’ve made resolutions for the year and promised God so much. I want to entreat you not to go back on your words.

It is only God that can bless us and obedient is the surest key to getting God’s blessings.

My prayer is Lord help me not to go back to things you do not approve of. I know I cannot do it on my own so Lord I ask that you give me the grace to with you. Amen…
What’s you prayer?

Just Sharing My Thought
Listen. Laugh. Smile. Relate. Share.

How else can I best begin this note than with a hearty compliment of the season to you and the rest of the family here on blogger.

All too soon, 2011 is coming to a close and in less than 48hours, we shall bid farewell to 2011 and welcome 2012. Hmm! What a year 2011 has been.

Before I go any further, I want to say to the bishop of my soul, my Lord, Savior and King, the only true redeemer, the reason I live and breathe, to my Lord and personal Savior JESUS CHRIST, I want to say a very big THANK YOU.

Had it not been for you Lord, none of us would have come this far… Lord thank you for life, health, security, providence and all you have done for us. We say we are grateful.

So much has happened this year… is it the unrest/revolution in the Arab peninsular that saw the outstare of three dictator presidents and the death of Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi or the numerous earthquakes, incessant flooding or the drought in the horn of Africa?

So much happened this year that I cannot make a list of them all. Having said that, regardless of all that happened in our world and all that is happening around us, God’s grace has kept us and we have to give Him thanks.

So many times we focus on the negatives. We take time out to count all the things that don’t go well with us… the contract we didn’t get, the failed relationship, the job disappointment, etc but we seldom take time to appreciate God for all He has done for us.

Let me even ask you? Hasn’t God been good to you? I know you had plans for the year and probably, not all of your plans came true and I know you had tough times (we all had did too), but even will all the not so good times, God kept you and I.

We all have gone through one experience or the other, had disappointments and terrible times, but though it all, someone sustained you… Who did? God Almighty.

I don’t want us to end this year with the thought that we didn’t achieve anything. Some of us had so much to celebrate while some others had not so much to celebrate but all in all, we all had something to celebrate and thank God for.

Think of the growing state of insecurity in our world today with bombs flying about like knockouts, God kept you.

All over the globe, there have been heavy flooding which took many lives and destroyed properties worth billions of dollar but look at you… you are alive and well. Who do you thing kept you? God Almighty…

Friends left you, relatives deserted you, loved ones hurt you but God never closed His door on you. Even when you erred, God still drew close to you.

I know there were times in the year when you had no job, no money and no support but you didn’t starve to death did you? Who provided that meal? God… Who gave you that job? God again... Who kept you healthy? God Almighty…

As we prepare to go into the New Year, I want us to go in with a voice of thanksgiving. Enough of complains and enough of murmuring. Let’s be thankful. There is so much to be thankful for.

I know we all have needs (jobs, life partners, admission, etc) and a lot of other things we are trusting God for. Let me assure you that if you believe God like I do, He will bring all of your heart desires to pass.

Get ready for abundance. 2012 I believe that it will be a year filled with exceeding and abundant goodness of God.

As I round up, I want to say thank you to everyone who has been part of my life this year. I know I have the most wonderful friends in the planet and I thank God for the gift of friendship.

Take care of yourself, happy new year and hey, I LOVE YOU…

Just Sharing My Thought
Listen. Laugh. Smile. Relate. Share.