The Havilah

How to stop being buddies with sins V: Fasting

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:34:00 +0000

This aspect – fasting – in the series of how to stop being buddies with sins has taken a while. One of the reasons being that it is an aspect I struggle with. I think I have high metabolism...:) Furthermore, it is easier for me to fast when it is declared in the church than alone. Maybe it has to do with corporate anointing. I have fasted alone as an individual but it has not become a habit. I could go for months without fasting. Last long fasting I ever did; I had to be accountable...

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The bestseller that describes the essence of my living

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 19:50:00 +0000

"We are not what we know but what we are willing to learn." – Mary Catherine Bateson The benefits of reading and aspiring to learn from what we read cannot be overemphasized. Good books can change mindsets for a flourishing society. Indeed it is people who make up a society and when they are influenced positively, a fruitful world is created. My favourite book is a bestseller and is ever fresh as I read it year in year out. Each time I read it, there is always something new...

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How to stop being buddies with sins IV: Focus on God

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:16:00 +0000

After church service, I felt like screaming Eureka! I felt my struggles are over! Well at least, that is how I felt as I left church. God opened my eyes to the reason for the ups and downs I have been experiencing as a Christian. Indeed the journey should not be a struggle. The pastor spoke about our significance and the meat of the sermon was identity revelation. I understood that the reason we struggle in our relationship with God is that we focus on behaviour modification and...

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How to stop being buddies with sins III: Approaches to bible study

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 18:26:00 +0000

In the story of Mary and Martha, Jesus made it clear the kind of relationship he desired with his people. God understands that we have affairs of life to attend to but those affairs can be better taken care of if we can spend time at his feet like Mary. When Martha interrupted Jesus to report Mary; Jesus said Mary has chosen what was vital and it will not be taken from her. Let’s learn to come at Jesus feet to receive strength, power, wisdom, joy, peace and patience to face whatever...

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How to stop being buddies with sins II

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:38:00 +0000

No one who sincerely has opened up to Christ delights in living in sin. Once any sin is committed, the Christian is sorry he undertook such act. The hearts of a number of Christians are not seared though they struggle with sins. Some of us have become frustrated thinking the sins we struggle with have overpowered us. We have hated and quarrelled with ourselves when we could not resist temptations. Overcoming sin is not what we can do by our strength. We need Jesus! We need the Word. Hence...

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How to stop being buddies with sins

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 21:52:00 +0000

In the last article, I had some illustrations to show we can stop being buddies with sin. We need to be tenacious in kicking sin out and it has to be sustained. We have to match force with sustained resistance. We must continually resist the devil and refuse to gratify the desires of the flesh. In this article, I would like to share one of the ways we can stop encouraging the devil to run our lives. We should have sustained prayerful lives Prayer is a two-way communication with God...

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We can stop being buddies with sin

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 17:38:00 +0000

I have a year devotional given to me by a friend. I am not a regular with devotionals but because of the effort and money my friend spent to ensure I have the devotional, I decided to use it faithfully. Recently I read a portion that really sparked fire in me. This devotional is written by a renowned Pastor in Nigeria, Pastor E. A. Adeboye and that day’s devotional was titled ‘force complements resistance” In it was an illustration – imagine if you are about to get into your bed and found a...

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Jesus, initiator of centripetal and centrifugal forces that keep our lives in orbit

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 21:42:00 +0000

I bet a number of us have studied a particular chapter of the bible time and times again and each time a different verse(s) would strike us and come alive. If we choose to meditate upon the verse(s), God expounds in awesome ways. Recently, I meditated on The Message version of John 3:29-30: 29 -30"That's why my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines. This was John’s response to his disciples when they reported to...

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Learning from robots to improve our relationship with God

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 20:58:00 +0000

You may ask having read the title, ‘what can we learn from robots?’ Now before we get into that, let’s really understand what robots are. Robots are mainly machines that programmed or commanded to undertake tasks in which it mimics a human or an animal. Some of them like those made in South Korea are made to interact with humans. They are expected to work using their own sensors and intelligence. They do not have emotions though we are almost given the impression from some movies. A robot is...

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How to access true success and fulfilment in life

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 20:38:00 +0000

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Reach out to the hand of mercy

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 20:57:00 +0000

I am sitting down wondering Am I justified to write today?I am called to be an ambassador But I fail uncountable times. I promise God I won’t do it again But I don’t keep the promise. And I am tired of failing on my promises! As I sit feeling unworthy to look unto God I sense God assuring me that I will make itBut I don’t want to make it tomorrow I don’t want to make it next weekI don’t want to make it next monthI want to make it now! Reach out to the hand of mercy, He saysNo matter...

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How to live a life of one who is created for exploits

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 21:26:00 +0000

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Christians should glitter as stars: why and how?

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:59:00 +0000

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How to leave the past behind and move on to fulfil your purpose in life

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 17:39:00 +0000

My day started with God assuring me that the blood of Jesus still flows to cleanse the sins of many that come to him. God loves so unconditionally that even the worst criminal stands a chance before him. As I thought about it, it occurred to me that sometimes when we err we come up with excuses why we can’t move on and the excuses are usually people oriented - what they said or what they will say. I believe I have been placed on a pedestal where I do not belong by my family and people....

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Oh Faith!

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 04:56:00 +0000

Oh faith Why are you so far from me Why are you not simple to have Yet you are what moves God But you are not as easy as a hand wave Things around me becloud my focus My Father desires that I look to Him He assures me that we are on course Sadly, I am too restless to listen to him Oh faith Why are you so far from me I try to fix my eyes on Jesus One moment on Him, the next around me I try to hold on to His word One moment on the word, the next on me Oh faith Why are you so...

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How to overcome Temptation: using the temptation of Jesus as a case study

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 22:37:00 +0000

We are told by the scriptures we will not be tempted beyond our limits and even in the temptation, God gives a way of escape. I have yielded to a number of temptations that has come my way. Afterwards, I cast my mind back to remember the ways of escape that God provided which I did not take. Recently, God has made it clear to me he is dealing with flesh in me. Truly, I yield to temptation to satisfy the yearnings of the flesh. Self or flesh is like a pampered child. A pampered child is allowed...

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We may not be comfortable with everything but let’s choose to serve God all the same

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 19:27:00 +0000

Do you ever ponder over certain things in your life and wonder why you can’t have a smooth ride. Why should there be hitches at every phase of life? Why do I have battles that make me question the essence of my existence? I have loads of things about life I do not like. However, I have gotten to a stage in my walk with God that I believe there is no place to go from him even when I may not fully understand the following: Unanswered prayers The scriptures make us understand he does not...

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Understanding putting off old life and putting on new life

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 20:33:00 +0000

I was stung by Colossians chapter 3 yesterday and so I spent time trying to comprehend it. Verse 4 talked about my old life being dead and my new life being in Christ; then in verse 5 I am told to put to death everything related to the old life. So I wondered; if my old life is dead and I have a new life in Christ what do I have to put to death again? The questionsVerses 5 -8 listed some of the old ways which include sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires (described by The Message as...

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The benefits of confessing our sins one to another

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 20:56:00 +0000

Every Christian is familiar with confession but it is certainly not an easy thing to do especially if it is a sin the family or society frowns at. At most, some of us would want confess only to our father in heaven. Have you ever wondered why you keep crying unto God to deliver you from your sins and it seems you got no answer? It does not mean God is not willing to help; however, some of his principles ought to apply: Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray...

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If you know you sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus, what will change?

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 20:04:00 +0000

God reminded me of his word in Ephesians 2:6; “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,” (NIV) And as I began to meditate upon this, it became clear that I am not acting like one who is sitting in heavenly realms with Christ. So I asked myself, “What should change in your life if you begin to appropriate what God has said in his word?” As I thought about it, four distinct things that should change came to my heart and I want to share them...

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Sit at my feet and learn from me

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:40:00 +0000

Lately, there has been a longing for more of God and at the same time, I pondered about my slow walk with God. Then a sentence dropped into my mind:“Sit at my feet and learn from me.”As I continued to ponder, I remembered the story of Mary and Martha.38 -40As they continued their travel, Jesus entered a village. A woman by the name of Martha welcomed him and made him feel quite at home. She had a sister, Mary, who sat before the Master, hanging on every word he said. But Martha was pulled away...

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Why can't I trust him?

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:26:00 +0000

Hitches make me ponder Is God still in...

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How I can have more of God and less of me

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:05:00 +0000

Yesterday, I read Matthew 5:3; "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule." (The Message) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (NIV) I have heard 'more of God less of me' in songs and its been preached. But when I read it in The Message, I paused and thought about it. So Ndidi, since you have been hearing this, is self dead in you? Can you now say there is more of God and you have submitted...

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He is ever so patient: So should I

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:38:00 +0000

I have come to realize that God's patience towards me does not run out. It does not mean he supports evil but it means he is giving me room to change. He also searches my heart and knows that I sincerely want to be who he wants me to be - a true representative of him However, I believe he also wants me to be as patient as he is (with me) with my colleagues, family and neighbours. This means when someone offends me, I should not blow my top. God does not when I displease him. He loves me and...

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His love never gives up.

noreply@blogger.com (Didi) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:38:00 +0000

A chorus of a song sang in church today went thus: Your love never fails never gives up never runs out on me Indeed, the song reassured me of God's unconditional love for me. And while we worshipped, I sensed God reaching out to me and asking me to come to him. He is ever ready to receive us more than we can imagine. We self-condemn ourselves, walking about with guilt while God has opened the door of freedom. He expects us to walking in through the door to him appreciating the great sacrifice...

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