May your road be rough!

If I know my Christian Brethren well enough, the first thing that would come out of our mouths, after reading the title, is, “GOD forbid. That is not my portion!”

Yet, that was one of Tai Solarin’s popular prayers for his students and close acquaintances. He believed wholeheartedly that rough roads lead to smooth, pleasant places. Didn’t the Bible say that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of GOD? – Acts 14:22

Rough roads toughen us and bring out the best in us if we would allow GOD to have His Way in our lives and situations.
In my Year One at the University of Ibadan, I had to contend with a tough course – Chemistry 157. Usually, at the end of each class, a couple of us would find our way to Tunde’s room in Kuti Hall, because he had a firm grasp of the course. Tunde was gentle and kind, but he got irritated with us one day and said something unpleasant. That insulting experience jolted me to life. I made up my mind to work hard and unravel Chemistry 157 without any more insults from anyone.

To GOD’S Glory, I passed that course, and I said to myself afterwards, “If I passed Chemistry 157, I can’t possibly fail any other course throughout my stay in this University.” To GOD be the Glory, it was much smoother sailing therefrom. Hallelujah.

Recently, a great opportunity opened for me to have my articles published in a popular online newspaper. The publisher was magnanimous enough to send me the links to each of my stories uploaded. I simply got used to getting the links after each uploading, until the publisher found a good way to tell me he wouldn’t be able to send me the links again. I had to find the links myself, and it turned out to be a very simple thing to do – something I probably wouldn’t have learnt to do if he had not given me the gentle push.

For the open-minded, rough roads lead to great discoveries, marvelous improvements, pleasant surprises, and remarkable recoveries. So, you see the wisdom in that prayer, “may your road be rough.”

‘Sugbon, BABA GOD, please, have MERCY on us in Nigeria, this road don rough enough O.’ May our path, road, and journey be smooth, prosperous and progressive, henceforth, in JESUS Name. Amen.

On a day like this, more than 2,000 years ago, JESUS CHRIST walked down a very rough and tough road to Calvary. He was beaten, spat on, stripped of his clothes, and nailed to the Cross. That rough road led Him to hell, to Victory over satan, sickness and death, and to Resurrection on the third day.

So, be not afraid of rough roads; rather be TRUSTFUL and THANKFUL as you navigate through the roughness and toughness of the present. It shall turn out in PRAISE. Omajasope, loruko JESU.

Remember Psalms 126:6, “He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

Hallelujah🙌

HAPPY EASTER.

LOVE IS THE REASON

Love is the currency of the kingdom. To be rich in kingdom currency, trade in love. If you trade in love, you gather and accumulate true riches: love, peace, joy, faith, hope, health, sound mind, and other priceless kingdom benefits. Learn to LOVE, even when it hurts. LOVE like you’ve never been hurt. Love, by itself, is a healer.

It was love that moved GOD to sacrifice His only begotten son, JESUS CHRIST, for you and me. Love moves. Love lifts. Love sacrifices. Love guides. Love compels and constraints a BELIEVER to be godly, to do GOOD works, and to walk HUMBLY with all mankind: high, low, and average.

Easter is the story of LOVE: the love that made a king die for His subjects; the love that led a god-man to a painful and shameful death on calvary’s cross; the love that saved you and me and empowers me to do this, daily.

Easter is love, and love is Easter.

To really understand this kind of LOVE, or what TRUE LOVE is, kindly meditate on 1 Corinthians 13. That’s the LOVE I’m talking ’bout.

“Beloved, let us LOVE one another, for LOVE is of GOD; and everyone who LOVES is born of GOD and knows GOD. He who does not LOVE does not know GOD, for GOD is LOVE. In this, the LOVE of GOD was manifested toward us, that GOD has sent His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is LOVE, not that we LOVED GOD, but that He LOVED us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if GOD so LOVED us, we also ought to LOVE one another. No one has seen GOD at any time. If we LOVE one another, GOD abides in us, and His LOVE has been perfected in us.” – 1 John 4:7-12.

That’s Easter.
Selah.

MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT

Just think about it: a man lived for 33 years, and died more than 2,000 years ago, yet, the world continues to celebrate His life, sacrifice, and legacy. The reason is not far-fetched; He lived for someone, and for something (The Word), bigger than Himself; He saw beyond His physical existence and needs. JESUS lived and died, for His FATHER’S will. And, what did you say you are living for?

Martin Luther King Jr. has been dead for more than 50 years, yet, his life and work, remain relevant in the United States of America, and the rest of the sensible world.

Nelson Mandela has been dead for some seven years now, yet, all of Africa, and the thinking world, will never forget his unique 27 years of selfless sacrifice in apartheid South African prison. And you, what did you say you are pursuing, again?

Today, I learnt that inheritance is something you leave for people, but LEGACY is something you LEAVE IN people. Are you labouring and scrambling for wealth and inheritance, or for IMPACT and LEGACY?

Didn’t JESUS tell us in Luke 12:15, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

I’m for the IMPACT and LEGACY

Beloved, the unexamined life is not worth living. This Easter, benchmark your life, goals, and pursuits, alongside CHRIST’S, and see if your life is a lifter, a floater, or a sinker. Lifters (wise leaders/people) think about the next generation, but sinkers (politicians and wealth grabbers) think of the next election, deal, or meal.

My friend, if you fail to learn from GOD’S word, from godly sermons, and articles like this, you will learn from life. And, life is a hard teacher.

There’s something out there: in your family, community, church, workplace, etc, that is your ministry, assignment, or calling. Are you sent to the orphans, the prostitutes, the mentally challenged, the hospitalised, the blind, the deaf, the dumb, the autistic, the sickle cell anemia patients, etc? Find it. Embrace it. Fulfill it. Make your life count. Just do it.

There’s only one life to live, live it well. Live it purposefully. Live it for GOD. Live it for the good of humanity.

A crown of glory and joy awaits those who faithfully fulfill GOD’S purpose for their lives. Have you found yours?

Are you living it?

Our lives only count for something when lived in GOD’S Purpose and Plan.

I leave you with the words in Colossians 4:17. Fulfill it.

NB: Know more about life, read these two books this quarter:

1. The Leader Who Had No Title – Robin Sharma
2. Extraordinary Miracles in the Lives of Ordinary People – Therese Marszalek

Remember, he who DOES NOT READ is NOT better than he WHO CANNOT READ.