On Failure...(Part 2)

Nice to have you with us again...

I would like us to kick off from where we left it. Remember, in our last article, we said that "Failure makes you malleable in God's Holy hands." Well, you must first and foremost understand that we are not championing the cause for being happy in failure. Nope. We are stating that failing at something does not mean your life has become hopeless. Instead, you need to be still and understand what God's will for you is even in such times.

And yes, God does have a plan for your life, even in great or little failures. Ain't it just great?!

I find this scripture inspiring: ROM 10:14-15. But I want to stick to the 15th verse: "And how shall they preach, except they be sent..." Sometimes, for God to send you, you need to bear a scar. How else would the unsaved believe if you appear to "stand on a high horse"? IT'S THE FACT THAT GOD COULD STILL DO SO MUCH WITH SO MANY FAILURES IN YOUR LIFE/PAST THAT VALIDATES YOUR MESSAGE!

God knew this. Thus, God sent Jesus. let us back up a bit. You see, Jesus was, of course, sinless. The Bible tells us that sin and death came to us through one man. Adam. So, we needed an intervention in a human realization. Jesus coming with a throne and crown and all the wardrobe of divine royalty....well.....He knew that was not the immediate goal. the humanness of divinity was as important to Him as the need to restore our fellowship. Jesus coming, bleeding, dying (and  of course resurrecting) shows us that He is actually not forgetful or ignorant of our frailty.

God's grace and salvation and rescue as shown to you sinks right in when you understand He was not bound to help but did anyway. That's how nice He is.

Imagine the likes of Paul Adefarasin, Poju Oyemade. These are generals holding on to the saving grace of God, made all the more richer and realistic because of the lives they once lived!

Too much talk can spoil this article. May the Holy Spirit breathe on you that you may step out in boldness everyday. May all chains of failure that have ever held you down be destroyed and may you live a VICTORIOUS LIFE in Jesus' name!

N.B: Please do not forget to download the COAL 4 registration form. Fill and get back to us via email (coal4life@gmail.com). Any questions, please reach through the email too or through twitter @Coals4Christ @iambiolah or @heybeewhy.

                                                      
                                                        #TheNehemiahMovement

COAL FORMS ARE READY!!!

HOWDY Y'ALL!

It has been an immense privilege to be part of the COAL team. It's beyond that alone. It is a family.

Over the course of 3 years, we have been blessed with a spiritual rebirth in the lives of the young COAL campers. I mean, I have been blown away by just how much God has shown Himself to these young people, myself included. We have witnessed the victory and glory of Jesus shining as the sun in these days. It has been a life-changing experience these past 3 years.

This year, we are set to do it again...it's COAL 4.

The team got together and has released the official online registration form for this year's camp. For the digitally-inclined, everything needed has been incorporated into a comprehensive form which has been compiled for you to download, fill and e-mail back or return to the address on the form if you so desire. It is a 5-page form that requires the appropriate details so that we may better cater to your every need.

We all hope that as plans go ahead, you will join us in prayers to make this year an unforgettable experience with Our Father.

Don't forget. It's #TheNehemiahMovement. Join the movement.

N.B: PLEASE AFFIX TWO PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPHS ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED FORM.

ON FAILURE (Part 1)

Never has God used anything or man who did not first come to terms with one truth: he can fail, or more importantly, he has once failed. There are so many humbling aspects to failure. It goes beyond a word. It is actually an avenue to test the human psyche; how we respond in the face of not getting it. Failure could cause pain, disappointment, fear, distrust, anger and even depression. A man who has failed knows just what it is like.

Failure is a bitter taste to swallow. Whether you don't fail often or you have been enduring a recent string of failures, it is still bitter.

A failed man is a broken man. A failing man is so shaky, he needs support to stand. There is never a way to "deal with failure" than through God. You ever been through a point you put your all in something, being so sure it would work? You knew there was a 0.000000000001% chance of failing and yet, you failed! (That thing can pain!) Remember that anger/brokenness you felt? Well, it's a good thing.

If God made it a point to choose to talk to us through saints, we would have had some pretty big belief issues. There is a lesson: I sometimes picture God saying "Now let Me see how you react."

God entrusts us with failure as much as He does with success. Wouldn't you be impressed if you gave a really broke man N5000 to keep for 3 weeks and he didn't touch one kobo? In the same light, God is delighted if you seek His face in failure as you do in success. Our mortality and frailties are actually what emboldens our faith in God through Christ Jesus. The essence of the likes of David (the adulterer), Moses (who had a temper problem), Rahab (a one-time harlot), Elijah (a fearful prophet!) Timothy (a doubter), is to show us that it is not in the fall, though you should not always desire to fall. It is in the reaction after the fall that catches God's attention.

Failure makes you malleable in God's Holy hands. Instead of hate/blame God for the failures of your past, you need to start asking the right questions: Why did I fail? What did you want me to learn? Have I learnt it?! (to be continued)

EUCHARISTEO

Today, we look at a word that stunned me real good this week: EUCHARISTEO.

It is a Greek word and it is, to a large extent, one that brings the entirety of our Christian race into focus. As it says in the image, EUCHARISTEO means THANKSGIVING. It is the word that features in the Greek translation of 1Thes 5:18: en panti eucaristeite touto gar qelhma qeou en cristw ihsou eiV umaV {In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you KJV}

Now, what blew my mind was what I discovered when I delved further to find the meaning of this word when broken down. We shall start with EU.

For starters, it doesn't mean European Union. EU. According to English for Students, it means PLEASANT,WELL & GOOD. It is a Greek Prefix (Words added before ROOT WORDS to form new meanings or words altogether). It features in many of the words we have come to know today: Euphemism (Figure of speech explaining the act of saying a bad thing in a good way), Eulogy, Euphoria, Eugene....and so on.

CHARIS, on the other hand means GRACE. Ever heard it said that there is grace in thanksgiving? Well, quite literally, there is! Apart from GRACE, we also find JOY in thanksgiving.....well, quite literally too! Simply because CHARA is the Greek interpretation for Joy.

EUCHARIST we may know. That is one word which we all bandy about sha. We just say it and do it as a religious practice and forget to.....oh wait! It means Thanksgiving by the way. The Eucharist is used in the Catholic circles to mean THE LORD'S SUPPER, HOLY COMMUNION! It is a supreme lesson that in the night before the capture and (brutal) death of Jesus, He tells us to never neglect the EUCHARIST, in remembrance of Him. By the way, did I just mention that this young man called was about to DIE? And He knew it?

How would you behave if you even knew you would die sef? #scary abi?

Therefore, get some EUCHARISTEO juice pumping in you. I think of this word when I think of my country, the world, the church, my neighbours....the beggar, that F9 I got in my WAEC, that E I got in Year 1, that time I lost my temper, the period nothing just seemed to work, those days my life was dark and without any ounce of hope.....many of us have been here. Some are still there. Remember you are not alone. Just be grateful, mentioning the issue and thanking God for what He is teaching you through your pain. GOD NEVER WASTES AN EXPERIENCE YOU HAVE PASSED THROUGH.

Let some EUCHARISTEO pass through you today. We all need a lesson some time.

Shalom!

#TheNehemiahMovement

SELF DISCIPLINE

I open the deep freezer on this very hot, scorching day. It is filled with treasures from heaven, which basically is what I call soft drinks. The bottle sits exquisitely still at the bottom of the vast bottom of the freezer. The svelte construction has me saying a prayer of thanksgiving for the makers of COCA COLA. My eyes are filled with adoration for the bottle languishing between 35-38 degrees (the ideal temperature for a chilled drink, well, according to wiki answers).

Yet, just beside it, sitting still like the quiet brilliant student in class (who knows his classmates would never know just how brilliant he is because he never talks), is the equally chilled plastic of EVA Water.

I think I know how the story ends.

Ain't it amazing the things we still do despite knowing it hurts us? You know what needs to be done. You do the opposite. Why? The "want" to gratify greatly outweighs the "need" to delay gratification.

Don't worry. I know it is hard. Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!! trust me, I know. Yet, I know just how much more possible it is.

You know something interesting I learnt this past Sunday, it is that the Devil would tempt mankind in 3 aspects: FOOD, MONEY, POWER. FOOD seems to be one of the unsung heroes of the mix. Yet, you would be baffled to see just how much even the church is being buffeted on all sides. PASTOR TOPE AWONAIKE, the Head Pastor of Greater Grace Assembly once quoted someone. According to the quote, "IF YOU WANT TO CHOOSE LEADERS IN CHURCH, DECLARE A BUFFET." You know how profound that is? It means, basically, that we lose all sense of charity when food is involved. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE WITNESSED THIS IN MANY OUTINGS.

Our Lord Jesus decided not to turn stone to bread. Imagine if the Saviour of the world had given in to food because he was hungry. He had every right. He was on a 40-day fast!!!!!! He even thought about giving up on the whole salvation plan. But He recognised a greater WILL in play. When will we do the same?

For some of us, the closest we've ever got to that WORKOUT day-dream we have is the dream of working out. We don't eat right. We sometimes lack any skill, no matter how slight, to show restraint, to reel in our desires for the sake of what we need. Yet, there is that GRACE TO MOVE OUT AND CHALLENGE YOURSELF..

Your dream of a 1-hour prayer ended in THE GRACE OF OUR LORD, JESUS CHRIST.

Your dream of STAYING OFF COKE FOR A WEEK ENDED WITH YOU DRINKING PEPSI FOR A WEEK (Like seriously?)

Your dream of writing stopped on your BLACKBERRY/ANDROID device.

Your dream of eating healthy stopped at Debonairs Pizza.

Your dream of saving stopped on KONGA/JUMIA/KAYMU.

Why don't we take advantage of this grace and forge ahead? Why don't we delay gratification?

God help us

#TheNehemiahMovement #JoinTheMovement

GRACE STORY...Mine, Yours, Everyone's

It is just GRACE.

I could end this post like that and still look back on it as a fully complete post.

I could. Very much tempted to.

In fact, maybe I should let you tell me just how much this statement means to you.

As for me, I really would look back on this post as a fully complete one.

Isn't it just lovely? Grace. Just a breath of fresh air. What's your Grace story?

Please kindly feel free to share on our facebook page: facebook.com/livecoals or just email us your story at coals4life@gmail.com.

As for me, my job here is done for now....lol

#NehemiahMovement #COAL4 #JoinTheMovement

GIVE ME FAITH

Sometimes, this is all we need. A simple prayer. A heavy cry not for recognition. A honest soul reaching to a living God. There are so many torrents swaying us. We, as teenagers and youths at large, have never had it harder. It makes one wish one was almost born in the times of our fathers.

This piece is not for those above board, way too holy or beyond failure. Nope. This is for all those that have ever had to pray the words in the picture above. GIVE ME FAITH. You may have come to a point, as I have so many times, where you feel God is so far away that you just feel your entire faith (Christian faith) has been completely destroyed. At those times, in the sincerity of your heart, you cry out like this.

It may be the closest to what many have prayed in a long time but if it is from your heart, rest assured the Lord God will hear and come swiftly to your aid. The social media, TV, and others make up a very attractive pot of vanity. We all have been sucked, to a large extent, into the gaping hole, the vacuum. Yet, for all those who will cry out in the conviction of their spirits, GOD IS READY to imbue you with GRACE UPON GRACE to walk through the storm. That is my testimony. Having God with me through the storms; He steadies me when I falter and picks me when I fall, with so much love that I just cry at times. FAITH to believe that the Word of God aint just words but LIFE which, if allowed to dwell in you, has the potential to revamp, refurbish and pimp you up for good.

In a way, Camp of a Lifetime(COAL) has played a vital role in helping people through this period of uncertainty. COAL seeks to take us away for a period to a serene place where we are really alone with GOD, young people who have, just for a couple of days, no attachment to all of the fuss. A set of young people who have left it all to come rediscover the taste and fragrance of WORSHIP and LOVE for Jesus Christ. We have had testimonies, encounters with evil manifestations dedicated to thwarting the WILL OF GOD. Yet, each time, God manifests so much love and power toward us that we just have nothing else to say than to bow and worship. God loves us. He calls us. We are unashamed to declare we are flawed. So much more are we unashamed to declare that we are what we are by His grace. Remember COAL 4 comes up soon.

Yes, it gets hard, cold, dark, heavy and silent at times. But if only we would cry out (not shouting on top of our voices like mad people...at least, not always) though with sealed lips, and nothing but bended knees and outstretched arms, God, MY God will hear and come swiftly to you.

Amen.