Choose ye now....

Joshua 24:15 (NKJ version)
"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river, or the gods of the amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we'll serve the Lord".

My last two posts have been on the lighter side but this weekend I experienced something, heard a bit and saw in part and this passage immediately hit me and being the nice, caring, thoughtful person that I am, did I say how nice a person I am? oh yeahhhh I did ..lol... I felt the need to share.
It's funny how we tend to compartmentalize our lives; our social life in one box, career in another, family in another, relationships, ministry or religion in another and based on which box and the situation we currently face within that box, we either feel God is sufficient to deal with it or we are able and capable of dealing with it ourselves without seeking His face. The above passage speaks of the children of Israel whom despite God bringing their forefathers out of the land of Egypt, fighting their battles on their behalf, giving them victory, causing Balaam who sought to curse them to bless them, protecting and providing for them through their sojourn in the wilderness still chose to serve strange gods. This is a mirror of the lives we live today... we believe God can do one thing and is good for one thing but when it comes to the other area, we feel he is inadequate.

Without going in depth into the gist that has led to this entry, I feel it will serve us better if I just generalize the gist and hopefully it will give each and everyone of us an opportunity to examine ourselves and if need be take the appropriate steps to reconcile with God and be the children He has called us to be. To this end, I'll use a short story(true story) to expand on what I've written above.

A few months back a young girl faced a couple of dilemmas... Firstly, she had to make a career decision and secondly she needed to decide which of her many suitors she'd give her heart to. In the area of her career, she wanted to know what God was saying to her but in the area of her relationship, she needed a man who above all things could satisfy her in bed (she said it would be impossible for her to be in a relationship that didn't involve sex as she was a highly sexual person). A few months later (today), she made a decision and as I sit here and type this I am worried she has no idea how huge the decision she's made today could have on her future.

It's easy to sit behind your laptop, in the comfort of your environment and pass judgement upon her but she is no different from most of us... I have been carried away many times by the physical attributes of a woman prior to asking what role God plays in her life. So I for one know I am just as guilty! But I admire this babe... in her words "she's keeping it real". I trust you all have heard those lines too many times to count..."let's keep it real"..."for real"..."face reality"..."common be realistic"..." that can't be real" e.t.c. Ok! let's be real about this... true no man on earth is above sin...it's something we struggle with... sexual purity, I'll admit is something most singles including myself struggle with though in our hearts of hearts (lol) we desire to serve God and be perfect for him... A touch here, a look there, a replay here, foreplay there, a poke here are all part and parcel of sexual immorality but my issue is, the fact that you struggle with it does not mean you should completely give in to it and dwell in it.

My bible tells me that my God will provide ALL my needs...if the birds of the air never fly hungry, how much more YOU a royal priesthood, one that He has made in His own image, set a little below the angels...YOU that he is mindful of! Today just taking everything in, it hit me that
in life we make certain choices which we end up paying for in the future...it's funny how when the future comes and things aren't going well, we fail to look back to this point when we made such a crucial decision...rather we want to blame the devil... Funny how we curse those that have put us in our various predicaments not knowing that we are cursing ourselves because in actual fact, what we face now are as a result of a seed we had sown years before.

My friends, I ask you do me this favor today...pick up a pen and paper and write out the things you desire today and in your future. Look at that sheet of paper and ask is there anything on here that is too big for God to do? I hear you say you've been praying for years for the same thing and nothing has come out of you prayers...My dear delay is not denial...God has answered your prayers the manifestation of his answer will come at His appropriate time not yours....Remember you've been made for His pleasure and not vice versa.

I hear what you are saying...its not easy...those are the same tears I shed every night before I crawl into bed but each night I ask for His grace...Give God a chance to play a role in every aspect of your life and you'll be amazed at what he'll do...

Almost every morning I wake up, I get a call or an email from one company or another offering me a position with their firm...my mates have all accepted positions, some have started work, while others are about to start but I refuse to settle for anything less than that which my heart desires. This stubbornness as some would call it is as a result of my complete faith in God's ability... "For He who started a good work in you, is able to complete it". At times I feel such shame because people don't understand what it is I am searching for and as a result they pass judgement...I remember leaving church the other night and a girl walked up to me and so callously said " You still haven't found a job?"... "ah ah I thought they said when you go to a top school once you get out there will be jobs waiting for you...so what happened to you?" ... that minute if the ground could swallow me, that would have been an offer worth taking... But like I said to her...there is something I am looking for in particular... I have been told I don't have the desired experience but my bible tells me the Earth is the Lords and its fullness thereof...it also tells me that the heart of kings are in the hands of God and he'll twist it whichever way that pleases Him. I am gradually re-learning how to surrender everything to God and smile even in the face of adversity and trials....

Make a choice today... it's not as hard as you think it is... all you need do is DECIDE... one of my favorite stickers on Molues and buses in Lagos are those that say "God is in control"... Oh how true...

You don't need to taste and see if it will work or not...God will not give you an impotent man, neither will He give you one that cannot satisfy your every desire... Chirst died for us so that we may live for Him....isn't that a fair trade?

If you desire to rededicate your life and affairs to God, join me in saying this short prayer

Dear Lord, I thank you for taking the time out to think of me. I acknowledge your love and acknowledge the sacrifice you made on my behave that you sent your only begotten son Jesus Christ to die for my sins, so that I can live for him. I rededicate my life and all my affairs to you. You are the all knowing one and I trust your desires for me are desires of good that will bring me to an expected end. Lord I ask for your grace as I start this new walk with you. Lord take dominion over all my affairs. This I ask through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

Be blessed...watch out you are about to experience a new level..