Odelites🌺

Of everything we pay for (non/monetary) in our daily living, the price we pay to be Christ's disciple is the heftiest because you give up 'your life' for 'the life he gives you' to live in exchange and for His unfathomable promises. Luke 14 & Matthew 16 from v 24 takes you through the payment plan and benefit package; you give up your life (worldly identity) , to save it (through being granted citizenship of the Kingdom of God)... Quite an investment! Now i remind you in this podcast how the benefits & payment plan work; there are certainly no instalments, You ought to understand the 'benefits and this life' you are given to be able to give yours up in totality, you are immediately given the cross to carry every single moment in the day, and ascertained means to sustain the Godly life that you actively commit to.

"I am that I am" couldn't be more present - tense as He is. He will always be and always was. What i learnt is that for Him to 'present' Himself in your life to you and others is if you actively make Him be. He is as present at any moment in you as the present prayer you have said, word you have read, convictions you have and been obedient ... In the present. By Himself He is, in you He is as you are. Otherwise, his being in you is superficial for the moment in time that you didn't attest to His presentation.

See faith, I've come to understand, is not abstract. It is not imaginary nor wished for, but rather spiritually formulary. First of faith is a spiritual element and is expectation + confidence for things to work in your favor = influences your way of life; the decisions you make, actions you take in consideration of the belief that your ownership of the things you hope for is ascertained. Faith is a currency to purchase or get out of a situation goodness against all odds. Faith entails your faith in God's power and not basing your hope in your wisdom or ability. You who is crazy for believing and celebrating as though you have received is faith-filled. It's a faith thing! You who nurtures it, has and maintains a peculiar attitude and dares to hope is faith-filled. The size of your faith may be small but your faith in your faith can be big, crazy, it's a faith thing🌺

Prayer is a gateway through which we access God and have communion with him. There is no set method (there's nothing like the best prayer) or time (incl. even if you haven't been praying for sometime) to have this conversation, but it is imperative to have. I fall short of saying 'compulsory'. Even when we feel our minds are distacted and we don't have much needed willpower. Take it to prayer anyway. I say a prayer in this episode with you for our Hearts, the very hearts that influence our prayers. I pray for the various states of our hearts: the need for changed hearts, restoration, peace, purity, wisdom to decide/discern, courage, uprightness, healing, faith filled hearts. In Jesus name. Amen.

Falling is inevitable, otherwise we wouldn't need a savior. What's key is not staying down or running away/hiding from God after your fall, regardless of the number of times you do. Your enemy and those that lack knowledge will gloat and laugh, that too is inevitable, what's key is the attitude you maintain and keeping to your source of salvation. Micah 7:7-9, somewhere in there says we should watch in hope, talk to God for he hears us and though the enemy gloats, you will rise. It's in knowing this that even your falling may bring shame but the - ve won't carry weight because you hope to rise and God will be your power... As nicely captured in 2 Cor 12:9-10; His grace is sufficient, and His power is made perfect in our weaknesses. Let them gloat while you boast and march in faith because you will be strengthened and you'll overcome.🌺

Prov 27:17 often makes us think of the blissful edification we get from our godly counsel; the understanding, trustworthy and careful in their reproach as we too would be on them/others. Moments ago i was led to the reality of the intense cutting and shaping (but not limited to) process and relating it to the human/believers context. Remember the times you felt judged or criticized, forced to account or when you felt a preaching is about you! disappointed by someone you least expected or when your faith is challenged or tested beyond what you can handle? Ever considered that this could be a process of being sharpened? I mean devotions and prayer points to follow are appropriate but some would seem like only using sandpaper to try to sharpen an iron. Consider also that their words or behavior /expectation is inspired by the Word of God, that is alive & active and is like a double edged sword, thereby meaning the impact it has on you is the intent of the Word and Will of God that they can't even be given credit for as they are only saying the Word to you and expecting what the Word expects in the first place!

I got to know of the love of God later in life as a young adult. It needn't be spelt out for me, i heard of what it was and knew that He loved me too instantly. When no one could love me and i didn't know how to love, when nothing made sense and there was nothing to pursue love for. I learnt He chose His best lamb to atone and reconcile us to Him and His love continues to endure despite our shortfalls. An epitome of Love. No one can love like He does... Unconditionally? Sacrificially? Without boasting? Or contact? Or ticking boxes? In all honesty? And earnestly? We are incapable to love like Him outside of Him. I give Him praises and celebrate His love that lifted me up.

Joy came to me in the morning indeed! Without God given joy we do not have strength to counter our weaknesses. We grieve and have no hope. When He does make us joyful however we are revived and love better. Today though He reminded me this is two ways. You know the saying 'a happy wife makes a happy home'? It showed me that we bring God too through many things that please Him; when we are obedient, repentent or just cause He loves His creation too. He gives joy out of the Joy we bring to His heart.

'Gal 5 :17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh'...I realized from this text that there's a great need to understand and fight constantly with intent against our flesh from prevailing. The conflict between our spirits and flesh is synonymous to our existence and we can only help either one win by investing efforts that are favorable. This being for the purpose of many including being led by the spirit, specifically to be Discerning in our journey. The flesh can deceive us into thinking we are deep people of God and know things or being confident in the works of a miracle worker, seeing the glory of God in someone who is seemingly happy and couting righteous one that's wealthy. Everything that is flesh (including the heart) is deceptive and if we do not challenge what we encounter through our flesh senses we are in the palm of folly. God says in John 7:24 to stop judging by appearances and not lean on our own understanding (Prov 3:5). Work with God as you would nudge a friend to see what you see, position yourself by consulting with God who is spirit, and not fleshly/worldly patterns of inference.

Before even a seed is sown, there is a need to preserve all things needed in order for the fruit to be produced. More preservation goes into its budding and sproutting and post harvesting. The same goes for the preservation needed to produce fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22 - 23) and we are off - beam to think we can preserve for such. Ours is to be obedient to His word, and Christ the vine, subsequently preserves our spirits in order to produce the [His] fruits in us and sustains it. We aren't self sufficient nor do we know the cores of the fruits and thus cannot preserve or produce them ourselves. It is only through His preservation that the love, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, forbearance and self control can be beneficial and sustained to ourselves and those it is meant for.