by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Aug 3, 2017 | Uncategorized |
One raw winter night, a religious skeptic who worked as a farmer, heard an irregular thumping sound against the kitchen storm door. He went to a window and watched the tiny, helpless shivering sparrows beat in vain against the glass. Touched by the drama, the farmer bundled up and trudged the fresh snow to open the barn door for the struggling birds.
He turned on the lights and tossed some hay in a corner. But the helpless sparrows, which had scattered in all directions when he emerged, from the house, hid in the darkness, afraid. The man tried various tactics to get them into the barn. He laid down a trail of saltine cracks crumbs to direct them.
Then he tried circling behind the birds to drive them toward the barn, nothing worked. Being a huge, alien creature, had terrified them; the birds couldn’t comprehend that he desired to help. The farmer withdrew to his house and watched the doomed sparrows through the window.
As he stared, a thought hit him, like a lightening from a clear blue sky. ‘If only I could become a bird –one of them –just for a moment. Then I wouldn’t frighten them. So I could show them the way to warmth and safety’.
Truly so, but a man becoming a bird is nothing compared to God becoming a man. The concept of a sovereign eternal being that created the universe, confirming to himself a human body was –and is –too much for some people to believe. Sadly so!
Just like the compassionate farmer, God had watched the fallen, helpless and wretched man struggled to be saved from satan who has subjected him to tyranny and oppression. Like the farmer too, God had sedulously attempted in so many ways to save man from his cruel adversary.
After the fall of man, God had sought to bring man into a cordial and practical relationship with him. In doing this, God chose various ways to reveal himself. But the final, complete self-expression culminated in his son -Jesus Christ. This, of course, is still difficult for some to comprehend.
Noah, one of Israel’s colourful Prophet found favour with God amid a crooked and perverse generation. He was told to build an ark of escape for those who cared to be saved from the impending flood. Many disbelieved him and declined his warning, except for Noah’s family and the animals. And just like the birds in the story were doomed, many were doomed in the flood that saw the end of the then world.
Despite man’s sin and rebellion, God’s unflinching effort to save man was unwavering: He sent Prophets to proclaim His love, and He showed His potency through signs and wonders. He did all these to draw man to himself. These Prophets never gave up. Yet nothing worked!
Could it be that, like the helpless sparrows, man couldn’t comprehend that God desired to save him? No doubt, man needs deliverance from his arch-enemy, satan. But, why does he constantly resist his creator, who can save him? It is ridiculous to have the clay struggle with the potter about what object is going to be made of it. Likewise, it is foolishness for the created to contend with the wisdom and sovereignty of the creator!
If only the farmer wish was fulfilled, the sparrows wouldn’t have been doomed. if he could become a bird, he would have showed them the way to warmth and safety. But unfortunately, the helpless sparrows were frightened by the farmer’s appearance, and as such mis-interpreted his actions, which was to help.
God could have sent a love note, may be drop it from heaven in an unprecedented manner that would marvel the world. What difference do you think that would make? Apparently, nothing different from what befell the earlier prophets who were murdered for carrying God’s message. This love note would have perhaps be torn and even burnt.
But thanks be unto God for His wisdom, Knowing that the only way He could get through to man was to come down Himself; become a man for a moment, and then show him the way to safety –freedom from sin and satan.
Jesus is all God wanted to say to the world. He is God’s word and the way to the Father who love us with an everlasting love (John 1:1; Jer. 31:3). “He sent his son last of all, saying they will respect my son,” But the tenant said to one another, ‘This is the heir, come let us kill him…so they took him and killed him” (Mark 12:7-8). Jesus was sent for the very purpose –to be killed as a ransom for our sins. He was sent to bear the consequence of our disobedience.
He became the propitiation for our sins on the cross so that we will be saved from God’s wrath. The blood he shed on the cross was for our cleansing and forgiveness (Eph. 1:3). He came to show us the way to the father. He says, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the father but by me” (John 14:6).
Jesus is calling you to come to him now before he withdraws to his house like the farmer in the story. He never desires to watch you doomed!
Don’t be doomed like the helpless sparrows. Speak to him right now, say: Lord Jesus, I acknowledge you as my savior and Lord. I confess that I am a wretched sinner; I repent of my sins today. Save me and give me the grace to follow you to the end. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
You are winning! Yes, we are winning!
GreatMark
IF FIVE SPARROWS ARE SOLD FOR TWO PENNIES, WHAT ARE YOU WORTH?
by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Jul 30, 2017 | Uncategorized |
The first World Friendship Day – International Friendship Day was proposed in 1958 in Paraguay. It was proposed for 30 July in 1958, by the World Friendship Crusade.[3] On 27 April 2011 the General Assembly of the United Nations declared[4] 30 July as official International Friendship Day. However, some countries, including India,[5] celebrate Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August. In Oberlin, Ohio, world Friendship Day is celebrated on 8 April each year.[6] The exchange of Friendship Day gifts like flowers, cards and wrist bands is a popular tradition of this occasion.[1][2]
Friendship is one of the best aspects of life. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” Having said that, certain friends are certainly much better than others. A real friend and fake friend can be hard to distinguish, but they are very different! “True friends are like diamonds — bright, beautiful, valuable, and always in style.” Whereas, fake friends are like shadows: always near you at your brightest moments, but nowhere to be seen at your darkest hour.
I was really touched by the following story of sacrifice: Kathy Poe and Esther Kim were best friends. They were also competing to represent the US in taekwondo at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Working through separate sides of the draw they both made it to the final of the Olympic trials. Whichever of them won would go to the Games. Poe however dislocated her knee in the previous match and couldn’t compete. Knowing her friend’s knee would be healed by the Games Esther Kim forfeited the match and her spot on the Olympic team.
“You will have the gold medal around your neck and I feel inside I have a gold medal in my heart,” she said. “There are other ways to be a champion. A real martial artist is a champion everyday in life, too.”1
This is definitely an incredible act of friendship! However, the greatest love is shown in a friend laying down his life for his friend. This is what Jesus Christ Did for the world. He sacrificed his life to redeem us from si
Most often, we expect much from those around us, to the point that we make them responsible for our own happiness, health and well-being. And when we fail to get what we expect from them, a wave of anguish floods our soul, and we feel disappointed, disillusioned, or filled with hate. Friends come into our lives for different reasons, and as such, it would do us good to know who our friends are and what position they occuppy in our lives.
As the name suggests, the primary focus of World friendship day is celebrating friendships, old and new. We are born by relationships and into relationships. Therefore, every man would naturally crave for an affection and a sense of belongings. To live above hurt that may be created by unfriendliness, it would be most appropriate to know who your friend is.
For a proper distinction, I will elaborate on the three categories of friends as classified by T.D Jakes: Constituents, Comrades, and Confidants
Some friends are only constituents:
These are friends who are there for what you are about. They have been attracted to you because you share similar goals. They are only there for the course! They are not there for you but for where you are going. Even though they get into the car with you they are not for you, they are there for the destination. And if they find a faster car, they will leave you because their attraction was your destination, your philosophy, or your course, not you! And you would wonder, ‘So, he or she can leave me?’ Yes, “Some friends do not last…” (Prov.18:24). So, don’t get hurt; some friends are just constituents, not true friends.
Some friends are only Comrades
Comrades are not for you and they are not for what you are for. They are with you because they are against what you are against. Common enemies make strange bed fellows. If it become necessary to hook up with you, they will because they need your help to kill a common problem and as soon as this is achieved they leave you. Your comrade and constituents will always outnumber your confidants. Don’t get them confused: distinguish your friends.
Some friends are confidants
The confidants are the few people in your life that are for and with you. They are intimately intertwined in your life. They are there to make sure you fulfill your destiny. They will confront you. They will get in your face. They will get in your business. They will tell you when you aren’t the one wrong. Though finding a confidant is very rare but if you have 2 or 3 of them in a lifetime, you a blessed person. Even though some friends don’t last, yet, you will never be who God called you to be without a confidant. Don’t get it twisted; distinguish your friends and stay above hurt and hate.
“Some friends do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers.” Proverbs 18:24. Even your confidant can fail you! Many are those who still nurse the hurts created by those whom they thought were truly more ‘loyal than a brother’. ‘No one has shown greater love than to lay down his own life for his friends. That’s the height of friendship! Jesus Christ demonstrated this and calls us his friends.
As you celebrate world friendship day, don’t be deceived by fake friends who would only take advantage of the occasion to gratify their selfish desires. Rather, Distinguish your friends and stay above hurt. Get rid of the hurts that your past relationship has caused you. Forgive those who have hurt you and move on because life is beautiful.
I testify that there is no friend like Jesus. He is the most reliable and the truest friend. You can trust him to meet all your needs. A song writer wrote, “What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sins and grieves to bear. What a privilege to carry. Everything to God in prayer.
Embrace Jesus today and bask for ever in the euphoria of his loving kindness. You are winning! Yes we are winning!
Happy friendship day.
GreatMark
Ref: TD Jakes – Comrades, Confidants and Constituents
1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_Day
2CNN
by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Jul 20, 2017 | Uncategorized |
The day hate killed a man is a sad story of two men, both seriously ill, and occupying the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn’t hear the band, he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything ?
It didn’t seem fair. As the thought fermented the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into hate and resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window – that thought now controlled his life.
Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now there was only silence, deathly silence.
The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away — no works, no fuss. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. Behold, it faced a blank wall!1
Hatred, bitterness or envy, whatever you call it was what played out in the story above. The world is increasingly hateful. Every where we look, we see hate, resentment, prejudice, discrimination, and all manner of inhumanity. There is so much hate in the world.
Hatred is a major cause of victimization, war, and death in the world today. If you have been following the recent trends in the world, you will discover that many of the wanton destruction done to people and properties are borne out of hatred and hostility. The communal clashes, incessant killings and terrorism are all products of man’s inhumanity to man.
The absence of love engenders hate. As the end draws closer, the regards for fellow man will continue to decline because many refuse to retain God in their hearts (Romans 1:28). For us to live peaceably in this perverse world, we need to overcome hate by love even as God loves us. Love is the only antidote to hate. Therefore, Individuals should find ways to deal with, and surmount hatred.
What is hatred?
Hatred or hate is a negative emotional expression of intense dislike that is directed at an individual, object, behavior, entities, or idea. Hatred is often associated with feelings of anger, disgust and a disposition towards hostility. In his letter, Apostle John counted hatred as serious as murder. He wrote, “whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself” (1 John 3).[10]
Hatred can be said to be good when it is an expression of dislike to sin and wickedness. The scriptures admonishes us to hate sin but not the sinners. However, cruel hatred is a negative expression that is directed at an individual with the aim of victimization. Hatred leads to bitterness that steals the hater’s joy.
Those who labour hatred are called fools. It is a proof of immaturity. Hatred breeds envy. It leads to grudge and deceit. It is unfortunate that many people harbour hatred against their human and still pretend to be loving. Such persons carries a poisonous venom called hate, and are liable to perpetuate evil and even murder. Gladly this poison can only be healed when God’s love is shed abroad in your heart.
Why do people hate?
People exhibit hatred for different reasons:
Self comparison: When we constantly determine our self worth by comparing with others who are probably better than us, we can easily be plunged into envy which can engender hate. The feeling that others do not deserve that which they have, their gifts, successful career, position, family, popularity, wealth, achievements and so on, may spring bitterness that can lead to hate.
How does one know whether he or she abhors hate?
Whenever you look down on or deny the worth of another. When you perpetually want to avoid a particular person because you don’t feel good about their successes, then you abhor hatred. When you become hostile to your neighbor because of his achievements, and you constantly wish such persons dead, then you are a hater. When you take pleasure in keeping a grudge against your fellow human, and it becomes difficult to forgive such person or group, and all you wish is the destruction of such, then your mind is full of hate.
How can we overcome hatred?
Note that it is devilish to return evil for evil. We should never attempt to take laws into our hands, or be revengeful. The following are helpful steps to overcoming hatred:
1. Acknowledge the problem – Identify the root cause of your hatred.
2. Be accountable to someone – Share your feelings with someone who is more mature.
3. Determine to love – Love is the key to surmount hatred.
4. Be content with whatsoever you have – If you do so, you will not hate your fellow who is endowed with God’s blessings.
5. Understand that we differ in actions and attitude – Try to understand others with regards to their personality traits and learn to overlook their offences for the sake of God.
6. Do something good for the person whom you dislike – This might be humanly difficult, but is one hard step you need to take to overcome hatred.
7. Express your unhappiness – It is not a sin to express your unhappiness or displeasure with people’s actions, but it has to be done as quickly as possible, and resolved before it leads to hatred in your heart.
8. Pray for the person who is the object of your hatred – Choose to bless others and not curse them.
Conclusion
When you are hurt, or feel spited, certainly you can get angry. Getting angry and getting hurt are not wrong in themselves, because they are emotional expressions. But, anger becomes sin when you allow it to build hatred in your heart. Do not let the sin of hatred ruin your eternal joy. Make a difference by replacing hatred with love. You are winning! Yes, we are winning!
Contributor: Caleb Ajani
Pastor, Peace Baptist Church, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria
HERE’S THE BATTLE WE MUST FIGHT TO FINISH
1Source: Author Unknown.
by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Jul 15, 2017 | Uncategorized |
Our food Gist today shall be on how to make bread and butter pudding. It is quite an easy job which requires no particular catering expertise.
Below are the recipe to make a sumptuous bread and butter pudding. Follow these steps and gist me on how it all went down.
Have a damicious weekend!
PROCEDURE
1.Whisk the Egg, Sugar & Essence in a bowl.
2. Pour the milk & whisk continuously.
3. Pass it through a fine strainer into a pie dish
4. Add little grated nutmeg
5. Stand it in a roasting tray half-full of water
6. Cook slowly in a moderately oven at 160 degrees for about 45 mins.
7. Clean the edge of the dish & serve.
YOU WILL NEED
- Sultanas
- 2 slices of white or whole meal bread
- 2-3 fresh egg
- A drops of Vanilla essence
- Milk: whole 0r skimmed
- Sugar: Castor or unrefined
- Nutmeg
- Butter filling of your choice
TOP TIPS
Carefully weigh your ingredients. It may seem too tedious, but it’s a very crucial step for this recipe to work.
FURTHER ENQUIRIES contact
Mcdammy Cakes & Confectioneries
08181817796
It is Damicious!
You are winning! Yes, we are winning!
GreatMark
by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Jul 11, 2017 | Uncategorized |
What would you do when you have been poorly prepared by life’s events? When the various life’s challenges have shaped your self image and your perception, what becomes of your character? Re-programmable minds are tools for excellence or mediocrity.
The human mind is programmable. Today, most of what conditions our minds are based on repetitive words such as appeals to our sensuality like sexual messages, bad experiences etc. Thus, the worries of life and our experiences are capable of distorting our right perception. Hence, the need for a continuous re-programmng of our minds.
Oftentimes, we frame our references around our own experiences. For instance, a little girl that was a victim of rape or sexual abuse might grow into a young lady who has difficulties trusting anyone. If our experiences are distorted, our ability to comprehend the truth can be off-center. However, our minds are made to be programmable. You can re-program your mind through the living word of God.
In computer parlance, an embedded system is dedicated to a particular task, whereas a re-programable system is used for multitask. When you are reprogrammed then you can be prepared to do every good works. If you allow the word of God to reform you, you will be prepared to be a vessel of excellence, prepared for every good works. “… large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use. So ifanyone cleanses himself of what is unfit, he will be a vessel for honor: sanctified, useful to the Master, and prepared for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:20-21.
Don’t let your bad experiences distort your perception about life. “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you know what is good and perfect, and acceptable will of God (Romans 12:2). Don’t build your life on lies! It is only the truth that can set you free. Let God’s word reprogram you. You are winning! Yes, we are winning!
https://yeswearewinning.com/2017/01/08/striving-for-excellence/
GreatMark
