by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Feb 18, 2017 | Uncategorized |
It is the difficulties and challenges you face that validates the enormity of your passion. I feel you have joined the class of those who have quit. Those, who though no one knows they have thrown in the trowel, but inside them, they have concluded that there is no reason to keep trying since failures and disappointment seems to be the highest common factor in their life’s journey. I see you truly wanted to make a difference, but since you ran into some obstacles, some cross, you decided to adjust. If you must beat the obstacle, rise up and try again, you must know assuredely that this life can’t spare you tears, fears, traumas, and hardship.
Perhaps you lost interest in pursing the creative idea you have, which you are convinced would make a huge difference, because people rejected your proposals? Or you lost the enthusiasm to pursue your career because of the financial obstacles, and lack of support from your family or employer? The truth is, people may not believe in your dreams, it is you who would have to believe in yourself and pursue your dreams with an undying passion. If you can handle rejection from enough people who didn’t believe your dreams, eventually you may find someone who does. And even if it means standing alone, take up the challenge and stand alone! “Sometimes you have to stand alone to proof that you can still stand!”
Be rest assured that on the way to success you will have to encounter plenty obstacles and failures. You might begin with a lot of excitement, and then experience some setbacks, but then you need to be prepared to get up, beat the obstacles and play again. And of course, prepare to face another obstacle as you seek to achieve greater success. A determined mindset, absolute trust in the omniscient God is a sure way to beat the obstacle, play again and walk your way to success! What you achieve out of life is never commensurate with how hard you work but how fast you learn. Therefore, It is what you endure that expresses how deeply you desire. Now, rise up, breathe deeply, and play again! Even at the risk of occasional failure and adversity, You’re sure winning! Yes, we are winning!
GreatMark
by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Feb 17, 2017 | Uncategorized |
Yes, if wisdom is a defense, and wealth is a defense, what will the combination of wisdom and wealth give? Solomon the wise King, by reason of experiential knowledge said, “For wisdom is a defense even as wealth is a defense, but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom shields and preserves the life of him who has it” (Ecclesiastes 7:12). Therefore, both wisdom and wealth are defenses.
“Wisdom is a defense.”
When you are wise you save yourself from trouble. Wisdom is a gift from God, and so you can be shielded from trouble when by godly wisdom you don’t trust the wrong people whose purpose is to make your life miserable. And of course making the right choices which is a product of right judgement can also shield you from suffering from the consequence of wrong choices. Thus, wisdom is profitable! Wisdom is a defense, and so it is the well-spring of life!
“Wealth is a defense.”Sometime, when you are under attack and you have money you can make better choices. So, when you are praying, be clear in your request to God. Do not think the devil can take care of his kids better than God would His children. Whatever God orders, He can pay for! I know you need some money to handle what you’ve Got. You need more resources to cope with the increasing demand for life sustenance. Gladly, God has got an arrangement for all of your money needs to be met. It is the culture of God’s children to be rich.
Double defense!The combination of wisdom and wealth will give a double defense! A man who has both wisdom and wealth has got a double defense -double protection! “…a man by his wisdom, and so by his money, is able to defend himself against the injuries and oppression of others, and especially when both meet in one and the same man. In his commentary, Matthew Henry noted: “He that is in the shadow of wisdom is in the shadow of money, for wisdom is the cause why riches come…Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea better. It shelters from the storms and scorching heat of trouble. Wealth will not lengthen out the natural life; but true wisdom will give spiritual life, and strengthen men for services under their sufferings.”
Trust me, you need both wisdom and wealth as double defense in order to survive life’s challenges.Christ is the wisdom of God, and in seeking him, wealth and all life’s goodness shall be an addition (Matthew 6:33). Surely, Wisdom wins wealth. You are winning! Yes, we are winning!
GreatMark
by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Feb 16, 2017 | Uncategorized |
There are many people who go around sneaking a disheartening feeling of despair into their daily life for reasons well known to them. The hardship in the land, stiff economy, and fear of the unknown, to mention a few, can be responsible for these frustrations. Some try to hide it but you would see it in their angry faces, unfriendly responses, and unreasonable agitations. Are they really justified?
You can spread hope while others spread fear. You can brighten up the lives of those faced with depression and uncertainties. What a blessing it would be to pass on messages that will enliven and elevate hopes, like the ones you get from reading “Yes we are winning” (YWAW) articles.
You can read our post, tell us your own stories, leave comments, and share to your friends on social media, so that we all being instruments of consolation and peace, can win together. Encouragement (not jokes) is like drop of rain upon a parched desert. So, spread hope and not jokes!
Furthermore, to promote the “Yes we are Winning” vision, join us by registering on our FORUM, and get a copy of the YWAW T-shirts. For further enquiries, call EBEE on +234 703 347 9446. Yes, we are winning!
GreatMark
by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Feb 14, 2017 | Uncategorized |
At exactly 11:00 p.m on February 14th, Jake, a handsome and promising man, had his vitals pierced and inflamed, and his destiny shattered by a dart of misplaced passion! It was a night of fun…He did not know it would cost him his life! In the same party was Judith, who was meeting her boyfriend for the first time two weeks after connecting with him on Facebook. Delectable, but naive, she had made up her mind to have a fun-filled valentine’s day, and recount to her friends the experience of her first date. She did had fun, but by the mor
ning of February 15th, she woke up in the midst of five guys…she was never the same again, as her highly priced and inestimable virtue was forcefully taken from her. Oh, how sad! The story of Jake, is like the sad story of a young man, who like one in fetters to be given to a fool, was ensnared by his misdirected lusts (Proverb 7:21-23).
This made me want to examine again the reason behind the celebration of Valentine’s day. During the third century, an oppressive Roman Emperor called Emperor Claudius II had made it a capital punishment (death) to worship and serve Christ. He had decreed the Romans to serve and worship his gods, and deprived the young Roman soldiers of getting married. But an elderly Christian had stood his ground for his faith and had insisted on serving Jesus Christ and preaching the love of God to the young soldiers. This was considered treason against the government. He was arrested, sentenced to death and jailed. In the last weeks of his life in the prison, the jailer (prison commander) who observed that he was very learned and possessed very good Christian character, brought his blind daughter to him for counselling.
He taught her about God and told her many Roman histories and stories from the Bible. He taught her the love of God so much so that the blind girl got so used to him. On his last night, the elderly prisoner left a note for Julia, the blind girl, encouraging her to love God and serve Him. And in ending the note, he wrote: “From your Valentine”. His death sentence was carried out the next day, February 14, 270 A.D. *The name of this martyr was Valentinus*, a man who died for standing for the Preaching of the Christ and teaching people about the love of God. So, for his love for God, he was regarded as ‘Saint’.
Archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb; an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. During 496 AD, the Pope marked February 14 as celebration in honor of his martyrdom. February 14, is known as Valentine Day. But the essence of Valentine Day historically was a celebration in honor of the martyrdom of a devoted preacher, Valentinus, who stood on his faith in Christ against the devilish idolatry decrees of a Godless Emperor. He preached Christ to the Roman soldiers and spread the love for God and humanity when it was a crime to do so.
Sadly, the devil has rewritten history today. All over the world, the history has successfully been erased and the story rewritten the way the devil wanted it. The reason for the DAY has been blotted out from people’s memory and a minor aspect of the whole story had been blown beyond proportion. The little card note Valentinus had left behind for Julia, his young beloved convert, whom he taught, preached to and prayed for, as been mis-construed and replaced with ungodly passion. Today, forces of evil will be out in their large numbers to possess people with the spirit of rape and drug abuse. The amount of pregnancy preventive drugs and materials that shall be sold today is imaginable.
I say unequivocally that the destinies of several young men and girls will be aborted today, because they have believed the lies of the devil, who has rubbed off living and dying for Christ and replaced it with living and dying on the bed of immorality. Today, many young girls and ladies will give their virginity away for a gift of phones, ipads, bags, clothes, and even valueless gifts as little as chocolate, sweet, fried chickens and plates of pepper-soup and salad. By the evening of this year February 14, demons of fornication and adultery will invade our streets and storm our night clubs and hotels to take register of those who are dying soon of STDs, including new candidates who are going to contact HIV and AIDS.
Spread LOVE not LUST! If you share this, you might be able to preserve the destiny of one person! You are winning! Yes, we are winning!
GreatMark
Contributions from Pastor Jubril Yahaya.
by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Feb 14, 2017 | Uncategorized |
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.
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. For a proper distinction, I’ll classify friends into three main categories: Constituents, Comrades, and Confidants
My friends, my 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.
My Friends, my 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.
My Friends, my 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. 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.” Prov. 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.
The theme of Valentine is love. Whilst it reminds some to appreciate and celebrate their love, it provides the atmosphere for some to find new love, and to some others the occasion exposes them to the vices of feigned affections emanating from selfish deportment. This Valentine’s Day will come to pass and some would have wished it never came because they shall be left with hurt and painful resolve owing to vain affections and deceit. However, others would bask in the euphoria of a renewed love and commitment. Gladly, one thing that will continue to remain constant is God’s love! It is everlasting and enduring. It is neither occasional nor conditional. As you celebrate Valentine’s 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. You are winning! Yes we are winning!
GreatMark
Ref: TD Jakes – Comrades, Confidants and Constituents
by Mark Ibigbami GreatMark | Feb 12, 2017 | Uncategorized |
To all dear readers of ‘Yes we are winning’ (YWAW), it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you all the best recently added FORUM on the site.
The forum is a means of interacting with each and every highly esteemed reader of posts from YWAW.
If you click on Forums from the menu, it takes you to the Forums page.
There are 5 Forum Headings: General, Life Tips, Post Feedback, Questions and Share Your Testimony.
Under each headings, there are topics connected to them and everyone can view this topics, comment on them and even create topics themselves. But in other to do this though, you must be registered.
So how do I register?
It’s simple and free. Below are the steps to register.
1. From the main menu, there is a Register option. Click on it.
2. A page opens containing a form which prompts you to fill in a Username and Email. The username is the name you want to use on the Forum. The email is where a link to set up your password will be sent. Kindly make sure your email is correct.
3. After filling it out, click on “Register”.
4. An email will be sent immediately to the email you chose to use.
5. Open the received mail from YWAW.
6. The received mail contains a list that’d direct you to a page to create a password.
7. Click on the link
8. Now a box appears telling you to write your desired password.
9. Write it on both boxes.
10. Click on create password.
11. And that’s it! You can use the username and password to login to the website. Just visit the main menu and click on Log In.
I hope the directions are clear enough. Feel free to ask me any questions regarding this if you comes across some difficulty along the way.
And yes… We are winning.
