Life is the most difficult examination

 “Life is the most difficult examination. Many people fail because they try to copy others.”

From time to time, I remember my days in secondary school and some of the experiences that are markers for that phase of my life.
One of such landmark experiences for me was a French examination in my first year at the school (what we called Junior Secondary School or JSS One at the time). I despised the subject; French that is, and I didn’t despise the teacher any less. Please don’t get me wrong, I was very young and quite immature at the time. Let me also add that I am somebody who never enjoys what he doesn’t like doing. Also, at this time, I had not yet committed my life to Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour so there was no such teaching as patience or anything like that resident on my inside.

Fortunately (or maybe not necessarily so), in this exam I was seated beside the best student of my entire set of over 80 students. This seemed to be a blessing to me as expectedly, my hatred for the subject would do no good for my reading.
Upon staring the exam, I decided to avail myself the opportunity of copying word for word my brilliant exam neighbour. Incidentally, he was quite benevolent as to let me do as I pleased so long as I did not obstruct his flow of thoughts or writing.
The exam was wonderful (or so I thought). I wrote and answered all the questions excellently and submitted my script. In my mind, I had it made and was going to surprise everyone except myself.

A few days later, I got a call from the staff room. It was my French teacher who wanted me. I thought to myself ‘I’ve got it made men!’ On getting to her office, here was the brief but resounding conversation that ensued between the both of us.

Teacher: How was your exam Segun?
Me: Fine ma.
The next question she asked struck me like an axe in the back.
Teacher: Who did you copy from in the exam?
Me: Nobody ma (I said immediately and confidently)
Teacher: Are you sure?
Me: Yes ma.

I was convinced that I had successfully deceived everyone. Just then, she drew out my script from where she had kept it in her table and showed me asking that spot I out what the problem with the script was.

Like a flash, my eyes immediately spotted the problem at the top of the script. Right where my own name should have been, was the name of another student; my exam neighbour. The name was well written in my handwriting.

Upon seeing my reaction of gross disappointment in myself, I guess she probably just felt the shame was enough punishment for me as not only the entire staff room, but also my entire school set had got wind of the scenario. She took the script from me and gently told me I could leave.

I left that office that day having learnt a very vital lesson, and that’s what this is about.

Having read the quote atop this presentation, it dawn on me that many people today are like I was in my French exam.

Taking a closer look at the lives of several people, I see that like my teacher saw on my script, though their lives may look colourful and excellent on the surface, the Great Examiner sees something different. He sees the truth that atop their life scripts is somebody else’s name. No matter how good it gets, it is at best the duplication of another person’s life. This is a sorry state to be in. What’s even worse is that many will be like I was; grossly disappointed that just when they think they have it made and they’ve beaten everyone to it, their entire lives are only copies of another’s and they’ve lost themselves in the process.

They end up magnifying the success of another at the expense of their own true success. Not that there’s anything wrong with magnifying the success of another, but that in the process, they lose their own true success.

One of my mentors once said if human beings are left to themselves, they would copy one another. From what I see today, I couldn’t agree more.
Check your life today friend. Are you truly original and living out your true identity? Or are you living your life as an expression of the desires and expectation of an individual member or entire group in society.

From my French exam experience, I can confidently say that immediate failure on your won road is better than eternal failure on another’s. It is better to fail today doing what you know you are called to do, than succeed today at doing something popular only to end up a failure in destiny.

However small or insignificant what you have might seem, what makes it real is that it is yours’. Every forest started as a seed. The vision may seem like nothing to others, but to you, it sure must be something. Even if everyone doesn’t see a pregnancy, its carrier must be fully aware that it’s there and not treat it any less than it is.

I know you’ve probably heard it said before that when you copy others, you lose yourself. But let me also add that you miss out on God’s best for you.
Friend, God made you to be you. He desired that you will be an expression of a side of Himself that the world is yet to see. To refuse to be yourself in all things is to deny Him that opportunity in your life. This will only leave Him highly displeased.
Wear that unique smile, enjoy your beautiful skin colour, be grateful about how different you look, think, speak, and act. Share that dream that’s always been in your heart. Pursue that intimidating vision of yours’. Discover, develop, and deploy those peculiar gifts and abilities you have. In short, explore the full potentialities of your individuality and enjoy being you everyday of your life. Stop living out somebody else’s script in this great play called life. Get your script from the Producer/Director today and act your part friend. That’s what you’ll be paid for. That’s the only way to avoid the disappointment of being told after you have put in your effort and time, that you are nothing but a copy of an original somewhere.

Have a blessed week, and may the blessing of the resurrection of our risen Lord be daily evident in you and yours this Easter and all your days.

By-Segun Aluya

In a mother's womb were two babies

In a mother's womb were two babies. One asked the other:

"Do you believe in life after delivery?"

The other replies, "why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later.

"Nonsense," says the other. "There is no life after delivery. What would that life be?"

"I don't know, but there will be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths."

The other says "This is absurd! Walking is impossible. And eat with our mouths? Ridiculous. The umbilical cord supplies nutrition. Life after delivery is to be excluded. The umbilical cord is too short."

"I think there is something and maybe it's different than it is here." the other replies,

"No one has ever come back from there. Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery it is nothing but darkness and anxiety and it takes us nowhere."

"Well, I don't know," says the other, "but certainly we will see mother and she will take care of us."

"Mother??" You believe in mother? Where is she now?

"She is all around us. It is in her that we live. Without her there would not be this world."

"I don't see her, so it's only logical that she doesn't exist."

To which the other replied, "sometimes when you're in silence you can hear her, you can perceive her." I believe there is a reality after delivery and we are here to prepare ourselves for that reality.

Does this sound like a familiar conversation to you between those who after being born into this world live their lives for themselves and those who believe in God and eternity.

Which of the babies are you? Don't wait to die before you realize that you were wrong.

AUTHOR Unknown

Are you a lover of eggs? you have to read this.

Do you ever get troubled like me often times when you crack your egg open and you find a little brown spot floating on the yolk?

So what exactly ARE those little brown spots you sometimes find floating in an egg?

Those brownish or reddish specks you’ll occasionally find are deemed “meat spots” or “blood spots.”

Eggs destined for the grocery store shelf are “candled” by a machine to check the inside for any defects this is why you’ll rarely come across a meat spot in a store bought egg.

Backyard chicken owners can candle their eggs as well, but it’s not a necessity.

Contrary to popular belief, a meat spot in an egg does not mean that it has been fertilized.

It’s actually a little malfunction on the part of the hen.

According to the Egg Safety Center:
(Meat spots or blood spots)are caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface when it’s being formed or by a similar accident in the wall of the oviduct… Eggs with blood spots and meat spots are fit to eat.

I’m glad they have been deemed “fit to eat,” because although I will sometimes dig out the larger spots, I usually just ignore the smaller ones and scramble them up.

And here is another interesting little tidbit. The presence of visible blood spots can actually mean the egg is fresh.

According to the Eggland’s Best website:
As an egg ages, the yolk takes up water from the albumen to dilute the blood spot so, in actuality, a blood spot indicates that the egg is fresh.

Perhaps another reason you don’t often see blood spots in store-bought cartons is because those eggs are usually several weeks old by the time they make it home to your refrigerator…

I can’t seem to find a concrete reason as to why some chickens lay eggs with meat spots and others don’t… Some sources say that older hens are more inclined to, while others say it’s reserved for younger birds. And some websites refer to it as a genetic defect or a dietary problem. Perhaps this is an issue I will have to dig into deeper in the future…

So next time you crack an egg from your backyard flock and find a little speck floating in the bowl, don’t be alarmed. If you like, you can remove it, or just ignore it.

Enjoy the little irregularities in your homegrown food and allow it to remind you of the valuable work you put into getting it on your table.

POSSESS YOUR LAND

"See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers — to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — to give to them and their descendants after them.' Deuteronomy 1:8

God's dealings with Israel in the Bible had a lot to do with the land He promised them. He first promised the land to Abraham and then confirmed that promise to Isaac and Jacob.

Next, He chose Moses to lead them out of slavery to possess this land that had been promised to them many hundreds of years earlier.

The challenge to this promises however, was that the land was not unoccupied land which Israel could take over but an inhabited land they could only possess through faith and conquest.

When Israel realized what it would take for them to claim the land which was promised to their fathers, they became disillusioned. God told them two things:

• 'I have set the land before you'. That simply meant that what they wanted was available. It was a reality they could verify for themselves. What is required at this stage is for us to see the promise and believe in its reality.

• 'Go in and possess the land'. What is available does not become ours until we possess it. For Israel, possessing their promised land demanded more than faith. It demanded faith with action.

Israel spent forty years in the wilderness trying to avoid what they had to do to possess their promised land.

Today, a lot of us also waste precious years in avoiding the bold decisions and actions we must take in order to realize our promise.

Prayer: I thank You God, for what You have made available to me and boldly possess it all in Jesus' name.

Scriptural Reading: Deuteronomy 1:8

Are You Investing in Heaven Or where?

Most of us invest in our future. We plan, save and strategics to be debt-free and to have something for our retirement years. Yet not many people even consider investing in eternity. The retirement years are few, but eternity is a long time. It would be prudent to have an eternal perspective and invest in our lives beyond this temporal existence.

The most important investment we can make in heaven is to bring people with us. We can take nothing with us when we die except for other souls. Jesus stated that if a man has one hundred sheep and one goes astray, He will go after the one and rejoice much when the one is found (Matt. 18:12). Jesus went on to explain in verse 14, “Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish” (KJV). He was showing the importance of one soul that is saved how precious that one soul is to God.

It takes effort to share the gospel with others, and many times there is opposition to our witness. It is easier for us as Christians to read our Bibles, go to church and then do little else. But God wants us to have His perspective and try to influence as many people as possible in order for them to come into the kingdom.

God desires to bless people, and it is up to us to open our mouths and share the way of salvation. Jesus told us in Mark 16:15, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” This is not a suggestion but a command. As Charles W. Spurgeon said, “Soulwinning is the chief business of the Christian; indeed, it should be the main pursuit of every true believer.”

It is interesting that as people get close to death, it is usually easier to talk to them about the afterlife. It is an unfortunate fact that many times it takes a tragedy, severe illness or some other catastrophic event to be able to have a conversation with someone about God and the afterlife. I suppose many people think any discussion about God will cramp their lifestyle, so the conversation is put off until they are faced with something serious.

Usually people will make some preparations for death. We may prepare a will or set up a trust fund. We carefully consider our final plans, visit with our families and say all the important things we need to say to our loved ones. Some people desire to see a priest or person of the cloth when they are on their deathbeds.

If a person does not know Jesus, I have observed there is usually an overwhelming fear that comes over them as they approach death and they should be glad it does, as this fear places them in a position to listen and be open to the truth (Job 33:15-22). Jude 23 tells us, “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.” That is the only time some are willing to talk about and listen to the way to heaven.

But if we are already a Christian, then we know we are ready to leave this life. We have peace with God in our hearts because we are trusting in Him. As Christians, we have full assurance of our salvation and our eternal destiny (Is. 51:6; Acts 17:31; Heb. 5:9; 1 John 2:25).

The one thing a Christian normally desires more than anything else before they pass on is to be certain their families are also Christians. The rich man came to realize when he arrived in hell that his brothers needed to repent of their sins or they too would end up in that horrible place of torment (Luke 16:30). He was concerned for them and didn't want them to suffer as he was suffering.

But we cannot force God’s love and forgiveness upon anyone. We can only share His plan of salvation, and each person must decide for themselves. We need to pray that people will discover the truth before it’s too late like it was for the rich man in hell. When we arrive in heaven and see those whom we helped influence to see the light and accept the Lord, it will be a most valued reward.

As Christians, do we have an eternal perspective? Are we concerned about those who do not know the way of salvation? Are we doing things that will count for eternity? Will we choose to live for God, or will we choose to live for ourselves? We are not giving up anything of value to live for God, and He even rewards us if we do. It is not a loss but much gain.

It is actually scriptural for us to desire the rewards God promises. Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount that we will obtain rewards (Luke 6:23). But as Charles H. Spurgeon wrote, “At the mention of the word reward, some will prick up their ears and mutter, ‘Legality.’ Yet the reward we speak of is not of debt, but of grace. It is not enjoyed with the proud conceit of merit, but with the grateful delight of humility.”

David Shibley writes, “Every now and then I run across people who will say, ‘Well, I’m not doing this for rewards. It will be reward enough just to be in heaven.’ This misses the whole point and it’s bad theology. Heaven is not a reward; it is part of our redemption gift package when we come to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Further, to place little value on what heaven says has great value insults the very Lord who offers these rewards.”

The Bible states there are many rewards given in heaven to those who were obedient on the earth:

o    Psalm 19:11: “And in keeping of them [commandments] there is great reward.”

o    Psalm 62:12: “For thou renderest to every man according to his work.”

o    Proverbs 11:18: “But to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.”

o    Proverbs 13:13: “But he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.”

o    Jeremiah 31:16: “For thy work shall be rewarded.”

o    Hosea 4:9: “And I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.”

o    Matthew 5:11-12: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you … for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.”

o    Matthew 6:1, 4: “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. ... And thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.”

o    Matthew 16:27: “And then he shall reward every man according to his works.”

o    Mark 9:41: “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.”

o    Luke 14:13-14: “But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”

o    1 Corinthians 3:8: “And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.”

o    Colossians 3:24: “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”

o    Hebrews 11:6: “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

o    Revelation 11:18: “Thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name.”

o    Revelation 22:12: “And my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

Perhaps one of the greatest rewards we could be given in heaven will be time allowed with Jesus. To be able to walk and talk with Him would be the most precious gift of all.

Could it be that the more time we spend with Him in prayer here, the more time we will have with Him in heaven? It is not that we could ever earn it, but the Bible does say, “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). In addition, Galatians 6:7 says, “For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

If we sow time with Jesus here, will we reap more time with Him in heaven? Just a thought!

By Bill Wiese

How To Make Kale Chips

Ingredients:

·         1 batch organic kale

·         Organic Olive Oil

·         Sea Salt

·         Wax Paper

Directions:

·         Preheat oven to 300 degrees fahrenheit

·         Clean kale well and dry really well

·         Cut into two-inch squares

·         Mix in a bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil

·         Sprinkle with sea salt

·         Lay one layer onto cookie sheets covered in wax paper

·         Cook in oven for 8-12 minutes, but keep an eye on it!

·         As soon as they look a little tan and crispy, they’re ready.

  BY: kourtneykardashian

A Portion For You

TEXT: JOSHUA 15:21-47

KEY VERSE: “And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur” (Joshua 15:21).

The declaration in Hebrews 7:25 that the Merciful Lord is able to “save to the uttermost” those who related to Him through Jesus Christ, is in both figurative and literal terms. He implies that He could save people outside the Jewish race provided they repent of their sin, forsake unrighteousness, receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior and walk in holiness and obedience in the race to heaven. It also means that He could preserve believers unto His eternal kingdom in heaven. Believers who are thus saved to the heavenly city will inherit eternal blessings.

In our passage today, God has specified details of the portion of each tribe in Israel. The demography is carefully laid out and the boarders well marked. With this, no tribes is left uncatered for or will feel cheated.

There are times that some skeptics ask in derision that if the whole world should believe in Christ as Christians preach, would there be enough room in heaven for all? God’s provision of salvation is for the whole world. If the whole world were to believe in Christ, there will be room enough for all.

There are some ignorant believers who think that God is too busy to think of or consider them. As such, they live such depressed, dejected and defeated lives. God knows everyone of His children by name, loves and cares for each of them. Yes, God knows you and cares for you. He has a portion of blessing for you that no one can take from you. Yours has been carefully marked out and detailed out from coast to coast. Rejoice then, child of God, because you are not lost nor forgotten in the crowd.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The blessings of the Cross is for all, who believe, to enjoy.