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“I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14

When God finished creation He declared it good. Like a fine painter, breathing a sigh of relief at a well crafted master piece, fine-tuned to a worthy standard for sale or own pleasure. In no mistaken words God inspired the Psalmist to give thanks to realise and say “wonderfully made” on reflection of self and to note the wholesomeness of it all. The walk, the speech, the intellect, the grace and attention to detail of the human specie, and more importantly the sense of being made in God’s likeness. Other forms of creation carry too their goodness but man, humanity, stays truly in its own class. Looking at the butterfly, roses, giraffes etc don’t they all hold some intrinsic charm?

To in reverential worship consider it all but nothing without God has its own merits, as one in sack cloth, but there is the spiritual wisdom of basking in thanks of God’s dexterity in creation and the joy being stewards of grace and doing that with those who share this kind of wisdom. Also teaching others to draw comfort in areas they can see God at work, as we take an eschatology view of a even greater glory that awaits.

This is the gospel that God is good, and there is high wisdom to give thanks, which is genuine humility and balanced truth and unprideful worship.

So, here I am thankful for me, God truly has done well in making me in a wonderful way. To God be all the glory.

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

“Render therefore to all men their dues. Tribute, to whom tribute is due: custom, to whom custom: fear, to whom fear: honour, to whom honour.”
Romans 13:7

Being respectful for some can be really so difficult, it means aligning often with a thing or person you may not agree with or share similar values.

Yet as Christians we are called to walk in love, to give to each person his or her due. What does this mean?
Failing to give commendation as necessary means raising grounds for future conflict. Some guardians and parents enable their offspring to decountenance authority, this clearly will be a setup for legal reprimand, no matter how nice it looks. And soon it bites sideways, to hold on to untruths. So here we are praying for strong characters for loving reverence. It doesn’t mean complacency, or timidity, it means weighing an option and appropriately crediting value.

Learning respect takes effort and discipline. Helping others learn better ways means not thanking, empowering, or paying wrong attitudes. A strategic plan means a life long goal of releasing people into their destiny through not hoarding advice, so they don’t learn the hard way. Also, knowing its no merit to seek to earn value by seeking to devalue others.

In the end respect for evil is not important as Christ shows us, as God should be first in our hearts.

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.”

Psalms 125:2

God assures us of His protection and comfort. The strength of assurance is a joy to read. It’s a great blessing to see this promise come true. In the journies, in projects, in consumptions, in partnerships, in learning right, in solitude, also in the seeming little things of a morning rise. We have to constantly revert to the depth of this promise as if reminding God, to keep His bargain, and He has done, does and will. His precise words are, as the mountains provide a fortress and buffer, so God is able to shield when we pray to Him. Dear God, give us breathing space from the wicked, make our homes impregnable, grant us grace to see doers of evil from a distance and flee and repel their works. And should we err and not take preferred instructions may your intervening grace help us. In all may Christ be praised. Amen.

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4-7

A good prayer to make, is for grace to be content in God’s abilities- to be anxious for nothing. But rather faith to be well assured of God’s consistent hand for supernatural intervention.

Amen.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

“Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” ” Genesis 21:6 (Luke 1:41-44; Matthew 9:8)

When God ’causes,’ it comes with its effect. It brings blessing to one but to others. Sarah pointed to God who caused it- “brought me laughter.” Made her laugh, made her joyful. Not things, not Abraham, not the society, not family, but God as a direct source. These things can be positive tools in God’s hands. The blessing may bring the gladness, but the God of the blessing is clearly the bringer. God blessed Sarah with a child, so soothed her heart. It was heartfelt because what should have taken a natural course took decades upon decades, so when it came it had to be God. A supernatural occasion beyond human intervention as at when it happened.

Again, the joy to one would bring smiles to many. God who made Sarah laugh, can be held responsible for making others laugh with her in comfort. Its the ripple effect of blessing.

May the Lord grant us who trust Him blessings that will make us rejoice and those who hear of it. Amen.

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

“She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” – Luke 2:7

Couldn’t the Lord though cocooned in a baby’s form, command an inn, to suit Him and His care-keepers? God could. But it pleased the father that there will be no space in loftly heights but among the lowly. So both to the lowly, first, and those of means, all will gain the priviledge of meeting and worshipping Him at the manger. The uniting force will be a kindred spirit of meekness and purity of heart.

Two miracles can be seen, that God can still birth His promise even if accesses are closed, and that in humility greatness is born. May God grant us the assurance to know His purpose will stand, and also the humility of heart so that in due time He can continually lift us up who trust Him!

Merry Christmas to you all in this precious season.

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

“Where no wise guidance is, the people falleth: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14

Life is rarely done in isolation, but with others. Whether be professional connections, biological family partnerships and extended relationships from that space, friends found spanning years, love ties, acquaintances brought together by chance or by a project to facilitate a cause, online contacts that develop into resource partners which create further engagements, adopted family of brothers and sisters with inlaws that brings, religious brothers and sisters- in our context Christians who are bound by the deep work of Christ who especially in times of persecution have known deeper closeness that trascends human affiliations as seen in biblical accounts and testimonies from the field, groupings interests. You can have these joyful expressions of warmth in society. You can always have one or two persons that wish you well, and more, and rejoice in what they see and hear you can become. You can also have those you wish well. That levels of reciprocity matters.

One can rely on any of these connections, especially where credible, to do life together. Holding them together may require briefings, correspondence, a willingness to share, an openness to listen and learn, a heart for people. You may also need to respect preferences, and develop life-long commitments where possible.

You will realise working together takes work. Like a garden you have to tend it. And you have to find the right connections, sometimes thats not up to you but fate and faith. As said, communication is key. I will like to add that unfeigned communication and a heart for people. Learning a new language or context and culture may take time, but helps shape empathy and becomes so worth it. No one wants good misinterpreted. But like a wise person be willing to draw from a good resource of people, get good advice and chart your course.

Its one thing to benefit from a web of connections, its another to take the lead managing that. In a nation’s or individual context, how does guidance influence others positively? Perhaps, you may need to give space to a range of views from people that could help impact on choice. The ability to decipher good advice is another thing. Ask God to help you pick. Sometime, your heart will resonate with what is true, and you will need courage to agree with it, as well.

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

Considering the population, the boundaries of nations, communities set apart, then there is a family cluster and their peculiar politics and drama exercised in a bubble- it wouldn’t be expected everyone follows their unique traditions given poles in demarcation. Leah would find she needed to press for more attention, perhaps not for more affection. Yet that sense of insecurity and anxiety would not escape God’s notice. To love is also to make feel safe, the priviledge to see and know you’re not less in the cadre of being wanted. Jacob would serve in his uncle’s business for 14years for Rachel, but though Leah was able to join the family she must have felt like a usurper, and wondered if she was really wanted. She fought for her place, traditions gave her the right to marry first, by trickery got in bed, her children would endear her husband to her, and she must have worked hard in every way to cement her recognition.

But God who knows the truth, saw. Beyond the buzzlings and traffic observed their way of life and confirmed she was not loved. What an affirmation of her pain, it was not delusion, it was not misplaced emotionalism, it was true. Jacob may not have meant it, but when she had to fight to feel number one that was hard and a mistake. He didn’t hate her, but not really crazy over her. If he was to choose who would he go for? Love was meant to be undivided attention, a feeling and knowledge of being wanted. Leah couldn’t vouch for that. But God looked down, watched her story, and blessed her with comfort. As they aged there was less trouble.

Rachel’s blessing will take a bit longer. Though so loved, Jacob will learn he is not God. When asked to make babies, he will scream- “am I God?”. Here he learns that though he can buy her everything, spend more time in kisses, work decades, at some point fate would determine if they can share the joys of a baby together. It seems God was building humility in both of them. Leah would have some comfort. Rachel too would also have her comfort in time, and call her child Joseph. Jacob a proud dad, and now a love tamed.

“…the LORD saw that Leah was unloved…”Genesis 29:31

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye