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Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

I think its a priviledge to enjoy a soothing picturesque environs. Its something to pray for, and also deliberately prepare for. I wonder if it extends to doing life, choosing friends, choosing career, deciding where to pitch a home, supporting a policy or bylaw, conversation you listen to, levels and kind of music you pick, and more.

Perhaps noise and bustling has its place. All good in its appropriate forms, and could be kind to the heart. Things might need to filter through as through a sieve, so the grains stay below. Everything has its use. But calm, peace, rest, conclusions, order, stability, all has its place. Life then is in phases, reaching one goal, moving then to the next, allowing a creative design that enriches life and others. I come to think God likes nurturing things and putting all things in its place. Again you have to trust God means well. And also shape your life and kid-bubbles to create a soothing time for you, and safeguard it.

I Corinthians 14:40, is key on this end – “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” This Scripture speaks mainly to prophecy, but its a reflection on the mind of God, and extends to all things we do. We see in creation God’s sense of making things to flourish, we see Solomon’s wisdom translating to setting his Palace courts and service in fine tuned beauty, the earth’s seasons and plant cycles shows us this visualisations. Just seating to stare at the waves of sea as flocks of hair, tickles my sense of delightment and directs my mind to the peace of God.

So who is travelling miles to find God’s miracles scattered all over? I recently bought a Succulent plant, you will not believe how thrilled I was to notice how much of the leaves had sprout! There’s much left to take note of, then consider the pleasure finely arranged music bring without that loud strike out of place, or a meal set in its order and nicely prepared, birds in their formation in the sky, grass being blown and bending in non-resistance to the wind as in a dance, or a flower in its prime. In many examples, ask God to help your mind, and your brain cells appreciate nature’s blessings- God who set it, had a plan, first to His pleasure, and then to your delight. How then can one take a leaf and make clusters of order and grace? Consider. You will find something to nurture, but you would have re-engaged a piece of your creative side to brilliantly constructed moments of sweetness. This my friend takes work, as tending a garden, reorganising, building, refocusing, orientating, mapping out, seeding, salting conversations, decorating- its not the easy bit. But it is, and many more positives, an input to cause value.

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” Psalm 127:2

“The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much….” Ecclesiastics 5:12a

Truly, consider- God delights in your peace, that’s, in your wellbeing. If that means you get some break, a little more sleep to recalibrate your brain, relax your nerves, reset your pulse, strengthen your weary eyes, sharpen your fluttering speech, and reenergise your body. Such intimate and intricate detail? That blows my mind. I wonder if this adds up with some research on the benefits of this natural phenomenon, and what other theologians hold as a perspective? Balance the gift of God with living a life without greed and undue slumbering, with assurance of being under God’s constant watchful eye. There is deep anxiety, fear and intense pressure which is not good to have. You can crave such gift, especially in this tumultuous time, may Christ speak His peace in a raging sea. Like Christ find sleep in the perfect moment, and don’t mind the waves! Tune into God’s frequency. 

One because it makes the receiver of such grace feel special, that God could care as much, two, because it moves the notion of sleep from the construct of lazy retarded moments to a refreshing opportunity when done as need arises. Could you take intentional steps to create time? Else a doctor may insist upon it on a bad day. 

Perhaps in a crisis you’ve had some unexpected break, nonetheless whilst you ponder on creative solutions, remember the space to reflect, and lay your head in nature’s tide as it is a gift from God too. I guess what everyone desires is sweet sleep, not a troubled bed- so recognise your gift if you have one. Work hard, but when time comes, sleep well. 

Christ’s blessing, 

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye 

“Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?”
Job 11:7

I observe some believers in their dealings with God- they go there is no way He can go beyond that mark there, and then journey below this line here. So there is space for schemes against His name. Well, God is, has, and will be. In His love consider where He took you, and achieving what you never thought you could achieve, now decide how to relearn how to trust Him for your future. Sometimes His interventions are rare and unpredictable, but be sure God is still at work. Receive this truth with courage.

Truth is what we need for spiritual life and essential principles for godliness in this world has been revealed, and we need His mercy, grace, and power to follow Him. (Psam 25: 14; 1 Cor 2:9-10; 1 Cor 13:9)

If there is one thing to hold to is reliance on God, as you grow into becoming more like Christ (Romans 8:29; 1 Cor 3:18). God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

I’m impressed this morning to remind you that dependency on His grace and obedience to God is not too great a cost in the long run. Consider these two scriptures. The first encourages a listening ear, the second the need to weigh a decision. In summation, gravitating towards God will be beneficial, not only for now but later.

Acts 27:21-26
“Since hardly anyone wanted to eat, Paul stood among them and said, “Men, you should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete. You would have avoided this disaster and loss. Now I advise you to have courage. No one will lose his life. Only the ship will be destroyed. I know this because an angel from the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood by me last night. The angel told me, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul! You must present your case to the emperor. God has granted safety to everyone who is sailing with you.’ So have courage, men! I trust God that everything will turn out as he told me. However, we will run aground on some island.”

Luke 14:28-33
“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples”

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

An invitation for you. You’re encouraged to share with friends and others.

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

“My house shall be called a house of prayer….” Matthew 21:13 nkjv

This scripture illustrates the heart of God for His temple. A place He desires to be a place of prayer. A hallowed place, where God’s name is glorified, and revered. The magnitude of that.
While Christ shows us the need for cleansing and focus on the purpose of prayer, even more the need for the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses all that trust in Him. God’s grace is when He chooses to make our body His temple as well (1 Cor.6:19).

In awe let’s hear and ask the Lord what He will have us do? But again remember to revere Him as Lord, to go back to Him in thanksgiving for the gift of His presence in us and with us. Remember to be positively resilient, and the effectiveness of prayer. Above all, who is Lord of His temple, and ask for grace and be proud of His blessings. As Christ teaches thy will be done. Once done, you can go forward in peace. May the 21st century bring a revival of the soul to those who yearn for the true God, as those who from a deep sleep, can arise awake to His love, and speak His love.

The community of believers, and each on their knee praying in worship, allows for the love of God to be seen in us. God makes the rain of His blessings to be showered as you continue to call on Him.

God bless.

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye

“And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: and let me not fall into the hand of man.” 1 Chronicles 21:13

On deciding what areas God can invade- choosing to redirect the Spirit’s way into other sectors? As though God’s “zombish”. Where the quest for heavenly zest is low, so perhaps the fear of whether the entrance of power destroys human craving we really might want to roam in. So the otherness or space from divinity draws into a place of self decided and managed control. The Spirit leadership is then not into all areas, but regulated into a surrender to a scope of His operations.

So do we want a name He breathes over, a work life balance involvement, a ceiling open to God’s smile, a spiritual covering over our children, a meal prepared with thanksgiving, journeys into the unknown with faith, creating replacements for evil deeds, exchanging and placing destinies you can grow into? If God would always turn away from the ungodly, would one evade His discipline by avoidance? Can we trade dread for learning reverence? Also there is the other ambit of naive mockery to the things of the Spirit because it often surpasses the five senses.

Needful to consider in culture that we can bless God. Also, needful to consider there is a good premise in realising that openness to God is always a preferred outcome. Yet if not being complacent is in respect for God, that my friend is good wisdom. Like David in the bible would say, better to be on God’s side and to take His telling-off than on man’s. In all, God sees the heart and knows our human ways; it’s sufficient to know you can’t out-think God, so relax and rest in His love. 

God bless. 

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye 

“Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the LORD by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the LORD were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.” 1 Samuel 3:1

The scriptures every now and then allows us to know what God requires from us. Imagine we had no access to print or a form of audible quotations of biblical verses to fathom what perspectives God had, to shape our minds. Often it would be left to a broken or seared conscience, one corrupted or suppressed by life’s pressure- where there could be a sense of rightness but at the same time faint, with an unclarity of the practical usefulness. Yes, as one would say, be kind but why to a stranger? or on human life as precious but so are animals’- so what priority to each? Neither quite here nor there, or firm nor feeble- just a floating consciousness as required to buttress a view. God helps us with concreteness- God is good and His mercies endures. And within us is the grace to help others and to know His grace if we err. So the word of God is available for today and crucial. But again there are dimensions. Knowing God will guide you, is different to when He says turn left or right per time. 

May those who confide in Him find respite for their hungry soul. Amen. 

God bless. 

Evangelist Israel Okunwaye