The Women.
When Christ gave the Great Commission, He did not consider gender; just as when the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts, He gives them to both women and men. God has chosen every believing woman to carry His message to her sphere of influence as she is filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit and anointed and equipped with his power (Acts 1:8).
The single woman, the wife, the mother, the grandmother, the widow are called to ‘go into all the world’. ‘Going’ does not necessarily mean leaving home and family, but it does mean making yourself totally available to serve wherever, whenever and however He directs.
The New Testament gives certain requirements for soul winning.
The First is of course a genuine experience of grace through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (1 John 1;1-3). A love for Christ and for people is also essential (Ps 126:6), as is a willingness to be used by the Holy Spirit in sharing the gospel (Acts 8:29). An effective soul winner will be determined to live a separated life (2 Cor 2:17) since lifestyle testimony is also a key ingredient. Creativity in using every opportunity for saying a word about Christ is also helpful (1 Peter 3:15), as is a diligence in the study of God’s word which enables the believer to explain more effectively the way of salvation (Ps 51:13, 1 Peter 2:2). All must be undergirded with specific and unceasing prayer (1 Thess 5:17). Any woman who is willing to commit herself to this high and holy responsibility will indeed be rewarded. (Dan 12:3)
Women, as never seen before, hold positions of leadership in the Kingdom of Christ, giving them more opportunities to help fulfill the Great Commission than any time in history. Although with these opportunities often comes with recognition of their God-given gifts, many times, the greatest position for influence in fulfilling the Great Commission isn’t a visible and public one. Women can serve effectively in their own homes, influencing their husbands and disciplining their own children, for the ‘hand that rocks the cradle rules the world’.
As appealing as the ‘marketplace’ is for some women, many find only disappointment and emptiness if they choose to invest their lives solely in fleeting achievements. Even in the work, your greatest satisfaction is to be found in your life in Christ and your sharing that with others, whether from your home or our office. No matter what your position or circumstance, you will find ultimate joy and happiness only in Jesus Christ. (Ps 16:7-11). You will be effective only as you serve in the place and in the manner God directs.
Know that as a woman; absolutely no task is insignificant when God calls you to do it.
Source: The Women Study Bible
I am in Rebellion!
Lacrae does it for me when it comes to gospel rap. On the track called Rebel Intro, I realised that the use of this word totally contradicts its everyday use.
Look around us, everyone is doing the same thing and conforming to same norms and value of others. Ladies are conforming to what they see on reality TV shows and fashion catwalks, men are conforming to being players, gangsters, cheats, the system is conforming to a lack of moral culture.Everyone is doing what the culture and ways of this world is preaching-tattoos, sex, stabbing, breaking commandments and no one is doing anything fresh and unusual.
One thing that isn’t common is living the word and living Jesus in our everyday life. We all seem to want to do a bit of both and its not possible. If we really want to be different, we should not conform to the ways and trends of this world. Few people are really studying the word, few are preaching the gospel, few are after kingdom investments, few are after helping the less privilege with no ulterior motives.
If we really want to be different, then we should be rebelling against the culture, rebelling about everything that removes Jesus as the center, we should rebel against false teachings and manipulation. Jesus was a total rebel to the culture and system of this age. Eat with tax collectors, talks to sinners, feeds the hungry, had no roof over his head, taught the scripture and only did what God the Father told him to do.
Rebellion is normally associated with sin but if you observe closely, sin abounds in every look and corner and has now become a norm and culture in our environment since everyone is doing it, its nothing new.
Stand up and rebel positively to artificial man made customs that conforms us to this age, take a bold step and live life different from what ‘people’ set. Stand up and be different by renewing your mind (Rom 12) and applying your heart to wisdom.
Listen to Lecrae ‘Rebellion’ on Youtube- Lyrics below (source from stunter202)
Jesus was a rebel, a renegade, outlaw
A sanctified troublemaker but He never sinned, naw
And He lived His life by a different set of Rules
The culture ain’t approve
So you know they had they had to bruise em
That’s the way they do
Man, they swear they so gangsta but everyone’s the same
Everybody do the same stuff
Tattoos, piercing
Smokin’ up and drinking
Money and sex plus them extravagant weekends
Man if that’s the high life
I’ll puff puff pass that
You leave evaporated like you missing a gas cap
I guess I’m passed that
I am in rebellion
I’d rather have a dollar in my pocket than a mill-ion
I’m scared to worship money, and my wants over Elyon
I’ll remain a rebel while the rest of them just carry on
This is what I live fo
This the hill I’m buried on
If Jesus is the truth
That means one of us is VERY wrong
Think about it.
I’m in rebellion.
(I know in our day, rebel means sinner.)
I’m in rebellion.
(But everyone is sinning, so it is no longer rebellious to sin.)
I’m in rebellion.
(Jesus was a rebel that was counter culture.)
I’m in rebellion.
No glory in me
All glory to the King on the throne (Jesus)
You either love Him or leave Him alone but you can’t do both
Yeah, I know you heard that once in song
I pray you hear 10 mo fo ya gone
Hey listen up, holmes
Stage is the corner
Crowd is the streets
And I rap the bread of life cause they dyin’ to eat
I’m a rebel you know the kind that die in the street
Cause you refuse to conform, won’t eat the kings meat yeah
Christ rebelled by shunning the cultured/ He eatin’ with sinners/ Givin’ Pharasies ulcers/ He never got married, He was broke and Plus homeless/yeah that’s the God I roll wit/ ya boy gotta wife and No I neva cheated/ I’m prayin for humility whenever I get heated/ Forget about the drugs/ rebel against pornography/ this ain’t how it Oughta be, homie/ this is how it’s gotta be/ A rebel
I’m in rebellion.
(You’re just a conformist
Drunken, Naked, Driving around on a loud motorcycle
Smoking cigarettes, Breaking commandments,
Getting pregnant out of wedlock,
Everyone’s done that,
It’s so tiring,
If you really wanna be a rebel,
Read your bible,
Because no one’s doing that,
That’s rebellion,
That’s the only rebellion left.)
For Humanity Sake.
Happy New Month!
I was delighted to be an audience member of a talk show piloted in the heart of Northern Ireland. The TV show was centered on cultural and community issues faced by various groups ranging from health and social wellbeing to rights, racial issues and ethnic challenges. Listening and participating to this discussion was both enlightening and awakening because I realize that one can live in the four walls of their home, day in day out, and not recognize that real issues go on in our communities and nations.
The most humbling thing for me is how regular men and women from all walks of life, background and ethnicity, give up some or all of their time developing the life of other people around them. I mean, you read this good works on paper, see them on TV however here I was, in a room full of great achievers, working towards a better tomorrow.
I am honoured to be working alongside a great church and charity on a community project looking into increasing the positive angle of diversity amongst communities and in my opinion, serving God both inside and outside the walls of the church building is rewarding. (We also attend prison visits for bible study and to support in the running of Sunday church services)
Love your neighbour as yourself; a commandment from or Savior, Jesus Christ seems forgotten today. I suppose most will have their own interpretation of this command but the fact still remains that we do need to look around us and add value where we can. Life shouldn’t be about what we can collect for personal use, wealth or status; how about what we can give?
Charity begins at home most will say and I am thankful that my siblings are individuals who are working to improve the life of others. My sisters; Ify Aniebo, who won the award for best use of science and young person award hosted by the Future Awards 2010 (A Nigerian awards celebrating enterprising and brave youths changing the status in their chosen field) has dedicated her research in the cure for Malaria and is currently on a trip to Swaziland on the Bill Clinton HIV AIDS Initiative. Ify also owns an online magazine called African Health Magazine, giving free information from her research while still pursuing her Phd. Nkechi Aniebo, is currently in Juba, Sudan, on a secondment with Save the Children which she willingly applied for, to support the development of that region. Wana Udobang is my sister from another mother having grown up and lived together. Wana chaired the raising of funds for a cancer initiative and is still supporting charities in her own remit.
There are people who engage in great initiatives (with no personal gains) of which I totally commend and admire and I pray they continue. For those who are yet to, I encourage you to find something worthwhile to support. We are thankful to be supporters to various charities and organizations but that won’t stop us from doing more and more as God gives us breath, grace and ability. That is what we see as ‘Love your Neighbour’
God can change the world with people. This is a heart felt article toYOU, please find someone, something or some place to add value, be a blessing, wipe a tear, put a smile,be a salt and add flavour, be a light and shine through be a hand to reach out and help…… FOR HUMANITY SAKE.