SERIOUSLY ENOUGH

I got home, honked but the gate was still closed which was quite unusual because somehow, the gate was always open by the time we take the bend into our street. My wife would usually say that our security guard had a sensor for our car and would know when we drive into the estate. But on this faithful evening, I honked and honked… No response.

So I came down from the car, nudged the gate a bit and it swung open and there the guy was, on his mat praying. I couldn’t get angry though I was very furious. Am I paying you to pray? That was the first thought that came to my mind, but I went ahead to open the gate myself. All through the motion of opening the gate, driving in, walking back to close the gate, this guy did not bat an eyelid in my direction despite all the deliberate noise I made in trying to close the gate, he was busy praying, breaking his fast.

I got to the car to offload the stuff I had brought home (which he would regularly have done), and just then, it dropped in my spirit… Nothing was going to make him stand up from that mat until he was done praying, he fears his 'god' that much but can that be said about me? He does not mind loosing his job so long as he does not wrong his god. 

As I reflected more on this, it dawned on me that not just my security guard, no Muslim will stop his prayer for anything. They will stand up in the middle of a very crucial meeting to go and pray and we “Christians” will seat there and wait until they return. Some offices shut down literarily on Fridays, when the brothers go to pray and no one is sanctioned for that.

But, it is unheard of that a “Christian” brother will stand up in the middle of an important meeting to go for lunch hour fellowship or even to go and pray during a fasting period, a fellow “Christian” brother/sister will sack you immediately. You dare not even stand up from your seat on a Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday depending on which day your church holds her mid-week service to go to church when there is a pending report, though it is after work hours, a fellow “Christian” brother/sister will ensure that your head is on a platter for even allowing the thought to cross your mind.

Makes me wonder, do we even take this our God half as seriously as we should?

I’m still thinking about it and will welcome your comments and thoughts around this.

@IamOluwaObinna

I am committed to your Peak Performance

 

PRESS ON

My schedule over the last few weekends has not given me the time to follow through on my workout regimen, so knowing I had a free morning this weekend, it was with great enthusiasm that I looked forward to working out today.

Midway into my three mile jog, fatigue set in. Apparently, my body wasn’t used to the routine any more. Has it been that long? I kept asking myself. I pushed, psyched myself with power words and pushed some more and somehow, I made it to the half way point. At this point sweating and panting profusely with my muscles screaming in pain, I slowed down into a walk. The power walk helped me calm down and catch my breathe. If you are a gym junkie, you would understand the frustration when you are not able to hit heights or lift weights that used to be a walk in the park for you.

It was during that walk that the ideas for my next blog post came to me plus I was receiving insights for tomorrow’s sermon and nothing gets me excited like the possibility of being a blessing to someone. And the word that was hitting me was obviously going to be a blessing to someone.

With that rush of adrenalin and excitement, I mustered the strength to commence the strides back home. But body no be firewood mehn! Just a few strides into the jog, I couldn’t take it anymore, my mind was made up, I was walking the remaining one mile distance home.

As I was about to stop, the heavens opened and out of nowhere, it began to rain.

Seeking for cover was not an option, I was very far away from home. Taking a tricycle or bike was out of the question ‘cos I don’t jog with cash on me. My only option was to run, so I ran like my life depended on it.

The more I ran, the heavier the rain became, so I decided to enjoy the rain (the last time I played in the rain was about a decade or two ago lol). Sweet thoughts were playing around in my head and I look up and there was my estate gate yes!!! I made it to the finish line.

Then it hit me that I ran all the way and not just that, I did it in the rain.

You might be going through an issue that has gotten you weighed down and you are at the point where you have decided to give up. You can’t bear the pain, the hurt and the tears anymore, you are throwing in the towel. Can you allow God speak to you this morning through me?

Just when you are about to give in, I will send an element into the situation that will seem like it worsens the already bad situation, but don’t be dismayed, that is Me glorifying Myself. I have put within you much more than you realize and by the time we are done on this journey together, you will shout for joy because you made it to the finish line happy, excited, drenched in sweat but victorious.

You can do more than you think you can, those seemingly though situations are only there to bring out the ruggedness in you. Back then, cultists will put intending initiates through very rigorous though beatings to toughen them up for the days ahead. That’s the exact same thing that is happening to you, you are being prepared for the days ahead and you will come out of this victorious.

Stay strong and stay tough, find an inspiration in the storm and press through.

See you at the finish line.

@IamOluwaObinna

I am committed to your Peak Performance

 

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE?

A few weeks ago, I bought a battery for my generator and prior to fixing the battery, I read the manual and the first line read; “to get the best use from this battery, pour acid water into the space provided (an arrow pointed to the space) and charge for a long while before first use", I flared up. Who still buys wet cell batteries in this day and time when there are dry cell batteries everywhere? I was livid.

Unfortunately, due to my very busy work schedule, I didn’t have the time to go back to the place I bought the battery for about two weeks. All this while, I had the battery in the trunk of my car hoping that I would somehow be able to go and harass these guys for selling crappy batteries to me.

Finally I was able to go to the guy’s shop on Saturday, though my fury had abated a bit, I put up my game face ready to “give it to him”. Bros, why did you sell me wet cell batteries nah? I asked, I have not been able to use the thing because I don’t have the luxury of time to look for acid water and battery chargers would all have closed by the time I get home from work. While I was ranting, I noticed he had a slight grin on his face so I cautioned myself and decided to give him an opportunity to explain himself.

As he began to talk, I just thanked God that I decided to allow the customer that was in his shop to leave before I started ranting because I would have been so embarrassed if there was any other person there to hear his response. “Oga, the battery na 2 way battery, na wetin make I sell am give you. E get the ones weh be dry cell only and some other ones na wet cell only but this one na both dry cell and wet cell. When the dry cell don die, na that time you go come add acid water charge am begin use am as wet cell battery. Make I test am for you”. He tests the battery and the thing is working perfectly. He repackages it and smiles while handing it back to me, sorry for the trouble of coming back. I should be the one apologizing, but I was so embarrassed that all I wanted to do was take my battery and run out of the shop as fast as I could.

As I got into the car, I could sense the Holy Spirit laughing at me, and the question dropped in my spirit; “Do you really know what you have?” And He said; 'A lot of my children are going through the same experience in their personal lives, they carry a lot of power, potentials, grace on the inside of them but yet, they know not how to utilize them'.

Most of us carry within us ideas that will revive the country and our economy, revolutionize the IT industry, the banking sector, the oil and gas sector. Some of us have million dollar ideas lying fallow within us, not being utilized. For some of us, our claim to fame is the fact that we have been born again for 20yrs; my question is, how many dead people have you raised in that time? How many sick people have you prayed for and they received their healing?

Scripture tells me that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, a handicraft of God Himself. As if that was not enough, when He was done crafting me, He said “Obinnaya, go and have DOMINION”. That’s the kind of power and authority I carry on my inside, the power to dominate my environment and if you are indeed a child of God, you carry the same power and authority.

But like in my experience with the 2-way battery, most of us have kept this great power in our trunk for a very long time without making use of it, not even having an idea what this latent power within us is capable of.

Like me, some of us are too busy living our lives and battling with challenges, that we do not have the time to go back to the manufacturer of this product (God) to ask him questions about the use of the product. Some of us don’t know a third of what we carry, yet we pride ourselves as children of God.

God is willing to reveal yourself to you, if only you will come back to Him and ask Him questions. He is ever so willing to receive us with open arms, but we must first come to Him. Scripture says that He shall by no means cast away anyone that calls out to Him. It says draw near to me and I will draw near to you.

If you are reading this and you are confused as to what you are here on earth for, you have tried your hands on so many things and none seems to be working, I want to tell you today that there is hope. God is willing to show you His plans for you if only you would draw nearer to Him.

If you are yet to receive Christ into your heart as your Lord and personal savior, I would like to say that this is the first part of your journey to self-discovery. The Holy Spirit will guide you in all truth but you first have to invite Him. So say this short prayer with me; Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and have not lived according to Your plan and purpose for my life. I invite You into my life as Lord and Master over me. Thank you for accepting me as Your own, in Jesus’ name I have prayed, Amen!

If you said that prayer with me, you have commenced your journey to discovery, I will admonish that you seek a bible believing church around you and become an active member and I pray that God will open your eyes to all that He has deposited in you through Christ Jesus in Jesus’ name.

God Bless You.

@IamOluwaObinna

I am committed to your Peak Performance

IN WHAT DIRECTION IS YOUR CHANGE RIDING TO

Over the weekend 07 June 2015 precisely, The Redeemed Christian Church of God – Apapa Family which I belong to held her annual Apapa Family conference with the theme “Riding on the Wings of Change”. I know it sounds somewhat like a political tag line, but I go back to the conference theme from a few years ago and it all begins to come together.

In 2012, the theme for Excel was “Change Catalyst”. In 2013, it was “Be The Change”. In 2014, the theme was “Excel” and this year, it was “Riding on The Wings of Change”. Going by this, if I am left to infer, it would mean that the “Change” happened in 2014 when we “Exceled”.

Selah!

After the event, I had some time to reflect on the past editions of the event and how far the event has come and how large the family has grown over a 24year period. I can’t remember which year exactly it was that rain was beating us under the canopies that was provided as covering during the excel programme. We have had years that the sound was so bad that my buddy and I  went home grumbling all the way despite the powerful messages we heard.

As I reflected more on the event, it dawned on me that indeed, change has occurred. It was a different company that supplied the canopies for this years’ event and anyone that was at the event will bear me witness that it was a better arrangement. Also, we had a massive improvement on the sound system and I noticed that the outfit that supplied the sound this year was also different.

Then I thought about it, in the midst of all these positive changes, I used to be in a choir that ministered at the Excel meeting every year until I was posted out, but this year was different they were nowhere in the picture of this years’ event which is also a “Change”. Some choirs that were regulars ministered and a few new ones too. So for the new ones that ministered, “Change” has also happened and they can either ride on the wings of their performance this year or be dropped next year depending on how well they performed.

And I began to ask myself; is the wind of change blowing me in a positive direction or in a negative direction? From my personal calculations, my response to that is that the wind is blowing me in a very positive direction. So I can gallantly ride on the wings of these positive changes around me.

However, looking at your life as an individual, can you say that the events going on around you are note-worthy ones and are propelling you towards a desired future? These things cannot be left to happenstance, there has to be deliberate and conscious efforts, plans and actions towards the desired future. You are either riding forward towards God’s plan for your life, your positive goals and aspirations, or riding negatively away from God’s plan for your life.

In what direction is your CHANGE riding to?

SELAH!

@IamOluwaObinna

YOU DO NOT HAVE A POINT TO PROVE TO ANYONE

You only have one life to live, so you better make the best out of it. I listened to something this morning that got me thinking about some of the things that I did growing up as a teenager and a younger adult.

Peer pressure they say is one of the major things that ruin teenagers and permit me to say adults alike. Most of the time, you find out that people do things not because they really want to do them but because an external factor (either positive or negative) is influencing them to do those things. Like Sir Isaac Newton said in his laws of motion, all things are in a state of rest until acted upon by an external force.

Are you aware that you don’t have any point to prove to anyone? I barely remember the faces of half of the girls we did some crazy things to impress back then in secondary school, even their names escape me. I remember in secondary school we had these two groups (Mekas & Big Boys) most boys made subtle efforts, some more than others to be a part of either of the two groups. Silly stuff went down and all but looking back today, I cannot remember most of the people from back then. During our university days, there was the hip crowd that would always gather at Iya’s place for breakfast and some bottles all day long and the various brotherhoods across campus, but today, all of that is a blur. Imagine the fate of those people that lost their lives, property, money earned by very caring parents etc. in a bit to “Belong” and today all of that is like a mirage, a fleeting thought from memories past.

Isn’t that the same case today where people drive cars that they don’t have need for, live in houses and estates they can barely afford, send their children to schools that they have to borrow money perpetually to pay for and go on vacations relying on the breakfast package that comes with their bed & breakfast hotel booking all of these just to keep up appearances or try to prove a point.

I know there are healthy competitions, but as you are reading this, there is that one person whose name just pops up in your mind or maybe it sounds like I am talking about you. But we all know that one person or persons who fit this description. You may have confronted them once or so on the matter or you just talk behind their backs about it.

Truthfully, after all is said and done, YOU DO NOT HAVE A POINT TO PROVE TO ANYONE. Not your friends nor enemies, not your family nor pastor, not your boss nor colleagues, not even your spouse. The one person you owe an explanation for your life and the way you live/lived it, the one person that you have a point to prove to is the one who made you #GOD.

If this is the case, why don’t you live your life in a way that will be pleasing to the person you are accountable to? He has a point to prove through you.

Selah!

@IamOluwaObinna

Post Elections - New Dawn NIGERIA

As we enter this new dispensation in our history as a nation, I want to congratulate Nigeria and all Nigerians for the great feat that was achieved yesterday. Indeed, it is obvious that God is still interested in the affairs of this nation Nigeria.

Despite the pressure and technical challenges, I must really commend Prof. Attahiru Jega for his composition and demeanor all through this very inundating task, Nigeria and Nigerians are proud of you Sir.

So many people didn’t know what to expect and even the international community is wowed at how well things have panned out and I know that these post-election outcomes are completely an act of God as the reality we see on ground is nothing like the permutations in the heart of many and the predictions of many.

To all our brethren who fled the country in fear of the unknown, we are all alive and well (though some are not excited about the results) and we look forward to welcoming you home whenever you decide that it is safe enough to return home.

To those of you who did not vote, you will have to live for another 4yrs with the decision that we made on your behalf and please don’t you dare complain about anything for the next 4yrs because you had an opportunity to say something and chose to observe us from the comfort of your sofa or bed as it may apply to you.

To those of us who voted, I want to commend you for your bravery. Your candidate may have lost or won, but the important thing is that you and I became a part of history and will tell our children how we were part of the process that saw a sitting democratically elected president (for the first time in the history of Nigeria) voted out of office. The tone of that story will depend on which side of the divide you were on lol, but all the same, together we made history and posterity will forever remember us.

To his Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, I want to salute your bravery Sir. You became the leader of this great nation in very challenging times and under very difficult conditions and I can only imagine the pressure, stress and distress alike that your office must have put you through. Your conduct yesterday just before the final result was announced I must commend as heroic. I wish you well in all your future endevours and hope that you will not do anything in your remaining days in office to change my comments.

To the president elect Gen Muhammadu Buhari, congratulations Sir. The people have spoken and I hope you have heard us. A leader is as strong as his team, a team is as strong as its weakest link. I think this is my only advice to you as you prepare to take on the enourmous challenge of leading this great nation of super smart people. My prayer is that God will grant you the wisdom to do His will only.

To all Nigerians, it is a New Dawn.

God Bless You.

@IamOluwaObinna

Post Elections - Day 1

The long awaited and much talked about Nigerian presidential elections have come and gone and we await the results today. There are arguments for and against the two most prominent candidates and it is mind boggling the volume of accusations, counter accusations, information (both true and false ones) flying around about these candidates and I hear them and just smile. Sitting here typing this piece, my colleagues have been on this same election, matter for over 30mins and it is not yet 7am.

My heart is glad with these outcomes because it tells me that people are finally ready in Nigeria to be involved in the affairs of the nation.

If you were eligible to vote and didn’t, I really don’t have much to tell you as you are entitled to the freedom to either exercise your civic rights as a citizen of this great nation or not to. However, in the aftermath of the elections, you do not have any moral rights to open your mouth and say anything either for or against whichever government that is sworn in come May 29 2015.

That said, I must confess that the long wait on Saturday to be able to cast my vote, leaves much to be desired but thank God that we eventually were able to cast our votes. And I actually saw how passionate Nigerians are about the desire to have good governance which is very commendable. I could also off of the discussions sense those that were into shady businesses and were scared that if a certain candidate won in the presidential polls, a possible jail term might be their portion (lol).

At the end of this entire process, I am glad that NEVER again will a leader over this nation come into power and assume that the populace will take just about any crap that they doll out at us. The voice of the PVC is the voice of the people and it sounded very loud and clear over this past weekend.

As we eagerly await the results of the election, I want to commend my fellow Nigerians for conducting yourselves in a very civil manner through this electoral process, I also want to commend all our friends in diaspora for your prayers and thoughts towards us.

I would like to say that by the time the results are announced later today, let us also conduct ourselves in the same civil manner with which we cast our votes and accept the results in good faith. No matter what the results are, whether or not it favours your preferred candidates Jesus Christ remains King over Nigeria.

God Bless Nigeria and Happy Easter.