firstfridays

Praise: Another form of Prayer

/ ThinkTalk / 6 Comments
Credits: Left, https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Harps; Right, Wikipedia 
“… Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.” (Revelation‬ ‭19:5‬)‬‬

Praising God is another form of prayer. Please refer to my previous blog, for more.

Credits: Dictionary.com

To Praise God is to appreciate Him for who He is, for all that He has already done, for that which He’s presently doing, as well as all that He will do! You show your admiration and gratitude expressly and by your actions. The actions will involve the ways you praise Him (see below) which may or may not include rendering an offering (blog for another day).

. . .

Alleluia is said to be the highest praise. In the Bible, Alleluia is only found specifically in the Book of Revelation written by John whom Jesus loved. (Rev 19)

We note in the Book of Revelation that the twenty-four elders, and the beast, bow down after the people shouted this highest praise word. The angels also. The bowing down is paying homage to Him who sits on the Throne. This is the impression of heaven when we praise here on earth!

When Do You Praise

It is much easier for anyone to praise God when everything is going beautifully well – we turn on the faucet and there’s water, click the switches and there’s light, open the refrigerator and it contains food and other essentials, car is running, one is hale and hearty, abundant bank account, everyone loving you, spouse and children also doing great, and life is going as planned. None needs to force a praise out of your belly. This type of praise automatically comes out of your mouth. You daily wake up whistling your favorite hymns with unrehearsed joy. Life is good!

However, what do you do when life happens with the contrarians of the above instances storming your life. It is at this time (or season) of your life that praising God is much more difficult. One finds one’s tongues and mouth tight and unwilling to open to say anything; let alone pray or praise. But, my friend, this is the best time to demonstrate your love to Father God as it becomes a sacrifice offering onto Him. It is a sacrifice because you don’t feel like doing it, but you chose to.

Though He slay me (Job 13:15a), or the fig tree does not blossom (Habakkuk 3:17a), yet will I trust Him.

I believe that this is one of the highest demonstratiion of faith to Father God that you love and trust Him despite your negative circumstance(s).

We should not only pray and praise when things are okay. If this is the only time we smile, laugh, are joyful, pray, or praise, we are like children tossed to and fro and who still rely on milk for food; we are not yet mature in faith.

How would you feel if your children only loved you when you buy them presents and other times, they could care less how you’re doing or, if adult children, don’t check on you until they need something from you? Not nice, right? So, it is with out Father in Heaven.

Praising God is your action that lets Him know that you’re trusting Him for a specific outcome despite life going sideways.

Another time to praise is, when you’ve prayed fervently for something, both in your local and heavenly languages and you’ve taken corresponding action, but the answer seems delayed, rather than continuing praying, turn your prayer to praise for a sudden and speedy answer.

Why Praise

  • Praising often provokes God to move on our behalf.
  • Praising can also be used as a weapon. It confuses the enemy.
  • God inhabits the praise of His people (Psalm 148:14ab). His presence will be felt around you and/or the place of praise.

Ways to Praise God

There are multiple ways to praise God and I do not suppose any form is greater than the other. The following are biblical examples:

“Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.” (Psalms‬ ‭33:2, 150:3‬).

“Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.” (Psalms‬ ‭150:4‬)

“I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.” (Psalms‬ ‭109:30‬)

“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.” (Psalms‬ ‭26:7, 69:30‬)

Final thoughts

Praising God regularly should take preeminence over praising God only when we need “things” from Him.

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Your Voice

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Credits: Left, Jason Rosewell; Right, https://images.app.goo.gl/H87A9UYUiJZZZwM37

Your Voice is an indispensable part of who you are. Its uniqueness cannot be duplicated. Granted that, by reason of DNA, siblings might sound alike or like their parents, but there is always a distinguishing factor that tells one voice apart from the other.

I remember a long while back, a favorite Aunt of mine while chitchatting on a visit, suddenly did a swish and said, “for a moment, I thought I was talking to Uncle (my Dad).” I just stared at her as I didn’t know how to respond. Was it a compliment or was she telling me that I had a deep husky/masculine voice? No one ever told me so.

Except I am ignorant, I would not suppose that a lady wants to hear that she sounds like a man, neither would a man appreciate being told that he sounds feminine. Being the first-time I heard such a statement, I didn’t appreciate it and wouldn’t expect anyone to.

Well, I would hear that same statement a few more times after.

In a way, it’s an honor to be told that I sound(ed) like my Dad (of blessed memory) as it further authenticates me as his bona-fide daughter lol. Anyways …

WHAT IS VOICE?

The American Academy of Otolaryngology (man, I never heard that word before … the new things we learn during researches for blogging!) – Head and Neck Surgery says this about Voice:

“Voice” is the sound made by vibration of the vocal cords caused by air passing out through the larynx bringing the cords closer together. Your voice is an extremely valuable resource and is the most commonly used form of communication. Our voice is invaluable for both our social interaction as well as for most people’s occupation … Read more here.

Let Your Voice Be Heard

Whatever sound your vocal chords are releasing, those sounds are for both specific and general purposes, as well as for some people and place. Your Voice is what God uses to communicate His message(s), through you, to His people. And if you choose, Satan also can use your voice. I pray however that you choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19b).

The earlier you recognize it and embrace your voice, the sooner you’ll be able to identify your purpose which includes the people and place. So, let your voice be heard.

“Don’t let the noise of others opinions drown out Your own inner Voice.”

Steve Job

. . .

Some voices are soothing as a mother calming her baby, some are akin to angels that speak a specific message to someone or some people.

While some voices make the demons tremble and they obey, the demons will challenge some voices without authority! “Jesus we know, Paul we know, but who are you?!” (Acts 19:15).

Your voice carries power and authority in heaven and on earth

Have you ever felt like you were ignored or rejected when you speak/spoke? Spiritually speaking, a voice that carries power and authority in the spirit realm often is the voice that the wicked tends to try to “shut down” in the natural. This is an evil tactic used to confuse the person. But, I dare you to know who you are and stand unperturbed. One rejected by man, but favored by God (Isaiah 53:3a). My friend, don’t worry. The voice they ignored, rejected, or refused to listen to, will be the same voice that they will chase after, begging to speak, even when you don’t have anything to say. As it is written, “the stone which the builders rejected, has become the cornerstone” (Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17).

Note: The power Your Voice has is a gift from God, the authority comes as you follow Jesus Christ; for all authority belongs to him.

You lose the power and authority that your voice carries when you compromise; that is, intentionally and willfully keeping mute when you should speak up against evil, wickedness, injustice, and any form of ungodly acts.

Conversely, continuously speaking up, speaking the truth always and boldly, despite opposition and irrespective of who’s involved, and/or it not being popular, will sharpen Your Voice and reinforce your standing.

What (or who) are you allowing to shut Your Voice down?

If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.

Vincent Van Gogh

Some voices have been silenced by fear, while the wicked have shut many down.
Some voices have been silenced by poverty, while many wealthy have shut others down.
Some voices have been silenced by sickness, while the healthy have deprived others.
Some voices have been silenced by their own families, while society has forced many into silence.
Some voices have been robbed and others raped, while the perpetrators freely roam.

Lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

Also, “Be a voice! The Bible says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice” (Proverbs 31:8-9 NLT).

. . .

I challenge you to “raise your voice for understanding,” (Proverbs 2:3 NLT). There is a people, place, and message that is waiting for Your Voice. In so doing, it is important to know “when to speak and when to be quiet” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7b) as well as when to use your soft voice or amplified voice. Nonetheless, always be assertive.

Peace.

Suggested readings:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-your-voice-reveals-about-you-11565716426

https://www.lindamarksmusic.com/the_power_of_voice.html

https://www.redletterchristians.org/finding-your-voice/

Loving Basketball: Basketball is Back!

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Credits: Laylayrock26

NBA is back and been back a few days! I hope you all are as excited as I am; or even more so. Let’s hear the 🥁rolls …..

Pre-pandemic

The league, like everything else, was abruptly shut down in March just when we were getting excited about which teams made the playoffs. The momenta got snapped like a one-inch elastic round falling off a pant.

Restart

Well, they’re back. Too bad that my fave team, Golden State Warriors, didn’t make the restart. We all know why, right? For those who don’t: KD left the team (yay yay yay like he left OKC, right? And probably will leave Nets?!), and his leaving sent pandemonium not only to Dubs, but the who league!

Credits: ftw.usatoday.com; cdn.ampproject.org

If not for the love I have for KD, I would have blamed it all on him. But, the boy KD is phenomenal with the ball; he’s got style uniquely his. So I’ll spare him. Who knows, maybe just maybe, he might decide to return for our namesakes. I don’t believe his Oakland Hills mansion found a buyer yet, so he might just move back. We’ll pretend that he just went on a vacation and is back, right?! Please tell me that I’m not dreaming.

. . .

Anyways, the newly-formed Golden State Warriors team has lots of young players that hopefully will stay with the team long term.

Appreciate them for keeping on despite all “things” working against them. Here’s hoping that Klay T. is feeling better and will be back soon/next season. Till then, we hope the GSW players and coaches have a great and restful time off.

Four-month hiatus

Sorry I forgot why I was blogging today 😊 Got carried away raving about KD. The boy is darn (pardon my Greek) good!

Okay, NBA is back people! Four months hiatus. Gheez what did I do during those months? I guess that it’s one of those things – you love it while it lasts, and just accept it once it’s gone.

The restart scrimmages have been fun to watch. I remember my daughter’s coaches always said, “the scrimmage shows how you’re gonna play in the game.” There were times I disagreed, but for the most times, the coach was right.

So, if the NBA restart scrimmages reflect what we would see come playoffs, beginning on July 30th, we might be in for some rude shockers.

While COVID-19 didn’t affect some players’ games, many seem to be just about finding their rhythms and appear lost in the court space. We will see.

The scrimmages started two days ago and will end on July 28th, with a two-day break.

Playoffs and race to the 2019-2020 Championships begins on July 30. Who are you routing for? Do you think Toronto Raptors will be able to defend their title? They haven’t really been in the run-off news all season though but we still can’t put anything pass them. They shocked us (or maybe it was just me) last season to emerge as the 2018-19 Champions.

On the West side, the race is between Lakers and Clippers. Lakers presently takes a commanding lead though with five games over Clippers. But watch Portland and Pelicans battling for the eighth position.

On the East side, there seems to be no rival. Mil Bucks and The Freak got it being seven games over the current champion; who like KD had their lead star, KL, bail to the other side.

Game schedule

Tune in to your favorite sports channel (or TBT or ESPN or NBA) to watch the fun. Below is a link to the full schedule.

https://www.nba.com/article/2020/06/26/nba-comeback-schedule-2019-20-seeding-games

And let’s have fun voting for the 2019-2020 MVP.

Credits: Wikipedia.con
Credits: https://images.app.goo.gl/XaYJY1pHVn3gjhKR8

|_|. Giannis Antekoumpo

|_|. Lebron James

Thanks for reading.

Woohoo . . . Thank You!

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I had eagerly anticipated hitting 50 followers and it’s finally here. Better still, it came sooner than I had expected it.

Thank you 🙏🏾😍 Trafficzionmethod and JJ Smith for being my first two followers. You both gave me the break.

Thank you 🙏🏾🙏🏾😍😍WordPress family for the encouragement, motivation, and inspiration. I cherish the likes and comments and enjoy replying to them. I equally love each follower’s website and content. You all seem to do it effortlessly.

Much appreciation to the WordPress Staff behind the scenes. You all are difference makers. 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾😍😍😍

. . .

I wrote my first two blogs, [Who Am I?], [We Yearn and Thirst For] on April 19, 2020 and didn’t write another till ten days later. I started slow but finally “getting my groove” (credits to Terry MacMillan) on blogging.

Thank you all for the support. ❤️❤️❤️

Peace!

Love and Love Languages

/ ThinkTalk / 4 Comments

How do you love yourself or allow yourself to be loved? Are you the flower person, chocolates, wine and dine, just-hold-my-hands kind of person? Or do you prefer the long (phone/face-to-face) conversations? Whatever your preference, wouldn’t you like your significant other to know, or you knowing your children’s; if you have any?

Wouldn’t you also like to know the type of love your relationship (or marriage) is exhibiting?

Well, if you already don’t know, we all speak various love languages. These languages often can be misconstrued. Knowing the different types of love and love languages can set relationships straight.

. . .

Biblically, there are four types of love. Jack Zavada writes about Eros, Storge, Philia, and Agape in his article. Click here to read more https://www.thoughtco.com/types-of-love-in-the-bible-700177.

Agape is the highest form of love. It’s the God-kind of Love which we all should aspire to.

. . .

Psychologically, there are seven types of Love. Neel Burton M.D. adds three more to the biblical types. I learned something as these three are all new to me. To read them, please click here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hide-and-seek/201606/these-are-the-7-types-love.

Did you learn something new as well? Yes or No, please comment below.

There’s however an eighth kind that I’ll like to add.

Mania (obsessive/excessive) love. This kind of love can manifest in the other seven, maybe six (excluding Agape) if not checked.

Love Languages

Picture credits clockwise: Pexels, ThinkTalk, Nur Sultan. astanatimes.com

Love has a language. They are Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch.

Speaking the wrong language is akin to someone speaking Swahili to a Greek. Result is chaos, (love) clutter, and reciprocity failure. It is important to know one’s love language as well as one’s spouse, children, and/or close friends.

According to Dr. Gary Chapman, “it helps strengthen relationships … as different people with different personalities express love in different ways.

Interested in finding out your love language, click here [https://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/]. Each of us have a primary (dominant) language. We can also have a secondary (recessive) language as well as multiple love languages.

Have fun discovering your love language. And should you feel like sharing, do so in the Reply/Comments below.

Housewife: A Case for the Title

/ ThinkTalk / 1 Comment

Every home not only needs a woman, but every home needs a practical woman. A woman who can juggle her acts, smoothly don the hats of a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Economist, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Strategic Officer, Chief Internal Officer, Chief Public Relations Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, as well as the Chauffeur, Chef, and Chief of the Family Fan Club, and still maintain her poise and sanity.

A married lady who stays home to take care of the needs of her home; is to be cherished because she happily wears all the numerous hats for which she is not compensated nor adequately appreciated. She’s often taken for granted in many homes because “it is her responsibility” to take care of the house/home, right? No! That’s wrong!

The housewife’s job is never done in a day. It’s a steady chore juggling to ensure that:

(1) the physical home is sparkling clean first and foremost, and that the ambiance of the internal decor is strikingly captivating and inviting to anyone especially such that the hubby is compelled to rush home after work and hardly wants to leave the comforts for a weekend getaway;

(2) love and peace fill all its chambers;

(3) the children love it so much they want to show it off while inviting their friends over rather than chasing after sleepovers;

(4) she also loves to call it her sanctuary, and

(5) she constantly provides (or cooks) her family’s favorite meals.

Wow … what a list of chores? Does the housewife ever get a break? She takes care of everyone, but who gets to pamper her? She who refreshes others, must herself be refreshed, right?

. . .

Before I continue, I applaud the men/husbands who not only cherish their wives, but help with the household chores, and should their wives be a stay-at-homer, compensate them by giving them allowances (sounds so archaic though) or freedom in the joint bank accounts realizing that two have become one. 

. . .

Men/Husbands, please know that your wives are reasonable and sensible human beings. Once women are convinced that both are on the same page, they will handle the joint financials at a profit! (This statement can further be blogged another day). Will be interesting to hear the viewpoints of men/husbands on this too. 

“A thrifty woman is better than a great income. A good wife and health are a man’s best wealth”

Charles H. Spurgeon

Men, please share your thoughts on this point (i.e., that women are reasonable and can profitably manage the joint account) by commenting below.

History to Present Day of Housewifing:

Traditionally, married women stayed at home, not for economic reasons but, as an honor and in submission to the man/husband as the head of the household. My grandma often told us that it was taboo in their days for a married woman to have a 9-to-5 job. The few women who did had “the female” professions such as nurses or teachers; not the CEO types nor were they ever seen in the boardroom. These women were seen as women who wanted to “wear-the-pants,” aka domineering.and in church-ish language could be termed, Jezebels.

Please read this article for more on historical housewifing: https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/The-1950s-Housewife/

Modern-day reasons for staying at home however are more for economic reasons. For example, child/daycare costs are astronomical, especially in a state like California where the 2019 GDP is $3.1 trillion (https://www.statista.com/statistics/248023/us-gross-domestic-product-gdp-by-state/). According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average daycare monthly cost in California is almost a $1,000 (https://www.epi.org/child-care-costs-in-the-united-states/) compared to $500 in Alabama whose 2019 GDP was $203.97 million. Understandably, daycare cost, like every other cost, is relative. However, $500 in Alabama is a huge expense for young families with infants and toddlers, coupled with the stress of wondering whether the daycare will provide the best care. It, therefore, makes good economic sense to have one parent stay home to care for the children.

Benefits of Stay-at-homers:

  • The truism of the adage “there’s no mom like one’s mother” becomes inevitable;
  • It’s cheaper as the money that could have been paid to the daycare provider can now be channeled to other use;
  • Children are in safer environments at home than with strangers;
  • Children are healthier as there’s no ping-ponging of sicknesses that stems from having the kids together particularly during the COVID-19 period;
  • The children are well-rested as the wife/mother doesn’t have to wake them up early for daycare so that she can be prompt for work; 
  • As the children grow and begin school and/or sports, they have Mom to always drop off/pick up on time instead of looking for help or leaving them till late before picking up;
  • Family time is valued as the husband can return to home-cooked meals, which can be eaten together as a family;
  • There’s overall peace of mind.

Disadvantages of being a housewife:

  • The man-husband becomes the sole provider;
  • As a result of #1 above, there’s a higher financial burden on the man-husband;
  • This in turn causes stress in the home;
  • In today’s living standards where two wage-earners have become essential, the opportunity-cost living on one income means some things would have to be forgone and must-haves now become luxuries;
  • The woman/wife does not have a “she” money and has to rely on the bacon brought home by her hubby;
  • There’s a stigma of inadequacy that the woman/wife suffers in her circle of family and friends;
  • “If their husbands are rich, they are frequently berated for being lazy; if they are immigrants, for keeping children from learning the language and ways of their host country.” https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/world/europe/21iht-LETTER.html
  • It can be boring as the woman/wife is alone at home.

It’s a Choice!

Most housewives are educated and have chosen this path for several and varied reasons that range from personal, economic, religion, to class status. Some are because the woman/wife wanted to, or the man/husband requested that the woman stay home, or both agreed that it was the best decision for them as a family.

Whatever any family’s decision is, it is time for society to acknowledge this sector of people as essential hard workers and treat them as respectable as any working woman. Interestingly though, one article noted that “… the economic value housewives create remains within their home …” This is a sad statement to make as I believe that there is a spillover benefit that is derived from the contributions of the housewife towards her husband and children.

A 2017 New York Post article stated that millennials are forgoing the career/professional path for the comfort of the home/kitchen. Read the article here: https://nypost.com/2017/05/24/im-a-millennial-woman-and-id-rather-be-a-housewife/

I have personally been on both sides of the coin – as a professional lady as well as a housewife. If I have to choose another life, I will choose to stay at home. The housewife does a lot more with her time being home than manicure and pedicure. She needs to be compensated for the many hats that she wears or be openly appreciated.

"Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." 
- Proverbs 31:31 (NIV)

Please share your thoughts by commenting below. Thanks for reading.

Prayer: What you may not know about it

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Today, I want to talk about prayers. This issue has been togging on my heart to share. So, here it is:

[ Quoted scriptures are from the King Janes Version of the Holy Bible ]

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7:14‬

What is Prayer?

Prayer (or praying) is a form of communication between people and God. It is merely a conversation which can be in the form of a request, call (or shout) for help, thanksgiving, supplication, seeking, or showing gratitude. Knowing when to engage in one form of prayer over the other is key to answered prayers. I deem prayer as a form of humility where I’m telling Father God that I cannot do “this thing” by myself, but with Him “I can do all things…” (Philippians 4:13)

Lord Jesus prayed (Matthew 26:36-44). We also can learn from his manner of prayer. Every religion prays; Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, even the dark kingdoms, etc. The difference is distinguishable in the channel/source of the prayer.

Prayers can be in the individual’s local or heavenly language. The local language as in English, Spanish, Yoruba, Chinese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Hebrew, Swahili, etc, or any other native dialect.The heavenly language is when the individual speaks in tongues.

Speaking in tongues is in the New Testament and can either be a gift or can be desired. Because it is in the New Testament, speaking in tongues is still relevant and powerful today. Please note that speaking in tongues is different from chanting. Because all truths are parallel; some might say that speaking in tongues and chanting are similar. This blog/platform is not to debate that stance.

Which is more effective?

Personally speaking, there is a time and place for each; that is, praying in one’s local language versus praying in tongues.

“Yet in the church, I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:19‬

I love praying in tongues as it not only strengthens the inner (spirit) man, (1 Corinthians 14:4) but most importantly it bypasses the individual’s mind/intellect and is a direct communication to God. (1 Corinthians 14:2)

Prayer Styles include:

  • silently or (keeping still in the presence of God)
  • fervently (James 5:16)
  • groaning before God
  • crying/weeping unto God (Hebrews‬ ‭5:7‬, Jeremiah‬ ‭11:14, 48:5‬, Psalm 141:1, Judges 6:7, etc.)

These forms of prayer are particularly famous with King David in the Bible. We also can adopt them.

. . .

Prayer Postures

Kneeling is a favorite posture of prayer by a majority of people. Other anomalistic postures include prostrating before God (2 Samuel‬ ‭12:16‬b), standing, walking around, sitting, etc.

I know that God answers prayer any which way; irrespective of posture. The posture is not as important as one’s HEART.

. 🙏 .

Prayer can be said privately, in a group of two or more, or corporately as in a church setting.

“Not all private prayer is effective, but private prayer is rewarding”

Unknown, Grace for Purpose

The private prayer, the one-to-one communication, is the type when you enter into your “closet” aka your designated place of meeting with Father God.

“…, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; …”

Matthew‬ ‭6:6‬a

I love this video from Grace for Purpose YouTube page. Please listen to it as it will bless you and your day.

Group prayer. “Where two or more are gathered in my name, there will I be.” Group prayer is when you join with a spouse or friend(s) to pray; bringing an issue before God and coming into an agreement over the issue.

Corporate prayer. It has often been said that prayer is the foundation of the church. Many churches designate about an hour for special prayers where church members (often with the prayer group leading if the church has such a group. If not church elders or leaders lead the prayer/prayer points by coming together to pray for the church, its members, church’s needs, cities, nations, and/or for other specific needs.

What is the best time to pray?

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Jesus woke up early to pray (Mark 1:35). The above Grace for Purpose video also collaborates this. As such, I prefer the morning as the best time to pray.

Most people often start their days getting physically-charged by exercising and/or going to the gym. Others do yoga for the mental-/emotional-charge. I prefer starting my day with prayer to be spiritually-charged as it takes care of all three – physical, mental, and emotional. Besides, one might get a revelation for the day! One unique word direct from God (aka revelation) to your spirit man, can take care of something(s) that could have taken you years to resolve!

Having said that, if you start your day with prayer, it is only wise to end your day also with a prayer. But, prayer in between your work (business or college) days is equally beneficial.

. . .

The Holy Bible talks of other prayer times such as the morning watch (1 Samuel 11:11), middle watch (Judges 7:19, Luke 12:38), third watch, and fourth watch (Matthew 14:25, Mark 6:48). The watches in this usage are specific three-hour blocks of time in a 24-hour clock.

According to The Global Watch, “The Hebrew watch was divided into three watches, the first, middle and morning watch. As the Roman influence and supremacy was established, the number of watches increased to four and were described in numerical order

  1. 1st (6pm – 9pm);
  2. 2nd (9pm – 12am);
  3. 3rd (12am – 3am); and
  4. 4th (3am – 6am).”

I do not suppose that God cares about the time one prays because He has specific assignments for each person. While some are early risers/worms, some are night owls. Some people work regular hours, while some work night or grave shifts. The hours and duration that you designate for meeting with Father God will accordingly be uniquely you.

. . .

I will recommend prayer before a business meeting; pray for your business outcomes, and even your customers and suppliers. It is wisdom to commit every business decision to God even before starting it. I also recommend that one prays while at work, during your lunch break, while running your errands, in the gym, etc. Pray particularly for your home, spouses, children, family, your doctors, lawyers, accountants, your children’s friends, and their families, your children’s teachers; practically pray for everyone and everything that concerns you.

Did I hear your sigh that this is a lot of praying? It seems so, but all the above could be done in about 15 minutes. Once you get started, the fifteen minutes would seem insufficient that you’ll desire to increase your time with Father God as you deem fit. Incremental times of 15 minutes are great till you get to where you feel you’ve given your best time. One-liner prayers, such as Help me! or Heal me! are equally as effective. Your prayer does not always have to be lengthy or repetitive because Father God is not so interested in how long (quantity of time), but the quality of your time is more important to Him. The quality of time with Papa God should be free from distractions. Give Him your best time; be it 15, 30, or 60 minutes.

It is also best to designate a praying spot and block out the praying time. Once designated, be diligently prompt and consistent as He will always meet you there.

Please note that though some people might have a gift of praying, realize that none was born a prayer warrior. Every prayer warrior began somewhere. I remember when I always wished that I would not be called upon to pray at home-groups.

. . .

I will be amiss if I do not mention that prayer without corresponding action is futile. Once you’ve brought your issues (or concerns) before Father God, you need to get up and take the necessary step(s) for action. After you’ve prayed, believe that Father God has heard you and be expectant (Mark 11:24). Father’s answer to your prayer often falls into either a:

“Yes” – you receive exactly what you asked for;

“No” – you do not receive exactly what you prayed for, but you get something that Father God knows you either need or is better for you.

“Wait” – this has to do with the timing of your request and means that your request will be answered later.

. . .

Generally speaking, prayer ought to be soothing and should never agitate the person, the person’s spirit, nor a situation. Any prayer agitating anyone’s spirit is often not a godly prayer.

🙏🏾.🙏.🙏🏼.

I hope you learned a new thing or two. Please comment below to share. May you be richly rewarded publicly what you have spent your private time doing in the Name of Jesus.

Caveat: this blog on prayer is not exhaustive. There’s much more that can be written on the topic. But I hope this helps on your journey to praying and spending time with Father God.

Peace.

We wear many hats and should refrain from limiting our analysis of issues to a singular

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I propose that anyone who has lived at least a couple of decades on planet earth, will undoubtedly have some things and values that can be shared such as experiences in life, career, business, gifts, talents, etc. These valuable things transcend family, education, career, business, cultures, and more. The more the decades on earth, the deeper, varied, and sometimes hilarious the experiences. Generally speaking, the 40-/50-year old undoubtedly would have more life experiences than the 18-/25-year old. Only in few rare cases would there be exceptions to this statement.

“If elders could bequeath their experience and knowledge of life to children without the children making any mistakes, they would save them from a lifetime of heartaches.”

― Neena H. Brar, Tied to Deceit

One hat doesn’t always fit all

Having said this, I believe that people’s experiences and reactions to issues vary and are uniquely individualistic. However, we live in a culture that tries to put everyone, and every issue, in a box. For example, a father reacting to an issue concerning his son or daughter will exhibit certain emotions which might not necessarily be objective because it concerns his son/daughter. However, the same man will react differently to an issue concerning a colleague or subordinate at work; and even so differently if the subordinate were his son.

Another instance is in the medical field where certain medical guides are used across board for everyone. For instance the BMI formula, which uses one’s weight and divides it by the square of one’s height, has become the yardstick to measure an individual’s obesity tendencies. (https://bit.ly/2W1c7jB)


The BMI does not take into consideration the ethic background (Asian ladies are generally petite in stature; whereas African ladies are generally “thick”). Barbie-type African ladies are often deemed to be malnourished. BMI also ignores muscle mass, bone density, or other body structures of the individual. Yet, BMI has been accepted in the USA as the norm for gauging obesity and we are all expected to accept it!

The point that I’m making is that we should analyze issues from varied points before forming a conclusion. But, should we choose to form a conclusion based on a specific viewpoint, we need to offer that viewpoint so that readers are aware of our stand. For example, a mother, might sign a petition for more prisons to be built so that criminals are taken off our streets. The mother is wearing her citizen’s hat. However, the mother, wearing her mother hat, might not be enthused to having the prison built in her neighborhood.

The issues we talk, write, or blog would be analyzed, wearing different hats, and with the purpose to better inform the reader. Since the issues are varied, the audience will also be varied. The audience will eventually be narrowed down to a niche. Our hope is that the target niche, within the year, would hopefully have learned a thing or two from the wisdom nuggets shared.

Happy reading!

We Yearn and Thirst for …

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Everyone is searching for something yet not all know what it is that they are searching for.

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We work round-the-clock searching for more money. We are glad when a raise is given; we earned it, right? The boss finally recognizes all of my efforts. But, a year later, we’re asking for another raise and more money. Whoever said that one never has enough money did not lie. More money is only an example. The search could be for power, success, love, food, friends, more degrees than the thermometer (credit to Bishop T.D. Jakes!), cars, shoes, etc. I am not advocating idleness or truancy. But that no-one ought to work like a dog before making enough to sustain self and family. Many folks work two or three jobs just to make ends meet. There might be other reason(s) why some folks have to work more than one job: for example, having a side hustle, working a business in order to quit a 9-to-5 job or a hobby. These are normal occurrences. The ones we need to think and talk about is the “I-don’t-have-a-choice-than-to-do-these-two-jobs.” A two-job earner barely rests because s/he moves from one job to the next and repeat the next day and the next … The lack of rest causes stress and one is easily agitated.

Higher is calling

There is a higher calling us all yet we all do not pause to ask “Who?” or “Why?” or “Why me and to where?” We are just too busy! It is a fast-paced world, right? Else one will be left behind! But no, it is not. It is just a fast-paced world in our part of the continents, America. Because the last time, I checked, Italy takes a summer break for a month (https://bit.ly/3d2tffn), Europeans are known to take national naps and their women go on six-months’ maternity leave with pay (https://bit.ly/35iCWE3), right? while Africans take a rest justifying that “I can’t kill myself!” Even the Creator of the Universe rested. Why not you; why not me; and why not us? One thing I know for sure (credit to Oprah) is that the Creator of the Universe has a way of keeping one still. I ask the one who cannot take a break, and God forbid this: “what happens when you’re involved in an accident and become bedridden for weeks?” Or the inevitable stroke and/or paralysis occur? Unfortunately, sometimes it is necessary to paint this ugly picture for one to get it. 

Why allow the taskmaster to drive you endlessly?!

Visitors to California echo that it is a highly paced State. That the culture is different in other States. The visitors wonder why we are too time-conscious and cannot relax for a second. I have not lived in other states to experience the difference but I’m curious to find out. Please share your experiences in the comments below if you agree that California (and probably, New York) is highly fast-paced compared to other States.

The one good thing that COVID-19 has done for us all is to take a critical look at ourselves; our business, and to put our lives into a perspective. We all have been forced to sit still. If we could sit still and survive the last two or three months, we can accept this new norm going forward.

Rest is essential to the body and, in resting, we can be still and pay attention to each other, our neighbors, our environments, and our nation. We can communicate (as in listening) and value one another. But most importantly, in rest, you meditate, communicate with your inner self, and a higher being. You are calmer, peaceful, and notice a lot of things and details that others would miss. 

While writing this blog, I stumbled upon a new word “sehnsucht,” which sums up the kind of yearning that this blog is about. 

I propose to you that whenever there’s an insatiable hunger (or thirst) for something, there’s always an underlying issue that needs to be dealt with. Often, that issue is internal, deeper, and the solution can only be found in drawing nearer to the Creator for He’s the only One who can satisfy. The next time you yearn for more, take time to sit still and ask the Creator for help, to speak to you, and share your experience.