Strife means bitter conflict, discord, antagonism, a quarrel, struggle, clash, competition or rivalry. Strife robs us of peace and joy. 

Living a strife-free life is possible when we walk in love and humility

“Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Shout joyfully to the Lord , all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of a psalm, with trumpets and the sound of a horn; shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.

Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell in it; let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity.”

Psalms 98:1‭-‬9 NKJV

Merriam-Webster’ definition of meekness would be my best dictionary definition….

“the quality or state of being meek : a mild, moderate, humble, or submissive quality.”

This definition is quite close to the Biblical meaning of the word….

Meekness is quietness and gentleness of spirit. It is an inward gracing and temper of spirit that manifests physically. Meekness (gentleness/quietness) is part of the fruit of the Spirit….

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!“
Galatians 5:22‭-‬23 NLT

It’s interesting to note that meekness is often listed or mentioned alongside humility in the Bible. Humility here meaning; the fear (reverence) of the Lord and the expression of God’s kind of love towards others.

We are admonished as disciples of Jesus Christ to exhibit the good virtue of meekness …

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”
Colossians 3:12‭-‬14 NKJV

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love”
Ephesians 4:1‭-‬2 NKJV

Below is a quote from Vines about meekness…. I love it…

“Described negatively, meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest; it is equanimity of spirit that is neither elated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self at all.”

So underlying meekness is selflessness. Selflessness is an attribute of humility. People who put themselves in the centre of everything struggle with selflessness, humility, agape and meekness.

Meekness and humility don’t just come naturally, no mere human is naturally all of these things. Jesus was described this way…

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:29 NKJV

“Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ— who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.”
II Corinthians 10:1 NKJV

And there lies the good news, if Jesus was all of these things and He lives in us, then we can be all of these things…Halleluyah!

1 Peter 3: 4 describes meekness as the ornament of the spirit…

“Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”
I Peter 3:3‭-‬4 NKJV

“but let it be [the inner beauty of] the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, [one that is calm and self-controlled, not overanxious, but serene and spiritually mature] which is very precious in the sight of God.”
1 Peter 3:4 AMP

“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”
1 Peter 3:3‭-‬4 NLT

Just as an aside, I believe every woman was created beautiful. A woman should look simple, smart and beautiful. However there’s an ‘exessiveness’ and busyness of looking beautiful that is absolutely distracting….both for men and women (selah).

A gentle and quiet spirit is attractive, even to God. And it manifests physically, even in our dressing……

One of the first things I heard God say to me was; ‘in quietness is your strength’……I love the woman on the cover page of Francine Rivers’ book, The Scarlet Thread…..

There is a seeming quietness around her, she looks really calm and peaceful. Arnold (my husband) says she must have worked really hard to be comfortably seated like that….Well, I am working hard!…..?.

Back in University days some of my colleagues nicknamed me ‘cool, calm, calculated’…., that’s how it seemed physically, but they were so wrong, …..if only they knew the wars I had within…. thank God for the Holy Spirit at work in us.

In meekness, we are more pliable to the Word of God; our spirit as led by God’s Spirit gains more dominance over our minds, emotions and intellect.

“Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls.“
James 1:21 NKJV

And there is an abundance of peace for the meek…

“But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.“
Psalms 37:11 NKJV

Child of God, you are Spirit, sent by the Father on earth on a mission, to impact lives positively. You are to be seen, to be heard, to make a difference. And though you have a specific purpose to accomplish, you can do all things through the force of the Spirit propelling you.

Recorded in Jeremiah 29, is a short story of how God’s people in exile to Babylon, who were taken away by Nebuchadnezzar as captives from Jerusalem, suddenly received a letter from Prophet Jeremiah.

This wasn’t an ordinary letter, it was a letter from God, a letter with a promise, a letter of hope. It was a promise from God to set things back in order and to realign the the experience of His people so as to fit His predetermined plan, thoughts and purpose for them.

“This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:10‭-‬11 NLT

Maybe your life seems like that of the captives in Babylon, maybe your present situation looks nothing like what you’d call God’s plans for your life, maybe you feel like you’re not headed in the right direction, maybe sickness and disease stole your peace over time, maybe poverty suddenly crept in on you, maybe your best efforts seems to be ending in futility, or maybe the enemy just came on you like a thief in the night and it appears your life dreams have been distorted, behold the Word of the Lord to you today; I am setting IT back in order! Halleluyah!!!

Your health is being restored, your harvest is chasing after you; wealth is headed in your direction, you will experience peace again, God is here to change your story….. yes, God just weighed in, and He is setting your life back in order!!!

Whatever area of your life that needs fixing….God is setting IT back in order.

He is realigning IT, He is restoring IT, He is reorganizing IT, Halleluyah!

Your days of mourning are over, your nights of weeping have ended, suddenly the pains and aches are gone and your strength returns, joy and laughter are back in your home, your experience is changing for the best…. everything is realigning with God’s plans and thoughts for you. Halleluyah!! God is setting IT all in order.

And when you look back on the time and things you thought were lost, it will become apparent that really you lost nothing, instead you gained faith, trust, resilience, patience, experience, understanding.

Oh! Say it to yourself; say it out loud, say it until you are convinced that it’s true, until you see it, believe it and receive it…. “God is setting my life back in order.” Halleluyah! Halleluyah!! Halleluyah!!!

Happy Monday Friends, and have a most blessed week.

Healing confessions are no good if we lack the conviction that we are already healed. Our confessions and partaking in communion do not in themselves bring healing, they are ways in which we further proclaim and maintain that we are healed.

“Hear this, you priests. Pay attention, you leaders of Israel.

Listen, you members of the royal family.

Judgment has been handed down against you.

For you have led the people into a snare by worshiping the idols at Mizpah and Tabor. You have dug a deep pit to trap them at Acacia Grove. But I will settle with you for what you have done.

I know what you are like, O Ephraim. You cannot hide yourself from me, O Israel. You have left me as a prostitute leaves her husband; you are utterly defiled. Your deeds won’t let you return to your God. You are a prostitute through and through, and you do not know the Lord .

The arrogance of Israel testifies against her; Israel and Ephraim will stumble under their load of guilt. Judah, too, will fall with them. When they come with their flocks and herds to offer sacrifices to the Lord, they will not find him, because he has withdrawn from them.

They have betrayed the honor of the Lord , bearing children that are not his. Now their false religion will devour them along with their wealth.

Sound the alarm in Gibeah! Blow the trumpet in Ramah! Raise the battle cry in Beth-aven ! Lead on into battle, O warriors of Benjamin!

One thing is certain, Israel : On your day of punishment, you will become a heap of rubble. “The leaders of Judah have become like thieves. So I will pour my anger on them like a waterfall. The people of Israel will be crushed and broken by my judgment because they are determined to worship idols. I will destroy Israel as a moth consumes wool. I will make Judah as weak as rotten wood.

When Israel and Judah saw how sick they were, Israel turned to Assyria— to the great king there— but he could neither help nor cure them.

I will be like a lion to Israel, like a strong young lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces! I will carry them off, and no one will be left to rescue them.

Then I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and turn to me. For as soon as trouble comes, they will earnestly search for me.”

Hosea 5:1‭-‬15 NLT

………….

He who has ears let him hear.

The early verses of Luke chapter 5 does more than show a miracle of provision and abundance. Those verses of scripture portrays Peter in a light that helps us appreciate why Christ chose him as the rock upon which to build his church despite his human imperfections and why it was possible for Peter to experience a net-breaking catch of fish.

Scent leaves! They’re found almost in every home garden in my part of the world. Botanical name-Ocimum gratissimum, scent leaf is an aromatic shrub used extensively across tropical and subtropical regions, including Nigeria.

Scent leaves are sweet-smelling spicy leaves commonly used in soups, stew and a few other kinds of foods. While studies have suggested some medicinal benefits of scent leaves, my love for this shrub lies in its aromatic side, a love that goes way back to my childhood.

I grew up in the coastal parts of Nigeria, precisely in Rivers State. One of the memorable things about growing up in this area is the early exposure to seafoods and the different delicacies that can emerge from them.

I grew up eating seafood based foods, notable among which are the Rivers Native Soup, Fisherman Soup, Onunu & Freshfish Pepper Soup. These are really deliciously yummy meals and scent leaves add great flavours to some of these dishes. There is hardly anytime you’ll eat any of these delicacies and not proclaim; ‘The Lord Brought My Soup!’

I particularly plant scent leaves in every new home I move to. My family recently moved home, and along came my little scent leaf shrub. As it turned out, I wasn’t the only one in my neighbourhood who spices up soups with scent leaves. In my short time here, my once luscious little scent leaf shrub, starting looking dry and bare. The shrub was struggling to meet the demands from more than one user.

Did I become grumpy? Yes and sorry! It might just help if people would just stick little scent leaf plants in the soil in their backyards…what do you think? Shhh, I didn’t say that to them. Sadly, I found myself having to buy scent leaves from the market. Not very nice. And each time the now bare shrub in my small garden stared at me, a little sadness filled my soul. Well until recently…

I decided to take a walk around the house to see how well my flowers were blossoming; very well I must say, and I love them. That was when I noticed the fine spread of little shrubs around the area of my little scent leaf shrub, a spread that extended well beyond the location of the original plant. A closer look confirmed these were new scent leaf shrubs sprouting all over the place. Amazing! This is almost too good to be true…..

Immediately Proverbs 11:24 came to mind…

“There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.”
Proverbs 11:24 NKJV

Oh! If only my sprouting little shrubs were gold…. 🙂

And no, I am not grumpy any longer… infact, you are welcome to have some of my scent leaf.

Don’t stop giving, never stop sowing. Whether you sow sparingly or bountifully, keep sowing. Remember though that there’s more reward for the bountiful sower….

“..but this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.“
II Corinthians 9:6 NKJV

“..and let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
Galatians 6:9 NKJV

Happy Monday!

I hope you enjoy the recipes..?

……………..

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Blessings & Love Always.

The weapon may be formed, but it won’t prosper
When the darkness falls, it won’t prevail
‘Cause the God I serve knows only how to triumph
My God will never fail
Oh, my God will never failI’m gonna see a victory

I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You,

There’s power in the mighty name of Jesus
Every war He wages He will win
I’m not backing down from any giant
‘Cause I know how this story ends
Yes, I know how this story endsI’m gonna see a victory

I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You,

Lord am gonna worship my way through this battle
Gonna worship my way through.

You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for goodI’m gonna see a victory

I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You, Lord
I’m gonna see a victory
I’m gonna see a victory
For the battle belongs to You,

Lord You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good
You’re turning it around
You take what the enemy meant for evil
And You turn it for good
You turn it for good,

Songwriters: Ben Fielding / Christopher Joel Brown / Jason Ingram / Steven Furtick