His name is Jesus

Written by Uyoyou Charles-Iyoha

Author and Finisher of our Faith

First born from the dead

The Ruler over the kings of the earth

Alpha and Omega

The Faithful and True Witness

The Beginning of the creation of God

The Power and Wisdom of God

The Lion of the tribe of Judah

The Root of David

Who has the key of David

The Word of God, Author of Peace

The sharp two edged sword

He is the First and the Last

Jesus, Emmanuel, Counsellor

Mighty God, Prince of Peace

Everlasting Father, Wonderful

Savior, Healer, Sanctifier

Justifier, Provider, The Good Shepherd

The Way, the Truth and the Life

The Bread of Life, The Rose of Sharon

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Crossroads

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Confused, uncertain, indecisive

I have no idea

Except that I am unsure

Whether to turn left or right

Say Yes or No

So many echoes, whispers, voices

Right or wrong

True or False

Misleading or giving true direction

Lord, I need your help

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead

To raise me from the crossroads of life

I need you, Lord.

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Healing the Nations Through Forgiveness 3

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The Prodigal Son and His Father – Luke Chapter 15 verses 11 to 32

The prodigal son is an interesting case study of some mothers do have them! Generally, sons and daughters and whoever inherits after the demise of their parents or benefactors. But the prodigal son chose to have his inheritance even when his father was still alive. He went to his father and requested for his inheritance. His father obliged him and not quite long he lost everything to riotous living and began to live in penury. Close to eating pods - what he served to pigs as their meal, he did a rethink. He had lived wrongly and had wronged his father. He did a u-turn and returned home. Fortunately for him, his father lovingly accepted him back. The relationship between father and son was restored through repentance, forgiveness and acceptance.

Realization and acknowledgement of sin, repentance, forgiveness and acceptance culminate in the healing process and restoration of relationships. Relationships are very central to God. That explains why the Bible gives a number of instances of relationships that went awry and how God intervened and the relationships were restored. Beginning with Adam and Eve, through Sarah and Hagar, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, the prodigal son and his father, John Mark  and the Apostle Paul, the Apostles Paul and Peter, God and us, the people of Israel, David. Manasseh.

To ensure the restoration of relationships, God gave believers principles for managing relationships. They are in the Bible. Forgiveness is one of them and very key – we are to forgive as many times as people hurt us, sin against us; we are also to ask forgiveness of other people when we offend them; we are to acknowledge our sins and repent of them, we are to tolerate one another in love, speak up and rebuke one another in love rather than bottle up and live in anger, resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness. We are to share information that transforms rather than gossip and we are to pray for one another rather than project ill will. That way, we will have wholesome individuals, communities and nations.

Healing the Nations Through Forgiveness 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Joseph and His Brothers – Genesis Chapters 37, 39, 40, 41 and 42

There was a rift in the nation of Israel. Joseph and his brothers were estranged because the older brothers of Joseph envied Joseph. Why? Joseph carelessly shared his dreams of global leadership with them. Secondly, their father loved Joseph more and what began as envy progressed to hatred – they did not speak peaceably with him.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on which side of the divide you are in, Joseph played into their hands when in obedience to his father’s instructions went out to look for his brothers in the field. They took advantage of this opportunity to kill Joseph. But for Reuben’s intervention, Joseph would have been killed. He was sold into slavery and for about fifteen years, Joseph lost contact with his biological family. He served as a servant and later overseer in Potiphar’s house before he was thrown into prison on account of the carefully orchestrated lies of Potiphar’s wife. It was her word against his. Eventually, God orchestrated events that brought Joseph before Pharaoh and Joseph became a leader in Egypt. Dreams fulfilled but family and nation rift was still there. And because God usually restores all things, including healing nations through healing the skewed up relationships in the nations, He orchestrated events that brought them together.

His brothers came to buy grain in Egypt in Egypt. Joseph recognized them but they did not recognize Joseph. The healing process had begun. Joseph could have chosen to be vindictive, throw them in prison for life, refuse them grain and send them away empty handed to die of hunger and starvation, kill them on trumped up charges. He did not tow any of these paths rather he tested them and when he saw that they were repentant, the Bible records that Joseph turned away from them and wept (Genesis Chapter 42 verses 21 to 26). He also filled their sacks with grain, returned their money and gave them provisions for the journey. Joseph was not the only one being healed. His brothers were also being healed. Deep conviction of sin for the way they treated Joseph had come upon them. They regretted their actions. So there was acknowledgment of sins and repentance on the part of his brothers and forgiveness on the part of Joseph who did not hold any grudges against them. Yet, he tested them again. He deliberately put his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack and sent his steward after them. The brothers almost died when the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. They opted to serve as slaves in Benjamin’s place and when Joseph insisted that the rest of them could return to Canaan, Judah offered to serve as a slave to Joseph just so Benjamin could be free to return to his father. At that point, Joseph realized that his brothers were changed men and he made himself known to them. Were they afraid? Definitely! But Joseph told them they were serving the purpose of God when they sold him to Egypt for indeed God was the One who sent him to Egypt in order to preserve their own lives as the famine was also severe in Canaan. He advised them not to blame each other. He then wept over them, kissed them and gave them gifts.

Healing the Nations Through Forgiveness 1

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

To err is human while to forgive is divine. The healing of the nations is usually preceded by the acknowledgment of sin, repentance and forgiveness after which healing and restoration begins. 2^nd Chronicles Chapter 7 verse 14.

The Bible is replete with teachings, instructions and commandments to forgive people who hurt one another. They include Ephesians Chapter 4 verse 32, Matthew Chapter 18 verses 21 to 35, Colossians Chapter 3 verses 12 to 23, and Luke Chapter 17 verses 3 to 4.

Jesus Christ and Peter

Peter denied Jesus Christ three times yet Jesus did not renege on His promise to Peter. Please see Matthew Chapter 16 verses 15 to 19, John Chapter 21 verses 15 to 22, Acts Chapter 2 verses 14, 4 verse 8. Jesus Christ knew that Peter would deny Him yet He prayed for Peter ahead of the temptation and denial (Luke Chapter 22 verses 31 to 34, 54 to 62). The devil wanted to make nonsense of Peter’s faith but God intervened through intercession for Peter. He also forgave Peter and never mentioned the incident after the resurrection. Rather, He commissioned Peter to take care of the early Church.

Significantly, Peter led the early Church. It is also significant to note that Peter repented – he wept bitterly after the rooster crowed.

Esau and Jacob

These are twin brothers that should have been extremely close to one another yet at different points, wrong relational attitudes and actions caused a rift of hatred that made Esau want to kill his twin brother. Fortunately, Jacob fled early enough from Esau’s anger, hatred and sword. Their relationship at that point in time had degenerated to that of enemies – Esau was angry that Jacob cunningly stole his birth right and proceeded from there to steal the blessings their father Isaac wanted to give to Esau.

The relationship between Isaac and Rebekah coupled with the way they related to the children contributed to the degeneration that took place in their relationship. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game while Rebekah loved Jacob. That was enough to create discord and schism among the brothers. Please see Genesis Chapters 25 verses 27 to 34 and 27 verses 1 to 45. For many years, the brothers were separated from each other. Jacob had married wives, had children just as Esau had done long before Jacob thought of getting married. However, the situation in Laban’s home and country was no longer conducive for Jacob and his family. He decided to return home. But he had to take care of the relationship between him and his twin brother Esau. He sent emissaries to Esau and became afraid when they returned and told him that Esau was coming out with four hundred men to meet him. At that point in time, Jacob asked God for intervention. Please see Genesis Chapter 32 verses 1 to 13. God honored the prayer of Jacob and by the time the brothers met, Jacob was shocked as his brother Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell on his neck and kissed him. For the first time in many years, they were brothers again and they wept, tears of joy at the reunion and the fact that God spared their lives and kept Esau from killing Jacob in the moment of uncontrolled anger – Genesis Chapter 33 verses 1 to 20.

God healed and restored their relationship. Esau accepted gifts from Jacob and even offered security for Jacob and the children.

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Equitable Resource Allocation and Control for Healing the Nations

 Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob. For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle. Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau [is] Edom. Genesis Chapter 36 verses 6 to 8.

Socio-economic injustice issues are a major cause of deep seated resentment that sometimes snowballs into conflicts that sometimes degenerate into wars. Unfortunately, this is to a large extent global. Significantly, socio-economic injustice did not start today. It has always been a part of human existence as individual, families, communities and nations have always contended over resources especially in cases of inequitable resource allocation.

There was contention over resources between Abram and his nephew Lot in the book of Genesis Chapter 13 verses 1 to 18. The land was not able to support them because of inadequate pasture for the large livestock they had acquired over time. This created constant contention and strife over between the herdsmen of Lot and Abram over pasture and probably water, storage and shed facilities for the herds of Abram and Lot.

Abram reflected on the contention and strife which his spirit, soul and body abhorred. He suggested separation so there could be peace. That resolved the issue completely but most significantly expanded Abram’s vision of divine purpose and divine resources for the accomplishment of divine purpose. There was no more distraction, anxious moments occasioned by the constant contention and strife. It was focus and progress all the way. Abram could move forward, uninterrupted in the plans and purposes of God for His life simply because he boldly took the decision to separate from contention and strife.

The herdsmen of Isaac and the herdsmen of Gerar contended over wells of water. Isaac and his herdsmen separated and dug a number of places until they found wells of water that were not contended for. They had peace and flourished in the land. Please see Genesis Chapter 26 verses 12 to 33.

Arise From Slumber

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Arise from slumber

Walk in newness of life

Celebrate new life in Christ Jesus

Your Savior and King

Eat the bread of life daily

Drink, chew, and meditate

On the bread of life

Life giving and life sustaining

Free, abundantly supplied

In His Word of Life

Your Bible, taken off the shelf

Read and studied daily

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