Fast and pray 2

Ezra's assignment was rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, and there were moments when it felt overwhelming. So here's what he did: 'We fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.' When you are willing to go without food and take the time to seek God with all your heart, He will respond to you. So, when should you fast? Let's observe three things Ezra fasted and prayed for: 1) '...To seek from Him the right way for us...' (v. 21 NKJV). Without God's guidance you are left to the mercy of your own best thinking, and that can get you into trouble you may not get out of in a hurry. God doesn't want you travelling blindly into the future, hoping for the best. His promise to you is, 'Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come' (Jeremiah 33:3 NLT). 2) '...and [for] our little ones...' (Ezra 8:21 NKJV). Because God Himself is a father, this much is sure: when you petition Him on behalf of your children He gets involved in their lives! Samuel was moulded into one of Israel's greatest prophets by the prayers of a godly mother called Hannah. 3) '...and all our possessions' (v. 21 NKJV). If unemployment, the home foreclosure rate, and the rollercoaster we call the stock market are anything to go by, you'd be wise to consult God before you make any financial decision. 'Has God promised to bless me financially?' you ask. Yes. But only when your heart is in harmony with His will and your desire is to do what pleases Him.

Fast and pray

Have you ever fasted? Do you know what it is, or why people do it? Many Christians don't, and they are left wondering if it is essential to Christian living. But one thing that's very clear from the Bible is that when God asks us to do something, there's always a good reason behind it - even when we don't fully understand. So when God highlights fasting we need to sit up and take notice. [2](We also need to make it clear that we definitely aren't telling you to put yourself in any danger! If you have any doubts about fasting, talk to your church leaders or an older Christian who you trust about it. Never fast, or do anything, if you are worried about hurting yourself! And if you have trouble with eating disorders (don't worry, lots of people have), we're especially praying for you today. Fasting is nothing to do with not eating in that sense, and we would really encourage you to talk to someone older that you trust about it.) Fasting is not a healthy eating plan or fad diet that's been dragged up from history - it is, admittedly, something of a mystery. But there are some things we know about it. We know that it is a spiritual discipline meant to benefit us. It is good for us. As we fast, we recognise our weakness without God's provision, and our total need for God. And then, as we grow closer to Him, it can be a direct way of getting God's attention. When Ezra found life overwhelming, he knew God's help was essential, or he'd collapse under the weight of his problems. So he and his friends 'fasted and prayed' (Ezra 8:23). God honoured their commitment. If, like Ezra, you're unsure about where to go in life and how best to get there, try fasting and praying. If you're concerned about your family or friends, think about what you can give up to have more quality prayer time. If you're anxious about having the stuff you need, know that prayer through fasting is a way of drawing close to the Provider of every good thing. When we fast, we let God know that we are serious about wanting His help. We believe with our whole beings that God has the power to change things for the better. What now? If you think it is safe for you, consider put it into practice: fast by skipping a meal or an activity, and use that time to pray for a specific area, person, people, or situation that you're keen to see change.

Aluu Masacre: A message from D'banj

They were my brothers…and yours.

Four days ago, I woke up to yet another unspeakable tragedy.

Four young men, all undergraduates, brimming with great dreams, unfulfilled aspirations and a promising future were killed. To express the depth of my pain and shock at their murder is impossible. And understanding how events could have degenerated to this level is truthfully beyond me.

Lloyd, Ugo, Tekana and Chidiaka

Four promising young men whose lives were interwoven in one way or the other with yours and mine.

I mourn deeply with the families of these young men because this is OUR collective loss. They were our colleagues, our classmates, our neighbors, our brothers… our friends.

We are NOT a nation of barbarians. We CAN follow due processes and procedures. We MUST fight together as ONE NATION to ensure that Justice as a whole is served, and as a PROCESS, is duly followed-ALWAYS.

We can only try to make meaning of this senseless tragedy by ensuring that this WILL not happen again, by affirming that the pursuit of justice does not in any way entitle any of us to the willful elimination of other people’s lives and by ensuring that we, as youths, do not destroy the honorable mantle placed on us as the future of our nation, by eliminating our present.

Aluu 4 and Mubi 40, Rest In Perfect Peace.

God Bless Nigeria