Everything leading to the birth of Christ goes against our mortal belief system. Despite our resistance to honoring Him, God was committed to His choice to offer Christ for the salvation of the world. Although Jesus could have received the most royal welcome, accompanied by a host of angels, to show us how far He would go for mankind, God allowed the events preventing His birth to occur without any interference from Heaven. While the devil tried to stop Him from stepping into the battle arena, Christ’s entrance to the scene playing out between us and the accuser ended our hopelessness.

Digging for treasures has been our world’s staple, generation after generation. From beneath the earth and ocean, we’ve discovered some of the greatest elements that make our world function better. We have drinking water, oil, gold, cobalt, pearls, and many other resources because we venture to dig deeper than what the surface offers. Even our crops bear fruits and leaves because their roots reach deep beneath the earth.

The morality of humanity dwindles with each click of time and as Christians saddled with the responsibility to lead people to Christ, we struggle with the need to balance the act of living out our faith and letting people see what we see. I am as bold about my faith as any Christian and there’s always that nag within me that wants to shake people up to see what I see.

I found myself caught up in a web, spurned by all the distractions and noise in the world. Like many Christians, I built a cocoon and nestle in it instead of standing on the steps of grace to invite others to follow the path that has given my life meaning and hope. Over time, it has become easier to have a haughty attitude towards my salvation, forgetting I was saved by grace and grace alone.

Although we might be surrounded by waves threatening to drown us, there are a million and one reasons to be grateful to God. His love speaks through the sun that shines every morning and the moon that lights our sky at night. His grace breaks through our imperfections and His mercy cuts through our limitations.

I’m not an artist by any means but my daughter is. She loves art and picked up drawing at an early age. For every birthday, she gives the most beautiful, personalized art. It’s just a form of relaxation for her and serves as an outlet to express herself.

When my family moved to the United States, we attended a church that felt like our church in Nigeria. We wanted to enjoy the same style of praise and worship, mingle with people that spoke our local language, and pray the same way we did. While we loved the church, after a few months, I got restless because I wanted more than the cultural feel of a church.

It’s not the most fun thing to have electricity shut off without an alternative to power your home, cook your food or see in the night. Growing up in Africa, I experienced many blackouts. I’ve even had a few in the US, especially when we lived in hurricane-prone Florida. No matter how often you go through it, it’s never pleasant.

There are many misconceptions about the Christian faith, one of which is the notion that our salvation in Christ excuses us from walking through tough times. The false message paints a picture of a life that limits God’s presence to handing out material gains and life’s pleasures. It’s a belief system that has been ingrained in many Christians, causing them to question their faith when they face challenges

Have you ever traded in one car to buy another one or transferred one home’s equity to live in a different one? The change might stem from the need for something newer, bigger, smaller, more expensive, or cheaper. Whatever the reason, there’s always a motivation behind the decision to trade one thing to get something else. And regardless of why, there must be a reward attached to the decision.

I’ve watched different series on gold hunting for both land and sea and they are not tasks for the faint-hearted. I am not a treasure hunter by any means, but I believe the deeper you dig, the better your chances of finding priceless treasures. The best diamonds are not sourced from the surface of the earth but are buried deep within caves and have to be dug out. It takes more than a kitchen knife to reach the finest diamonds and much more than fishing in the reef to get a priceless pearl.

There is so much beauty in flowers! I believe they are one of our world’s greatest creations and I love surrounding myself with them. I love the colors they add to life and the calm looking at them brings. But to bud and flourish, flowers need both the cooling of water and the warmth of the sun, and most flowers can’t survive without the other.

I woke up in the middle of the night with my mind running through the many questions I needed answers to. As I tossed from one side of my bed to the other, trying to find the perfect position to help me sleep, I heard the worship playing softly in my room and a smile crept up my face. Although I did not hear a loud roar to calm my discomfort, I was conscious of the presence of my Father, and I knew I was not alone.

Although the love of God runs deeper than the love of any mother, we are like newborns in the hands of God. He is tenderhearted towards humanity and no matter how far we walk away from Him, He keeps coming after us. God is a steadfast refuge and a sure shield from the scorching elements of life. He doesn’t break His hold on you just because you miss your mark and whichever way the tide leads you, He is there to uphold you.

When the children of Gad and the children of Reuben saw the land of Jazer in Numbers 32, they were ready to abandon God’s promise for them and settle there. All they could see was how well their cattle will thrive on that land and it blinded them from seeing beyond the grazing grass. They told Moses in verse 5, “Let this land be given unto us for a possession and bring us not into the land of Jordan.”

When the Israelites reached Kadesh, they had to pass through Edom for them to continue their journey to the promised land. Knowing the danger of walking through the city without permission, Moses sent a message to the king. He pleaded with him in Numbers 20:17 “Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard or drink water from any well.

As I saw the text with Jen’s name on it, my spirit leaped because although I’ve not seen her in four years, her family was an integral part of my life. We spent two years in the same church group, learning, laughing, praying, and even camping together. Although we’ve moved to a different state and attend different churches now, the bond between us is Jesus and that is strong enough to defy all odds.

I did not like how the clerk answered me and in that split second of my heart’s response, I was more conscious of how to match her sarcasm with mine. I’ve blurted out the sharp answer before I had a prick in my heart. The Holy Spirit convicted me that I should know better. I am a child of God and sarcasm should not get to me the way I allowed her words to get to me. I immediately turned the table and continued the conversation more cordially despite my displeasure.

The polarization in our world is overwhelming. Our differences are magnified, and our joint venture of humanity is suppressed under the demands of racial and cultural identity. The wholeness for which we are all created by God is fractured into fractions of nonessentials. And just when you find the niche to hang on to, you realize there are more fragments, and you need to realign.

I have heard and read so many messages on prosperity and while some align with God’s will for His children, many miss the mark by portraying a view that does not speak to the prosperity of our souls. There is so much focus on how well God wants us to live here on earth, that we forget why Christ truly died. His death was more than a meal ticket or healed wound for us. He died to restore our souls to God for us to have life in abundance and spend eternity with God.