Press Release on Akure Civic Centre

PRESS RELEASE

Akure community, FECA sign MoU on Civic Centre

The Akure community and the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the siting of a new Civic Centre for the community within the premises of the institution.

The project, called Akure Civic and Outreach Centre, is being funded by the federal government and would be handed over to the Akure community upon completion.

The project was included in the 2016 budget of the federal government and was facilitated by a member of the House of Representatives, representing Akure South/Akure North federal constituency, Hon. Afe Olowokere.

The new ultra modern Civic and Outreach Centre will be located at the western corridor of the premises of the school which adjourns two major roads (the Akure-Owo highway and the Agbogbo-Okeijebu road).

The Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, had set up a committee to secure a befitting location for the project, with the committee later recommending that particular portion of the school land.

The approval of the part of the land for the project was last week conveyed to the school authority and the Akure community by the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, ARCN, which supervises the school.

Consequently, the community and the management of the school endorsed an MoU to signal the beginning of the construction of the centre at the location.

The Legal Adviser of the ARCN, Barrister Ibrahim Nduku, led the team of the school while the Akure community was represented by the Chairman and Secretary of its Civic Centre Committee, Hon. Patrick Ojo and Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, respectively.

Oba Aladetoyinbo thanked the Provost of the school, Dr. Samson Odedina, for his cooperation and support for the project and his various achievements in the school.



Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan,
Secretary,
Committee on Civic Centre,
Akure Community.

I stand by Apostle Suleman, says Gov. Ayo Fayose

I stand by Apostle Suleman, APC cabal behind his travail- Ekiti state governor Ayo Fayose says

As culled from LIB,

Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, has declared his support for senior pastor of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman who is currently enmeshed in a sex scandal. In a statement released Wednesday, Fayose said the recent allegations of adultery leveled against Suleman is part of a high level conspiracy designed to silence Suleman for speaking out on national issues. He said:

"It is a high level conspiracy meant to destroy the integrity of the pastor and silence his critical and principled voice of truth and dissent in a nation fast becoming a one-party state. This was the same way they tried to drag the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christians Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye in the mud. 

The whole world was aghast at how they insulted and ridiculed the highly-revered RCCG General Overseer. But for the outcry from all over the world, they almost bundled out Pastor Adeboye from his position as RCCG General Overseer and could have even arrested the General Overseer of Winners Chapel, David Oyedepo. I stand by Apostle Suleiman and other men of God being directly or indirectly persecuted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) cabal. Their evil plan is to destroy the Church so as to silence every perceivable strong voice of opposition. And their mode of operation is to take on every vocal, principled, and popular man of God one after the other. 

Should it not interest Nigerians and the international community that up till today, none of those herdsmen that killed thousands of Nigerians in Benue, Enugu, Delta, Ogun, Plateau and Kaduna States have been arrested? Even those arrested in connection with the murder of Abuja-based female pastor, Eunice Elisha have been released.”the statement read

Fayose wondered why the adultery allegations against Suleman are just surfacing now after he spoke vehemently against the attacks on Christians in Southern Kaduna.

“This, no doubt, is a continuation of the desperate but despicable and condemnable attempts to destroy opposition and the voices of reason in this country so as to subjugate every decent Nigerian and turn the country into a banana republic. After politically subjugating many Nigerians, including a section of the judiciary that refused to do their bidding; they have now turned on men of God. This is condemnable. Those behind the travails of Apostle Suleiman are confirmed polygamists, serial adulterers, and others whose holier-than-thou attitude was sheer hypocrisy” he said

How onions improve sleep, relieve stress

By Chukwuma Muanya [The Guardian]

Low-carb, high-fat diet may provide cure for epilepsy, seizures

Eat onions, leeks and artichokes if you are stressed and struggling to sleep.

For scientists have discovered that the popular vegetables could help humans to relax – allowing them a better night’s sleep.

They are known to be high in prebiotics, dietary fibers that act as food for good stomach bacteria.

And a groundbreaking new study has found these help to boost gut health by aiding the growth of beneficial bugs.

They also release metabolic byproducts, which influence the brain into overcoming worry and fear, research shows.
Experts believe the findings strengthen the ever-growing link between gut bacteria and overall health.

A lot is already known about probiotics – live bacteria designed to improve gut health – but research on prebiotics is relatively scarce.

To test their effects, a team of United States (U.S.) scientists fed three-week-old male rats a diet of either standard chow or chow that included prebiotics.

The rodents are often used in scientific research due to their close genetic and behavioural resemblance to humans.

They then monitored the rodents’ body temperature, levels of stomach bacteria and sleeping cycles using a brain activity testing.

Those on the prebiotic diet spent more time in non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREM), the researchers from University of Colorado Boulder found.

This form is more restful and restorative is where the body gets the chance to repair itself. After being exposed to a stressor, the rats on the prebiotic diet also spent more time in rapid-eye-movement sleep (REM).

REM sleep is when dreams occur, and is believed to be critical for promoting recovery from stress.

Stress has previously been shown to reduce healthy diversity of gut bacteria and to lead to a temporary flattening of natural fluctuations in body temperature.

But rats on the prebiotic diet were buffered from these impacts, the scientists discovered. They maintained a healthy and diverse gut microbiota and normal temperature fluctuations even after stress exposure.

Writing in the journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, the researchers said: “It is possible that a diet rich in prebiotics started in early life could help improve sleep, support the gut microbiota and promote optimal brain/psychological health.”

But the researchers said that it’s far too early to recommend prebiotic supplements as a sleeping aid.

Further studies are needed to confirm the effects that prebiotics can have in promoting a good night’s rest or buffering stress.

Also, a diet high in fruit and steak could cure a deadly form of epilepsy, scientists have found.

Super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE) is the most severe classification of the brain condition, killing 60 per cent of sufferers.

But new research suggests that a ketogenic diet could be used in future as a life-saving treatment for patients.

High in fats and low in carbohydrates, the diet alters the activity of brain cells to prevent deadly fits, scientists claim. In general, after a patient has experienced 24 hours in a seizure and they will be placed in a coma if drugs aren’t working.

They are then awakened after another day to see if the seizures return. If so, they are then considered to have SRSE. The patient will then return to a coma and continue on other medications to try find a treatment method. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University recruited 15 patients between the ages of 18 and 82 who were hospitalized with SRSE.

The scientists gave them a ketogenic diet, consisting of four parts fat to one part carbohydrates and protein.

Each were fed through a feeding tube over 72 hours, with their calorific needs based on their weight. They were then weaned off of the drugs to see if their seizures had stopped.

If the fits did not return at this point, patients continued with the diet for several days until they could eat on their own.

At which time they were switched to a modified Atkins diet, which is high in fat and low in carbohydrates as well.

If a patient’s seizures continued, they were kept on the feeding tube and given additional drugs.

While super-refractory seizures stopped for 79 per cent of the patients on the ketogenic diet, the study published in Neurology found.

Two thirds of the patients experienced adverse effects of the diet, such as constipation, weight loss and high cholesterol, they found.

Further research is needed to support the idea that the ketogenic diet should be widely used in treating epilepsy, the researchers noted.

Study author Mackenzie Cervenka said: “We can only state that it appears to work in some patients to halt status epilepticus and reduces the frequency of their seizures.

“What we can say is that the ketogenic diet is promising for at least a subset of patients. Any safe means we have of getting patients off of anesthesia and out of a coma quickly will be welcome.”

BBNija: Thin Tall Tony, DebbyRise, Efe and TBoss Nominated

Big Brother Nigeria is getting interesting day after day as four of the remaining eight BBN housemates have been nominated for eviction on Sunday. The housemates are Efe, Tboss, TTT and Debie-rise.

Bally, Tboss and TTT got the highest votes for eviction nomination. But Bassey as the Head of House saved Bally and replaced him with Efe. In a twist of events, Marvis used her power card to nominate Debie-Rise. The probability of one of the four nominated housemates to be evicted on Sunday is 100%.



http://www.exlinklodge.com/2017/03/bbnaija-thin-tall-tony-efe-tboss-debie.html

Poison for Husband!

*🌀POISON FOR HUSBAND*

⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏

Last month my neighbour went to complain to her

mother!



*Daughter:* Mom, I can not stand my husband. I want to kill him but I don't have the courage to do it, Can you help me?please!



*Mother:* Yes my daughter, I can. But there is a small problem . You will be forced to make peace with him first so that none will suspect you for his death. You are going to be so much good and kind to him, take care of him.



Be romantic, grateful, patient, loving, submissive to him. See him as your kid not your mate or subject... be less selfish, more just, more listening to him, take all the rubbish from him, don't nag or criticize him.



My daughter, I know you can do it, so don't doubt yourself. Work starts this evening. Can you ?



*Daughter:*  Yes mom.



*Mother:* Ok, it's .... Well take this white powder which is the substance to kill him. Every day, you'll pour a bit in his food and he will die slowly.



*After 30 days, daughter returned to give feedback to her mother.*



*Daughter:* Mom, I really no longer want to kill my husband again. He is soo romantic, loving and caring person. Now I like him, he's changed and became softer than before. What can I do to prevent the poison?



*Mother:* Hahahahahaha



*Daughter:* Why are you laughing? Is it too late to save my husband's life?



*Mother:* No, my dear!. You don't have to worry. What I gave to you was cassava flour. He will not die.



In reality, it is in you that the poison was. When you fuel hatred and resentment in you, it kills slowly even more than a poison, so I have to work on you instead of your husband.



*Daughter:* Hmmmmmm. Thank you, sweetest mum.

⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏⚏



*✍ T I P S*

⚋⚋⚋⚋⚋⚋

☛Make yourself Happy and *make others around you happy.*



☛When you start to love and cherish your

husband, wife, brother, sister, son, daughter,

mother and father, *you will see the sweetness in them.*



☛Don't wait for the person to be sick or die before you accept, *cherish and celebrate people around you.*



☛Before you complain, *check up if the problem is actually from you*



☛Live *peacefully* with everyone.

⚏⚏⚏

It is in our power to bring out the best in our spouse and those close to us by giving them our best



Hmmmmmmmmmmm

I LOVE THIS PIECE

Source.. VillageSquare

Opinion: How youths Can takeover Power in 2019

OPINION: How the youths can take over Leadership in Nigeria. Adelaja Adeoye.

I was carefully xraying the political climes in Nigeria since the advent of Democracy, I intentionally omitted the pre 1999 for obvious reasons. We are all aware that it has always been the same cabals since the independence and the  military juntas.

Nigeria is endowed with young talented people who are doing great in their various fields, name it, engineering, Science, Arts, education, Trading, Agriculture,  entertainment, fashion, banking, Entrepreneurship, e- commerce, divinity e.t.c except politics. I said except politics and I mean it, most of the few young people who are on the corridors of powers are certainly not in powers because they don't even know what goes on in there, many of them are not too different from being house Boys and Girls. The old men will not allow or listen to them but a command, obey relationship and nothing more.

The argument has always been that, young people are not matured nor experienced enough to handle a complex country as Nigeria, you know, this sort of assumption is a calculated attempt to blackmail the young people into accepting that they are incapable by those who gained powers at their very young age but never plan to relinquish or quit the stage for others to come in, they rather prefer to fill in their own children and relatives.

Nigerian youths are brilliant in all aspect of life, they are resourceful, genuinely skillful and can handle any task given to them, but here, the political dealers are thinking otherwise, they see youths as mere objects of voting, instruments and the roles the old people have confined these young people to are to continue to use them as political thugs, errands boys and girls in the names of Personal Assistants, Senior Special Assistant on this and that.

Looking at what is obtainable in other country like the US, UK, Canada, other advanced country and even some African countries, you will be hearing that a boy or a girl of 21 years is a member of parliament, but in Nigeria, the old politicians don't want the young people to near the real political leadership, they have invented and set all manners of barriers to stop them from being competitors.

It is only in Nigeria you are eligible to vote when you are 18 years but you cannot aspire to contest for leadership unless you are 30 or 35 years old, even at 30 or 35 there are offices you cannot aspire for, is this not ridiculous? In the same Nigeria, we have seen toddlers, children become kings, Ezes, Emirs and took over traditional leadership to lead a lot of people. Why is Politics so different, I am asking.

If that is the case, the same constitution which was deviously crafted to stop the young people from aspiring for leadership should also say that,  eligibility to vote is when a person turns to 30 or 35 years.

To my knowledge, the old politicians who are all same and friends irrespective of which political party they belong do not only use age as barrier to prevent our young people from aspiring for leadership, they invented all kinds of tactics such as ethnicity divide, Religious divide,  political violence, Money politics, rigging, diabolical means e.t.c which ordinarily will scare  and put fears in our young people who have not muster enough courage to toe their line of do or die politics, I am not encouraging any young person to take after them please.

The same old politicians the young people wants to kill themselves for either in APC or the PDP in Nigeria are sensible enough and have started aligning, horse trading and forming coalitions to forge a common front ahead of 2019 just like they did in the past elections, can't the Nigerian youths also adopt this aged long strategy to unite to get powers, how long will the youths continue to be pawns in the hands of these political dealers?

To the old politicians, most of them especially, it is about power grabbing and not a venture or quest to transform the country, they are aware that the more transformation and education to the mind and soul of Nigerians the less the power for them but the youths are thinking otherwise, the youths wants to make their marks known, they want to make names that will last for decades through serious development and transformation of the country.

The old politicians have now devised a new method of division, they have resorted into shopping for young people who are influential on new media, fill their pockets with some cash, gifts, foreign education/trips or positions so that they can serve as their mouthpiece to spread falsehood and propaganda on social media, in doing this for them, other young people will naturally attack them to repel their falsehood, then the fight, emotional distress and division amongst the youths goes on and on. In all, its a calculated attempt to divert the attentions of the young people from being their competitors for leadership.

To an average young person who wishes to aspire for political office, the first thing your friend and family will ask you is that "hope say you don cook yourself". This is very sad and ridiculous because that has been the foundation laid by the old crooks to continue to remain and perpetuate themselves in leadership.

It is in Nigeria you'll hear that two people are contesting, the next person develop strange illness and die abruptly, all kinds of scary things happens, just to discourage young and other professionals who can be their competitors.

Please, don't get me wrong that I am too youths centric, no, that is not the case, the youths of today will someday become old, but the old Nigerian politicians have not laid a good foundation that will allow a heathy competition which will benefit Nigerians, if they allow good competition irrespective of age, we can be rest assured that our best brains will start emerging and having their places on the leadership front rows.

In spite of all these challenges, like the popular saying in Yoruba " Agbajo owo Lafi nso Aya" translated into "unity is the key to freedom" The young people of Nigeria can for the first time come together to forge a common front, the youths will benefit more when they come together.

Let's look at it this way, if the majority of youths which constitutes about 78% of active electorates and voters in Nigeria decided to queue under one umbrella with serious ground work by taking ownership, shunning the old people who will ordinarily use them as political thugs to snatch ballot boxes, or for rigging elections, they will be moving closer to powers.

Young people can change Nigeria easily in my own opinion because of their prowesses and  power of innovations, they are in tunes with what is happening in  and around ouTTTr world. Nigeria has remained the same for long because they prefer to keep electing uninspiring, non innovative leaders that lacks the new ideas that can take the country out of poverty and economy doldrums but only parades big names and wealth and are of the old ideas, many young people flock with them because of the little crumbs but the real change Nigeria needs lies in the hands of the youths.

If the Nigerian youths can put aside all their differences for the first time and form a majority power bloc, a new and prosperous Nigeria can spring up, a Nigeria where innovative ways of acquiring education, healthcare, Agriculture, polity, policy, politics and wealth for for all can be made possible.

The youths should not just come together for coming together sake but choose a think tank that will be responsible for drawing up policies, programmes, development map, campaign manifestos, charters and how to scale all the barriers the old men have set for them, the Nigerians youths should as a matter of fact convoke a National Youth Conference where the movement can start and send a big signal to the whole world that the Nigerians youths have resolved to come together to take the future now.

I sincerely hope that the youths will seize the 2019 elections to make a remarkable difference since the invention of our democracy.

Adelaja Adeoye is a blogger and Socio Political commentator who writes from Lagos Nigeria. He tweets via @AdelajaAdeoye.

Winning Wisdom – Spiritual Growth: The Effects 1

Winning Wisdom – Spiritual Growth: The Effects 1

Author: Ese Ehimare Dave

Topic – Spiritual Growth: The Effects 1 [Saturday, 11th Mar. 2017]

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:3

While it is good for us to grow spiritually, it is very important for us to know what is really entails, or the end product of spiritual growth. Most times, people measure spiritual growth with the wrong indices. People measure spiritual growth with how much theoretical knowledge you have about God, that is, how much scriptures you know. There are others that measure spiritual growth by how long a person have been a Christian. While these are good, they are the wrong indices to measure spiritual growth.

One very important indices to measure spiritual growth is an increase in your fellowship with the Lord. You will have an increased desire for fellowship with God's Spirit. Your love for the Lord and for all that He stands for, will increase. In Philippians  1:9, Paul prayed that our "love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment." This is a key indices to measure spiritual growth.

Spiritual growth increases the god-likeness in you. It makes you have the same feather with God. And birds of the same feather flock together. You and God will flock together more intensely than ever, if you are growing spiritually. If this is not happening, then it is safe to say that you are not growing spiritually, even if you can quote the scriptures from cover to cover. But it is God's desire that we draw closer to Him in fellowship (James 4:8), even as we grow spiritually.

Keep winning daily.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for an increased desire to know You more intently. I ask that You increase my passion for fellowship with You by Your Spirit and help me draw closer to You, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Our Daily Bread Devotional, March 10, 2017 - Home

Our Daily Bread Devotional, March 10, 2017 - Home

Topic: Home [Friday March 10, 2017]

Read: Ephesians 2:11–22, Bible in a Year:Deuteronomy 11–13; Mark 12:1–27

You are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people.Ephesians 2:19

A young African refugee who goes by the name of Steven is a man without a country. He thinks he may have been born in Mozambique or Zimbabwe. But he never knew his father and lost his mother. She fled civil war, traveling country to country as a street vendor. Without ID and unable to prove his place of birth, Steven walked into a British police station, asking to be arrested. Jail seemed better to Steven than trying to exist on the streets without the rights and benefits of citizenship.

The plight of living without a country was on Paul’s mind as he wrote his letter to the Ephesians. His non-Jewish readers knew what it was like to live as aliens and outsiders (2:12). Only since finding life and hope in Christ (1:13) had they discovered what it meant to belong to the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:3). In Jesus, they learned what it means to be known and cared for by the Father He came to reveal (Matt. 6:31–33).

Paul realized, however, that as the past fades from view, a short memory can cause us to forget that, while hope is the new norm, despair was the old reality.

May our God help us to live in security—to know each day the belonging that we have as members of His family is by faith in Jesus Christ and to understand the rights and benefits of having our home in Him.

Prayer: Lord, as we remember how hopeless we were before You found us, please help us not to forget those who are still on the street.

Hope means the most to those who have lived without it.

Insight:

It’s easy to feel lost. The apostle Paul knew some of his readers felt that way. In his letter to the Ephesians, he wrote to them about being part of God’s family. They were no longer “foreigners” and “excluded” (2:12) but were “fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household” (v. 19). How does knowing you are part of God’s family help when you feel lost and alone?

This message was written By Mart DeHaan [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

RTD MJR GEN ROBERT ADEYINKA ADEBAYO ( 1928-2017 )

RTD MJR GEN  ROBERT ADEYINKA ADEBAYO ( 1928-2017 )

Adeyinka Adebayo was born in 1928, the son of a Public Works employee from ERA AREA IN OKETORO QTR , IYIN EKITI and his mother is also from OKELAWE ,IYIN EKITI .
He was educated at All Saints School, Iyin-Ekiti, and later attended Eko Boys High School and Christ's School Ado Ekiti. He was taken to ilorin by chief meboloshirin  and He later joined the West African Frontier Force in 1948 as a regiment signaler and later completed the Officer Cadet Training Course in Teshie, Ghana from 1950 to 1952. After passing the War Office Examination for Commonwealth cadets in 1952 as well as the West African qualifying examination in 1953, he was commissioned as an officer in the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) as the 23rd West African military officer with number WA23 and 7th Nigerian military officer with number N7 after completing the War Office Cadet Training in Eaton Hall, England. He later attended the Staff College course in Camberley (Surrey) in 1960 and the prestigious Imperial Defence College, London in late 1965 where he was the only African officer.

Career -

Adeyinka Adebayo became an officer in 1953.

Platoon Commander, 1954-1955
Regimental signal officer, 1955-1957
Between 1957 and 1958, he was an aide-de-camp to a British governor-general (the last British governor-general of Nigeria- Sir James Robertson-1957) Company and Detachment Commander, Ikoyi, 1958 to 1960
First Nigerian general staff officer, Grade 2 (Intelligence) at the United Nations Headquarters in 1961
First national general staff officer, Grade 2 Nigerian Army Headquarters, 1961–1962
First Nigerian to be appointed general staff officer Grade 1, 1962–1963
Commander, Nigerian contingent in the Congo, 1963
He served as staff officer in the United Nations peacekeeping force during the Congo crisis, 1961–1963
Chief of staff, Nigerian Army Headquarters, February 1964 – November 1965 (He was the first indigenous chief of staff of the Nigerian Army)
Chairman, Organinization of African Unity (OAU) Defence Planning Committee, 1963–1965
Head of Nigerian delegation to the OAU Summit in Ethiopia, November 1966
Military governor, Western Nigeria, 1966–1971
Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy, 1971–1972
Ceremonial military duties, 1972–1975
Retired from the Nigerian Army with the rank of major-general, July 1975
One of the founders of and vice chairman of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), 1979–1983
Governor of Western State of Nigeria

As governor of the Western region he promted agricultural extension services in particular the establishment of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Moor Plantation, Ibadan.

Biafra War

Adebayo advised against the use of force in resolving the Biafran crisis. In one of the most prescient and articulate quotations of the war, he declared:-

I need not tell you what horror, what devastation and what extreme human suffering will attend the use of force. When it is all over and the smoke and dust have lifted, and the dead are buried, we shall find, as other people have found, that it has all been futile, entirely futile, in solving the problems we set out to solve

At the onset of war, Colonel Adebayo, then governor of the then Western State ordered all bridges into the West be demolished to prevent the Biafran rebels from reaching Lagos the capital of Nigeria via his state. The rebels went as far as Ore in present-day Ondo State about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Lagos.

After the war, he was appointed by the head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, as the chairman of the committee on the reconciliation and integration of the Ibos (Biafrans) back into the Nigerian fold.

Farmers Revolt

Major General Adebayo was the governor during the infamous farmers' "Agbekoya" revolt over taxation which was eventually resolved peacefully and harmoniously. Robert Adeyinka Adebayo retired from the Nigeria Army as a major general in 1975.

Later life

As of 2011 Adebayo is the chairman of the Yoruba Council of Elders. His eldest son Otunba Niyi Adebayo was a governor of Ekiti State in Nigeria from 1999 to 2003. Another son, Adesola Adebayo was the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Ekiti State under Dr Kayode Fayemi led Administration from 2010 to 2014.Another son, Adedayo Adebayo, played rugby for Bath and for the England National team winning six international caps between 1996 and 1999. Another of his children, Leke Adebayo is an actor, writer and producer in London and has appeared in and scripted various productions.

May his soul rest in peace

Standing Ovation for International Woman of The Day

As culled from Modern Ghana, according to Kenneth! Today is International Women's Day .As a youth activist I have taken it upon myself to celebrate young African women who are making impact in their communities and countries. Today I celebrate a change maker, entrepreneur and a mentor of thousands of young leaders in Africa. Her name is Adepeju Jaiyeoba from Nigeria.

Adepeju Jaiyeoba is a skilled community advocate with experience in women’s right and maternal and child health in Nigeria. She is the founder of Mothers’ Delivery Kit, a company that manufactures and distributes birth kits for purchase. In this capacity, she coordinates business development for the organisation and works to continually develop an effective distribution line that will see women across Nigeria connected to lifesaving supplies irrespective of their location at childbirth.

Adepeju is an award winning entrepreneur, trained lawyer, public speaker and maternal and child health enthusiast passionate about innovation and creating simple lifesaving solutions.

She is the founder of Brown Button Foundation which trains birth attendants and Mothers Delivery Kit which provides ultra affordable sterile supplies for women to use at childbirth while also increasing access to quality healthcare services.

With hundreds of thousands of kits sold, Adepeju is a:

•White House Emerging Global Entrepreneur in 

2015.•Research Fellow of the Coady International Institute•2016 PATH Innovation Champion•D-Prize Awardee in Global Health•Cordes Fellow

•2014 Mandela Washington Fellow
•Fellow, Georgia Tech Ivan Allen College Global Women's Entrepreneurship Institute

•Young Innovator of the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH)

•Member of Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR)

•She Leads Africa’s top 10 female entrepreneur for Diaspora Demo day

•2015 YNaija top 10 most influential Nigerians under 40 (Advocacy)

•Global Change Leader awardee, Coady International Institute, Canada.

Upon her great achievement and contribution to reducing maternal Health in Africa, Adepeju is very humble, selfless and an epitome of leadership. Many young African leaders are looking up to her .She has mentored thousands.

Winning Wisdom: Remember Not

Winning Wisdom: Remember Not

Topic: Remember Not [Wednesday, 8th Mar. 2017]

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Isaiah 43:18

The brain, we've been told, is like a big basket, and whatever thing that enters stays. This means that we have the ability to recall every experience, every memory, every pain, every hurt, every sin. This can get really wearisome, as we'd wish to forget some experiences, but they just keep coming back to weigh us down. The devil also uses these experiences and sins to make us feel guilt and condemn us. Our Father in heaven, however, tells us to remember "not the former things, neither consider the things of old" (Isaiah 43:18).

You may ask why we should forget these sins and experiences.

First, God has forgiven our sins, and He doesn't remember them. Isaiah 43:25 says "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins". Now the Sovereign God has said He would not remember our sins, why then do we call them to mind. Whenever the devil tries to condemn us with such sins, remind Him that they've been blotted out, and God remembers them no more.

Secondly, in place of our hurt and pain God has promised to do a new thing. Isaiah 43:19 says, "behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Of a truth God wants the absolute best for you, and He has promised a fresh beginning in accomplishment of that. Now, it is left to you to forget the former things, do away with the old things and look forward to the new things God promised.

Keep winning daily.

Wise Action:

Whenever you're faced with pains of the past or condemnation for past wrongs, remind yourself with scriptures that God has forgotten them, and ask Him to help you trust in His Word for a new beginning.

By Esun Tekeme

The Foundation for an Enviable Marriage

Foundation for an Enviable Marriage by Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Author: Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Topic: Foundation for an Enviable Marriage

Dear Reader,

It is a good day and a glorious month!  You are blessed in Jesus’ name.  I welcome you to another refreshing time in God’s presence.  This month, I will be teaching on the Foundation For An Enviable Marriage.

God’s Word says: If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalms 11:3).  It is important for you to know that marriage is not a promise, but a covenant relationship.  An enviable Christian marriage is neither a promise from God, nor does it come by wishing.

The marriage covenant involves two parties: God on one hand and the man (and his wife) on the other.  God is the initiator of the covenant and His terms of agreement are sealed up in His Word.  Man, on his part, is required to obey God’s terms of the agreement.

God instituted marriage and family life.  He made the terms and limits of the marriage covenant available to us, through His Word in the Bible.  Thus, you can enjoy an exciting marriage, if only you understand the terms of the marriage covenant, and live within the limits of the covenant.

God’s Word says: God upholds all things by the Word of His power (Hebrews 1:3). All things here include marriage and family life.  This Scripture clearly reveals to us that God’s Word is power.

If you want God to uphold your marriage so as not to crumble, if your marriage must succeed and become outstanding, you need the power in the Word of God.  This is because all things are upheld by it.  You can’t put God and His Word aside, and expect to have an enviable marriage.  The foundation for this is following what God says about marriage and doing it.

Man’s hardness of heart towards God’s instructions has been a major reason for marital and family failure, all over the world.  The Lord Jesus said … But from the beginning it was not so…

God’s design for marriage and family life in the beginning was set towards fruitfulness and multiplication; it wasn’t designed for failure, heartaches or sorrow.  Even now, you don’t have to suffer marriage failure.  In fact, you can experience a great married life, if you open up to God’s Wisdom.

The foundation of an enviable marriage is God. Do you want to enjoy a most successful marriage?  If yes, then give your life to Christ.  This entails confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.  If you are ready for this new birth experience, please say this prayer: “Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You today as a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. I believe You died and rose on the third day for my sins.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.  Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).

Our Daily Bread Devotional, March 6, 2017

Our Daily Bread Devotional, March 6, 2017 - Loving Perfectly

Topic: Loving Perfectly [Monday March 6, 2017]

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, Bible in a Year: Deuteronomy 1–2; Mark 10:1–31

[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:7–8

Her voice shook as she shared the problems she was having with her daughter. Worried about her teenager’s questionable friends, this concerned mum confiscated her daughter’s mobile phone and chaperoned her everywhere. Their relationship seemed only to go from bad to worse.

When I spoke with the daughter, I discovered that she loves her mum dearly but is suffocating under a smothering love. She longs to break free.

As imperfect beings, we all struggle in our relationships. Whether we are a parent or child, single or married, we grapple with expressing love the right way, saying and doing the right thing at the right time. We grow in love throughout our lifetime.

In 1 Corinthians 13 the apostle Paul outlines what perfect love looks like. His standard sounds wonderful, but putting that love into practice can be absolutely daunting. Thankfully, we have Jesus as our example. As He interacted with people with varying needs and issues, He showed us what perfect love looks like in action. As we walk with Him, keeping ourselves in His love and steeping our mind in His Word, we’ll reflect more and more of His likeness. We’ll still make mistakes, but God is able to redeem them and cause good to come out of every situation, for His love “always protects” and it “never fails” (vv. 7–8).

Prayer: Lord, our intentions are good but we fail each other in so many ways. Thank You for being our model in showing us how to live and love.

To show His love, Jesus died for us; to show our love, we live for Him.

Insight:

Do you ever find yourself hurting those you love, and maybe even forgetting in the emotion of the moment how much you really do care about them? If so, keep in mind that long before Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 13 he was an angry man who was mindlessly hurting the God he thought he knew and loved (Acts 9:1–6). So what brought about Paul’s change? First he needed to see how wrong he’d been about Jesus. He also needed to see that knowing the law is not the same as keeping it—and that he himself needed not only mercy but also the help of the Spirit of God to love others as God loved him. The Spirit who brought him from law to grace now invites and leads us into the loving patience and kindness that our Lord wants to express in and through us.

This message was written By Poh Fang Chia [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

AMCVA Award full list of the winner

The 5th annual Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) has just wrapped up an the African film lovers witnessed as film and TV talents from across the continent etched their names into the record books. Take a look at the full winners list after the cut..

BEST SHORTFILM - OGO OKPUE - CAT FACE

BEST SOUND TRACK/ORIGINAL SCORE MOVIE/TV SERIES - MICHAEL 'THE TRUTH' OGUNLADE - THE ENCOUNTER

BEST SOUND EDITOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES) - GUY STEER – VAYA

BEST PICTURE EDITOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES) - NNODIM CHIGOZIE & PAULA PETERSON - OLOIBIRI

BEST COSTUME DESIGNER PAT EGWURUBE - 76

BEST MAKE UP ARTIST (MOVIE/TV SERIES) - HAKEEM ONILOGBO AJIBOLA/PEREKEME ODON - OLOIBIRI

BEST ART DIRECTOR (MOVIE/TV SERIES) - PAT NEBO - 76

BEST WRITER MOVIE/TV SERIES - CRAIG FREIMOND/ TSHABALIRA LEBAKENG/ ANTHONY MAFELA / DAVID MAJOKA / MADODA NTULI / HARRIET PERLMAN / ROBBIE THORPE – VAYA

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER (MOVIE/TV SERIES) - LANCE GEWER - HAPPINESS IS A FOUR LETTER WORD

BEST LIGHTING DESIGNER (MOVIE/TV SERIES) - ELLIOT SEWAPE - 93 DAYS

BEST DOCUMENTARY - UGA CARLINI – ALISON

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA - DAVID JONES DAVID

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA - MEG OTANWA

BEST DRAMA – TINSEL

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY - DEBORAH ANUNGWA

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY             - SAMUEL AJIBOLA

BEST COMEDY - THE JOHNSONS

BEST MOVIE (SOUTH AFRICA) - ELVIS CHUKS - ALL ABOUT LOVE

BEST MOVIE (EAST AFRICA) - SARIKA HEMI LAKHANI - KATI KATI

BEST MOVIE (WEST AFRICA) - ROGERS OFIME - OLOIBIRI

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - FUNKE AKINDELE - JENIFAS DIARY

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES – SWAHILI - DAUDI OTIENO ANGUKA - ZILIZALA

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES – IGBO - CREY AHANONU - AMONYE-BU-ONYE

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES – HAUSA - TIJJANI SHEHU YAHAYA - YAKI DA ZUCIYA

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MOVIE OR TV SERIES – YORUBA - ABIODUN JIMOH, JUMOKE ODETOLA - SOMEWHERE IN THE DARK

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY MOVIE/TV SERIES - IMEH BISHOP UMOH - THE BOSS IS MINE

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY MOVIE/TV SERIES            FUNKE AKINDELE - JENIFAS DIARY

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA MOVIE/TV SERIES - SAMBASA NZERIBE - SLOW COUNTRY

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA MOVIE/TV SERIES - RITA DOMINIC - 76

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DAMA MOVIE/TV SERIES - ROTIMI SALAMI - JUST NOT MARRIED

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DAMA MOVIE/TV SERIES - EBELE OKARO ONYUIKE - FOUR ONE LOVE

BEST DIRECTOR (MOVIE) - IZU OJUKWU - 76

BEST OVERALL MOVIE - ADONIJAH OWIRIWA / IZU OJUKWU - 76

Our Daily Bread Devotional, March 3, 2017 - Two Portraits

Our Daily Bread Devotional, March 3, 2017 - Two Portraits

Topic: Two Portraits [Friday March 3, 2017]

Read: John 16:19–24, Bible in a Year:Numbers 28–30; Mark 8:22–38

Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. John 16:22

Clutching two framed photographs, the proud grandmother showed them to friends in the church foyer. The first picture was of her daughter back in her homeland of Burundi. The second was of her grandson, born recently to that daughter. But the daughter wasn’t holding her newborn. She had died giving birth to him.

A friend approached and looked at the pictures. Reflexively, she reached up and held that dear grandmother’s face in her hands. All she could say through her own tears was, “I know. I know.”

And she did know. Two months earlier she had buried a son.

There’s something special about the comfort of others who have experienced our pain. They know. Just before Jesus’s arrest, He warned His disciples, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices.” But in the next breath He comforted them: “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20). In mere hours, the disciples would be devastated by Jesus’s arrest and crucifixion. But their crushing grief soon turned to a joy they could not have imagined when they saw Him alive again.

Isaiah prophesied of the Messiah, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering” (Isa. 53:4). We have a Savior who doesn’t merely know about our pain; He lived it. He knows. He cares. One day our grief will be turned into joy.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for going to the cross for us. We certainly know trouble in this world, but You overcame the world and took our sin and pain for us. We look forward to the day when our sorrows will be turned into joy and we see You face to face.

When we put our cares into His hands, He puts His peace into our hearts.

Insight:

It was necessary for Jesus, who is fully God, to be made in every respect like us—fully human—so that He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Only by becoming a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. While on earth, the Lord Jesus “walked in our shoes” and, therefore, He fully knows and understands us. We are now to walk in His “shoes” and imitate His example of compassion and care. “In your relationships with one another,” Paul tells us, “have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5). How can you bring comfort to others today by walking in Jesus’s shoes?

This message was written By Tim Gustafson [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

Winning Wisdom: Fine Your Relevance

Winning Wisdom: Fine Your Relevance

Author: Ese Ehimare Dave

Topic: Fine Your Relevance [Thursday, 2nd March 2017]

Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 1 Corinthians 12:29

One thing about the members of the body of Christ is that they are all relevant. Most times, some folks feel that they are not relevant to any course. They come to a gathering, sit and listen and then go home. Even in their private lives outside the church, they portray this same 'i-am-not-relevant' attitude. Most times, this is a function of their mindset or inferiority complex. But that does not remove anything from the truth that every member of the body of Christ is relevant.

Not everyone will be a pastor. Not everyone will do great miracles, not everyone will be a prophet. But most times, we set that as the benchmark every Christian should be operating with. And this has left so many folks thinking that they don't have anything to offer the body of Christ, especially when they don't "measure up". How untrue this is! Everyone is important and relevant, no matter how less grand we think them to be. You just need to find out what you are good at and use it to be a blessing to the body of Christ.

There are other things which might not bring us to the 'spotlight', that we can do in the body of Christ. It is this craze for the spotlight that have actually broken the resolve of people, especially when they are not gifted to always be in the 'spotlight', to find their relevance. But that should not be the aim. The aim should be to use your gifting to add value to the body of Christ, and you can only do that when you find your relevance.

Keep winning daily.

Wise Action:

Put your giftings to use and be relevant to the body of Christ, even if it does not bring you under the spotlight. There you will find your relevance.

DON'T CONFUSE *_MENTORING*_ *WITH BEING* *_USED*_

*DON'T CONFUSE *_MENTORING*_ *WITH BEING* *_USED*_

Most young people are being *used* thinking they are being *mentored.* The fact that someone gives you a job or a political appointment doesn't make him your *mentor*. At best, he is just a *benefactor*.

A *mentor* is simply someone who is grooming you to become like him, take over from him and become a better or best version of him.

For instance if the Governor of a state appoints you as *PA* or *SA* that doesn't mean he is *mentoring* you to be like him. How will you know that? Through your job description, the kind of assignments he gives you and what he exposes you to.

If as a *PA*, your job description is to insult people online, then you are not being *mentored* for leadership position. You are being *used* as a *thug* and in *thuggery* you shall excel. You are only good for insulting and when a man to take up higher leadership responsibilities is needed, the governor will recommend and support someone serious and ready and by pass you.

The simple truth is that if someone is not giving you the opportunities, challenges, exposure and resources to be, at least, like him, then he is not *mentoring* you. Watch it, he might just be *using* you.

Omoloye Oluwatuyi

happy new month to all my readers

New month prayer to all my esteemed readers.
As February ends today, remember Obed-edom did not seek for the ARK of God, Joseph did not contest for position of prime minister in Egypt, Mary did not even pray to be the mother of Jesus and Peter did not invite Jesus into his Boat, but Divine Favour, Mercy and Grace of GOD located and found them all. I decree and declare by the wonderful and powerful name of Jesus, that Divine Help, favour, Mercy, and Grace of God will find and locate you wherever you are and your household  in Jesus Mighty Name.


ARA

Thin Tall Tony escapes eviction week

Thin Tall Tony escapes eviction week after winning the Big Brother Naija Head of House Task
All the housemates in the Big Brother Naija show, except Bisola and Bally, are currently up for eviction. Thin Tall Tony was however able to secure immunity for the week after winning the Head of House Task this evening. He reached the final round with only Tboss and Marvis, but eventually won.


LIB

President Donal Trump and Oscar 2017

President Donald Trump was on people’s minds – if not on everyone’s lips – at the Oscars on Sunday night. He was the subject of a protest non-appearance by an Academy Award-winning director, an oblique introduction by last year’s supporting actor winner and several of host Jimmy Kimmel’s jokes. But the president’s name was kept out of most of the references. Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, winner of the Oscar for best foreign film, boycotted Sunday’s ceremony, citing Trump’s travel ban of several predominantly Muslim countries, including his own. He sent Iranian astronaut Anousheh Ansari to read a statement for him.

”Dividing the world into the `us and our enemies’ categories create fear,” Ansari said, adding it’s ”a deceitful justification for aggression and war.” All six directors nominated in the category issued a statement two days before the ceremony criticising the ”climate of fascism” in the U.S. Kimmel referred to Trump specifically in a joke that brought in the Academy Awards’ past controversy over a lack of diversity in nominees. ”Remember last year when people were saying the Oscars were racist?” he said.

He made an elaborate show of talking about the ”overrated” Meryl Streep, who was given that tag by the president in a tweet after she criticised him in a speech at the Golden Globes last month. Kimmel joked about her dress, saying ”by the way, is that an Ivanka?” And Kimmel also alluded to White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s banning of some reporters from a briefing on Friday, saying that reporters from CNN, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and others needed to leave. ”We have no tolerance for fake news,” he said.

Financialexpress

8 Ways to Deal with Sweaty Armpits

It can be very uncomfortable - even agitating - to get dressed, looking all smart and appealing, only for something as little as sweat under your arms to ruin it all. There is something unarguably embarrassing about having the underarm of your dress, blouse or shirt drenched in sweat, and it gets worse if it’s the only sweat-stained part of your clothing. Asides this, there is also the unpleasant odour resulting from such underarm sweating to deal with. It could all be a frustrating experience indeed.

Jumia Travel shares 8 ways to help you deal with sweaty armpits and avoid such uncomfortable situations.

Use the Appropriate Product for Your Problem

You can’t stop your body from perspiring because if your body stopped excreting sweat and toxins through the skin, you would die. You thus can only manage and try to control your bodily perspiration. One of the ways to do this is to use deodorants and topical anti-perspirants. Deodorants do little or nothing to stop underarm sweating; but they help to mask the odour. Deodorants that use gentle and natural ingredients will work well.

To avoid sweat stains, you can use commercial anti-perspirants that use aluminum chloride hexahydrate. They are effective in controlling the amount of sweat your armpits produce. Also, consider seeing a dermatologist to discuss possible prescription anti-perspirant products that can be advised for your use.

NOTE: It is important you apply these products properly for them to be effective. Deodorants or anti-perspirants should be applied to clean underarms, not already sweaty ones. It is best to apply these products first thing in the morning after your bath, and any other time after bathing. Always wash your underarms with clean water and soap (be thorough about it and dab with a towel until dry), then apply a thin layer of anti-perspirant or deodorant to your dry underarms. If you can’t wash your underarm with soap and water, alternate the use of a wet and dry cloth to clean your underarm until it’s dry.

Use Natural Remedies

Though there are all-natural commercial deodorants and anti-perspirant products at your disposal, you can create your own natural ones. One of such natural remedies is to mix equal parts of baking soda and water to create a paste. Apply the paste on both of armpits and let it sit for 20 – 30 minutes, before rinsing off the mixture.

Another remedy to consider is using apple vinegar, or other malt vinegar, on your armpits to neutralize the armpit’s natural odour-causing bacteria. This helps to create a drying effect in your underarm, which helps you sweat less and stay dry. A mixture of lemon juice and tomato pulp can also be considered. You mix them together until a paste is formed, then you apply the paste in your underarms and allow to sit for 15 minutes.

Practice Good Hygiene

Asides using products and remedies, managing and controlling underarm sweating require the practice of good body hygiene to aid the effectiveness of such products and remedies. It is important to shower regularly to keep your body clean and dry. You should shower your body, or at least your underarms, once or twice a day. If you are someone who remained active throughout the day, it is advisable to add to your morning shower and shower before bed so you can wash off the sweat produced during the day’s activities.

You should also shave your armpit hair regularly. This will help to prevent sweat from collecting in your armpits which helps to make sweat stains less pronounced and odours less prevalent. In addition, you should try to wash your shirts and dresses after every use or as often as possible. This will greatly help those dealing with underarm body odor. Washing your shirts and dresses often will keep bacteria from building over time and acting on the dried sweat to produce unpleasant odours.

Let Your Body Cool Down Before You Put Clothes On

It is important to let your body cool down before you put clothes on, if not you may immediately start sweating. Even after you have just had a bath, you should learn to relax and let your body cool down before you put on clothes. Regardless of where you are rushing to, remember that it is better to take a few seconds to calm yourself down than skip that step and rush to your destination with an unsightly underarm sweat stain.

Be Selective About Your Clothing

Go for clothing made of natural, more breathable fabrics like cotton, wool, hemp, silk or linen, because of their looser weaves. The fibers of these fabrics help to absorb moisture well, make it possible for accumulated moisture to evaporate easily and are less inclined to trap heat and make your body sweaty. Some man-made fabrics like banbook, lyocell, modal and some microfiber fabrics can be considered because they function similarly to natural fabrics.

Consider Changing Your Clothes Often

You can also consider changing your clothes often, or avoid wearing the clothes you intend to use for an outing around the house. You can keep a change of clothing handy from time to time.

Layer Your Clothes

You can consider layering your clothes so sweat won’t come through to your outer cloth easily. It is important to choose the right clothing material for this. Breathable fabrics are the best choice. You should also keep these inner wears washed and cleaned regularly to avoid unpleasant odours.

Manage Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety tend to lead to excessive sweating and effusive underarm sweating. Practicing relaxation techniques, deep breathing and meditation exercises can help produce the calming effect needed to manage this situation.

By Damilola Ojo
08101556883

Our Daily Bread Devotional, February 26, 2017 - Complete Access

Our Daily Bread Devotional, February 26, 2017 - Complete Access

Topic: Complete Access [Sunday February 26, 2017]

Read: Ephesians 3:7–13, Bible in a Year:Numbers 15–16; Mark 6:1–29

Through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. Ephesians 3:12

A few years ago, a friend invited me to join him as a spectator at a pro golf tournament. Being a first-timer, I had no idea what to expect. When we arrived, I was surprised to receive gifts, information, and maps of the golf course. But what topped it all was that we gained access to a VIP tent behind the 18th green, where we had free food and a place to sit. I couldn’t have gained entry to the hospitality tent on my own though. The key was my friend; it was only through him that I had complete access.

Left to ourselves, we would all be hopelessly separated from God. But Jesus, who took our penalty, offers us His life and access to God. The apostle Paul wrote, “[God’s] intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known” (Eph. 3:10). This wisdom has brought Jew and Gentile together in Christ, who has made a way for us to come to God the Father. “Through faith in [Christ] we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (v. 12).

When we put our trust in Jesus, we receive the greatest access of all—access to the God who loves us and desires relationship with us.

Prayer: Father! Just being able to call You Father is an incredible gift. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus, who has made it possible for me to come into Your presence, to know You personally, and, yes, to call You my Father.

Because of the cross of Christ, we can become friends of God.

Insight:

Paul was humbled by memories that left him feeling unworthy to be writing on behalf of Christ and the community he once hated (Eph. 3:8). How could he ever forget the harm he had done to the people of Christ? (Gal. 1:13–14, 23). With his conversion, the Spirit of God gave Paul a heart for the Gentiles he once regarded as outsiders to Israel’s covenant of faith (Eph. 2:11–12). Paul and his readers could now celebrate together the honor of being accepted by God in the name of Christ. Do you wrestle with what it means to not measure up? To feel like an outsider, not welcome in the love of God? If so, then Paul’s letter has great significance. Together we can recall what it means to be welcomed into the presence of God in the full sponsorship of the Son—who lived and died to bring outsiders like us into His Father’s family.

This message was written By Bill Crowder [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]