Youth-With-A-Future International

HELPLESS BUT POWERFUL!

May we not be that generation
A people so strong and yet so weak
Full of knowledge but deficient in wisdom
A people who take selfies instead of praying
Vocal on social media, silent in person
A people of clamor yet unclothe
Experts at apportioning blame
But so full of guilt
A people who quickly forger history
Berate the elderly
And don't intend to leave a legacy
Rich in fortune, loaded with misfortunes
Daily present at the gym, yet so heartless
Rewarded for our deficiencies
And celebrated by our maladies
A people who call white black
A generation to be found in grey areas
Who twist the truth for a lie
Killers of prophets, preservers of liars
Specialists at clamoring for change
Novices when it comes to paying the price
So full of nonsense, seeking to make sense
Those who build castles in the air
Who make bodacious plans for tomorrow
To a people who dream in technicolor
Shadows without attendant substance
A people of high ideals but low morals
Oh God! May we not be this kind of people
Shallow yet seeking great depth
Save us from being ourselves
And help us to be your ideal kind of people.

Selah.

(C) Uloma Chinwe Obi
2018

JABEZ'S EXAMPLE.

His heart was torn into a million shreds
The very people who should be on the lookout for him
Were the very ones who never thought he stood a chance
Yes, all hope was lost
From the first time he let out a shrill cry
Indeed, his obituary was read
On the same day he came into the world

Born out of pain
No one saw any gain
His potentials were beclouded
By the circumstances of his birth
While others were welcomed by a warm embrace
He was being repulsed by a condescending glare.

He thought very little of the outside affirmations
Oh! He craved so much for parental affection
But the more he longed for it
The less of it he got
He had become a victim of circumstance
And a prisoner of pain.

Called an outcast at birth
Deemed a misfit by most
Yet, somewhere in that tiny heart of his
Was a ray of hope
A flicker of an imagination
A still small voice
The herald of destiny
A determination to be
And a commitment to rise

He could not quite explain it
But since his mother had turned deaf ears
He reached out to the one, the very one
The harbinger of hope
The builder of men
He who wrecks mediocre dreams
The custodian of audacious hope
The braggadocious one who brags on Himself
Covenant keeper
Restorer of time
And the ageless one

The more he cried, the more He answered
And soon, very soon
The despised became the celebrated
The ignored became the headliner
Nothing metamorphosed into something
Nameless became the name for namedroppers
Written off was written back in

Oh! For so many
Who delay their season of visitation
Countless hours spent bemoaning their fate
If only you would dare call His name
There is a sure guarantee
That you will never, ever be the same again!

(C) Uloma Chinwe Obi
November 2017

There is NO external force anywhere that can change your life without the corresponding input of an internal force!

You cannot stand still in your mind and expect to create ripples in your world.

Grow up so you can go up!

Selah.

A DAY AFTER MOTHER'S DAY!

Now that Mother's Day is officially over, what next?

Thinking about all the hulaballoo on Mother's Day, the encomiums, the praise reports ...

Unfortunately, for a large number of people, Mother's Day evoked bitter memories and opened ugly doors of a yesterday many wished was not born.

The hurts
The bitter words
The scars
The deceits
Lives cut short
An ugly experience with a step mom
An insecure and philandering mom
A mom currently abandoned in a hospice...

Many caterpillars were crushed and never metamorphosed into butterflies; many became butterflies and were released with broken wings into a world that never saw their colors because of an encounter with a mom ...

An untold majority remained stuck in the past.

If that is you, I have come to say FORGIVE.

Let go of yesterday.
Build that bridge again
Bless that undeserving mom
Allow the Lord to heal you
Allow the Lord to fill that void!

P.S There is a manual on how to be the right mom to your kids. It is called The Bible.

Don't keep repeating ugly cycles. Be a mother by the book!

There is no mountain anywhere that can resist the force of PRESSURE!

To break a man the devil mounts pressure in the forms of debt, suicidal thoughts, fear ...

To make yourself become an enviable phenomenon, you require the pressure of fasting, praying, studying, networking, developing social graces ...

Diamonds are built by pressure
Pearls develop through pressure
Gold is produced through pressure
Crude oil is transformed into petrol, diesel etc through pressure

Failure is also a product of pressure.

Choose your own brand of pressure today!

Selah.

A LIVING, LIVELY AND SPEAKING LEGACY!

'What will you be remembered for on earth and rewarded for in heaven?'

This was the question we were asked many years ago at a Student's Conference. It was rhetorical and I do not think I had a spot on answer at that time. My answer was hidden in a smoke screen as is the case of many people around the world.

Many discover their life mission quite early in life; others are late bloomers and a large majority never come to that place where they know for certainty what it is they were created to accomplish.

Irrespective of which side of the spectrum you fall into, one thing stands clear, never to be disputed: LIFE MUST BE LIVED INTENTIONALLY AND LEAVING A LEGACY IS A DAILY PURSUIT. We all have a great commission and that is to leave your garden tended and kept.

Whether you tend and keep the garden of your life or not, one thing you must remember is this. After your demise, someone somewhere will think of you.

Whether it will be painful or pleasant memories, is totally up to you!

Selah.

'Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. '

2 Peter 1: 15

What can supersede the report of an eyewitness?

An eyewitness' report can change the outcome of judgment and justice. An eyewitness is key in deciding who and what to believe. As powerful and critical as an eyewitness is, yet there is something that supersedes the testimony of an eyewitness.

An oath!

An oath is the end of all strife and striving. God never left the story of redemption totally up to eyewitnesses. No. He swore an oath and that oath is His word. His word is more reliable than any testimony from an eyewitness. Nobody believes an eyewitness unless he swears an oath.

Apostle Peter recounted his experience of Jesus' transfiguration and he declared that as much as he was an eyewitness, there is a body of evidence that stands sure.

'We have also a more sure word of prophecy...'

2 Peter 1: 19

I would rather believe the word of God than any vision, dream or prophecy. You can take the word of God to the bank. It never fails.

The word of God is reliable!

Easter Saturday hang out!

Ladies, looking for an anchor for your weary soul, a safe haven from the storms of life, a place for true sisterhood and fellowship?

Join us on Saturday 15th April, 2017 for
HOUSTON WOMEN PRAY!!!
Time: 10.30am - 12 noon
Venue: Bible Teac
hers International
7135 Louetta Road, Spring TX
77379

Pursuing your God given dream 2.

No vision automatically fulfills itself without the presence of committed men and helpers.

A Timothy is different from a Philemon. You raise Timothies but you need to praise Philemon if you are going to see any form of commitment from them. All visions need more Timothies than Philemons.

Timothies are the strength of the burden bearers. It takes time to raise a Timothy. You do not have to totally discard a Philemon because with training, discipleship and discipline, you can eventually get a Philemon to become a Timothy.

You need eyes to discern between a TImothy and a Philemon. Don't expect a Philemon to become a Timothy overnight. Little storms scare away Philemons. Timothies are borne for adversity. They can weather any storm or phase the dream would pass through.

They never desert a vision at the slightest provocation. A TImothy is like a Peter who would say, ' Lord, to whom do we go? You have the words of eternal life.'

These are sold out men not fair weather accomplices.

You need them in your boat!

Pursuing your God given dream 1.

Be sold out to your vision!
It is either 100% or nothing. Let there be no option B or escape route. You are in it to win. Let the vision be your all consuming passion not your past time, if you want to get the most and the best out of it.

Don't treat your dream like an alternative or a hobby.

Treat it the same way you would treat your life!

If only ...

There's a shrill sound
A scary, piercing shout of pain
It rings from a place so far away
It echoes in the hearts so timely too
An all too familiar song
The mirth of the seemingly wise
A tune of discordant voices
Held captive by just one chord
Will you serve the Lord?
Yes, I will - in my time!
The promise of tomorrow
The scourge of the multitude
Who never do anything
With so great a privilege
Called the now - the present
I will. I will. I will
I will do something about this Jesus
My gifts will I deploy
To serve a world so thirsty and trim
I will rally my generation
To spend their lives in a worthy cause
You see, I made so many promises
I even dared to dream lofty dreams
The only problem was
I got stuck in wishful thinking
I never took any actions
Until it became too late
Yes, too late
Too late to lift a finger
Too late to dream again
Too late to go for Jesus
Oh! The pain of wasted years
The heart wrenching tune of regrets
If only ...
If only ...
If only I could dare again
If only!

(C) Uloma Chinwe Obi
March 2017

8 reasons why su***de is not an option!

1. The life you want to take is not yours. It belongs to God. You are just a custodian of that life and you will give account of what you call ' my life'.

2. For every temptation, there is a way of escape. Don't give up. Be still and wait. God will show you the way out. Every problem has a solution and an expiry date. What you are going through shall come to pass.

3. Your challenge is not peculiar to you. There are tons and tons of people going through similar or even worse situations. Life is not unfair to you. If you heard the stories of other people, you would know that life is even fair to you.

4. Don't be selfish. There are many people who need you, your gifts, your friendship, even your not so ideal qualities. Who would roll their eyes at you, if you go now? Think about your children, spouse, colleagues, parents and siblings. Don't break their hearts!

5. Su***de is not the way out! Quitters never win and winners never quit. Without the cross, there would be no resurrection. Challenges are a part of life. If there is no darkness, how can you appreciate light? So, hang in there.

6. There is something known as the ' burden of guilt'. It leaves your living dependents with the scourge of unanswered questions, unnecessary drama, unpaid bills, shame and remorse. Don't let your demise cause more pain to those who truly love you. Some may even hate you and the memory of you. Some may even stop living after you give up. You don't want that.

7. Life is sweet! Yes, I said it! No problem should be big enough to take you out of the stage of life unceremoniously. Be a gallant fighter. Have you used up all of your potential? Have you lived your best life yet? Traveled the world yet? Created enough memorable memories? I don't think so!

8. Have you called on Jesus? A friend who sticks closer than a brother; a listening ear; true advocate and righteous judge.

If no one cares for you or even believes in you, Jesus does!

Selah.

Much ado about nonsense!

Fill their minds with mundane stuff
Make them spend their days in worthless pursuit
Let them go after the latest fads
Keep them busy with endless chatter
Who wore the best clothes?
Who lives in a bigger house?
Who has a to-die-for body?
Yeah, all that stuff and more nonsense
Put their feet in the human rat race
Let them wake up to useless routine
Make them believe that the game is all about survival
Keep their eyes away from eternity
And load their hearts on a daily basis
With jobs to keep
Bills to be paid
School runs to be made
Business deals that need to be signed
Let mediocrity seem like the new normal
Let them believe that there is time
Yes, loads of time before destiny comes calling
The fate of all the human race
A heaven to be gained
Or a hell to be shunned
As for that Jesus of theirs
Make them believe He isca historical figure
Too outdated for their updated minds
A man who couldn't save Himself
Unlike the rest of us - a gun brandishing nation
What with all our security gadgets
A generation too wise in their own eyes
Yet a people too far gone for their own sakes
Here today
Gone tomorrow
Here today
A tombstone tomorrow
O Lord, plant eternity in our hearts
Help us to keep the big picture always in view
For you alone holds the big screen in your hands
Eternity must mean something to us
Eternity starts today
It starts now
Be wise
Act fast
Choose life
Choose Jesus!

Selah.

(C) Uloma Chinwe Obi
March 2017

Join us!

Intoxication produces influence!

Nobody ever gets drunk by taking a sip of alcohol.

In the same manner, you cannot make any remarkable difference by offering half measures.

When the Holy Spirit wanted to produce men who would turn their world upside down, He filled them. Even the passers by acknowledged that these men were filled with new wine because half measures produce little or no difference.

Wanna be a change agent?

Make sure you are full of positive content.

The glass must be full not half filled!

Have a productive week ahead!

It takes COMMANDS to secure commitment.

You don't SUGGEST your way to the throne. Life is not built on SUGGESTIONS but on COMMANDMENTS.

The bible is a book of commandments not suggestions. God gave us the ten commandments not the ten suggestions.

It takes a commander to issue commandments.

Take charge today.

Remember, kings rule by decrees not suggestions!

Selah.

WHERE WENT MY YEARS???

Where went my years?
How did my days go so fast?
Have I truly lived?
Have I pursued my dreams?
Have I given life my best shot?
Oh! How did my years go so fast?

Just yesterday
I was your regular happy-go-lucky teenybopper
Holding tightly on to my Dad's fingers
I didn't want to let go
But my father didn't hesitate to let me off
To survey the world on my own

To carve my name in gold
To design my own horizon
To pursue big dreams with audacious hope
To become a person of my own ideals
To be and to become

I hope I have truly lived
My parents dropped me at the seashore, you see
They told me there's a big world out there
Waiting for me
Yes, waiting for me!

I looked beyond the horizon
And what did I see?
A world unknown
A world untamed
A world willing to be bent
A world waiting to be explored

But I learnt early in life
Big oceans require big swimmers
The skillful never get drowned
The bold always have their say
The oceans favor the daring
Oh! Yes, I learnt that quite early in life

As I looked at the seashore
I discovered another horizon
A sea of happy campers
They knew just what I knew
Oh! They could tell tall tales

Of faraway lands
Of dreams fulfilled
Of the bold and the beautiful
But one thing I discovered
They were just that - happy campers
They preferred the thrill of the multitude
The thought of diving out into the waters of the cold ocean
Did not hold a damn appeal!

Some had dared
Some had not
But what is this longing in my heart?
Why does the ocean tug at my heartstrings so?
Why does the seashore lose its appeal this way?

I want more than to live
I so desire a life
Away with the happy campers
I'm taking off my comfort suit
Watch me take a dive
Into the cold icy waters
Adventure is my adrenaline
I was born for so much more
I'm going to use bright colors
To paint a world so dark and gloom

Watch me swim away
From a land of happy campers
Goodbye regrets
So long my dear friends
See you on the other side

I dare you to take a plunge!
Life beckons
There's no time to waste!

(C) Uloma Chinwe Obi
March 2017

Now trending...

2017 Women's Masterclass

Theme: YOU ARE ENOUGH! Breaking the hold of envy, low self esteem and unnecessary comparisons.

Date: Saturday 11th March,2017
Time: 10.30am-12noon
Venue: Bible Teachers International 7135 Louetta Road, Spring TX 77379

FREE!

Refreshments will be served.

Now trending...

2017 Women's Masterclass

Theme: YOU ARE ENOUGH! Breaking the hold of envy, low self esteem and unnecessary comparisons.

Date: Saturday 11th March,2017
Time: 10.30am-12noon
Venue: Bible Teachers International 7135 Louetta Road, Spring TX 77379

FREE!

Refreshments will be served.

Always remember that God put you on this earth for a reason.

You are just one, yet you are enough!

Elijah PRAYED and made history.

Nehemiah mustered help to rebuild a nation in ruins.

Ezra called an entire nation back to order.

Apostle Paul wrote books that continue to demand standards in the church.

Stop crying out to the government, civil societies, justice and education systems.

God asked Adam, 'Where are you?'

WHERE ARE YOU?????

Come out of the closet.

Silent no more!

Your world NEEDS you!!!

SO YOU WANT TO PROSPER, RIGHT?

The Hebrew translation for the word 'prospered' in Judges 4:24 is 'going went and was hard'. Trying to make sense of this? Well, let me help you.

Three things stand out here:
-Going
-Went
-Was hard

Going - There can be no prosperity without a going. You cannot stand still on the inside and expect to travel on your outside. Something and someone must go.

In other words, old habits must go and new habits must be made room for to come in. There cannot be prosperity without a mental and a physical movement. Prosperity is about movement, growth, increase.

Money is attracted to the going and the growing person.

Went - Okay, so you made up your mind to make some adjustments and you expected to prosper. Right? Wrong! Intentions are good but no one celebrates and rewards intentions. Thecworld is on the lookout for INTENTIONALITY. You must be intentional about your growth, your drive for success, your future.

You must be intentional about your growth process. In other words, you must be in charge of your own prosperity. You prosper only because you are intentional about it.

Success is not accidental, it is intentional. You cannot be a bystander and expect to receive accolades. No way! Okay, so you shared your dreams yesterday and took the day off today. Hmmm, not good enough.

Joseph was intentional about his future. He continually spoke about his dreams that his name became ' Thecdreamer'. Even when he faced what some would call a 'major setback', Joseph was still intentional about his future. Potiphar's wife was not worth the future he saw and spoke so glowingly of. Even while incarcerated in prison, Joseph was stillinterpreting dreams instead of bemoaning his fate.

So, what is your excuse?

Was hard - The road to the future is often laced with road blocks, bumps, pit holes, distractions - you name it. But like the scripture would always say 'And it came to pass'. Another scripture says, ' Many are the afflictions of the righteous man, but the Lord delivers him out of them all'.

Instead of focusing on all the afflictions, why not look at God's promised deliverance?

Selah.

(C) Uloma Chinwe Obi
2016

Today is: Life Wednesday! Hallelujah!

Now shout aloud: I command every form of deadness to cease in my body, my health, my home, my marriage, my dreams, in my family. I release the life of God into my career, my health, my dreams. Death is not permitted around me. I overcome every manifestation of death by the spirit of life. I declare that there is therefore no condemnation for me. I am in Christ Jesus and I walk in the spirit not in the flesh. Therefore, the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets me free from the law of sin and death. I shall live, I shall not die. As the days of a tree, so shall my days be. Long life is my portion. I shall thrive, I shall flourish. Progress and prosperity are mine. I am blessed beyond the curse. Hallelujah!

Declare this aloud: I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am God's best. I am the light of my world and the salt of the earth. The Lord is gracious to me and causes His face to shine on me. As the days of a tree, so shall my days be. I will not be cut short in the midst of my days. My eyes shall see the glory of the Lord in the land of the living. I overrule every satanic judgment over my life, my marriage, my career, my health. I recover all I have lost. I am advancing and making positive strides today. Nothing, absolutely nothing is permitted to cause me hurt today. I have wisdom and the knowledge of witty ideas. I am the head and not the tail. Everywhere I go, the favour of the Lord trails me. The voice of rejoicing shall never depart from my tabernacles in Jesus mighty and matchless name I declare. Amen!

The only hope for Nigeria is in the 'pews', so called 'laity', ordinary men and women who have their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who changed the course of their nations in bible days were ordinary everyday people. People like Joseph, Esther and Mordecai, Daniel as a captive in Babylon, Nehemiah as the king's cupbearer, Moses as a runaway shepherd, David the great psalmist and shepherd of his father's flock, Anna and Simeon etc

When ordinary brethren begin to PRAY to an extraordinary God, the course of history will be averted. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

Everyone wants freedom.

Young people clamour for it; the aged crave after it. Freedom means different things to different people. To the employee, entrepreneurship means freedom; to the single, the married life translates freedom; to the student, graduation spells freedom.

Is freedom a utopian ideal? Is it attainable? What are the signs of freedom? First of all, freedom is not far fetched, yet its reward is far reaching.

Freedom simply means RESPONSIBILITY. You can never be truly free until you embrace the full weight of responsibility. FREEDOM WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY IS SLAVERY. The more we cry out for more freedom without attendant responsibility, the more it appears like a mirage - near, yet so far away. If you want to eexperience true freedom, then become more responsible. The responsible are free, the irresponsible are not. Responsibility simply means you have discovered your place in destiny and you are fully and actively engaging your appointed place in your appointed time.

SELAH.

The glory of God separates light from darkness; sinners from saints; boys from men; winners from losers.

Your destiny is an appointment with conditions and a fixed tenure.

Destiny is not an endless pursuit. You were appointed not by your parents, your background, your experiences; rather you were appointed (not by a board or popular opinion) but by a one man squad - the Lord jesus Christ, who is called 'the Apostle and Hig Priest of our profession'. In the pursuit of our God given destinies, there are two offices which we must carry out simultaneously. We must carry out apostolic roles in the sense that we must chart new courses, blae a trail, be in charge, oversee and live a life of signs and wonders.