Winning Faith Assembly

WHAT IS LOVE?

Years ago, when I lived in *Lugbe,* a suburb in *Abuja,* a number of girls lived in a building adjacent to me. They strictly lived to be picked up by men.

The girls will *go out at night* and return the following *morning.* I, and other neighbors were *angry.* The girls were very noisy. They never cared who their noise disturbed.

One day, the landlord had enough. *He evicted all of them.* Their properties were thrown out. All the girls found somewhere else to relocate, *except one.* She had no place to go.

She kept her belongings in our building corridor, and on nights that she was home, she'd sleep there... *and that was on most nights.*

The tenants in the building, *including my husband and I,* met to plan how to put her and her belongings out. *Surprisingly,* one tenant, *a woman* was against the idea. She asked, "What would you all do if this girl was *your daughter, sister or relative?"* She told us that this girl and her friends have, no doubt made *wrong choices.* But she reminded us that we too, *at some point* in our past also made wrong choices. But God still held us close to His heart and saved us. She cautioned us as Christians to *consider what Jesus would do.*

Everyone was quiet. But none suggested any way to help the *now homeless* lady.

Later on, the same woman who defended her at the tenant meeting had a talk with her husband. They agreed to house the girl *in their moderate apartment.*

They invited the girl into their home and told her she could stay with them. The homeless girl was shocked when the woman said to her, *"We know what you do for a living.* And you are free to go out at night and come back the next day if that's what you choose to do. Feel free to eat our food. Use the other bedroom. It is yours *as long as you live here.* Live like one of us. We did not bring you in to judge you. But we will continue to pray for you. Hopefully, the spirit will talk to you..., *at your own time."*

_The girl was dumbfounded._ And she cried. At nights, *she stayed home.* Going out to look for men gradually became a thing of her past.

She would join the family for morning devotion *and go to church with them on Sundays.*

One day, the woman, *now her landlord of sorts* told her of her husband's decision to pay for her to register in a university. The lady gained admission into a university. *She graduated on top of her class* and got a good job. But even before she graduated, with a university grant for outstanding students, *she had started a business* of her own.

Today, when you enter her office, she has this woman and her husband's photo on the wall behind her desk. The photo has the inscription, _*" " 'My parents,' the only Christians I know''.*_

Folks, what is love? Many Christians cannot answer to this question. We resist the true essence of love.

The truth is, "Christ died for us.'' Why would a righteous man die for sinners? That's what love is.

What can you do for someone even against your intrinsic instincts?

Every one we have chosen not to forgive, deserve forgiveness. That is the sacrifice that a true Christian, who shows true love makes.

*Love is not the practice of loving beautiful people. True love is shown by being willing to truly love those that many look down upon.*

_*How many less fortunate people have you taken home from church after service to feed? Why do we feed the rich, and don't feed the needy?*_

Why do we scorn people who look like prostitutes? We look at children who look unkept and we shake our heads in disapproval, warning our children to avoid such people.

But what kind of people do we think that heaven is waiting up there for?

Let's not lose the purpose of life because of what we have almost achieved.

Can someone say of you, *"I met a true believer in you?"*
Think about it.
Good day Beloved.
If you are moved by this writings and felt sharing it here would be worth our while.

A King had a male servant who, in all
circumstances always said to him;
My king, do not be discouraged
because everything God does is
perfect, no mistakes.
One day, they went hunting and a
wild animal attacked the king, the
servant managed to kill the animal
but couldn't prevent his majesty from
losing a finger. Furious and without
showing gratitude, the King said; if
God was good, I would not have
been attacked and lost one finger.
The servant replied, 'despite all these
things, I can only tell you that God is
good and everything He does is
perfect, He is never wrong'. Outraged
by the response, the king ordered the
arrest of his servant. While being
taken to prison, he told the king
again, God is Good & Perfect. Another
day, the king left alone for another
hunt and was captured by savages
who use human beings for sacrifice.
On the altar, the savages found out
that the king didn't have one finger in
place, he was released because he
was considered not "complete" to be
offered to the gods. On his return to
the palace, he ordered the release of
his servant and said; My friend, God
was really good to me. I was almost
killed but for lack of a single finger, I
was let go.
But I have a question; If God is so
good, why did He allow me to put
you in prison? His servant replied;
My king, if I had not been put in
prison, I would have gone with you,
and would have been sacrificed,
because I have no missing finger.
Everything God does is perfect, He is
never wrong. Often we complain
about life, and the negative things
that happen to us, forgetting that
everything happens for a purpose.
God knows why you are reading this
message today.

4. Give Up Your Quest For Happiness
“The opposite of depression is not happiness, but vitality and resilience — Andrew Solomon — An Atlas Of Depression
There’s no such thing as “achieving happiness”, there’s feeling happy.

All these are available to us now, no matter what our situation is.

If you’re at rock bottom, recognize that at rock bottom the only way to go is up and that it’s often required.

This is why the #1 life coach and strategist in the world always says:

“You see, it’s not what’s happening to you now or what has happened in the past that determines who you become. Rather, it’s your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you’re going to do about them, that will determine your ultimate destiny.” — Tony Robbins

Use painful situations to learn and become more resilient.

It’s the story you tell yourself that matters — and moving forward, no matter what happens, tell yourself a story of glory and overcoming.

This is the reaction pattern you need to adopt and make a habit.

This is the secret of the resilient ones you hear about who overcame hardship to go on and live happy lives.

Give up your quest for happiness.

5. Give Up Your Guilt
“Guilt is perhaps the most painful companion of death.” — Coco Chanel

Legendary psychiatrist Dr. David Hawkins concluded after a life time of study that every negative thought or feeling is associated with guilt, and as a result, we constantly spend time suppressing it.

There’s unconscious guilt every time we have a negative thought about someone on top of the mind’s constant judging and criticizing of ourselves and others.

To relinquish guilt, breathe in and acknowledge the guilt and honor it’s existence, then picture it leaving the body.

No matter what we’re doing, you feel you should be doing something else.

Let go of guilt, all day and every day and decide to never feel guilty again no matter what you do, how you feel or what happens.

Breathe in and acknowledge the guilt and honor it’s existence, then picture it leaving the body and relinquish.

It’s not productive.

Give up your guilt.

6. Give Up Your Complaining
“Complaining not only ruins everybody else’s day, it ruins the complainer’s day, too. The more we complain, the more unhappy we get.” — Dennis Prager

Complaining hurts no one but you.

That feeling of satisfaction you feel when you complain about something is a false positive — a ‘stroke’ the ego get’s for making someone else wrong.

#1 New York Times best-selling author Tim Ferris recommends putting a bracelet on one hand and changing hands every time you catch yourself complaining.

Nobody helps a complainer and the act of complaining makes you unhappy.

Decide you’ll never complain again.

Give up your complaining.

7. Give Up Your Negative Thoughts
“It takes so much strength to say to your ego, ‘You know what? You’re going to keep me lonely, so I have to ignore you.” — George Michael

Negative thoughts never serve you, it’s just story telling that creates suffering by your ego.

Your ego is around to keep you alive by keeping you focused on your fears.

Recognizing this is empowering and letting go of the feelings that create those thoughts even more so.

As Dr. David Hawkins says: “thoughts in and of themselves are painless, but not the feelings that underlie them”.

Hawkins suggests anytime you feel something negative (from the feeling of fear), don’t resist it, honor it’s existence, and let it go. Make this a regular habit when you feel bad and you’ll live longer with less stress.

Give up your negative thoughts.

25 Things You Should Give Up If You Want To Be Happy
“If you want to be happy, you have to let go of the part of you that wants to create melodrama. This is the part that thinks there’s a reason not to be happy. You have to transcend the personal, and as you do, you will naturally awaken to the higher aspects of your being

I learned this secret of being happy and have decided it’s the minimal lowest standard I’ll accept at any given moment for the rest of my life no matter what happens.

I was so relieved to learn that something as profound as happiness can be made so simple.

“Living well” and “being happy” play such a massive role in the quality of our existence and is something that’s in our control.

This is why Tony Robbins, the world’s best personal development coach, continually says:

“Achievement is a science, happiness is an art.”

Prior to this realization, I made the mistake of believing happiness came from moments in the future because expectations were met or worse yet, external goals were achieved.

This state of mind left me yearning for future events to be happy instead of working to be happy on a daily basis, no matter what.

It was pioneering Harvard psychologist William James who said:

“If you want a quality, act as if you already had it.”

What Is Happiness?
“It isn’t what you have or who you are or what you’re doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” — Dr. Stephen Covey

Happiness is a standard and worldview, that’s in our control.

Happy people end up having happy lives — happy lives don’t end up making happy people.

As Sapiens author Dr. Yuval Noah Harari said:

“We tend to believe that if we could just change our workplace, buy that car or finish writing that novel, we would be on top of the world. Yet when we get what we desire we don’t seem to be any happier. Buying cars and writing novels do not change our biochemistry. They can startle it for a fleeting moment, but it is soon back to its set point.’

Happy people are happy no matter what outside events they’re facing.

They’re the quiet resilient ones who are able to face the unhappiest of outside circumstances and overcome.

This is evident from the millions of people who come back from war, face extreme hardship, come from poverty and manage to overcome and live happy lives of compassion.

In a nutshell, the habit of happiness leads to resilience and resilience is the key to a cultivating a happy life.

Does it take work to uphold that standard? Absolutely. And the last thing I’m trying to say is that it’s easy.

What I’m highlighting is that only the power that comes from being a sentient human, allows our sophisticated consciousness that made us the winning species — allowing us to plan for futures by learning from the past, also comes with a sophisticated drawback of constantly thinking of the past and yearning for the future — which often creates angst and unhappiness for many.

As Dr. Harari continued in his exploration of human happiness:

“We are far more powerful than our ancestors, but are we much happier? It doesn’t seem so. Compared to what most people in history dreamt about, we may be living in paradise. But for some reason, we don’t feel the part.”

As Harari stated, we live so much better compared to people of the past, though what continually keeps us unhappy, in part, are these 25 things you must decide to give up.

1. Give Up Your Delay To Be Happy
“We are conditioned to deliberately sacrifice joy in the moment, for the sake of rewards in the future that we believe will bring us happiness. However, when you arrive at your future, you’re still unhappy because you’re always looking for another point at which you will be happy and satisfied. It’s the quality of your present moment now, that determines the quality of your future, because your future also happens in the present..” — Dr. Robert Anthony

All that ever exists is the present moment. Your future can only be as good as the quality of your present moment now, so you can also be happy when you reach [present moment goals] in the future.

Make a decision with a ten second meditation as the first thing you do when you roll out of bed that no matter what happens today and how you feel (you can feel bad but still be happy), that you’ll be happy and it’s up to you to make happiness happen no matter what.

This is like a muscle that needs to be strengthened, so when you reach another future point in time (often a successful one), you can be present then as well — because every future event quickly becomes yesterday’s event and as humans we’re wired to ask “what’s next?” just about every single day.

Don’t make the grave mistake of believing you’ll be happy if only you reach the top of the mountain.

Give up your delay to be happy.

2. Give Up Your Victimhood
“People simply mirror back your internal belief systems.” — Dr. David Hawkins

Understandably, it’s easy to be convinced that you’re a victim to an ugly world —however this is plain poppycock.

The world is how you perceive it, and your reality is created by the lens that creates your worldview.

You view the world with your mind, not eyes — so it’s partly in your control.

Besides all the massive data showing people are becoming more loving and compassionate as humanity evolves, getting what you want is in your absolute control.

If you want to be treated with respect, try believing everyone respects you already, and see what happens.

You elicit behavior in others based on how you behave, and how you behave is based on how you think. So think wisely and check what you believe if you aren’t where you want to be.

Write down 25 things you believe.

You’ll find that list will reflect your reality.

If you want to change your reality, change that list to 25 things you wished you believed were true.

Then start believing them. This is the definition of hypnosis and why it works. Hypnosis is only changing a belief about something.

This hard fact is empowering, and if you don’t believe me, try it.

How do I know this is true? Because there are other people who see the world as positive, loving and abundant. And what one man can do, another man can do.

Give up your victimhood.

3. Give Up Your Meaninglessness
“The purpose of life, as far as I can tell… is to find a mode of being that’s so meaningful that the fact that life is suffering is no longer relevant.” — Dr. Jordan Peterson

Life means whatever you want it to mean and you have the power to create your own meaning.

That is such a luxury. Run wild with it and choose to commit yourself to something so deeply that it makes suffering an afterthought.

What can you live for, that’s worth dying for?

What’s a time you forced yourself to get out of bed at 5am because you were excited?

It’s about story telling and up to you to create yours.

We’re the only mammal sophisticated enough to do this because of our blessing of high conscious awareness.

Squirrels only know how to store nuts and survive the winter.

Birds only know how to fly and travel to warm climates.

This is not up to them, it’s their success instinct — their goals for how to survive are determined.

We’re the only mammal that can pick and plan ultra complex goals. This comes with it’s benefits and as we now know well, it’s curses.

Fast forward to your deathbed and imagine the meaning you wanted your life to have, now write the story and go out and live it.

You’re a hero and a myth and no one can tell you otherwise.

Give up your meaninglessness.

Nature is not kind to men *who* did not *cater* for their *old* ages when they were *young* .

*Build* your own *house* where you will *live* in your *old* *age* .

*Build* businesses that will *feed* you in *your* *old* *age* .
*Create* *conveniences* that will *engage* you in your *old* *age* .
*Build* *friendship* and *goodwill* that will *serve* you in your *old* *age* .
*Right* *now* , *start* to be *relevant* in your *mosque* or *Church* and *community* so you could be *reckoned* with in your old age.

* *Old* age could be very *lonely* and *agonising* for *men* who did not *plan* for it.
* *May* you not *become* a *liability* on your *children* in your *old* *age* .
* *May* your *children* not *wish* you an *early* *death* when they *can't* *manage* you again in your *old* *age* .
An *old* *age* without *penny* in your *pocket* is a slow, *agonising* *death* *sentence* !

Be *warned* now...!
There are *three* categories of *people* you cannot do *without* as we are *growing* *older* , your *family* , *people* in your place of *worship* and *childhood* *friends* , who include your *Old* *School* *mates* .

*Friends* , *take* it or leave it, at *60* and *above* , *loneliness* kills because the *children* you are *working* *hard* for now will *go* their *ways* to *raise* their *own* immediate *families* and *pursue* their own *destinies* , *just* as *we* did *now* . At that time it's *these* *people* in these *3* - *categories* that *take* away *loneliness* and *keep* your *company* .

Pls, out of your *busy* *schedule* , *set* time out to *say* *HI* ! to your *real* - *old* - *age* - *cure* - *against* - *loneliness* . In the 3- *categories* , the only *one* that *knows* you *better* and can *relate* with you *down* to *heart* are your *childhood* *friends* .
So *why* are you *feeling* too *big* or *inferior* to come *along* ? It's not *possible* we'll all be at the *same* *level* . *Some* will be *very* *rich* , *moderate* and some *poor* - that is the *beauty* and *misery* of life. *Some* will be so *educated* , while *some* will *still* be *Secondary* *school* *certificate* *holders* .

*If* you are *up* , *bring* others that are *willing* *up* , and *if* you are *down* , never *bring* those that are *up* *down* with your *mouth* or *attitude* .
At close to *50* years and *above* , you have *10* to *15* years of *active* *working* life.

*Stop* saying *I* *am* this, I *am* *that* . *Flow* into other *people's* *lives* and *let* then *flow* into *yours* .

*Respect* *friendship* and *value* *relationship* .

Let us *pass* this to all *friends* on our *contacts* , *Rich* or *Poor* .

*You* *can't* *exhibit* *pride* . *Live* *simple* .

*Letter from a Late Mother to her son three days after her burial:*

Dear Son,

I want to know why I died like a poor woman when I have a Son like you.

My Son, I wanted to bless you before I die, but now I have gone with my blessings.

My breakfast, my lunch and my dinner was one of my challenges when I was alive, but u spent money to cook all types of foods, meats and different types of drinks on my burial day.

My Son, you choose to spread and rubbed my dead body with costly fragrance when I was using groundnut oil as my favourite cream.

You dressed my Co**se with an expensive cloth when it was difficult to buy a wrapper for me.

When my Co**se was in the Mortuary you came to check on me from time to time, you care about my Co**se than when I was alive why ?

The most painful thing is the kind of expensive coffin you put my Co**se when I was living in an uncompleted house.

When you were young I starved for you to eat and satisfied, I wore one cloth in order to provide enough clothes for you. I thought you would take care of me when I grow old.

You completed the house, painted it and cleared the compound in one week just to celebrate my Co**se.

Now you wrote tribute to me saying "Mama, I love you so much rest in peace" - When I died with a broken heart.

Finally, my son, I wrote this to remind you that there is no other person that loves a child like a mother. May God forgive you.

As the crying of the baby attract the attention of the mother, all your needs will attract the attention of God and you shall continue to receive God's favour, mercy and protection over your life. Amen_..The mercies of God will overflow into your life. Your mornings will be good, your afternoons will be better, your evenings will be glorious and your nights will be peaceful. Goodness of God will encompass you , in Jesus name.

25 LITTLE STORIES FROM THE UNKNOWN MAN

1. Once upon a time I met a man who told me that telling the truth and making someone cry, is better than telling a lie and making someone smile and happy.

2. He said to me your true friends are those who will never avoid you just because they have met new friends.

3. As he kept on speaking to me, he said If some people do not appreciate and value my presence, I should work hard to make them value and appreciate my absence.

4. He said I must not be angry with anyone who is quiet on me because there must be a reason why they are quiet, and that I will get to know the reason later.

5. He told me it is always better to be a blessing to others at all times than to be a burden at all times.

6. He said I must learn to forgive others not because they deserve it but because I deserve the peace that comes with forgiveness.

7. I must know that everyone deserves a second chance and many more chances if they ask for forgiveness, but I must not loose my guard over their intentions.

8. I must not only talk to people in my free time, but I must free my time to talk to people.

9. I must know that the truth may hurt for a little while, but a lie will hurt for a long time.

10. I must learn to value and respect people who tell you the Truth no matter how painful the truth is.

11. I must make my decisions when I am in the right mood, not when I am angry, likewise I must not make promises when I am excited with high emotions.

12. I must know that some people are like candles that burn themselves to give light to others. I should not have regrets if I happen to be one of such candles.

13. I must learn to be a caring friend because it is a thousand times better than a careless lover.

14. I should value and protect my relationships of many years of investments because they are like a book that takes years to write but can get burnt only within few seconds.

15. He specifically said this repeatedly that If have a problem with someone, I should go tell the person and not go tell the world.

16. He said to me that I should know that nobody is too busy, it is just a matter of their priorities within a day.

17. He said to me that people can trust you when you are consistent with what you say and what you do.

18. He said with a low voice, only God can be totally trusted. Trust God 100%.

19. He then said no matter what, I must not forget those who helped and stood by me in my time of trials and during my difficult times.

20. I must always remember those who turned their backs on me in my difficult times of trials. Not for vengeance, but for the lesson of life.

21. I must be careful with those who put me into difficult times but I must never hate them. It is a lesson of life.

22. He said again I must be grateful at all times to God for this life and for living. It is a previlege and not a right.

23. As he was leaving me, he said, always remember how temporary this world is, I must always be conscious of the reality of eternity with God in heaven or with Satan in hell fire.

24. He smiled and left waving me for a long time. Who must this man be?

25. What he told me may be useful to you.

God bless you more as you meditate upon words.

25 LITTLE STORIES FROM THE UNKNOWN MAN

1. Once upon a time I met a man who told me that telling the truth and making someone cry, is better than telling a lie and making someone smile and happy.

2. He said to me your true friends are those who will never avoid you just because they have met new friends.

3. As he kept on speaking to me, he said If some people do not appreciate and value my presence, I should work hard to make them value and appreciate my absence.

4. He said I must not be angry with anyone who is quiet on me because there must be a reason why they are quiet, and that I will get to know the reason later.

5. He told me it is always better to be a blessing to others at all times than to be a burden at all times.

6. He said I must learn to forgive others not because they deserve it but because I deserve the peace that comes with forgiveness.

7. I must know that everyone deserves a second chance and many more chances if they ask for forgiveness, but I must not loose my guard over their intentions.

8. I must not only talk to people in my free time, but I must free my time to talk to people.

9. I must know that the truth may hurt for a little while, but a lie will hurt for a long time.

10. I must learn to value and respect people who tell you the Truth no matter how painful the truth is.

11. I must make my decisions when I am in the right mood, not when I am angry, likewise I must not make promises when I am excited with high emotions.

12. I must know that some people are like candles that burn themselves to give light to others. I should not have regrets if I happen to be one of such candles.

13. I must learn to be a caring friend because it is a thousand times better than a careless lover.

14. I should value and protect my relationships of many years of investments because they are like a book that takes years to write but can get burnt only within few seconds.

15. He specifically said this repeatedly that If have a problem with someone, I should go tell the person and not go tell the world.

16. He said to me that I should know that nobody is too busy, it is just a matter of their priorities within a day.

17. He said to me that people can trust you when you are consistent with what you say and what you do.

18. He said with a low voice, only God can be totally trusted. Trust God 100%.

19. He then said no matter what, I must not forget those who helped and stood by me in my time of trials and during my difficult times.

20. I must always remember those who turned their backs on me in my difficult times of trials. Not for vengeance, but for the lesson of life.

21. I must be careful with those who put me into difficult times but I must never hate them. It is a lesson of life.

22. He said again I must be grateful at all times to God for this life and for living. It is a previlege and not a right.

23. As he was leaving me, he said, always remember how temporary this world is, I must always be conscious of the reality of eternity with God in heaven or with Satan in hell fire.

24. He smiled and left waving me for a long time. Who must this man be?

25. What he told me may be useful to you.

God bless you more as you meditate upon words and share with your friends.

*TODAY'S MESSAGE* Nehemiah 13:2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

🙏. *Any curse placed on you, your ministry, your household, your work, or your generation shall turn to blessing

KATARTIZO
"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." (Hebrews 11:3).
The word faith occurred 24 times in this chapter.... The Hebrew word frame is "Katartizo" means to repair, perfect, mend, and restore... As co-creator with God, You have the power to repair perfect mend and restore your life to the original stage.
What you do today can change all the tomorrow's of your life. Do something each day to become a little better than you were yesterday. Small improvements daily lead to enormous differences in results.