Little things matter Week 39, 2016

This is not an invitation to major on minors but to recognise the importance and significance of little things. Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones. If, then, you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, how can you be trusted with true wealth? Lk 16:10-11.  This passage has to do with money, and faithfulness to it. The way money is handled is a very key indicator of character. Money sex and ego are testing areas to anyone. If you send a person to the market and the person brings back no balance it is an indication of the character. You think it is a small matter? It is not right for you to be proud! You know the saying, "A little bit of yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise”1Cor 5:6. I read in "The happiest people on earth" of how a client left excess balance with Demos Shakarian's father in their time of poverty as he sold news papers. Upon realising it he shouted after the man, ran, and finally spent money to catch up with the man and return the excess even though they lacked food at home. Some might have kept back the excess and given a testimony of how God had miraculously provided. Some would have said “Why bother to run after him? It’s a little thing.” Little things matter. 

Have you noticed some so called “little lies” that are told? Signing in 8.00am when you actually came later. “I am coming.” when actually you are going. “I am not in” when actually you don't want to see anybody. Why not just say “I shall return soon” “I am not disposed to see anyone now”? What of lies told on the telephone? Saying you are in a location when you are not there. A common way of retiring government money is with receipts. You know so many tell lies with the receipt putting in false claims. A cabman was asked for a receipt and he just gave an empty receipt. The brother requested him fill it accurately. O how many times have you been to market and the trader asks “What do you want me to put on the receipt?” Someone has wondered why a trader or anyone else would assist an individual steal from government. Brother little things matter!

A little foolishness can spoil all your work. Dead flies can make a whole bottle of perfume stink, and a little stupidity can cancel out the greatest wisdom Ecc 10:1. You have finished writing an exam then instead of stopping when you are asked you continue and then you have more marks deducted than you were struggling for. Or you don’t know a few numbers and instead of letting go you cheat and then loose everything. Sadly people remember the folly more than the good works. Once very small bits of foam struck a space shuttle when it took off; it was adjudged a little thing. It became the point where the vessel was damaged. The shuttle never returned her passengers; it burnt upon re-entry. Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that destroy the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom Song 2:15.  Little foxes ruin the vineyard. A little thing as not locking the door when meeting a female other than your wife during counselling matters.

A little thing Week 38, 2016

I was very displeased; and doubted what I was being told over the telephone. Little stones found in beans while being picked from the container for cooking had been dropped from upstairs and fell unto the car. And those little stones had landed on the glass, giving it a small crack. And steadily the crack spread within a short time over all the glass such that all the glass was shattered. Who did they think they are telling? What size of stone is found in beans that will break the glass of a car? Not the side mirror, the glass! “Let me get home first” I thought to myself.

When I did get home what I saw amazed me: The tinted glass was shattered but still very much together. The pieces were very tiny; smaller than pebbles, indeed they were the same size as stones found in beans. The account was factual. How could dropping such small things completely shatter a very large tinted glass? Some vibration, even the shutting of the door led to some of the glass pieces falling off. I could no longer use it; apart from the unsightliness this was rainy season and water would just come in. It just must be replaced urgently . The heart is more deceitful than anything. It is incurable—who can know it? I am the LORD who searches the heart, who tests the inner depths to give to each person according to what he deserves, according to the fruit of his deeds Jer 17:9-10 (ISV).

Then the word came: so do little sins shatter the unwary. It looks so little, so harmless, but o such damage it causes! Little things matter. As dead flies cause the perfumer's ointment to stink, so also does a little foolishness to one's reputation of wisdom and honour Ecc 10:1(ISV). So when a friend and brother asked “What happened?” I told him “It’s a little sin!” though now I doubt if there is such a thing as a little sin anyway. I doubt it. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in union with the Messiah Jesus our Lord Rom 6:23(ISV). Little or big. You know a search through the whole bible revealed no such phrase as “little sin”; nowhere in the bible! Perhaps you too can search. The result will confirm it. All sin is deadly.

Beloved are there little tiny things being thrown into your life as you stand there, as you live? The glass shattered but was still on the vehicle. Are you shattered but still in church, in fellowship? Is trouble pouring unhindered into your life because little things have shattered you?

So to the repairers the vehicle went. It was replaced with a brand new one. When it came home the culprit touched the glass and said “It’s like though we have gone back to the past; as if it never happened” and was told “That’s what God does with our sins. It’s just as though we never did it.” I, I am the one who blots out your transgression for my own sake, and I'll remember your sins no more Is43:25(ISV). Have you been to Jesus?

The 16 year wait Week 37, 2016

It had been 16 years I wanted another baby. When I had my first baby I bled every month in pregnancy but unlike the menstrual cycle the bleeding wouldn’t last the number of days. No one could explain it. The only thing the doctor did was to put a circlage stitch in my cervix to prevent the baby from miscarrying. When I was term I notice one day the waters had burst and I went to the hospital. I delivered my daughter almost immediately after the stitch was removed. It was then my doctor drew my ears and told me to be very close to the hospital. In 2002 I was pregnant again. And it was with twin boys. Since I was very strong I continued working on my bank job. There was no problem until the last trimester. At 7 months I suddenly started bleeding heavily and was rushed to the hospital. I mean I really bled. The first twin died immediately and the second one was really bad. The doctor said he would have a lot of deficiencies because of all the trauma and they tried to keep him alive. But suddenly he died. And that was it.

Over the next few years all attempts to get pregnant failed me. My husband and I visited renowned IVF clinics in Nigeria which were of course very expensive. The best known was patronised by me yet no baby. We went to United Kingdom to the facility where the first “Test tube baby” was born. The cost in pounds sterling was so high, we had to sweat to bring it out. For 2 months I was on hormone therapy and finally had the fertilisation done. Tests proved I was pregnant! I then was discharged and packed my bags to get back home. That day I lost the pregnancy again. I told my husband I had had enough. It wasn’t the money really. The expectations, hopes and sudden disappointments were too much of an emotional roller-coaster for me. That was in 2007.

I decided to adopt and that was a long process. Each time I was called I was told they had twins for me and I didn’t want twins; they were too much trouble! By 2011 I had left banking for good, was running a charity for street children with most of my earnings, and had a life changing trip to Hawaii on Haggai institute for Christian women leaders. After this I began working with an NGO charity helping raise awareness and coordinate free treatment for children born with a facial deformity. I was on a visit to Liberia for this in 2014 when the Ebola outbreak hit. I visited one of the main centres. When I got to USA from there I was sick, so sick I was vomiting. Had I contracted Ebola? I had no fever, but all tests to show what was wrong with me were negative. I went back to Nigeria and visited the hospital. After a number of blood tests one of the junior doctors told me “You are pregnant.” I told him he didn’t know what he was saying and requested the consultant. But I was pregnant. Pregnant with triplets without IVF or any planned intervention. I travelled to USA and had them: two boys and a girl. My employers gave me on request 2 years off work (and to my amazement paid me fully in the period)! So I now have 4 children. Glory to Jesus Christ! Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Jer 32:27(KJV)                                                                                            Nkiru is an international Haggai institute alumnus

Don't give up Week 36, 2016

Perhaps your academics seem to defy that promise “You shall be the head and not the tail” though you work hard and refuse to cheat. Perhaps you have walked in integrity and faithfulness but are yet to see God’s prosperity in your life and business. Persevere in righteous living. Listen: Thus says the LORD: "Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed” Is 56:1(ESV). Understand that these blessings shall overtake you. It means for a while they are not in front of you but will be caused to come and get ahead of you. Persevere.

Is the issue of hearing from God giving you a tough time? You desire accuracy in receiving messages from Him yet it seems you hit it and miss it. Do you think this means you aren’t fully committed to Jesus? Listen: none of us knows it all on this side of eternity.  Practice leads to improvement. The revelation of God is still line upon line, line upon line. Here a little there a little. (Is28:10). For we know in part and we prophesy in part 1Cor 13:9(ESV). Do not give up; persevere, we see darkly as in a mirror. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known 1Cor13:12(ESV). Even the Apostle Paul wasn’t always certain the way things would turn out with him. Recall his uncertainty when planning to visit Jerusalem and Rome? But he pressed on prayerful with his plans, “always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you--  that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.  I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented)…”Rom 1:10-13(ESV).  Persevere.

How about you that are making mistakes; awkward mistakes with the manifestation of ministerial gifts and call? Keep stirring up God’s gifting in you. “Stir” implies constant work until the sugar, the milk, yea the gifting is all over the place, and any side of you we taste, any time we taste you, we taste God’s gift. Fan into flame the gift of God in you. It may be a lot of smoke is coming from your life right now and little fire. Smoke that makes people cough, not get blessed. The way you operate your leadership makes people irritated, and your delivery of God’s word is criticised as rough and occasionally unclear. In fact you are saying “Eedo, it’s enough. Bible says let your good not be spoken of as evil, let another take my place and do the thing. ” But see: A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.. Is 42:3, 4(KJV). When firewood is bringing out smoke you don’t stop fanning, instead you fan harder. Press on.