Doing the interview thing for the watchnight service, one question that was asked is how has 2006 been for you and i want to take some time here and recall the events of 2006.
In no particular order, 2006 has been a really good year for me. Probably the best thing i can think of about this year is the time we get to come together and pray in INTI College. I think it was valentine who came up with the idea and then it just went off from there, we had sister Sisi from Australia come and speak into our lives but beyond that the spiritual exercise of praying each week has really helped me.
Another significant thing i really appreciate God for this year is the opportunity to really give my life to God and shake off the doubts that used to be there. Academically too this year has been a year of restoration, my grades went up again this year and despite the disappointments, God gave me double for my trouble.
I also want to thank God for the opportunity to serve in the various events, Nights of fire, PS conference and recently in Bethany with the computers and stuff. Even this blog is my attempt to connect with people and i just want to say here and now that the main reason beyond glorifying God with my life in words is to relate with you all just to connect. Its going to go beyond that to physical person to person interaction. I just feel God telling me over and over these few days that i need to work on my interpersonal relationships, i just feel that 2007 is going to be a people year. Its such a great thing for someone like me. I dont want to say i'm shy but i feel i lack certain social skills and God wants to change things.
This year marked a few milestones in my life, i was able to reach out to my father abit, 2yrs in my relationship, you know i think back and i see the exceeding, goodness of God. Even the opportunity he gave me to check off my wishlist.
There is so much more i'll like to share here so i'll do it in another post
~shalom~
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
ps conf was arrrrh
PS conference was awesome, i'm glad i went. Alot of truth was spoken and mindsets have been changed in Jesus name. I now realise that there are lot of things we have been saved from but it seems like nothing is happening and those same things creep up again and freak us out its like i thought this thing is done and gone but you know, we have to, i have to accept our salvation and deliverance and just move in it. If God says i'm healed then its done, i now have to start seeing myself as healed, even though there's still pain . Its just like peter walking on water, the storm is always there but Jesus is bigger than the storm, the moment we stop looking unto Jesus we sink and thats what happened to me.
I must confess i didnt have the right attitude all through the conference, at some point i just let the situations around overwhelm the presence of God and the truth God has spoken. I am a child of God, the son of God the King, which makes me a prince right, so how come i act like a mere servant? Servant to circumstances? They're always there but my victory lies in Jesus, just looking unto him and accepting his sacrifice.
Another thing that really struck me was the mindset of a person not willing to accept the blessings of God, it like a habit, i dont mind giving, i enjoy it but its hard for me to receive especially when i'm in need, i prefer to just work my way out. And it doesnt matter what it is, money, love, kindness, generousity, anything. A sower has to receive at some point right?
Finally just a wrap up here, there were alot of things spoken and i'm just touching on a few. I was really amazed at the size of the hall we used to the conf. The turn out was very good everybody involved had their hands full and when it seemed like the hall was so full, they moved the walls behind to the back. That really spoke to me. Its like God, when you think you're getting to know more and more about him, when it seems like your day is already good enough, when you feel like the stuff you prayed for has already been answered, He just grins and opens the back wall to reveal even more, God is awesome.
~shalom~
I must confess i didnt have the right attitude all through the conference, at some point i just let the situations around overwhelm the presence of God and the truth God has spoken. I am a child of God, the son of God the King, which makes me a prince right, so how come i act like a mere servant? Servant to circumstances? They're always there but my victory lies in Jesus, just looking unto him and accepting his sacrifice.
Another thing that really struck me was the mindset of a person not willing to accept the blessings of God, it like a habit, i dont mind giving, i enjoy it but its hard for me to receive especially when i'm in need, i prefer to just work my way out. And it doesnt matter what it is, money, love, kindness, generousity, anything. A sower has to receive at some point right?
Finally just a wrap up here, there were alot of things spoken and i'm just touching on a few. I was really amazed at the size of the hall we used to the conf. The turn out was very good everybody involved had their hands full and when it seemed like the hall was so full, they moved the walls behind to the back. That really spoke to me. Its like God, when you think you're getting to know more and more about him, when it seems like your day is already good enough, when you feel like the stuff you prayed for has already been answered, He just grins and opens the back wall to reveal even more, God is awesome.
~shalom~
Monday, December 11, 2006
ps conference
Planetshakers conference is finally here. From all indications its going to be really busy but i think its going to be fun at the same time. I'm expecting great things to happen at this one, if it turns out to be just another ps conf. i would be very disappointed but it wont and i wont be :)
ciao
ciao
Thursday, December 07, 2006
food fellowship
Seems like i'm talking about food more and more these days. Well yesterday after we finished our prayer meeting we were just talking and i jokingly invited stan to dinner at my house, i thought he would say nvm or something but he took me at my word and we before i knew whats happening we were going to my house.
On the way i recvd a message from caleb and needed to use lanre's phone to call him, ran out of credit. So a short stop over at lanre's house and i thought, why dont we cook at mike's house? I have the eggs, lanre's going to make fry the egg with all the nice nice things and i'll make oat and we'll just eat it with bread.
Again its not a starbucks meal but it works. It nice to see everyone doing something just helping out and we had a good time just munching away at our custom-made food.
~shalom~
On the way i recvd a message from caleb and needed to use lanre's phone to call him, ran out of credit. So a short stop over at lanre's house and i thought, why dont we cook at mike's house? I have the eggs, lanre's going to make fry the egg with all the nice nice things and i'll make oat and we'll just eat it with bread.
Again its not a starbucks meal but it works. It nice to see everyone doing something just helping out and we had a good time just munching away at our custom-made food.
~shalom~
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
firsts
A lot of firsts are going on in my life at the moment. Last friday was the first time i ever went to a gym, philip has been pushing me to do more sports, i play scrabble! i said but he meant outdoor sports and i know fully well what he was talking about.
Its not like i dont like sports, its just that i prefer watching professionals play on tv. I'm not good at any of the sports but the way i see it, its just to have fun. Obviously some people take things too far and get too serious as if its a life or death thing, thats where i back off. But it was fun, my whole body was sore a few days after that but its all good.
I even played volleyball, which is hugely fun. Its all down to teamwork and well since i'm new to the game, i'm not so familiar with the rules and roles we lost the game last friday. Again fun is the operative {key} word here.
Today i cooked for myself. Man i didnt know how pleasant the process of preparing food can be. Let me explain what i cooked so you can laugh. I cooked oat, fried eggs and ate it with bread from my favorite cake house, mita. It was lovely, i enjoyed eating all that food and cleaning up afterwards.
There's something about my life thats changing, i find that i worry too much these days and at the same time i'm trying out things i was either scared to do or plain lazy or uninterested in before. Its kind of adventurous. And as you can see from the times i make these posts, i've not been sleeping as early as i should.
All is not well back home, my father was in the hospital for some days, my sister is sick also, having breathing problems, my brother is getting angry for no reason and when i ask he says i dont want to talk about it. Is that adolescence kicking in or should i worry? My mom is over working herself as usual again. Sometimes i just wish i can be there to help out and support them but i cant, the best i can do is pray for them. I miss my home sigh.
Will be taking IELTS this saturday, I've been going through some sample questions and they are not hard at the same time they are not so easy so i guess i'll be studying for that all this week.
Just one last thing before i go. I was asked to help out with the lcd and stuff which means i'll be there on saturdays during practice and one thing i observed and it just blessed me is to see the work behind the service, how the practice sessions go on and changes are made and the final "settings", if you will are agreed on and done. And then the people come in and the music flows and lives are touched, some on their knees, some crying some just praying, God here i am, I am yours, others just enjoying the time of worship. Its really incredible, it really blessed my heart to see that. God bless you :)
~shalom~
Its not like i dont like sports, its just that i prefer watching professionals play on tv. I'm not good at any of the sports but the way i see it, its just to have fun. Obviously some people take things too far and get too serious as if its a life or death thing, thats where i back off. But it was fun, my whole body was sore a few days after that but its all good.
I even played volleyball, which is hugely fun. Its all down to teamwork and well since i'm new to the game, i'm not so familiar with the rules and roles we lost the game last friday. Again fun is the operative {key} word here.
Today i cooked for myself. Man i didnt know how pleasant the process of preparing food can be. Let me explain what i cooked so you can laugh. I cooked oat, fried eggs and ate it with bread from my favorite cake house, mita. It was lovely, i enjoyed eating all that food and cleaning up afterwards.
There's something about my life thats changing, i find that i worry too much these days and at the same time i'm trying out things i was either scared to do or plain lazy or uninterested in before. Its kind of adventurous. And as you can see from the times i make these posts, i've not been sleeping as early as i should.
All is not well back home, my father was in the hospital for some days, my sister is sick also, having breathing problems, my brother is getting angry for no reason and when i ask he says i dont want to talk about it. Is that adolescence kicking in or should i worry? My mom is over working herself as usual again. Sometimes i just wish i can be there to help out and support them but i cant, the best i can do is pray for them. I miss my home sigh.
Will be taking IELTS this saturday, I've been going through some sample questions and they are not hard at the same time they are not so easy so i guess i'll be studying for that all this week.
Just one last thing before i go. I was asked to help out with the lcd and stuff which means i'll be there on saturdays during practice and one thing i observed and it just blessed me is to see the work behind the service, how the practice sessions go on and changes are made and the final "settings", if you will are agreed on and done. And then the people come in and the music flows and lives are touched, some on their knees, some crying some just praying, God here i am, I am yours, others just enjoying the time of worship. Its really incredible, it really blessed my heart to see that. God bless you :)
~shalom~
Saturday, December 02, 2006
God in the little things
I just want to praise God what what just happened to me. As i came back home, i checked my pocket and my keys were not there. So i was like oh man! What am i going to do? I must have locked it in the room.
Luckily my housemate was at home, i could hear him snoring, so i called him up and he opened the door and went back to sleep. In my mind i was thinking of alternatives because i knew there was no way to get into the room. I was just distressed and panicky, all kinds of thoughts went through my mind i even thought of walking through the door, need to have faith la right? Well yeah but i dont have faith enough to believe i can walk through wood.
So there i was, a victim of my own carelessness. In cases like this i would call my landlady and she would come and open the door with her spare key but it so happens that her phone was stolen just a few days ago and she has not replaced it so calling her was hopeless but i tried anyway, didnt work.
I was just pacing about and then i just asked God, what do i do now? And there was silence, no voice in the clouds. So i went downstairs and tried the set of keys i found on her {my landlady's} table but non fit the door, that again was a hopeless attempt but i didnt care. I was desperate to try anything. I even tried it in prince's room to see if it would open, if it did i'll probably sleep there for the night since he's in Nigeria at the moment but nothing.
Haiya, what to do ah? I honestly didnt want sleep over at michael's house because that would mean i would wear the same clothes i wore today to church tomorrow and it would mean defeat and surrender. How can God come through for me if i always take the easy way out? Besides i wont have this testimony to share now. So i went downstairs again and found a set of keys kept in a top secret place i cant tell you about and opened my door.
I tell you i was like God, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. You are indeed a good God. And help me not to take you for granted.
Its amazing to think that God is the God in little things too. God loves OgUcHi
~shalom~
Luckily my housemate was at home, i could hear him snoring, so i called him up and he opened the door and went back to sleep. In my mind i was thinking of alternatives because i knew there was no way to get into the room. I was just distressed and panicky, all kinds of thoughts went through my mind i even thought of walking through the door, need to have faith la right? Well yeah but i dont have faith enough to believe i can walk through wood.
So there i was, a victim of my own carelessness. In cases like this i would call my landlady and she would come and open the door with her spare key but it so happens that her phone was stolen just a few days ago and she has not replaced it so calling her was hopeless but i tried anyway, didnt work.
I was just pacing about and then i just asked God, what do i do now? And there was silence, no voice in the clouds. So i went downstairs and tried the set of keys i found on her {my landlady's} table but non fit the door, that again was a hopeless attempt but i didnt care. I was desperate to try anything. I even tried it in prince's room to see if it would open, if it did i'll probably sleep there for the night since he's in Nigeria at the moment but nothing.
Haiya, what to do ah? I honestly didnt want sleep over at michael's house because that would mean i would wear the same clothes i wore today to church tomorrow and it would mean defeat and surrender. How can God come through for me if i always take the easy way out? Besides i wont have this testimony to share now. So i went downstairs again and found a set of keys kept in a top secret place i cant tell you about and opened my door.
I tell you i was like God, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. You are indeed a good God. And help me not to take you for granted.
Its amazing to think that God is the God in little things too. God loves OgUcHi
~shalom~
Friday, December 01, 2006
sure ah?
I want to share my life testimony here, i dont think i've shared this before, and i think its necessary that i do. Dont be shocked, everything i say is true, i even have witnesses to some events here.
Are you a christian?
Sure, i've been a christians since i can remember!
There was a time i was not sure i was really a christian, i was not sure whether i belonged to the body of christ or not, i was not sure about anything especially when i hear people's testimonies of how they came to christ and how they will never forget the day, i know alot of people know the day and the events tht surrounded their salvation and i didnt, i was not sure and everytime i would come to God i would ask him, am i yours? How come i dont have the same testimony as these people? How come i dont experience the same thing they do?
I remember giving my life to christ when i was in Nigeria, I just finished my O'Level exams and during the waiting period for results i enrolled in the baptismal class {yes there is such a thing} and one of the requirements was a written testimony of your salvation. This was going to be tricky because i could not recall if i did so i went home and knelt down and prayed the prayer and i really meant it. Before that time in my life, i was involved with alot of bad stuff, stuff that are shameful so much that i came down one day and cried to God and said God, if you do not save me i will destroy myself and a hatred for these things developed in me but God was not the center of my life then.
There is one thing about not being sure, the devil will use that and torment you, you cannot stand firm as paul says in romans 6:10 with the whole armour and battle because you dont know where you stand and you cannot come to God and say ok i'm ready now God, save me. Doesnt work that way.
So i lived my life like that, i enjoyed the things of God, i prayed, well sometimes i tried so hard but its all human effort, it doesnt go far. Its all pretence and hypocrisy.
God knows us and when he does something in our lives he'll do it in a way that you will know its him. I dont usually cry in public, i'm a guy but i remember clearly pastor kenneth preaching at good news, he was talking about the difference between david and solomon. In 1kings 3:3 Solomon loved the Lord just like his father david except, he offered sacrifices at the local alters. And he was challenging the young people there, are there excepts in your life? God is eith God of all or not at all. There was something about that message that hit me, and it came to a point when we all came out to commit our lives to God, well some of us that i was crying, it was strange, i could not control myself it was almost embarrassing but it didnt matter that much, pastor cheli came up and prayed for me and said alot of things have taken over oguchi and i nodded in agreement, that was profound.
Things didnt change much after that, but i was not happy with the way my life was, i just couldnt help myself.
Then one sunday pastor had to go to KL for some reason, i dont remember now and he said mark would preach on sunday when he arrives kuching, and michael was backup in case he didnt come on time but sure enough this indian guy with his sister came into the church with his bagpark.
I never really met him before but some of the guys; michael, chris, and simon must have known him because he noticed he was losing weight. There was something about him, while he was preaching there was an intensity and a sadness at the same time a sharp piercing word from God, un-diluted and just raw without any flowerings or anything like that. He was talking about the churches that are closing in parts of malaysia and the rise in false teachings but for some reason he came and was saying, are you sure, are you sure you belong to God, do you know beyong a doubt that Jesus will not reject you. That was hard, he was basically tearing down all my walls, all my defences, there was no where to run, no excuse made sense anymore, i needed to be sure.
So when he called out for those who want to be saved and be sure, i went up. Its a hard thing to do, i was in the midst of my friends, and brothers and sisters who have always regarded me as a christian and i was coming out to be saved, to be sure. It was hard but its not about them, this is about me and God, i dont care what anyone thinks but i had to know i'm His. I had to clear the doubts and get real, i had to make a stand in public and declare that i am for Jesus.
I was crying up there as i stood beside Yong shen who also came up, I admire him for his courage, he was also crying. At that time i felt shame and i felt vulnerable and i felt that i had let God down all this while, i remember saying God, i'm scared. In the midst of all these i felt his love, that why when anyone asks me, what is God to you, i say he's good. It seems like a simple answer but its an answer i can testify to, it has a deeper meaning in my life.
I dont have to face the tormenting thoughts of my place in God, now i know for sure, and i remember that sunday in october when i gave my life to God for real. I still have my quiet personality but there are things that are deposited in me that were not there before. God is real and God is good. So in closing this rather long post i want to ask you in all humility and gentleness, are you sure you belong to christ?
~selah~
Are you a christian?
Sure, i've been a christians since i can remember!
There was a time i was not sure i was really a christian, i was not sure whether i belonged to the body of christ or not, i was not sure about anything especially when i hear people's testimonies of how they came to christ and how they will never forget the day, i know alot of people know the day and the events tht surrounded their salvation and i didnt, i was not sure and everytime i would come to God i would ask him, am i yours? How come i dont have the same testimony as these people? How come i dont experience the same thing they do?
I remember giving my life to christ when i was in Nigeria, I just finished my O'Level exams and during the waiting period for results i enrolled in the baptismal class {yes there is such a thing} and one of the requirements was a written testimony of your salvation. This was going to be tricky because i could not recall if i did so i went home and knelt down and prayed the prayer and i really meant it. Before that time in my life, i was involved with alot of bad stuff, stuff that are shameful so much that i came down one day and cried to God and said God, if you do not save me i will destroy myself and a hatred for these things developed in me but God was not the center of my life then.
There is one thing about not being sure, the devil will use that and torment you, you cannot stand firm as paul says in romans 6:10 with the whole armour and battle because you dont know where you stand and you cannot come to God and say ok i'm ready now God, save me. Doesnt work that way.
So i lived my life like that, i enjoyed the things of God, i prayed, well sometimes i tried so hard but its all human effort, it doesnt go far. Its all pretence and hypocrisy.
God knows us and when he does something in our lives he'll do it in a way that you will know its him. I dont usually cry in public, i'm a guy but i remember clearly pastor kenneth preaching at good news, he was talking about the difference between david and solomon. In 1kings 3:3 Solomon loved the Lord just like his father david except, he offered sacrifices at the local alters. And he was challenging the young people there, are there excepts in your life? God is eith God of all or not at all. There was something about that message that hit me, and it came to a point when we all came out to commit our lives to God, well some of us that i was crying, it was strange, i could not control myself it was almost embarrassing but it didnt matter that much, pastor cheli came up and prayed for me and said alot of things have taken over oguchi and i nodded in agreement, that was profound.
Things didnt change much after that, but i was not happy with the way my life was, i just couldnt help myself.
Then one sunday pastor had to go to KL for some reason, i dont remember now and he said mark would preach on sunday when he arrives kuching, and michael was backup in case he didnt come on time but sure enough this indian guy with his sister came into the church with his bagpark.
I never really met him before but some of the guys; michael, chris, and simon must have known him because he noticed he was losing weight. There was something about him, while he was preaching there was an intensity and a sadness at the same time a sharp piercing word from God, un-diluted and just raw without any flowerings or anything like that. He was talking about the churches that are closing in parts of malaysia and the rise in false teachings but for some reason he came and was saying, are you sure, are you sure you belong to God, do you know beyong a doubt that Jesus will not reject you. That was hard, he was basically tearing down all my walls, all my defences, there was no where to run, no excuse made sense anymore, i needed to be sure.
So when he called out for those who want to be saved and be sure, i went up. Its a hard thing to do, i was in the midst of my friends, and brothers and sisters who have always regarded me as a christian and i was coming out to be saved, to be sure. It was hard but its not about them, this is about me and God, i dont care what anyone thinks but i had to know i'm His. I had to clear the doubts and get real, i had to make a stand in public and declare that i am for Jesus.
I was crying up there as i stood beside Yong shen who also came up, I admire him for his courage, he was also crying. At that time i felt shame and i felt vulnerable and i felt that i had let God down all this while, i remember saying God, i'm scared. In the midst of all these i felt his love, that why when anyone asks me, what is God to you, i say he's good. It seems like a simple answer but its an answer i can testify to, it has a deeper meaning in my life.
I dont have to face the tormenting thoughts of my place in God, now i know for sure, and i remember that sunday in october when i gave my life to God for real. I still have my quiet personality but there are things that are deposited in me that were not there before. God is real and God is good. So in closing this rather long post i want to ask you in all humility and gentleness, are you sure you belong to christ?
~selah~
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