God Has Changed the Order!

Why are so many people hung up on fulfilling the law? The same law that separated you from God (if you were not a Jew). The fact that God gave the law to Jews was the evidence of your condemnation and separation from God; now, you (a non-Jew) has made it your life's work to fulfill a law that was never given to you?

Jesus came to make of two men one new man in Him, meaning in the eyes of God, the

re were only two men in the world - the Jew and the Gentile, one chosen and the other condemned. But, in Christ, a new man has been created - neither Jew nor Gentile.

Today, God does not see Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Taoists, etc. He sees only two men - the new man in Christ and the unregenerate man. The only difference now is that being the new man is your choice, your decision.

How I love Jesus!

The Final Word

“And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:5)

Faith is a choice – one so simple it could be relegated as foolish. Faith speaks of conviction; holding so strongly to the truth that you have been persuaded about. Many years ago, I would tell myself that even if all of the world around me physically fell, and I stood on a piece of earth only big enough for the size of my two petite feet, completely exposed to space with one breath as my only possession, I would spend that one breath prophesying ”it is not yet over.” I thought that way, and I still do, because I am convinced that God’s Word works – no matter how long it takes.

In these days, more than ever before, we must believe that God’s Word is absolute in its strength and judgments. Today, we have Christians who have convinced themselves that the Bible is not reliable, claiming contradictions that would not have been contradictory if they had studied with the Spirit of God. Many have judged the Word by their feelings and made accommodations based on so-proclaimed science. Others have made all effort to believe, and because it did not seem to work, they got tired of believing it was something they were not doing, so the blame was shifted to God’s Word to bear.

In the scripture with which I opened this post, we see Peter with all his understanding of “reality and sensibility” challenged by the Master’s instruction to try one more time. The Bible records that he had troubled the waters all through the night prior to that. He was a professional, one that knew his job well; Jesus’ instructions challenged his “scientific” knowledge. Yet, when he held the Word as final authority, he saw something that science and all the veterans of fishery could not explain.

If you take time to dissect that scripture, you’d notice Peter said, “At thy word, I will.” Whatever you will because of God’s Word is your act of faith, and it is sure to produce results. I’ve heard faith described as an “unqualified committal to God’s Word.” You may not know why you should believe, but you believe anyway. It’s from your spirit, something God made possible for every human person to do. That which you will because of God’s Word is what pleases the Father’s heart.

You may have made the same mistake a thousand times and still find yourself back in it each time you repent. Practice talking to yourself each time the error is accomplished; say “against hope, I believe in hope. I am more than this. God made me more than this.” When there’s no reason for you or anyone else to believe in you, that’s the time to insist on an unqualified committal of yourself to God’s Word. Just believe because God’s Word says you are “the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Whether you feel it or not, because you are born again and filled with the HolyGhost, the righteousness of God is working in you.

In the same vein, do not accept anything as truth if the Word does not have room for it. I’ve heard people say “I’m hot-tempered; it’s the way I am.” It’s so sad, because that person’s future has been restricted, contained in boundaries of uncontrolled anger. He or she has accepted the cards they were dealt. If there is anything about you that God’s Word does not support, that thing is not your uniqueness. A disease, bad attitude, inappropriate affections and other such things cannot possibly be your uniqueness; God doesn’t deal that way. Those things are what this world (a result of the Adamic fall) gave to you; you had no choice in that matter. But, seeing as Christ has died and was raised for you, you now have a choice. Refuse to be reined in by circumstances that can be changed. Against your feelings and condition, be determined to take God’s Word as final. Confess the truth of God’s Word over yourself in that matter, and refuse to give in. Take sides with the Word, even when there is no “good reasoning” to do so!

Split Second

8:09 AM 7/12/2015

I had just gotten off the phone with Pennie. She couldn’t have sounded more enthusiastic; I marveled at how important this truly was to her. I couldn’t screw it up in anyway. I had never met a woman more excited about a wedding, or maybe I just never got around to listening in on some girl-talk, because it seemed all her friends shared the excitement, including Jennie, whom I had previously dated. Memories.

Now, if only this executive position I was applying to would pull through.

1:07 PM 7/26/2015

All through the lunch at Cheesy Stix, I was distracted. Everyone from my team was deep into the send-forth festivities organized for Will, my 4-year boss, but all I could think about was my daughter, Carrolton (or Karrie, like we fondly call her). I had to be at this recital; it seemed like everything to her. But, with the wedding plans and this impromptu party for the boss, there seemed to be no way I was getting there in time. Once again, I experienced that dreaded sinking feeling, surprised that I hadn’t gotten used to it by now.

But, there was a lot to look forward to. Karrie was excited about getting a step brother, since me and Pennie were both bringing a child into the marriage. Over the past year and a half, I had also developed a father-son bond with her son (well, mine too), Craig. I couldn’t wait to see that relationship grow.

Amidst the excitement rushing through me, I didn’t hear Will call out to me, neither did I hear the sound of tingling glasses. I looked up and apologized to everyone, but there was something strange about the way they stood, the way they smiled, the way they looked in admiration. “Mike, it is my pleasure to announce that you got the position. From now on, you are the Executive Director of Marketing and Public Relations. You deserve it. We all know that, and you know it too. Effective after your honeymoon, Mike, you’re the new boss. Congratulations!” 


Those words from Will almost brought tears to my eyes. Not only was it a lifelong dream for me, but with the pay raise, I can make sure me, Pennie and the kids are adequately provided for.

I thanked my boss and spoke high-sounding words that I didn’t remember few minutes later. Most of all, I thanked God in my heart and silently reassured myself: “once the honeymoon is over, I’ll be more committed to God than I’ve ever been.”

 4:15 PM 8/14/2015

It was my final day at work. The wedding plans were slowly winding down. Bachelor’s party was a blast, thanks to my best man. I knew he could do the job. It was the right mix of naughty and responsible. Thoughts of that night still make me feel like I’ve done my due diligence to bachelor-hood; now, I can really have a wife. I laugh inside when I remember.

As I was about to turn off my iMac for the last time till my fall wedding and honeymoon was over, I felt something rather strange. It started from my heart and spread through my body. It wasn’t a good or bad feeling. All within a split second, I felt my legs shake uncontrollably, and it seemed other parts of my body were doing the same too. At this point, it was becoming a pleasurable feeling of some sort. It felt like I was being compressed from all sides, as though the earth was about to vomit me in a projectile motion into space.

Out from nowhere and everywhere at the same time came a blasting trumpet, and all within a split second, I knew what it was. RAPTURE. Though my heart erupted with joy, I still had just one split second to think to myself that all the time I had spent working hard at the job, investing all I am into the relationship and pushing my service to God till later was in vain. I knew the word well enough to know I’ll have to make a report of my life in Heaven, and in that split second, I couldn’t think of anything I did that could impress the Lord of my life.

You are a MODEL!

@stburnish

Model {mod-l}: "A small object, usually built to scale, that represents in detail another, often larger object." 

Have you ever come across (be it on TV or actual contact) an expensive artwork that just did not look like it was worth the price placed on it? Every day, many thousands of dollars are spent on one-of-a-kind’s that may not seem appealing at all to the average man. With wrinkled hands, a strange woman in a little village somewhere stooped into dirty earth and mud in order to bring forth a creation – one that ended up costing so much that it could only be owned by nation states.

Many of these artworks only cost so much for one of two major reasons: on the one hand, it may have to do with the renown of the artist who created the work, while on the other hand, it almost always has to do with the originality of the product, the fact that it is the only one. Do you realize that God feels the same way about you?

Our individuality makes every one of us a model – an extraordinary masterpiece – fully representing God in our looks and functionality. Regardless of how your nose, ears, mouth or eyes are, you are the only one of you that God has, created to “model” Him. God was well aware of your looks before He boldly declared that you were made in His image and likeness – to look and act like Him. Our value is not in how appealing we look in comparison to the other person; our value relies on the fact that we cannot truly be compared with anyone else. You are in a class of your own; you have no real competition, because no one looks, acts, thinks, talks or is created exactly like you. You are the only you God ever had and will ever have.

Even in this season where everyone is seeking to lose a few pounds here and there and a great number of people are also looking to gain a few pounds, you should never forget that you are a model. You model God, a different dimension of Him that no one ever saw before. Of course, you may have done some things to the exterior of the model that is “you,” but don’t be mad at yourself. You have God in you to show you how to get your model to the optimal standard, but you MUST start by believing that you are one-of-a-kind, not to be compared with anyone else.

For a while, I tried so hard to lose a few pounds in order to get to a certain BMI that I felt would be healthier, but the more I tried, the more it failed. When I gave up on my own ability to make it happen and started enjoying liberty through the Spirit of God, He Himself taught me habits that caused me to get to a weight that did not just look great on the scale but felt good on me. I have learned to never measure how “good-looking” I am in comparison to anybody else. I am the best looking ME there could possibly be, so I walk with my shoulders square, knowing God is proud to show me off to the world – a truly divine, handsome, rich, healthy, blessed and favored representation of HIM!

The Scandal of Grace

Sitting here on my bed, I still feel the presence of Jesus so intense that I said to Him, “how do I express how I feel right now?” The thoughts are overwhelming and His love is palpable. A lot of things happened today, but the most of it is that I saw Jesus clearer and now love Him more.

In the evening, I set out for some of my friends’ house for a hangout, not knowing what to expect. I like to consider myself as a spiritual person, and I am proud of it, but I don’t feel the same way about being referred to as “religious.” So, the main thing for me tonight was that nothing was religious. Everything was simple, fulfilling and pleasurable. At the house, Yinka Karis and I began to watch Pastor Chris Online clips and the presence of Jesus was so strong. We laughed and almost fell out under the power; boy, were we DRUNK in the Spirit.

Shortly after that, we heard Pastor Joseph Prince was ministering LIVE from Lakewood Church, and we decided to watch. WOW!!! It was a gathering of kings, and I believe heaven watched intently with excitement. I STRONGLY believe Jesus couldn’t contain Himself anymore; He DANCED! Boy, did JESUS dance tonight, while the devil cringed in fear and shame. As we watched, we celebrated Jesus, and we celebrated Him with so much joy. One of the highlights of Pastor Prince's message for me was when He talked about how Jesus decided to go hangout with Zaccheus, the tax collector, and the religious folk immediately took offence against Him. Pastor Prince said it was the beginning of “the scandal of grace.” Those words caught my attention, causing me to make up my mind to be a proud bearer of Christ’s grace message. I hope to write a book with that title, the Scandal of Grace, sometime in the future; it’ll be lovely.

Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed a great time with the people I call “friends.” I tend to pay a lot of attention to people’s eyes, and tonight all I saw was a lot of love being communicated - so much love it was impossible for Jesus to have been absent.  In everything we did, you could tell that Jesus was there. Now, I’m home, full of exuberant joy. I never stop being impressed by Jesus’ sacrifice for me. He bore it all. Now, all I have to do is look into His eyes and become more like Him as I do so. I’m not sure how to best communicate it, but I am convinced that HE LOVES ME!

P.S: Suggest a song for this post, please. Thanks!

"Woman, I Charge You, Give Your Heart to Christ" :: A Vision - 10/29/2011

It looked like the room I now type this note from. I got up from my bed with the sound of people coming up the stairs. I wondered who they were (mind you, I thought it was real life). Two gentlemen walked in with kids and a caterpillar (yes, the animal, as a pet, crawling in with them). They said construction was going on at their place and they needed somewhere to cook. I agreed reluctantly for them to come in. They got excited and started bringing out the food. "Jesus, Lord have mercy," I thought, when food of different types started showing. I ate and ate and ate rounds of it. I just couldn't have enough. Before long, I saw people trickling into the house, in tens, then looking like hundreds, but there was SPACE I never knew of before. 

Unknown to me, those men had planned an outreach - an opportunity to preach to people - after feeding them. I got excited about that too. Then, I started working with them. I'll skip the details, but by the time the merriment was over, those men did not minister. It was our responsibility. Yinka Karis ministered first. Some believed and some did not. He wasn't discouraged (none of us was), because the ones that didn't believe had left. We were now with those who believed but needed more teaching.

Yinka called on Chukwuemeka Obiaka to minister to the rest of the people that we had left with us. Yinka made sure to make it clear to "Obi" in a stern manner that "all these ones have to give their hearts to Christ." Then, Obi started to minister (strong and powerful) and right when we were confessing our salvation, we heard the voice of a rather short lady demanding that everyone moved out of the field. So, both we and the people we were ministering to, began to run in a certain direction. It seemed like the short lady had some clout, like she was a teacher we feared. It looked like she felt insulted that she had been trying to get our attention but everyone was listening to "a small boy" (referring to Obi) and ignoring her.

In stead of running with everyone, I ran toward her and began to explain. I said, "We were not listening to a small boy, ma'am. We were listening to Jesus. It was Him standing there, talking through that young man." With deeper conviction I said "He [Jesus] could have won many to Him tonight, but you stopped Him (at this point, almost in tears)." Her colleagues (strict women of power like herself) spoke harshly, encouraging her that she made the right decision to protect her reputation by dispersing the gathering, even though at this point, I was sure she was questioning her reasoning.

"Woman, I charge you, give your heart to Christ," I said pleafully. By now, I could see tears in her eyes. Then, I went on to say "I assure you He [Jesus] is real, and one day you will stand before Him and your whole body will shiver; everything in you will respond to Him and you will have to give account of what you have done in your body." Her colleagues tried to dissuade her, but I could tell that she knew what was at stake. It was simply now a choice between her ego and the reality. 

Next, I felt a call - a need to go and join the believers where they were, so I left her. It was a dining room - a huge one. We all wore purple apparel, everyone with a different face and name. The food was DELICIOUS; in fact, it looked like it was alive because it did move. It was like nothing I was aware of existed on earth. Every bite was satisfaction. I declared proudly to my comrades in Christ that I had made an attempt to win the woman over, and now I only hope that my words would win her. The room we were in was like a sort of waiting area before we went to the real place, but it was gorgeous in there.

We began to share the reasons why each of us had believed. One of the guys in the room (I got the impression that I didn't "like" him before then, but now, I loved him) talked about how he believed because of the food. He said he loved food in general, so when he heard about this one, he wanted to try it out. It was at that time that I noticed my food was extremely delicious and ALIVE. 

** JESUS is REAL. If you know Him, wear Him proudly. He died for everyone, and He is coming some day very soon. Believe me, He's worth it ALL. **

NIGERIA

TY Bello...another Nigerian artist committed to the growth of the nation.

Telling people about Nigeria remains the hardest thing to do for both our natives and tourists, simply because we just never know what part of the story to tell. Calling one faction to memory and neglecting the other would translate into another nation’s story – not ours. The truth is that we have such a fair share of the best of both worlds. Nigeria is an intrinsic juxtaposition of vigor and debilitation, the glamorous and the grotesque.

That look in the eyes of the Nigerian that only tells you beautiful stories when asked about his country is simply an expression of hope, a deliberate and beautiful denial of what is, an attempt at erasing a confusing history. That young man or woman just wants you to journey with them into the good memories, the ones they hold sacred, the ones strong enough to overshadow the wrongs.

Still, the look in the eyes of the other Nigerian that only talks about horrendous acts of corruption and discouraging spurs of violence is not one of disdain towards flag and country but an expression of frustration, having considered so much of our worse half. He or she only desires to paint you a picture of what they consider the truth, the memories that continue to tear deep into the scars of yesterday, forbidding them to heal.

Truth be told, Nigeria is beautiful, and Nigerians are some of the most hospitable and joyous people on earth; it is TRUE. And, truth also be told, Nigeria could be the ugliest place and some of its people most brutal; it is TRUE. Pardon us; we’re just never sure of what stories to tell. We have tales of extended families that love with all their hearts, stories of abundance and joy, yet we have the other stories.

I remember my mother falling into a pit and getting injured in the process of going after debtors in order to appropriate her business’ worth into the education and well-being of her kids, but I also remember having more than I ever needed or wanted as the years went by. What story would I rather tell you? We have stories of senseless riots (religious or tribalistic) – Biafra and the likes – yet we have stories of a strong sense of unity (Nigeria ’99 FIFA Soccer Competition comes to mind).

Whichever way, be glad to hear any side of the story. When you hear the good, appreciate the reality of much that still needs to be done to make it closer to a 100 percent grace, and when you hear the grassy dirty narratives, appreciate the breath-taking beauty of which you were not told. I personally prefer to tell the better stories more, yet I understand that someone else has to tell the other side. Whichever one you choose, there’s hope; I AM THAT HOPE!

Play the video above and read the post one more time as you listen; the heart of the message may be communicated better.

A Mother is a Priceless Jewel

A Priceless Jewel!

As I thought about the many things that people said about their mothers in church today, the sum of it all was expressed in the words of a brother that said “mothers are the epitome of selfless service.” As my Pastor began to explain, none of us could do anything by ourselves as children. We were invariably helpless; we had to be fed, clothed and carried. If those three chores were the only reasonable things a mother did for her child, she is still worth the honor.

Most people have more than one mother, in the sense of the saying “it takes a village to raise a child.” So, I am very appreciative of all my spiritual mothers and my physical mother (who happens to be very spiritual in her dealings too). There is an instinct within mothers that preserves, protects and nourishes. My mother has sacrificed more than I can possibly remember or count. She has loved and continues to love like nobody else can. As imperfect as she may be, her beauty grew ever so strong with every sacrifice that she made for me.

One most remarkable thing I learned today is that mothers deserve honor whether or not their actions were the best. But, if you have (or had) a mother  who demonstrated her love toward you, you are the better for it and should be very appreciate her. I also learned that reaching my highest potential in life depended greatly on the honor I accrue to my parents and those in authority over me. So, once again, many thanks to my mothers!

To wrap it up, I think it is most remarkable that God is referred to as El-Shaddai, the Strong and Breasted One. He amazes me all the time. He can protect you like a Father would and turn around to nourish and love you like only a Mother would. If you never knew your mother or she has passed, appreciate her and keep her in your heart in whichever way you can, but remember always that you have a father and a MOTHER in God.

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

-- @stburnish

P.S: I just think the song below speaks a lot concerning the HolySpirit (my first mother) and my other mothers (especially Ye ‘Lubusi – my mother).

In Him

“For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring.” [Acts 17:28]

Please, accept my sincere apologies for being away for so long; I am sure you forgive. From here on, I would like to emphasize the importance of your comments; we need to bless one another. Let it be a mutual improvement of everyone that reads. Share something that’ll bless the writer and other readers as well. God bless you as you do.

While I thought about where to start, it occurred to me that I should start where it ‘started,’ that is where I began thinking about the subject of this post. A short while ago, while reading Rhapsody of Realities, I came across the scripture where Paul described the rapture, saying “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” [1 Thessalonians 4:16]. It immediately caught my attention that the dead that will rise are those that departed this life in Christ. “My God,” I thought, “that’s all the qualification that’s needed.” So, all that matters to God is that they were in Christ?

In my search with the HolySpirit, I began to discover several scriptures that either mentioned “in Him,” “in Christ,” or some variation thereof. God is not concerned or perturbed by men’s sins; in fact, He is not currently holding anybody in the world’s sins against them [2 Corinthians 5:19]. Instead, we tend to be the ones concerned for Him. There are two men in this world even as you read this: the man in Christ and the unregenerate man (outside Christ). God is only interested in the former. And, here’s where it gets interesting. He’s not concerned about the law, ethnic groups, or religion; all He cares about is the new man in Christ.

Galatians 6:15 says “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature,” iterating the same thought. Circumcision, in Paul’s language, referred to the law and all that had to do with it – the religiosity it brought. God was saying through Paul that He does not care about any of those anymore.

Questioning whether or not a Christian should do this or that wrong thing is asking the wrong set of questions; it’s the unregenerate man that needs to know whether or not to smoke. It’s the unregenerate man that needs to know whether or not to deny himself certain obvious pleasures, because it is in him to desire and to do those things. In the gospel, Jesus and all the Apostles were announcing that there is a new man on earth today. That new man has his own characteristics. The real question anyone should therefore be asking is: who is this new man?”

When you begin asking that question, you’re really ready to live. In the opening scripture, we read that “we are also his (God’s) offspring,” meaning that this new man has inherited God’s nature. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature,” letting us know how to become the new man; it’s by being in Christ. And, how does one get in Christ? All you have to do is accept what Jesus did on your behalf by confessing so, and you are instantly found in Him – relocated into hiding in His finished works till you cannot be seen anymore.

There’s so much to say on this topic, but I would let everyone contribute and complete the subject (if at all possible) in the comments section. But, remember this: the new man is sin-free and is a product of God’s love. My local church Pastor once reminded us that parents don’t necessarily favor the child that always does right. Rather, they favor the one that talks with them and that is confident in their love – that child that is bold to ask anything and bold to receive forgiveness when he does wrong. God is the same way! Don’t try to please God with your right-doing; it will yield nothing. Jesus already did right on your behalf. Now, enjoy it in Him!

God bless you!

-- @stburnish

What is that to you?

"let it help you bring up imaginations that pertain to your life and situation"

“All scripture is given…for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished in all good works.” [2 Timothy 3:16-17]

Every so often, we read scriptures about God, ourselves, human beings, the past, the present or the future. But, many don’t know what to do with God’s Word. The Word of God has the inherent ability to excite you when you’re filled with the HolyGhost. However, the excitement in itself is not the goal. Take for example, you read “the hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth” [Psalm 97:5] and began to run amok with excitement at the awesomeness of God. After all the excitement – jumping, crying, standing in awe, etc. – my question to you is: what is that [scripture] to you?

It is too easy to be excited about ‘nothing’. The children of Israel sang songs in excitement after God showed one sign after another, yet they exposed their inner unbelief at the next sighting of a challenge. What God needed was not their excitement; He wanted them to mix the awesomeness of His wonders with the reality of His Word in order to know Him better. He wanted them to be able to trust Him the next time an obstacle, like a voracious wolf, bared its ravenous teeth at them. Meditate on the Word that you’ve received. Let your excitement stem from some revelation, and not just something that looks nice by religious standards in the Word.

Take that Psalm 97:5 for instance; someone who reads that and receives it through meditation will immediately understand that it is talking about God’s greatness, but beyond just mouth-gaping awe. Such a person understands that the one who causes hills to melt like wax lives in him/her and is on his/her side, so there is no need to fear. If that person were to be attacked by armed robbers the next day, he/she should be confident in the Lord that causes a huge hill to melt at his presence (that is, just because He’s there). That can only happen if the excitement came out of a place of revelation. Let’s take the same example a step further; if that person were in a situation where people in authority were resisting him/her unjustly and he/she understood that hills in the scriptures prophetically refer to authorities, such a person should also be confident that the resistance will not stand. See that?

The Word of God was written for your edification. It was inspired of God for you. Learn to appropriate it to your life. See results of the Word in your life. Be able to list the areas in your life where the Word has worked. Don’t just receive scripture religiously. Find out through the HolySpirit what that scripture ought to mean to you, and begin to apply it in that area. You can only achieve this if you learn to take out time to churn the Word in your mind. Think on the Word; let it help you bring up imaginations that pertain to your life and situation. That’s the way to drive the Word into your spirit and cause it to mean something to you.

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Morning Call – 15th of September, 2010

"Laughter doeth good like medicine!"

Good morning to you wherever you are on this vast earth! It’s a new day, and God is waiting for you to fulfill His dreams in it. He has seen this day in Him as beautiful and glorious for you, but you still have the authority to determine whether it’ll be so. Dear brother or sister, make sure to impose God’s word on your circumstances today.

Here are a few things that you can do to have a great day:

• Read Rhapsody of Realities: If you don’t have a copy of Rhapsody of Realities, get one immediately, preferably in electronic format. It is a trusted great way to set yourself up for a day in God. The no. 1 daily devotional by Pastors Chris and Anita Oyakhilome is also currently on the Amazon Kindle along with many other ministry materials. So, get a Kindle and get a Rhapsody of Realities September Edition!

• Follow Pastor Chris Oyakhilome on Yookos: Though believers around the world cannot gather in a single location to pray, Yookos - the father of all micro-blogging and social networking sites - has created an alternative avenue for us to pray together. By following, you join over 900,000 Christians (irrespective of denomination) across the globe, who pray for many different things on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for 15 minutes together at the same time. We have prayed in times past about topics ranging from the safety and protection of nations to the safety and protection of pregnant women around the world. If you pray at all, don’t give any excuses or ask too many questions, just join the largest prayer program on the face of the earth. 

• Learn to Laugh: “A merry heart doeth good like medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” [Proverbs 17:22] Regardless of what anyone has done against you to break your heart, choose to be joyful and merry in your heart. Give the word of God a little time to work on your heart. That scripture [Proverbs 17:22] lets you know you can stay in health just by maintaining a merry heart. Now, will you allow someone else’s actions rob you of your health? I didn’t think so!

There you have it. I sincerely hope and pray that you have a great day!

Much love,

St. Burnish 


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Blissful Tears of Joy

What can separate us from God's love? Nothing!

Today is the 14^th of September, 2010. I woke up this morning to something that was supposed to be good news but began to tend towards thoughts of worry and anxiety on decision-making as though I am in this world alone. Well, the next thought was “let’s fellowship with the Holy Ghost,” and so I got on my knees to start praying. In the beginning parts of my prayer [while speaking in tongues] I was still entertaining those worry thoughts. Now, all these happened within the space of 45 minutes.

All of a sudden, the Spirit of God reminded me of the song you are about to listen to – How He Loves by Kim Walker. I never heard it fully before; in fact, the first time I heard some part of it, I didn’t really like the rhythm, but I was still able to pick out a few words that I thought were interesting: “if grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.” I really liked that being the grace-obsessed person that I am. That’s another day’s topic.

So, I began listening, and within a few minutes, I was in tears, experiencing the awesome billows of God’s tangible love that can only be best described in human words as blissful! In beautiful worship, like the song expresses, I simply forgot about any worries and focused on the fact that “He loves me…oh, how He loves me!” With that, anxiety was turned to joy unspeakable and complete confidence in my future. Glory to God!

My prayer for you right now is that, as you listen [please, listen to all of it even if you heard it before], all your worries and fears will be washed away by His awe-inspiring love. I pray that your heart will be open, even if you never experienced the love of God before. And, I pray that He causes your knees to tremble and that He ultimately sweeps you off your feet as you fall in love with Him like I did 5 years ago and still continue to do every new day [in a new way], in Jesus’ name. Amen!

The Essence of Diligence

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“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” [Proverbs 22: 29]

 Diligence is an indispensable virtue which every Christian must possess. A diligent man is one who pays attention to detail, one who is precise in all he does, thus making him efficient and effective  in every task he is engaged in.

Diligence causes one to excel where others have failed. Many times, people are engaged in various tasks, but the desired result often eludes them because attention is not paid to the details of the task. The bible says, “the hand of the diligent shall bear rule” [Proverbs 12:24 KJV]. Other versions say that the hand of the diligent tends to plenty. To be diligent, you need to learn to see what others don’t see.

A diligent man is in charge, well organized and exudes the sagacity of the Spirit in all he does. This is the quality of the new creation in Christ Jesus. God begat us of his own will that we should be the first and the best in all that we do [James 1:18 KJV]. Refuse to be the Christian that is disorganized and doesn’t get things done the first time. Just as you exhibit diligence in the house of God, have this virtue stirred up in you all the time.

Let men be at peace when things are committed to your trust. Also, not forgetting that a diligent man would not stand before obscure men, for as the bible says “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” [Proverbs 22: 29 KJV] This is one sure way to excel and be the best of you. It may have to do with a project, tidying your room, organizing your books, arranging files or reports on your computer - whatever the task is, be diligent at it. No one may be watching you but always remember that it is an investment in your personality that would count for all times. Make up your mind to be diligent in all things you do from now on and trust the Holy Spirit who is the Father of all good gifts to strengthen and help you.

As you ponder on these thoughts remember that “... he who comes from heaven is [far] above all others [far superior to all others in prominence and in excellence]” – John 3: 31 (Amplified Version). Considering that you (as a Christian) are from above, because as He is so are we in this world [1 John 4:17], it means you have a head-start – an advantage – over others. And, like Pastor Chris Oyakhilome PhD says “work on being and not on having because when you are, you will have”.

Coming Soon!

St. Burnish

First, it is with great pleasure that I say this hearty “thank you” to all the faithful readers of Burnivine’s Blogoscope. With thousands of views so far, several testimonies I’ve heard, and many new friends I’ve made, I am more than grateful to God and to you for this opportunity to be a blessing to the world. So, once again, thank you!


Shifting focus to a very important issue, we have been away for about a month now, and I sincerely apologize for that. As you may already know, we were working on a project that I’m mega-excited about – The Pastor Chris Online Transcripts Blog. It’s the written (transcript) version of the online question and answer forum of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome called Pastor Chris Online. Make sure to visit the site; there’s a ton of information 0n it. And, if you’re already acquainted with the original Pastor Chris Online, you’ll still find this site helpful, because it categorizes all the questions that have been answered under labels like Christian living, prayer, and such topics, making the blog a topical compendium of some sort.
 Burnivine’s Blogoscope has officially returned as of today, however, with a slightly different strategy. Instead of weekly posts, you can expect more frequent posts (up to one post per day) with shorter (ultimately fresher!) content. But, the longer posts (like those we’ve had before) will still be coming up, only every two (or so) weeks – less frequently. In addition to those changes, you can also expect stories, poems, and informative posts, all still under the Christianity (and lifestyle) genre.

So, how can you participate? Tell, tell, tell people! If you’ve been blessed by this blog, then you’re its no. 1 publicist. Under every post, there are buttons (though tiny) through which you can share the post through Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, and other means. Also, make sure to post comments and reply to other people’s comments. Your support is needed and appreciated.


Finally, we may be moving the blog to WordPress soon; you’ll hear about that if it does happen. But, whichever way, remember that “the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” [Proverbs 4:18], so whatever changes we’re making will only result in greater glory and more impact.


Thank you once again, especially to the readers that have ‘bugged’ me with questions concerning our inadvertent period of hibernation and those awesome readers I was blessed to meet at the Higher Life Conference with Pastor Chris Oyakhilome in Houston, TX.


I love and appreciate you! God bless you!


-- St. Burnish

At Trust's End

"At trust's end, we cease to be humans"

“Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” [Matthew 10:16]

Expressions of regret, remorse, care, compassion, and love, amongst other emotions, cease to mean anything when we stop believing them. The day we stopped comprehending sincere emotions, that day, those very emotions stopped existing. Caring is what it is, only because it is understood by everyone – or at least most people. Anger can only retain its meaning when the one you express it towards understands it. Ever been furious at a baby and he/she just kept laughing? Your anger meant nothing to that baby; that emotion was simply not recognized by the child at the time, because that child had not grown enough to master the elements that make up the human person. Little wonder as to why your relationship with that baby is so limited.

We live in a highly polarized generation – one most easily explained by the idea encapsulated in Jesus’ statement: “because of the increase of wickedness, the love of men shall wax cold” [Matthew 24:12]. Due to so much wickedness in our world, many have lost love. Today, it is harder than ever before to believe the sincere people but much easier to believe the dishonest folk. We watch infomercials discussing opportunities to help children, nations, and our world, but the first thought that comes to many minds is how the man on the television is only seeking his own gain. We are quick to think that everyone’s after our money. Though we often think we’re being smart, we’re actually truly expressing the state of our hearts – what our humanity has become.

Imagine a world at trust’s end. Imagine a world where every truth is a lie, love is hate, caring is selfish, and hope is foolish. Imagine our world at trust’s end. Imagine a world that didn’t believe your tears at the death of your father just because he was rich and left you a will, forgetting that a father’s a father no matter how good or bad of it he is. Imagine a world where the poor and needy reject the pure no-strings-attached help of the rich and powerful [no matter how caring they truly are] for fear of that rich one returning to them later in future to get his payment or returns-on-investment. Imagine a world where your love was misunderstood for an attempt to take advantage of the one you love, where your concerns were misunderstood for an opportunity to mock those in trouble, a world where every emotion of yours you can think of – platonic care, brotherly/sisterly love, and motherly/fatherly affection – was confused with evil beyond your conception.

Don’t be too small in your heart, too closed in your mind, or too myopic in your sight to understand the danger of a world at trust’s end. As seen in the opening scripture, the idea is not to abandon all caution, ditch discernment, or throw out wisdom; rather, the imploration to us all is that we make room for trust - just a little more room to believe the man crying over his daughter’s grave, the child claiming it was rape and not consented sex, the rich man desiring to change the lives of many impoverished fellow human beings, the preacher who believes he has a gospel that can change men’s lives. Let us believe them just for a second; after all, it is said “innocent until proven guilty.” Don’t be quick to assume that everything on television is fake [though a lot of it is]. Good will always overcome evil. It has to be so.

When we question motives, disbelieve sincere emotion, reject help through a belief of the worst concerning the helper [when we do all these], we lose ourselves. We lose the bond that holds us together when we don’t deem other human beings as capable of genuine emotion, the same emotions we express and expect others to believe. At trust’s end, we cease to be humans – we become babies – limiting our potentials to love, communicate, and create the world in which we live. 

Life's Soundtrack

Ever wished that life had a soundtrack? That you could walk in the sunshine, smell fresh flowers, love and be loved [just like in those movies], and most of all have a soul-stirring melody playing in the background. Or, for the less artistic person, have you ever desired that action-packed always-on-the-move kind of life that your favorite actors portray? No time for unnecessary dialogue…just plain action-productivity? Or, do you [like myself] want both? Alas, “if wishes were horses?”

In human reality, life has no soundtrack. It just doesn’t happen that way, no matter how badly we wish it to be. Yet, God tells us [Christians] something very important; He says “Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” [Proverbs 4:23] What that says to me is that everything I need to live the life I desire is on the inside. Simply amazing! Science has proven that man has not begun to explore the half of his potentialities. Purely objective observation of science, therefore, proves that it supports the Word of God according to the Bible, since the previous scripture lets us know that all we need to enjoy life is in our hearts; Jesus also stated concerning believers in His Name that “whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do.” [John 14:12] What an enormous capability we carry!

It is time we begun to reach into ourselves and pull out all we need. God made my house [or home] to be my body. So, I never have to look outside for anything, be it joy, peace, or that lovely soundtrack. The Bible teaches me that I can make melody in my heart to God and sing spiritual songs [that have never been penned] all by myself, in my heart. Something interesting the Bible also says is that, by doing that, I’d be filled with the fullness of God [Ephesians 5:18 - 19]. Wow! What a life! I create my own soundtrack of life now. So, when you see me walking, smiling, and enjoying the sunshine while meditatively producing an action-packed day, don’t think I’m trying to live the movies. No, the movies only showed a shadow, a mirage, a yearning; I am living the real deal. In those movies, we’ve been shown what man [as a spirit] knows is achievable. But, in God’s Word, we’re taught how to achieve that deep craving.

In January 2009, I heard my Pastor [Rev. Chris Oyakhilome] say, “I hear a different song”, and he went on to explain that the song he hears is not from this world. Ever since then, I have determined to hear Zion’s songs in my spirit – to soundtrack my life with songs from the Holy City of God in my heart. Nobody can teach you how to do it. As you pray in the spirit and worship, just reach in. I am still learning as well, but I am enjoying the whole process. Have the instruments in your heart; reach musical notes that are not humanly possible. Create new instruments. See! Be inspired! All around us there is creativity and inspiration. Just take a look around you, no matter how horrible, or on the contrary, exquisite where you are seems to be, and translate it all to a song of worship or intercession from inside you.

There’s a topic we’d discuss sooner than later. It’s nostalgia - and its beautiful, yet entrapping and paralytic effects. Have you ever had that song that reminded you of “way back when” and all the feelings came rushing back? That very song could keep you in way back when and steal the moment you could use to meditate on “way up there” in your future. Be more excited about the songs you’ll hear in the future of success that you’ve painted for yourself. Believe that those songs are definitely deeper and more captivating than the ones of yesterday. Look forward to them; meditate on them. And, even, create them. The past loves you very much and wants you back. But, you have to determine for yourself that the golden soundtrack before you is way better than the silver [no matter how shiny] that you have passed.

God bless you, and have a fruitful weekend!

P.S: Loads of answers to very popular contemporary questions [by my very own Rev. Chris Oyakhilome] currently available on Pastor Chris Online in video format will soon be available in readable written format as well on the Pastor Chris Online Transcripts blog. Though you can view the blog now, it is still “under construction”.