WHEN

When my brain wasn't at rest
when my mind was boiling beyond the boiling point
when my blood was highly circulating
when all my body systems were in commotion

when life smiles hard to me
when friends tattered me
when foes battered me
when tears flow through my cheek,and my mouth a reservoir of salty water
when my hands were too weak to write
when my ear was too restless to listen
when there was numb feeling all over me

Then,I searched the deep and the high
I travelled both long and wide
I bury my head in search for help
I mutter words of encouragement but it sounds discouraging
I searched books,they're more of dead words without life in them
I searched for friends,but they all turned an enemy
I searched for foes,they become agonizingly tough and terrific
I searched for the wise,they prove too proud
I searched for the fool,they're too humble to reply

I am now hemmed down in the dungeon of betrayal
I am now bearing my cross
I am now in between the red sea
I am now an enemy to all
I am now a no-man's friend
I am now playing solitaire on my mat in the night
I am now a wanderer in the garden of wisdom
I am now deserted like a thorn
I am now dancing to my song alone
I am now talking myself all the day

Ooh! Life can be somehow frustrating
hmm! Life can be somehow challenging
oops! Life can be somehow confusing
chai! Life can be somehow upside down
yeh! Life can be somehow unpallatable and highly bitter.

Now,I stopped
Now,I think
Now,I reason
Now,I want to be out of these frustrating moment
Now,I want to break out of my cocoon
Now,I want to shine
Now,I want to glow
Now,I want to soar up like eagle

But it all look impossible!

But as I put down my sleeping garment,
I looked straight to the sky
I saw how beautiful the sky was
I saw the beauty of nature
I saw a rising smiling sun
I saw the handiwork of Almighty
ooh! I smilled

Then,the assurance came
Then,the nature defines the bright future that's ahead of me
Then,the creator of the universe breath hope into me

He restored my strength
He told me,'My plan for you is beautiful'
He told me,'No matter what you've passed through,your future is certain'
He told me,'those that deserted you will soon rally round you to drink from your pool of wisdom'
He told me,'be calmed,I'll fight for you and you'll hold your peace'

I stood up laughing
I styllishly smile
I walk about with radiance of hope
I put aside every obstacles
I careless about failing friends and tormenting foes
I do not worry myself about what people're thinking about me.
I put aside negtive thought
I put on the toga of positive thinking
Because the ANCIENT OF DAYS HAD SPOKEN

Friends,it doesn't matter what you're passing through,don't be tossed to and fro by people's mockery/comments,but look up to your creator to gain a full control over your failure.
Remember that:when you're failing,you're not a failure yet,just keep keeping on.
God bless you.
@IscAmao.

‪BEYOND‬ YOUR ABILITY

Obviously,these are certain situations of life whose magnitude on us is undeniable.Sometimes,those situations look agonizingly tough that you're about to give up.At this point,there's nothing to hide from other believers because you're already sinking.However,in this hopeless state you're left with the question:what would I do?
Let's briefly bring this pressing issue under the magnifying lens of the word of God.
2Corin 1 vs 8 says '...we were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure,and we thought we would never live through it-NLT'
This was the sincere confession and account of apostle paul stating his ordeals/traumatic experience with all sincerity of purpose to the church at Corinth.And you can see that the statement looked somehow negative.It shows that there's no magic to wriggle out of the hands of death.They're hemmed down in the dungeon of problem and hopelessness.Paul said '..and we thought we'd never live through it' The simple challenge here is that;what're the situations you're passing through presently and it seems as if you'll never squirm out of it? Is it financial problem? Relationship problem? Admission problem? to mention but a few.All of these crushed and overwhelmed you that you've lost the battle to the devil and drifting with the tide.What's that problem that has exceeded the elastic limit in your life? Name it! Oooh! Don't be manipulated by every cause and craze!
The following verse by way of extension i.e vs 9 says '..In fact,we expected to die...' Now,it seems apostle paul was exaggerating the size of their problems but that does not seemed so.By implication,it seems that the situation is about taking the breath out of you because nothing gives you the hope of surviving/weathering the storm again.In fact,many were overwhelmed to the extent of committing suicide.Don't give up yet,that problem can't take your life as we consider the rest of vs 9.
It says 'We stopped relying on ourselves,and learned to rely on God,who raises the dead'
It then become crystal clear to me from apostle paul's statement that the only factor that has been throwing them from one degree of problem to others is self-reliance.This is applicable to you as well.You've been relying on yourself and that is why the problem appears to be gargantuan.
He(paul) said,'we stopped' meaning that they've been depending on self-effort,leaving God out of their schedules and strategising various means to be delivered but all was in futility.They relied on the head-knowledge and experience as an apostle which failed them woefully.It's at this point they realised that they must pegged self-reliance and shift to the side of God-depending on him.The question is that;are you relying on God or devicing methods to excel on your own without consulting God? Are you not saying,'I can do it on my own self' when you need 'give it to God' Are you not depending on your wealth of experience?
If this is the way you're operating,circumstances of life will always weigh you down.Do your part and do not do that of God.Let Him do what he need do ,shift your attention from yourself and turn to God in the same way apostle Paul did.
Your success and breakthrough is certain if you relied on Him.
Verse 10 says 'And he did rescue us from mortal danger,and he will rescue us again.We've placed our confidence in him,and he'll continue to rescue us'
By relying on God,they're rescued,but relying on themselves,they failed.What're you putting your confidence into? Money? Knowledge? Influence? Position? Parents? Friends? Pastors? etc.You'll certainly receive from those you put your confidence into but in a dissapointing way.
Kindly do away with confidence on a mortal man that can't play out well,but let your confidence stand in God.
Though,that problem may be beyond your ability to endure,but if you can trust and rely on God,you're on a winning side.
Join @TheLAfamily and @Isaacsogo on twitter.
@IscAmao.

THE MIRROR

I don't need tell you who will emerge as the winner when it comes to the issue of staying behind the mirror between the male and female folks because no one can win the pig in the game of dirt.Ladies can do this better than boys,and you know why that should be.Am not criticing looking at the mirror because it's a means by which we access how perfectly dressed we're.If a man dressed up,he would looked at the mirror may be to adjust his tie.And if it's a lady,she'd do this to ensure that the powder applied is not in excess,making her look gorgeous and moderate.Without exaggeration,some people can stand behind the mirror for an hour and more than that all in the name of physical outlook.
We can then arrive at this logical conclusion that;mirror reflects our excesses and inadequacies as far as obeying the code of dressing is concerned.
However,the physical usefulness would serve as a platform to explain the spiritual implication of what this means.Just as you've the mirror that keeps you in a better shape and figure,so also we've spiritual mirror that helps build your spiritual aspect of life and that's the SCRIPTURE.
Hear what the scripture says so as to verify the verisimilitude of this claim.'Every scripture is God-breathed(given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction,for reproof[and],conviction of sin,correction of error,{and} discipline in obedience,[and] for training in righteousness (in holy living) in conformity to God's will in thought,purpose and action-2Tim 3:16 Amp.
Note from the verse that it says 'every scripture' not a 'part of it' then you must know that in the mirror of God you search all.You've to move from one scripture to another until you become perfect.When it's every,you must know more that 'John 3:16 which you've learnt from your primary school days.
The summary of this scripture is that;the mirror of God work on you to live a righteous live which is simply in conformity to God's will in thought,purpose,and action.You'd be made holy so that your outward appearance would be holy as well.
However,the only way to be corrected,instructed et al by the mirror of God is to spend quality time studying and meditating on it.Listen,the more you look at a mirror,the more you adjust yourself,which implies that,the more you study the scripture,the more you see yourself clearly in the mirror of God.The question is that;how many hours are you devoting to the word of God daily? If you can spend an hour behind the normal mirror,while not the spiritual mirror of God? Just as you can't do away with the mirror in your house,don't part away with the word of God!
Search the scripture to weigh yourself on the weighing balance of God.
Your spiritual make up is not yet complete,if you've not looked at the mirror of God daily.
After you've been perfected by the mirror of God,then others would be able to see themselves through you.You become a standard/mirror for others which would ultimately lead them to God.
Don't go out today,without looking at the mirror of God!
@IscAmao

HOW TO MANAGE DISAPPOINTMENT

I know how hurtful it's when somebody promised to take you to heaven,but failed to do so(lols..).Conclusively,many a promise had been made to you but those that promised failed 'woefully' to see to their promise.Sincerely,I know that unfulfilled promise do cause emotional and psychological disorder.Have been through many of them,and I really know how painful it's.
The bitter truth is that,you'll always create hatredness for the person because of his/her failure to keep to the promise made.Am telling you,anytime you see the person the memory of what he promised will instantly sounds in your cranium.That's normal anyway.
However,being a victim of unfulfilled promise(s),I've changed my ideas about this reocurring decimal.So,I'll do well to discuss this from a general point of view and give a concise way forward to it.
At a point in time,I arrived at this logical conclusion that 'Human beings are the best disappointing instrument in life' and reasons for that need no further analysis.
But to avert being hurt,don't expect much from people,at the same time see them as a human being that's not sufficient and vulnerable to failure.
In most cases,the person may want to help,but due to some unexpected personal responsibilities,s/he must carefully reconsider his scale of preference leading to the lost of what he promised you.
Don't hate the person for disappointing you,but love them because they're not God.If it's God,you can be confident that he'll do it.The sincere question here is this;how'd you be able to define man better than God,if your demands by the man is met always?
Agree to the fact that you and I are limited,it's only God that's not limited.You can equally help the person with prayer that God'll strengthen him/her to fulfil the promise.
The fact that they failed you does not mean that they can't be of further help to you in future.Joseph would expect that the guy he helped would announced him instantly to the king but it wasn't so.It was after 2 years before the guy remembered him.What'd you expect Joseph to do in those 2 years? To hate the guy or commit suicide? Of what help would hating the guy do him? Activities in the palace might even choked up the guy to have time remembering Joseph.That's the same story of some that weren't able to fulfil the promise made to you.They've forgotten that they promised you.Don't waste time hating the person.
By way of conclusion,God expects you to put your trust in him,not in people because it's impossible to look up to the sky and to the ground at the same time.The simple formula is that;if it works,thanks to God,and if not,thanks to him also, for all will always together for the good of those that love God.
Trust more on God because He'll not fail.
@IscAmao.

WHY WASTING YOUR LIFE?

Oops! I've wasted another prime day in my life time on this same planet-earth.How'd I regained this lost time? If I can just turn the hands of the clock to the fresh of the morning,that'd have been better.I achieved nothing meaningful today! Ooh! I was chatting and gisting since morning,and now the day is about to close.How do I plunged myself into all these mess? Procrastination styllishly stole away my precious time.The song of tomorrow is there for me,cunningly make today pass away without achieving something worths pointing to.What a waste of life? Hmm,who'll teach me about time management.

Conclusively(i.e without any doubt),I'm sure that's how a handful number of us sound as we daily waste our life by wasting our time.This becomes a reoccuring figure because we take pleasure in irrelevant things on a daily basis.For this reason,we'd put much flesh to how wisely you can manage your time.
However,let me shock you that,for the time wasted,no scientific calculation can be used to solve this out.Isaac Newton would found it difficult to give a concise equation to bring back those wasted time.You can't change the workings of the nature,but you can change your attitude of the past to better your today and tomorrow.
I've this understanding that,worthless issues of life makes us watch our time rolling away from us.If you live your life the way it comes to you,you'll definitely leave the world the way you don't like.The power to wisely gain control of living a fulfiling day lies in you,therefore the choice to live right depends on you,since life is a choice.
Let me draw a contrart in a jiffy here.David was wasting his life at home when he's needed on the battlefield,and this gave the devil the avenue to gain a full access of his time that day that he fell sexually because he was watching porn movie from the top of his house.He was not focused,so he browsed what he should not,leading to a great bitterness in his life.The aftermath of this was so traumatic for David as you know.Now,coming down to Jesus,he understood the concept of time graphically that he said,'I must to do the work of Him that sent in the day,for the night cometh when no man can work' That shows that Jesus'd not play with his time like David because it's one of the keys to the fulfilment of his purpose.Let me leave you here to make a choice between the two.
If you get no direction on how you should live your life,you'll always go around doing the needless leading ultimately to sin.
The sincere advice here is that,wake up each morning and draw a realistic plan of how you want to spend your day.Ask yourself of reasonable stuffs you can engage yourself in that'll better your living than those useless things you've been doing.If you occupy yourself with serious issues,your friends won't have access to tell you one foolish thing that do not add up to your success in life.S/he would not come to tell you what Busayo or Deji done to him/her.
She won't come to your house 'to do ofofo' of what erupted as a volcanic eruption between Taye and Kehinde.Once s/he discovered that you're always busy,s/he would stay away from you.But if you're a type that feeding on other people's issue is your lucrative job,life'd not make sense to you.If today pass you by again without achieving something reasonable,you're digging up your early grave bit by bit.
You must note that,'a time wasted,is a life wasted' While you're chatting from the morning till the night on social networks,you must check yourself bcause you need deliverance.No matter how sensible your discussions may be,you must atleast have a personal time for yourself,and now that all you're discussing is a useless one,you should better know that that's the wasting of life of the highest order.Practically,I put away my phone when I need full concentration.Carefully do a thorough evaluation of those things choking you up which in the wise render your time useless.The value you place on your time determines your life's value.
Waste no time,draw up plans for each day,and you'll enjoy your life.
Remember that,once it's lost,you can't have it back
Stop wasting your life!
@IscAmao.

THE JOSEPH YOU DON'T KNOW

I was anchoring a sunday class precisely last year,treating a topic that is centered on Joseph,one of the popular character of the bible.Joseph's story is just an interesting one and good biblical character when it comes to the issue of rising from gnawing problems to a great position.I'll not be wasting time to expound on various lessons to be learnt from Joseph,but I'll do good in discussing this visionary boy from the response of somebody in my sunday school class on that glorious sunday.The word has kept on crossing my mind anytime I thought about Joseph.The response given by the person by way of compendium was that;'Joseph will never reached the position he yarned or desired,if he's of the mindset of treating the fuck up of his betrayals(i.e his brothers' or 'showing them' You may call that an hypothesis,but I'm seeing it beyond what you call it.I want to take the statement as a fact because I've ruminated over it well.Naturally,the expectation of every human being is that Joseph would locked up his devilish brothers when the chance to do that was widely opened.However,contrary to what you and I may think good,it wasn't so in the case of Joseph.As Joseph sat in the cell playing solitaire,he had plenty of time to stew in the juices of bitterness.But he didn't! Joseph was not thinking of how he'll subject them to punishment or hard labour when he climbed the throne of authority.In fact,his thinking was far away from what they've done.He put away the thought of turning his betrayals to bitterness and was not thinking much about them for he knew that they're platform for his success in life.
Then,I discovered that the greatest barrier to your vision/dream is to spend the whole of your days considering how somebody hurts you and how badly you'll deal with that person when you attaine your desired position.That'll be disastrous! Hey! You must get your attention forcused and sideline those that're ready to jeopardize your ambition.Bishop Oyedepo said that,'If you look at opposition,you'll lose position' Joseph must have the knowledge of this simple fact which kept him going.
Though,he lawfully had the power of life and death over them,but chose to welcome them with brotherly love.Don't crave for a position because you want to use it as an avenue to revenge or pay back the evil done to you.The more you think about that,the more restricted your motion in life would be.Be like Joseph who didn't wallow in self-pity,and he didn't soak in a hot-tube of bitterness.Let go those people and know that they will form part of your story of greatness in life.
Steve Farrar put it well by saying,'If you're focusing on some person or what they did to you,you'll not finish strong' Always know that;'God is able to take the hateful and hurtful motivations of your enemies and used them to accomplish His plan in your life'.Don't forget that;God is in charge of your life-and over all events and circumstances that touch you in any way.If you get there,forget about what they've done to you,forgive them,for by so doing Romans 12 vs 21 would be fulfilled.
Once again,don't crave for positions with the mindset of 'showing them'
If you've the list of those people that you'll not show an atom of mercy to when you become great,kindly tear the list because it won't help you as you journey in life.Those that deposited something good into your life,and those that did the opposite are the stepping stones to your greatness.
Let go,because you're going places.
#@IscAmao#

SHARING YOUR VISION

The most difficult aspect of life is sharing your vision with people because of lack of trust.Obviously,the idea here is that nobody can be trusted taking into consideration our human nature and being which makes us to be highly prone to deceit.No enough words can be said to rekindle the hope of some people to share their vision with others because they know how costly it was-being a victim of such.Jesus himself shared his vision with the twelve disciples,but Judas Iscariot turned a jeopardising instrument that betrayed him not confidentially but face to face.Joseph also shared his vision with his family members and from that time upward,his brothers took up satan's assignment to bring his vision to a staggering halt.He was stripped of his position in the family,but not his purity.He was stripped of his family,but not his future.He was stripped of his coat,but not his character.You know the rest of the story.
However,I'm seeing this topic beyond the prism of the common belief as far as sharing of vision is concerned.I've come to the point of knowing the fact that in most cases if you hold your vision close to your chest,you'll never have it materialized.At the same time,if out of being careless,you let out your vision to 'everybody',you'll certainly pay for it.Then,what's the difference between the two? The significant difference between the two depend on the quality of people you're sharing your vision with.If you share your vision with 'everybody' you may have a regret of your action and that's why you must meticulously guide your vision.The type of people you share your vision with must be people of like passion who shares the same vision with you.They must be people that're vision-driven and not a visionless man because a visionless man will reduce you to his own state of visionlessness for the fact that he is making no progress.Such people are always anti-vision! Joseph's brother were void of vision and that's why they pick up satan's assignment to send the boy into extinction.I'm pretty sure that if you get right people,they'll sincerely help you and provide the necessary materials to make your vision a realistic one.
These are people that must come into your life so as to make you a better person,the only problem is finding who they are.
It's worthy of note again and again that,don't share your vision with 'everybody' but get special and vision-oriented friends that're not vision consumers that can help you as you journey in your various endeavours.
Above all,let God be the Grand Commander of your vision and it's my utmost believe that you'll surely fulfil purpose.
@IscAmao.

HOW MANY OF US WILL ROT IN JAIL?

I cannot help but break my deliberate effort of staying off social media for some days tonight because of this silly and obnoxious motion waiting for its acceptance and to be signed into the law.Am not careful of this article adding me up to the numbers of people in our various prison yards across the country.Because this piece is another one speaking our government to face on illogical motions they've been signing and the one to be signed.
Simply,they want by means of law determine those that live and those that ends up in the jail by engineering motions that the goats and fowls know that it's baseless and out of sense.
How imagineable is this;that those appointed to be our leaders would wake one day out of their bed of foolishness and move a motion of sending activists which made use of social media to criticise the evil and horrendous behaviours of the government to 7 years imprisonement or pay a fine of 5 million naira.Where on earth is that done?
Then,how can we define 'freedom of speech'?
The question we ought to ask here is that;Why must they be jailed for spitting out their minds on what's going wrong with the system? Do we vote them in to lord over every good and bad works they do? I can better leave you to answer those questions.
Sincerely,this country of ours is the one that is full of unending dramas when it comes to how our leaders think,giving less attention to pressing issues and creaming irrelevant ones.
It's in this same country that some people embezzled and divert the public funds into their private accounts without being brought to book.Stella Oduah is the latest of them.Gradually,her case is rolling away,yet they expect us to keep mute.
What's the essence of a nation where the voice of the masses are not made to rise up?
I want to believe that this's another level of glorifying madness among our lawmakers.Without any iota of doubt,I'm pretty sure that this will not hold water and nigerians will not be discouraged fighting for their right even if the motion is passed by the dragon.
And if they will be serious about this,how many of us will rot in jail?
@IscAmao.

AS YOU ENTER INTO DECEMBER.

Before I go further in this piece,I'd like you to understand with me that the piece is not put up to create a space for fear in your heart neither is it meant to scare you pertain to the erroneous belief and assertions that're always ascribed to December by people.This one thing I hate;I hate magnifying the devil at the expense of God.I discovered that we speak more of the devil in the stead of Jesus,not knowing that devil's power is not half that of Jesus.I'd rather magnify Jesus by telling the devil how great my God is.
Apostles paul was not void of his antics when he says that,'we're not ignorant of the devices of the devil' That should tell you that the Lord Almighty has expounded unto us all the strategies of the devil by the Holy Spirit.
Therefore,we need no fear or over-estimate the power ignorantly attributed to the devil.
Having this understanding,I'd like to dive into the word of God which will help sustain and keep us through the month.Jesus in Matt 22:29 says 'you run into error because you don't know the scripture or the power of God'
With this biblical understanding,I'd like you to go with me into the book of Acts chapter 28,the last chapter of the book which simply depictmay the last month of the year.As simple as this may be,it's worthy of note to take a keen attention to it.Verse 6 of the scripture says '...the people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead,but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him,they changed their minds and said he was a god' Obviously,the journey of Paul ever before this verse could be likened to a start of struggle from the beginning of his ministry.He was moving from one degree of problem to another all in the name of fulfiling God's purpose.He was falsefully accused,he was jailed,and attempts were made to terminate his life.But all couldn't hold water or stand against him.In this journey, he landed safely on shore,something tragic in verse 3 occurred,it reads '..a viper,driven,out by the heart,fastened itself on his(paul's hand.When this happened,the people around were earnestly waiting for his death.
The implication of this biblical verse is that;just as you've started from the beginning of this year like apostle paul,putting up strategies to fulfil God's purpose in your life,it has been a release of different dimension of struggle.You've faced alot of hurdles of life,situations around you look unyielding,mountains to climb grows higher befor you,and it be like you're at a mediocre equilibrium though you're progressing.You've been nursing some ideas terrifically in your mind,striving day in day out to see to its success.But as desperate as you are,the sad and dismal aspect of these scenario is that the devil is still cooking up plans to see you remain at the lowest part of the ladder and to fall.In the same way those guys were expectantly looking forward to the fall of apostle Paul.People in the same way are standing ramrod waiting for your fall.
But thanks be to God the father of our Lord Jesus that their expectation was not met,they wait and wait in vain which made them to conclude that 'Apostle paul is a god'
Now,my sincere prayer for you and which should be your prayer point is that 'Those that waits for your fall as the year runs out will wait and wait in vain in Jesus name.You'll fulfil purpose and they'll come to testify to the goodness of the Lord in your life IJN'
Happy New Month
You can follow @TheLAfamily and @isaacsogo on twitter.