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  By Edokpa Ephraim Eseohe Introduction Self-control is a compound noun which consists of two separate words “ self ” and “ control ” and in order to understand the compound meaning of the word “ self-control ”, it is pertinent to conceptually clarify the words separately. Self Self can be defined as the union of elements (body, emotions, impulses, thoughts, sensations, appetites, will, passions, desires, interests) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person. Some words synonymous to self are flesh, ego and body. The Bible outlined various characteristics of self in the passages below  1. 1 John 2:16 KJV For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life , is not of the Father, but is of the world. 2. Galatians 5:19-21a KJV Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,...

  By Ijachi Comfort Okah The word GENTLENESS is not new to our hearing as it is a virtue that Christ admonished us to possess at all times irrespective of where we are and what we are facing. Gentleness is a virtue which works in line with the purpose of God. We can also relate it to humility. This was one of the characteristics of Jesus Christ while he was on earth as he even told his apostles to do the same. As Christians, we must learn to be humble and gentle in heart. In Matthew 11:29 , Jesus is described as gentle and humble in heart and he modeled this to his apostles. Also, Apostle Paul urges us in Ephesians 4:1-3 to imbibe the spirit of gentleness and live our lives in unity with people so as to show them the way of Christ. IMPORTANCE OF GENTLENESS PEACE : It brings about peace and rest in our hearts as we fellowship with Christ, as well as makes us relate well with those around us, which in turn brings them close to Christ. In this way we effectively carry out our duty a...

 By Deborah Temitope Jacob It is no doubt that great is the faithfulness of God and that his mercies endure forever despite our imperfections. Two questions which then remain to be asked are “ what does faithfulness mean?” and “who is a faithful servant?” Faithfulness is the quality of being steadfast and committed to something or someone. It can also mean being reliable and worthy of trust. In Matthew 25:45, the Bible made mention of a faithful servant as a person who can be trusted with responsibilities. There are 4 different aspects of faithfulness according to this writer: Faithfulness to God (Hebrews 11) Having faith in God is trusting him completely. It is the proof of our relationship with God. We have faith in God because we know he never fails. Faithfulness is total obedience or belief in God's word and this will requires us to be connected to God and trust in his word completely. Faithfulness in relationships (Proverbs 28:20) In our relationship with people either f...

By Benjamin Haruna Bala In Joshua 1:8 , we find a powerful promise from God to Joshua as he prepares to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. The verse reads; " Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful ." This verse is often cited as a key to divine success as in our theme this session, but what does it mean to be successful in the eyes of God? Being successful in the eyes of God is having certain characteristics that reflect God’s divine image and character. As we can find in the Fruit of the Spirit outlined in Galatians 5:22-23 , goodness which is seen as a moral excellence or virtue is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. In other words, to be successful in the eyes of God is to live a life of goodness. Living a life of goodness simply means doing good in righteousness, purity and holiness; that is to say doing good both in works, characte...

  By Salama Tisan Peter My mum told us {my elder ones and I}, that while she was young, there was this practice that was rampant: whenever a family in a compound house was hosting a guest/visitor, the neighbors would cook for the guest separately and present it to the guest. I always think about this and I truly wish we could continue this trend, although I must say that on two occasions, I have gone to visit close relatives and I have been treated this way by their neighbors. The first one bought me a carbonated soft drink and the second offered me five slices of bread and tomato-fish sauce. I must confess that I love this act of kindness and I trust God to also replicate it as He enables me. Defining ‘ Kindness ’ can pose a great difficulty because of the similarities in its qualities with that of love. This is why Apostle Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 13:4 that love is kind. I think that if kindness stands before a mirror, its reflection will be love. The meaning ...

By Havilah Emma-Ogboji  Galatians 5:22 AMP [22] But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting] , kindness, goodness, faithfulness. When we hear the phrase ‘fruit of the Spirit’, what comes to mind?  I believe for some, it is the memories of songs from our Sunday School classes which we learnt as kids, or you may ask yourself: is there any fruit manifesting in my life?  This verse in the Amplified version goes a step further to make us understand what the "fruit of the Spirit" is: the result of His presence within us. This leads me to the question; is the Holy Spirit in you? I believe our answer is "Yes", but how patient are you in waiting and receiving from the Spirit?  Waiting for God is at the heart of living by faith. It is this hope in the trustworthy promises of God that is the ground of the Christian's virtue of ...

  By Adeola Adepoju Oluwatobi In the orchard of Christian character, there blossoms a sweet and precious fruit: peace. Not the fleeting, fragile peace of the world, but a deep, abiding inner serenity rooted in something far greater. This peace is a gift of the Holy Spirit, one of nine characteristics cultivated in the hearts of those who surrender to God's transformative power. The Bible paints a vivid picture of this spiritual peace. In Isaiah 26:3, we are promised, "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." This peace transcends circumstance, a steady anchor in the storms of life. It's the peace Jesus offered his disciples, saying, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (John 14:27) Biblical Meaning of Peace There are three biblical meanings of peace namely. 1. Peace with God (2 Corinthians 5 : 18...

  By Rejoice Ikejiaku "You no get joy" is one of the commonly used pidgin slang in Nigeria. It is used when an individual has no luck in achieving something and is therefore unhappy or when one's joy has been sapped to the barest minimum. It is seeming impossible for people to be joyful or at least happy due to the struggle and bustle of everyday life, but this is not God's plan for his children.  Joy is the second fruit of the Spirit mentioned in the Scripture ( Galatians 5:22 ). This goes ahead to show that God does not delight in the agony of his children, but desires that they are joyful at all times and do not have to worry about a single thing. This is evident in his word in the book of Philippians 4:4-7. Verse 4 says: "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice". Such emphasis on "Rejoice" would not come to play if he intended that his heirs be sad. Having established that, it is crucial to know that though joy is free, it is not fre...

By Hannatu Haruna In a world filled with complexities and uncertainties, one universal truth remains constant—the profound impact of love on the human spirit. As Christians, we understand that love is not just a fleeting emotion but a divine force that sustains us, and at the center of it all is God’s unwavering love. The Scriptures guide us to recognize that God’s love is not only the epitome of reliability but also the foundation upon which our faith stands. In 1 John 4:8, we are reminded that “God is love,” emphasizing the inherent nature of the Divine to express love unconditionally. It is this love that serves as a compass, guiding our moral choices and shaping our interactions with the world. In our pursuit of happiness and fulfillment, we often encounter challenges and obstacles that can shake the very foundations of our existence. However, the reassuring presence of God’s love becomes our anchor, providing solace in times of despair and strength in moments of weakness. Psalm 36...

          DON'T GIVE UP!! Life is not smooth sailing With bells always ringing. It has its up and downs, And it smiles and frowns. Not all days are sunny and bright, Few things are achieved overnight. To attain what is good and right, You need to struggle with all your might. When things turn out wrong, Don't think all is gone. When things becomes tough, Its time you turn tough. There is no success without failure, Hardship and pain - you have to endure. When you fall or get hit, Do not give up or quit!

Dear redeemer divine,  Your love is sweeter than wine. We the branch, you the vine,  beauty is in the art of your design. Comfort, peace and joy is in the helm of your hand, Only a fool will despise you for the swine. You are my strength, my bones and my cartilage; My safety and my hope, in you I seek refuge. Shall I then a Shakespearean compare  thy love to a summer's day, Or thy grace to the milky way? Shall I be a weatherman and compare  thy rage to a thunder's rage, Or morn as a city that is caught in thy rage? Yea, even in thy rage, Your love shall never age; I will sing of your love like a Mockingjay. Who is this man that you chose to lavish such a divine sup of grace? What does he have that you chose to look with such Godly gaze? You took upon yourself our infirmities, Drowning our unrighteousness in the dark sea of forgetfulness; We once cursed and condemned, restitute and prostitutes murderers and woremongers You called Your sons and daughters. W...

Let's begin with creative, creativity involves doing something in a refreshingly new/novel way or manner. There is an aspect of writing called creative writing, it's an entirely different kettle of fish and it's very broad, we won't be going into it. We'll be looking constructively at a creative AND effective way of writing, and not a creative (writing) and effective writing. Too many times, a lot of people consider themselves as not creative or not creative enough. The former is a lie and the latter is true, at least sometimes. But the good news is you can always improve your creative power through studying. To prove to you that everybody is creative, is there anybody here that has never told a lie in his/her life? If you're such a person please indicate. Now, the mere fact that you told (lied) of a thing that never happened (at least, not to you) shows that you are creative i.e. you created something that has never existed before. Now, lying is not a virtue, s...

Christianity is the world largest religion with an adherent of 2.4b, next is Islam (1.9b) it is the fastest growing religion currently, Hinduism (1.2b), atheism/agnosticism/unreligious (1.1b) and the world current population is 7b. I'll come back to why Islam is the fastest growing. Yearly a lot of people drop from being serious christians to norminal, atheists or change religion because of books they've read. Almost all the best books these days have atheistic undertones. And almost all the world's best scholars are atheists and an interesting number of them are Israelis (20% Nobel prize winners are Israelis). Take for instance Harari Yuval (who considers all religions to be stories creatively coined to unite society) is considered by many as the most influential modern scholar. His book Sapiens was on top-3 for 96 consecutive weeks. And what do serious christians do? They avoid or "forget" these books because they are "controversial". I'll come bac...

  Five to six weeks back I was down with Malaria, we went to the hospital, consulted a doctor who asked if I was okay with injection ( thinking it will be for that day only, while I continue with orals), I happily gave into it, not knowing that it was for three days. Then I was not at rest anymore; the thought of going to the emergency ward, sag down my trousers for some young ladies (nurses) to inject me was a serious bone of contention to me,   but blessed be the name of the LORD for face mask. I didn't see their faces so also they didn't see mine.   The first day was not bad, the second went well also, but when I was about to go for the third, I just finished praying, so I lay on my bed in deep reminisce and I could recall for over ten years of my life, I had nothing to do with drugs only for pain relievers, I recalled how my NHIS benefit wasted ( a benefit that covered ninety percent of my health fee till I was eighteen, as a result of my parents being staffs ...

      The Chronicles of King Solomon had always been a reference point for me, when it comes to the acquisition of knowledge, understanding and their application which is wisdom. I had always esteemed him high in my thoughts and speech, but then I was privilege to see something entirely different about him.  We've read and applauded him for the great sacrifice he offered to God. The dimension that amuses and is of keen interest to us, was when God asked him what he wanted, he asked for wisdom instead of riches, wealth or honour. As I was ruminating over this Biblical event, a question was dropped in my spirit, which is" why ask for a part when you can get the whole?".  Was there something more important Solomon could have asked for instead of Wisdom? Okay, even if Solomon's request wasn't in alignment with God's will, why did God grant his request?  The surpassing need a man has above other needs, is the need to know God more and being intimate with H...

Whenever we give divergent or subjective views against the standards of the Word of God, the sole aim is just to suit our own selfish desires or motives. Giving is one of the basic element of Christianity that has been subjected to scrutiny and criticisms (destructive),because of some reasons that derives its validity from selfishness.  Giving is the number one proof of the existence of love between two or more parties. Giving is an evidence of love and without it, love looses its validity. God does not demand for our tithes, offerings and first fruits because He needs them; He has more than enough of them, don't forget that "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof". But each time He ask us to give to Him, He wants to test our measure of love and faithfulness towards Him. Our love for God in giving is not measured by the quantity of what we have offered, but actually what we have left, after we have offered. The widow who gave her two mites, gave all she ha...

That night was not like every other night. It was cold, windy and awfully dark. Mama did not say a word all day. She sat in her warm hut sulking. News had reached us that evening, that the neighbouring village; where my elder sister, Amina, lived, had been raided the previous night by bandits. They burned down huts, slaughtered their cows and men and took women and children away.  What baffled me was that Baba wasn't disturbed at all. He went around in his normal routine--leading the cattle into the barn and giving them hay for dinner, with his radio pressed against his ear. He joined me on a raffia mat under the mango tree, to have fura da nono (fresh cow milk) since mama was too traumatized to make dinner. Our village was scaringly quiet. Even the cows were silent. One could only hear the zuuu sound of the wind backed up by the sound of Baba's radio. Usually, at this time, I would be at our neighbor's chatting and singing with the girls till midnight. Listening t...

  Oooohh... Why me? Am I not born to be great? I feel empty and weary, My plans are still tight on air,    Self-heartened, not adjusting. Things are getting worst and    tougher; like I'm not saved, as if    I'm not destined to be great.                              Why me? Is it that I had no visions to supersede    my mission for it to be accomplished? This road seems coarse and unrefined, Like I'm not distinct to be on the right path. I see danger crossing my boundary. Am I not born for greatness? It seems I lack potentials And the zeal to flourish my dreams, That way, I'm still left behind.   Why me? I feel lonely all day long. My efforts are all in vain; unproductive. No one to cater for me, I feel frozen at all words said to me.   Oooohh... ...

Success by definition means "achieving your set goals, objectives and potential in life". There are no shortcuts to greatness in life. The journey on the road to success is a risk one must take, it is how we set up our motives and struggle to make it in life. This road is so coarse and bumpy that we have to be wise and not get weary along the way. If we must make it, we must apply wisdom to strive in our journey to ensure we always move forward and not backward in life. The road to success is built upon determination, handwork, discipline and diligence. Every individual on this planet earth has a purpose and the hunger to achieve great things in life. We have dreams to be accomplished and fulfilled. This blossom dream won’t come completely easy as we anticipate. We have limited time in this life and if we must make it, we need to use this time wisely. Our set goals define our priorities, our fashion and our actions. They help us impose voluntary discipline, sacrifice an...