Vanity of Life: 8 ways to know the Meaningless of Life

Vanity of Life: 8 ways to know the Meaningless of Life

Vanity of life is the product of all forms of ungodly practices. Life is made up of actions and it is not an object. Life process your data and gives you your information. If you collate ungodly data then life would process it to vanity. While godly data is always processed to Beauty of Life.

Today’s message would give a sincere meaning related to vanity of life and the perspective of King Solomon to this topic.

Why is vanity a keyword in the book of Ecclesiastes?

It is unfortunate that many depressed people quote this book to justify their suicidal action and all other forms of evil acts. You can’t hate life because king Solomon said he does!

I read Ecclesiastes many times before putting up this message and through the help of the Holy Spirit I would tell you the truth about king Solomon and his book of lamentation (Ecclesiastes).

The book of Ecclesiastes comprises of king Solomon’s personal experience, personal view and personal deduction about life under the sun. God’s input, inspiration or instruction was not in the book, so be careful with the way you handle his expression.

King Solomon described his life to be vanity when he discovered the extent at which he missed God’s presence in his life. The whole book is all about bitter lamentation of an individual!

The book of Ecclesiastes does not have God’s authority to tell you that this life is bound to be meaningless for you. Ecclesiastes was written by a depressed writer!

What Caused King’s Solomon meaningless life?

If you study the context of king Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, you would discover that he was full of regrets. He was bitter. He hates everything about himself. The life of the old man was miserable.

He was a happy king in his early days as recorded in the books of the Kings. His expressions in the book of Proverbs was well composed. But why did his life become vanity in his old age?

I searched through the Bible and discovered that towards the end of his life he disobeyed the commandments of the LORD. He lived his life without God’s input and this led to the emptiness of his life. So, he picked up his pen and wrote everything about his empty life (vanity).

“For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.

For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not fully follow the LORD, as did his father David.

Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon.

And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

So, the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had commanded.

Therefore, the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.

Now the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of the king in Edom.” (1King 11: 1-14)

My heart is always filled with tears whenever I read the above passage about king Solomon.

8 Ways to Know the Vanity of Life!

The life of a Christian is not vanity because Jesus had come to give us life in abundance and not meaningless as described by king Solomon.

Jesus Christ says: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Vanity of life are all forms of pride celebrated without God’s consent. The following lifestyles are some of the indication of a meaningless life:

1. Life full of Parties

A meaningful life does not spend days or every weekend throwing parties. When you are too frequent at parties, you are likely to lose your godly mind.

2. Award Celebration

Life will go into vanity for any child of God that receives awards from men. Awards makes you feel big (pride) and celebration of pride leads to meaningless of life.

Jesus avoid award celebration when he says: “…Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments…” (Matthew 19:17)

3. More than One Wife

God gave a template of one man one wife in the Genesis. So, any man with wives or vice versa would run into vanity of life.

But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites-from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.” (1Kings 11:1-2)

4. Concubines, Co-habit and Extramarital affairs

All these practices are no more abomination in our society. Anyone involved in these would suffer vanity of life.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor reviles, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1Corinthians 6:9-10)

5. Careless Love for Diversity and Varieties

This kind of love lured king Solomon into idolatry. So, if you are not restricted to the confinement of God’s commandment in the Bible. Your love for knowledge about Catholism, Mormorism, Muslim, or the Dark World, can make you fall into idolatry which is vanity.

6. Disobedience to God’s commandments is vanity

Solomon disobeyed the commandment given to him and he disliked himself when the consequences came on him. So, he suffered vanity of life when everything around him went empty and meaningless.

7. ‘To Fight God’

To seek the transfer of godly Pastor from your church…, to chase away Evangelists from your area…, refusal to help the poor…, removal of Bible from homes or public places and the likes are vanity of life.

“…Solomon therefore sought to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.” (1Kings 11: 31-40)

8. Accumulation of Excessive Wealth

This is vexation of the spirit and vanity of life because the wealth is inherited by people who may not appreciate the labour of the rich man.

Your name on the list of the richest people is vanity. So, it is meaningless to have your name attached to hundreds of Estates, fleets of expensive cars or aeroplanes.

But life is not vanity if you share your wealth with the poor.

Listen to Jesus: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven…” (Matthew 19: 21- 24) 

Vanity of life is for the backsliders. Life is not generally meaningless as mentioned by the bitter king Solomon. Neither the Prophets of the LORD nor Jesus Christ told us that life in its originality is vanity.

Life is meaningful if you obey all the instructions of Jesus in the Bible. Life is meaningless when you disobey the rules of the LORD. Life is sweet and interesting! Please don’t give-in to depression or suicidal thoughts. God Bless you!!

Family Conflict: 10 Steps to Conflict Resolution

Family Conflict: 10 Steps to Conflict Resolution

Family conflict is an inevitable misunderstanding that helps the Christian home to grow stronger if the resolution is carefully done.

About 90 percent of runaway youth accommodated in shelters organized by the Family Youth Service Bureau and 75.5 percent in residential programs reported family conflict as critical issues leading to their homelessness.

This information is alarming, but today’s message would enlighten you on the significance of family conflict and how to get over it in a godly way.

What are the Causes of Family Conflict?

  1. Financial matters: Shortage of funds to pay bills or loss of job.   
  2. Unfaithfulness: extramarital affairs
  3. Different opinions related to child bearing and nurturing
  4. Cogent decision-making for the family
  5. Lack of proper communication which include; cursing, insulting and yelling can trigger family conflict.
  6. Learning to live as a new couple
  7. Attempt to separate or divorce
  8. Sibling rivalry
  9. Scope for child discipline
  10. Interference of Extended Family or In-Laws
  11. Difference in spiritual understanding

10 Effects of Unresolved Family Crisis

  1. Cancelation of Family altar which can cause family dysfunction, such as marital stress, violence and bad psychological manipulation of the children.
  2. Emotional disturbance
  3. Anxiety
  4. Post-traumatic stress syndrome
  5. Depression.
  6. Family conflict can lead to child neglect
  7. Mental Health
  8. It melts the Agape love away and could lead to separation or divorce
  9. Extreme case of unresolved family conflict can trigger suicidal thoughts.
  10.  Family conflicts put-off God’s presence in such family.

10 Steps to Family Conflict Resolutions

Since there is no perfect home without family conflict, then the following reliable resolutions can help you keep your home intact. I won’t forget to tell you that it works for me very well:

1. Recite the Lord’s Prayer: When provocation knocks at your door, respond by reciting the Lord’s Prayer in your heart. This is one of the key solutions that helps me to control exchange of harsh words in my family.

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)

2. Go for Fresh air: This is essential when the conflict raised the room temperature so high that if care is not taking, it can lead to ‘explosion’. Thirty minutes’ walk can calm your anger and it also give audience to the Holy Spirit to minister peace to you.

3. Find Common level: Arguments does not resolve conflicts. Try to understand the common ground which becomes the parameters for conflict resolution.

4. Listen and Stay Calm: Put emotions aside and listen to what your family members say and understand what they mean. Then carefully explain your side of the topic with the intention to establish a common understanding.

5. Be hard on the challenge: Don’t be hard on your family member(s), but address the problem sharply rather than laying blames.

6. Entertain questions: Questions from both sides would give a clear picture of family conflicts that arise as a result of misunderstanding or misinformation. No one knows all when it comes to family conflict resolution.

7. Open the Bible: Family conflict resolution becomes a reality if you and your family members take the word of God as the reference point. It removes the plank in your eyes.

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye…? (Matthew 7:3-5)

8. Family Altar: To pray together is a strong action that solves family conflict very fast.

9. Seeking Elder’s Help: When the family conflict resolution hits the wall at the final stage, then it is wise to invite one or two men of God to mediate.

Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church(Matthew 18:15-17)

10. Contribution of Solutions: Once both sides of the family have a common understanding of the matter, then it is time to allow contribution of solutions from both sides. Your willingness to compromise would achieve meaningful conflict resolutions.

Family conflict is not a curse, but a test situation for every family on earth. Conflict can bring healing, unity and strength to the family if the resolution is done in a godly manner.

Is Spiritual Hunger Normal for Christians?

Is Spiritual Hunger Normal for Christians?

Spiritual hunger is an ‘asking’ mechanism from your spirit seeking for spiritual feed to manifest spiritual power to people or things around you.

The human spirit could give powerful good outputs such as life and happiness or evil outputs such as killings and destruction. The outputs depend on the kind of feed ingested into the hungry spirit.

Today’s message explains the significance of spiritual hunger and how to deal with it.

The Spiritual Hunger for Christians

There is nothing wrong about your spirit going hungry. It is a desire to please God. It is a divine programming from the LORD. Spiritual Hunger for holiness is a Blessing.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

The Christian spiritual hunger craves for spiritual feeds such as: godliness, righteousness, holiness, obedience to the Lord, Fear of God, Worship and the likes.

It is synonymous to the physical hunger. If you eat balance diet each time you go hungry, then you would be far from the doctor.

You would be spiritually strong and unbeatable by the devil and demons when you satisfy your spiritual hunger always with spiritual meals. Failure to satisfy spiritual hunger leads to spiritual weakness, sin and death.

How to Satisfy Spiritual Hunger

  1. Don’t be ignorant of the Call

Your spirit does not fast. So, don’t ignore the desire to feed your spirit with the meals it deserves every day. It is not a rocket science to know the desire of your hungry spirit, because your spirit speaks to you more than your best friend.

Ignoring the call to satisfy your spiritual hunger leads to procrastination, backsliding, and hypocrisy!

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby…” (First Peter 2:1-3)

2. Be a Good Bible Study Teacher

Your spirit’s meals are not hamburger, hotdog or French fries. Your spirit feeds on the Word of God and godliness. The more you read your Bible, the more you satisfy the spiritual hunger in you.

Your spirit needs to be refreshed with the promises, commandments and instructions of the LORD. Your spirit needs the Word of God daily to equip you for a healthy spiritual life that defeats physical battles of life and spiritual enemies.

For instance, the spirit of Jesus is filled with the word of God and He was able to overcome temptations that came His way.But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

3. Dwell in the Gathering

The kind of people you mingle with can determine the satisfaction of your spiritual hunger. Your family altar must be hot every day; your spirit feeds properly when you share the Word of God together with your family members.

Church is also a good place that could help satisfy the hunger, but make sure everyone gather in one spirit and love, else move away and take your shield under the Arms of the LORD.

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” (Acts 2:1)

4. Worship the LORD Always

Learn to be in a worship mood in your heart all the time. When your heart is filled with worship songs and words then you are feeding your spirit. You don’t need to be a choirmaster to worship the Lord. Put your instrument in good shape and play the wonderful tones to worship God.

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” (John 4:23)

5. Sharing the Gospel

Most times I got my spiritual hunger satisfied through evangelism. The desire of your spirit is not limited to preaching the Good News to someone, but it can also include; sharing your belongings with the poor, helping the handicaps, assisting the old, visiting the inmates or the sick.

Matthew chapter 25 verse 34 to 45: “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?… And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”

Spiritual hunger is normal for all Christians and it is a blessing. When you repeatedly satisfy the hunger of your spirit in a godly way, then you are not far from the LORD.

If you satisfy your spiritual starvation, then you would be righteous and that is the Master Key to enjoy eternity in Heaven.

Satisfy your spiritual hunger daily through the godly processes above and you would be glad you did. 

Family Curse: 5 Powerful Ways to Overcome Generational Curse

Family Curse: 5 Powerful Ways to Overcome Generational Curse

Family curse is an unusual and abnormal terrible situation of life that extends from one generation of the family to another. Generational curses are consistent from age to age and seem to be unbreakable.

But today’s message will explain the features of family curse and how to overcome it completely.

The family of Kennedy is an uninteresting instance of family curse related to untimely death:

Joseph Kennedy Jr, the elder brother of John F Kennedy (JFK), was killed when his bomber aircraft explodes over Suffolk during the Second World War. (August 12, 1944)

Kathleen Cavendish, JFK’s sister and the wife of Marquess of Hartington, dies in a plane crash in France. (May 13, 1948)

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. (November 22, 1963)

Robert Kennedy, JFK’s younger brother and his attorney general was assassinated after winning the California Democratic primary. (June 6, 1968)

David Kennedy, the fourth of RFK’s eleven children, died in a Florida hotel room after overdosing on cocaine, painkillers and anti-psychotic medicine. (April 25, 1984)

Michael Kennedy, the sixth of RFK’s children, was killed in a skiing accident in Colorado. The 39-year-old was playing American football when he crashed into a tree. (December 31, 1997)

John F Kennedy Junior, the JFK’s son, died while flying his light aircraft to the holiday island of Martha’s Vineyard. (July 16, 1999)

Mary Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert Kennedy Jr, hanged herself at her New York home. (May 16, 2012)

It is important to take any horrible trending event in your family with all seriousness, because it might be a family curse that must be broken immediately.

How does Family Curse Arises?

A generational curse has its origin from the sins of the fore fathers. Obedience attracts Blessings, but disobedience leads to curse which can extend from one generation to another generation.

For instance, the Lord told the Israelites that they would enjoy the blessings listed from verse 3 to 14 of Deuteronomy chapter 28, but their disobedience will attract the curses recorded in verse 16 to 68.

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God…

“…But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you…”

Adam and Eve disobeyed the instruction of the LORD and they were cursed. But thanks to Jesus Christ for His obedience to the instructions of redemption which gave us deliverance and blessings today.

Romans chapter 5 verses 14 and 15: “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.”

Family curse arises in your home, because you engaged in the same sin or disobedience committed by your great or grandparents.

Is God involved in Family Curse?

Please I don’t want you to be confused with the wrong teachings out there. God is not the author of Family curse!

God is not interested in afflicting us with family curses and that was the reason for the death of Jesus on the cross.

Many ignorant people quotes Exodus chapter 34 verses 6 and 7 as a reference that God puts curse on them.

And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and There are many men who are suffering from this order is unable to produce an offspring. abounding in goodness and truth, “keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

But I want you to do a careful study of the book of Ezekiel chapter 18:

…The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself…For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!”

Devil and his demons are the striking players sustaining the goals of family curse in peoples’ lives. And, their main tactics is to lure each generation into the same sin that produces the particular curse.

How to get deliverance from Family Curse

You don’t need to pay a penny to anyone for breaking any family curse. Follow the points below and the terrible family trends such as; irrational fear, depression, divorce, incurable sickness, poverty, untimely death and other similar family curses shall be broken.

1. Identify the Sins 

Find out your family history and identify the common sin your past generations had committed. Do a thorough research to understand the origin. It might be as a result of witchcraft, cheat, carelessness or other spiritual involvements.

2. Ask for Forgiveness

Devil will not want you to carry out this step with all your heart, because it is the first bomb shell. He might deceive you that your family curse is not spiritual but something else.

Ask God with all your heart to forgive your past generations and to also forgive you for committing same or similar sin. Stop the sinful practice immediately!  “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1)

3. Kneel at the foot of Jesus

If your life is not hot for the Lord, then you have to take your salvation very serious. How? Surrender your lifestyle to the Lord Jesus. You must be ready to obey all the instructions of the LORD that would guide you to live a sinless life.

Confessing your sins and obeying the instructions of the Lord with all your heart is a terrible blow that hits the demons responsible for your family curse.

4. Faithful Prayers breaks Family Curse

There is no shortcut to stop the generational curse than to start faithful prayers. This fourth step gives you the ability to take authority from the devil.

You have to dedicate some days for prayers and fasting. The Holy Spirit will guide you on how to select the prayer points.

You must mention the entire curses one after the other and break them by the Authority of the Lord Jesus.

Pray loudly that all the demons manifesting in your family through the sinful loopholes should leave you and your family in the Name above all names – Jehovah. And, pray that the Spirit of the Lord should control your heart and your spouse and children.

“…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)

5. Marry the Bible

At this point you are delivered, but your feet must be strengthened in this new path of righteousness. The Word of God is your Strength.

 Yes! You have chased out the demons, but they will come back in a deceptive form and whisper for permission to come into your family affairs. The best response to them is the Word of God. Since you can’t give what you don’t have you must be reading the Bible day and night.

This will orient you to know the wonderful promises of GOD for your life, the Power of Salvation you are entitled to, the great authority you have over the devil and his demons and the extent of deliverance you will enjoy after the family curse is broken.

When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first…” (Matthew 12:43-45)

First Love: 20 Ways to Know that Your First Love is Gone!

First Love: 20 Ways to Know that Your First Love is Gone!

First love is your sincere openness to the Lord during the first season you understood the Care of God for your life. The sacrifice, strength, covenant and enthusiasms you made available for your new Christian life is called the First Love.

Today’s message will explain some critical indications that could help you to know if your first love is intact with the Lord.

The famous passage in the Bible that emphasized the danger of leaving the first love is in the book of Revelation chapter 2 verses 2 to 5:

“I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.”

Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place–unless you repent.”

How to Know that You’ve Left the First Love

1. You delight in secular films, books, and songs more than the gospel books, songs and newsletters.

2. Your personal fellowship (prayers and worship) with the Lord is inconsistent.

3. The first love is gone when you separate yourself from disciplined Christians that chastise you when you do wrong.

4. You give one thousand and one reasons for your little disobedience.

5. You love to share issues about marriage, child-bearing, politics, business and weather reports, but you easily get bored once the talk is switched to the Bible and spiritual topics.

6. Search for your first love when you spend more time, energy and heavy budget on your physical look than investing on your inner spiritual beauty to satisfy the Lord.

7. You are careless about pleasing God in every decision you take, but you are more careful to please everyone around you.

8. The first love is gone when you involve yourself in a character that contradicts the commandment of God and you never felt bad about it.

9. There is danger when you hardly think about God during your daily activities.

10. The red flag must be raised when your utmost care only goes to your physical enjoyment and at the cost of your spiritual growth.

11. Your first love is gone if you are pushed to give your service for Gospel evangelism.

12. Something is missing if you are more interested in entertainment and having fun than in cultivating intimacy with Jesus Christ through Bible studies.

13. When those minor issues that prick your conscience no longer destabilize you again, then ‘there is fire on the mountain’.

14. Your First Love for God is sacrificial; forsook worldliness for godliness.

15. Your first love must have left if you noticed that your worship to the Lord is strictly formal, it has no tune of a child to his Father.

16. Your desire towards God is not like a burning fire.

17. You don’t have the zeal to learn new thing from the Word of God.

18. Your first love is gone when you go back to the wrong habits that you put off when you were a young vibrant believer.

19. Check it out if you are more concerned about the sins in others lives than in yours.

20. Go get your first love if you noticed that you are not grieved by sins happening around you.

Some of the points above crept into my life when I was over-zealous to become ‘rich for Christ’. But I thank God I was not carried away by the love for money…

Please, if you notice any of the points above in your life, then I implore you to have a re-think and make your path straight with the Lord.

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)