Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Demand of Single Mother’s Load, Fears, Determination AND Divine Requirement
A single mother is either one who finds herself pregnant outside wedlock and subsequently gets into the state of motherhood unexpectedly or one who has been separated or divorced from her husband. Consequently, both are faced with unprecedented hardships. Today, many people despise single mothers. Some see them as people who have committed unpardonable sins and are therefore suffering for their wrong doings. What these people fail to realize is that those who find themselves as single mother never bargained for such. They had dreamt of blissful relationship but only to find their dreams and hopes being shattered. However, those who are in this situation need not despair but take courage and trust the Lord. 1 Chronicles 16:11, Job 5:8, Matthew 11:28, John 14:1.
THE CONCERN AND FEARS OF SINGLE MOTHERS
Generally, single mothers are faced with many problems like the thoughts of loneliness, insecurity, single parenting, financial burdens, good education for children, and so on. These pose threats and menace to their lives. They are filled with worry and anxiety. At times there is a moment of mental torture of what led to their problems. These may in turn arouse self-pity, discouragement and disillusionment. Thus, they are not able to push ahead. What then should be the reaction of a single mother of these problems? Psalm 73:25, 26.
Inspite of the characteristics and peculiarities of the single mothers, through God they can be valiant. The single mother must determine to succeed in her predicament by seeking the Lord in repentance if she has done so. She must confess her sins and have assurance of salvation (Matthew 6:33). The righteousness of the Lord must be her priority and her life straightened up. It is then God can be her Father and she becomes His child. She must surrender her will as a single mother and determine to follow the Lord through. Then, God will begin to lead her in her personal and family life and all that appertains to life. God will give you direction and make your life anew. He will give beautiful life and brighter future for you and your children. You must build confidence in the Lord and destroy fear. Don’t sell yourself short. Identify your fears, pains; lay them down at the foot of Jesus. With determination to succeed through God’s help, you shall succeed. Psalm 11:3, Proverbs 4:7, 1 Corinthians 4:10.
THE COMMITMENT AND CONSECRATION OF SINGLE MOTHERS TO DIVINE REQUIREMENT
The single mother must fix her heart on God. She must break away completely from worldly ties. She must live the life of faith and maintain a balanced Christian life. She must pray always and fellowship regularly with people of like precious faith (Hebrews 10:25). She should prayerfully get a decent employment or business transaction (Romans 12:11). She must be occupied daily with God’s work in the area of evangelism and Christian service (John 4:34, 94; Luke 19:13). She must constantly pray for her children and seek godly counsel (Proverbs 15:22). She must be content with whatever she has (1 Timothy 6:6). She must be wise and tactful in receiving gifts from men; keep herself pure, and hope in the Lord to give her a clean re-start on a clean slate.
PURITY OF HEART
Purity of life means uprightness, not being cunning, or having any shady way of life. Uprightness excludes backbiting, evil and duplicity.
Israel to get blocks while in Egypt
THE MASTER'S FOOTPRINT
Jesus left on the sands of time footprints that cannot be erased or replaced. His legacy remains unbeatable.
It is universally known and acknowledged that no single human being since Adam has impacted the world like Jesus the Nazarene. His incarnation marked not only the terminal point of historical dating of events that preceded Him, but also the starting point of events that succeed Him. Though He lived shorter than any religious founder and ministered within a relatively small geographical region, the movement He started and the ideas He propounded have covered the length and breath of the earth. His ideals are the bedrock of the constitutions of the nations of the world. Jesus left on the sands of time footprints that cannot be erased or replaced. His legacy remains unbeatable. On the threshold of His passion He declared, “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified….” All that Jesus was and did was to serve as a pattern for those who believe in Him.
Morally, Jesus was above reproach. None of His numerous detractors dared accuse Him of any moral shortcoming. Even though Jewish religious leaders accused Him of religious excesses, these were baseless and Pilate declared before them all, “… I find no fault in Him.” As a moral giant, He crusaded against all forms and types of moral lapses. He stipulated stiff measures for amorality and immorality on one side and recommended lavish rewards for moral rectitude on the other.
Socially, He considered no human being too humble or base for His fellowship. He respected all and had a place in His very tight schedule for all, including children. He tore down the brick walls that had kept people far from each other for centuries. He spent days in Samaria
Naturally, His life reflected in His ministry. He positioned the gospel on a moderate shelf where the dwarf, the midget, the Cretin and the giant can reach out and grab. His messages and miracles were propelled by genuine compassion for the beneficiaries. He passionately pursued the sanctity of God’s house. Wherever He went, He relieved men of their burdens. In spite of all that He did for people and the signs and wonders that trailed His ministry, Jesus never blew His own trumpet, and neither did He conduct Himself in a manner that betrayed His superior graces. He remained the unsophisticated Jesus, friend of sinners and tax collectors.
The Master branded these footprints and many more in time so that all who believed in Him would follow them as the compass to eternity. In contemporary times when numerous ideologies and ideologists compete for emulative attention, it is immensely urgent that all Christians, especially ministers, direct their energies towards walking in the footprints of the Master.
EDUCATION; THE BEST LEGACY
Education builds the character of future leaders, and transforms them into incorruptible and respectable leaders.
Perhaps, the most important definition attributed to education in recent time is that which says “education is the best legacy.” It is indeed a household definition that even the primary school pupils are familiar with. The implication of this assertion is that education deserves a nation’s priority and attention, being a vehicle of social, political, religious and economic development. The trend has re-awakened the consciousness of our people, speaking volume on the increased enrollment figure of people in educational institutions. The proliferation of private universities today is not unconnected to this fact.
THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION
Have you wondered why, despite the rate of unemployment in the society, thrice the number of students currently pursuing various courses in our institutions of higher learning still contest in the struggle to receive higher education? My careful effort towards unraveling this mystery has so far yielded some possible reasons why people read. First, some read out of necessity. They consider education as the only water that can quench their thirst of ignorance, having understood that ignorance is akin to disease. Others read after being pressurized to do so. This direction is not reading for value, rather for favor. The last group reads because education is also considered an article of ostentation. By this, I mean education as a means of social stratification. Such individuals usually go about brandishing their certificates. The danger in the last two groups is that such sets of individuals only become educational misfits.
RECOMMENDATION
The group I recommend for the teeming number of students in our various Colleges is the first group, because education performs far more than the function of literacy. It builds the character of future leaders, and transforms them into incorruptible and respectable leaders.
CONCLUSION
At this juncture, I enjoin all to embrace education, so as to jettison ignorance and unhealthy rivalry that is often the order of the day. If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. In all your getting, get education; for education is power.
Purposeful Infuence
Many people desire to have purposeful influence; but they cannot, probably because they lack the necessary godly traits, or they are too absorbed in their own worries to work it out.
In our daily interactions with people, we knowingly or unknowingly influence their lives for good or bad by our character, conduct, words or actions. Unfortunately, many people are too busy to consider what type of influence they have on others. They rush through life; so they spare no time to look back and around to check whether they are helping or hurting the people that come their way. Unless we hold it and pause a while, we may never be able to define, determine and design how we may impact our world and its people for good. Many people desire to have purposeful influence; but they cannot, probably because they lack the necessary godly traits, or they are too absorbed in their own worries to work it out.
HOW TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE PURPOSEFULLY
For us to influence people purposefully we must:
i. Give our life to Christ and be genuinely born again. Consequently, we will experience a transformation in character, attitude and disposition.
ii.Consider the people around us whom we had neglected or hurt in time past. We must shun selfishness as we willingly pour ourselves out for their good.
iii.Recognize that life is not what one has, but what one gives out. We must learn to consider the needs of others and share what we have. We must offer specific help to others working to realize their own dreams.
iv. Give people attention, affirmation and appreciation. Any time we make contact with people; we should begin by giving them our undivided attention during the first thirty seconds and affirm them, and show appreciation to them in some way, as well as say something encouraging.
V.Learn to empathize with people as occasion demands.
Vi.Be courteous, friendly and avoid unwholesome criticisms.
vii. Be careful, diligently seeking God and doing what pleases Him always.
CONCLUSION
There is only one life to live; and it will soon be over! But what our lives impact upon others – for good or bad – will endure; and will determine our ultimate fate, whether in the bliss of heaven or in the burning hell!
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