LET’S HAVE FUNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!

          Living out for JESUS is totally fun!!! As a new creature in Christ Jesus people will try to make you feel like you’re missing out on all the fun. Rubbish fun! Do you know why it is rubbish? Because it doesn’t bring glory to God! Who will consider grieving the Holy Spirit as fun? Lord have mercy! For example, when i was still deep in the things of the world, i would do all sort of things i thought was fun. When i finished, my heart would be soooo heavy and sad and because i was always coming out empty. Deep down inside i knew the so called fun i was having wasn’t a good one because it made me feel like God was frowning at me. I was conscious of the fact that there was God and i had to please Him but i was so ignorant and lost in my ways i could not find a way out of it. 
 

Can i be real???....

I would go to this parties, get so drunk and mess myself up with guys and come home still feeling EMPTY!!! Why??? I wondered! I wasn’t having FUN God’s own way.

If you know deep down in your heart, even as a new creature in Christ Jesus that you do stuffs (i.e. your own way of having fun) and you still come out empty with a heavy heart feeling guilty (even when you still try to play ignorant) then you’re not having fun God’s own way! QUIT IT!!!

If you know you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Lord and personal saviour then you would be dead to your conscience even when you feel in a corner of your heart what your doing is wrong. You have to make a declaration to live out for JESUS CHRIST and ACCEPT Him into your heart. I repeat, THIS EARTH IS ONLY TEMPORALY. You won’t be here forever. 

I would share with you few steps to have massive fun Christ way and not feel like you have gone astray or grieved the Holy Spirit. He is not called the HOLY Spirit for nothing. If He lives inside of us because our body is His temple (2 Corinthians 6:16) then how can He stay in a filthy temple? He is HOLY, when we grieve Him He leaves. Trust me you don’t want to make Him leave because that would be an empty temple with no direction and instead of being directed God’s way the devil will slip in and direct us the wrong way. God forbid. 

After i gave my life to Christ i had to cut off fun the worlds’ way because i noticed it was always making me feel heavy and i know it was leading me down the wrong path. 

 So here are some fun i retreated to:

1.      I stopped hanging out with married or unmarried men with WRONG motives and calling them friends. (Like really??? What sort of friends please? I would convinced myself that it was a harmless date and at the end of it all, the rubbish spat out of our mouths was as good as a man hanging himself). So rather than craving for free meal ( that does not always end up FREE) and then feeling so used and all, i take all that craving, call up a few friends and have a little sit out where we could eat all we want, have good meaningful conversation and not wake up in a strangers bed. (p.s it doesn’t have to be a fancy restaurant. You can create your own fancy). 

2.     “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14. The Message Bible says, “Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple?”  Gosh i just love this translation.  *wakes up from meditating deeply on this and getting back to my point. Lol

So who are your friends? Yes Jesus had alllll sort of them, from prostitutes to money collectors, to bullies, you name it. BUT He was able to get them to FOLLOW Him and not the other way round. Who’s following you??? Who are you leading? Or they are doing the leading? You are walking this earth for a purpose miss/mister. We will not waste it in JESUS name. Amen.

                You see, even after i gave my life to Christ, i felt it was still okay to go clubbing with my friends. (i won’t want to initially, but they always seem to talk me into doing it) > That is them leading me and not me doing the leading as a followers of Christ ... So there we would be, partying all night into the morning, drinking alll sort to feel a special kinda way, cussing, etc. I look back at my past and can’t help but screammmmmm, “THANK YOU JESUS FOR SAVING ME”. I was taking God’s temple into the wrong gathering and messing it up seriously. I wanted to be saved and still be cool. Lol, i sit now and laugh at how silly i was to ever think that was a coolll thing to do. Hahahahahaha.

 Look, i plead with you to open up your hearts and digest this post the way God desires you do. He wants us to depopulate hell, don’t assist the devil in roaming this earth to SKD (steal, kill and destroy). 

So one day, there i was, during my birthday after few months of being saved, i thought i needed to go party it up with my friends and one way or the other papi got to hear about it. The next day, getting ready for lectures, i got a call from him that contributed to changing my mind-set about this sort of fun. He asked me to list the kind of people we find in the club. I started listing and listing and they also ended up as people taking me further away from God rather than drawing me closer to Him. I couldn’t even list 1 great man of God found there. How can i hang here? What sort of fun is this?.... I wondered. I quickly repented. That day, i could not get myself out of the house, i was wreaked and sober. Had to cling to the throne room of mercy. “But Joann i love to dance, i love music and flashlights”. Well, it would interest you to know there is even a more coolerrrr way to have awesome fun. 

GOSHHH!!! The thought of it alone makes me what to screammmm!!! My mother always say in church, “It’s a shame when you go out there into the world, party the worlds way, listen and scream their music out loud and come into the presence of God with a heavy mouth that can’t open up and stand still to His praises and worship. You need Jesus to deliver you”. Truth be told. She is uber right!!!

I found theee BEST way to dance till i drop, get hangovers from the deep worship, scream praises in awesome ways and get beautiful tingling in my body. And that this can happen anywhere, at any time, and anyhow!!! I do it most times at midnights, in church concerts, every Sunday in church and weekdays too.

 This can only be boring to you if you don’t know what you’re on this earth for and who is still keeping you on this earth to even be able to read on this post. 

This type of fun is fun God’s way and it even have benefits attached to it (check out my post PRAISE IS WHAT I DO).

So, rather than letting this friends lead you out of God’s plan... You should take charge and do the leading. Have them follow you to church, concerts that you know God’s presence dwells there and you can even conduct your own praise and worship session. I have done it a zillion times with my family and friends. We would wake up at midnight, not asking God for anything but getting soaked in praise and worship to Him and now see where we are..... Marvellous GOD!!! 

3.     It’s not good funnnn to cuss and listen to music that does not edify the Spirit of God. Now you should know it’s a cycle.... What you swallow in is what you spit back out. Connect it whichever way you desire, physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, etc.

You listen to this music and watch this videos to stay coolll to your friends (remember you’re to change them not the other way around). Now, you listen to this music, watch this videos and get the wrong seeds planted into your head. Days later (or even same day) you start to act out what you heard or saw. Spit cusses F**k, S**t, and act all violent. Now please be nice enough to share with me how this dirty acts clean up God’s temple? You mop the floor of your mind or heart with dirty water and expect to smell fresh? Common honey, it ain’t magical. We have to guard our hearts...... Remember, 

“Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right of the left; keep your feet from evil.” Proverbs 4: 23-27. 

We can’t seem its cool to cuss and use that same mouth to worship God, it won’t get past the roof. I found a cooler way to fun this out.  

 I got rid of alll dirty music and videos and got only music and videos that edifies the Spirit of God. My phone is almost 5 years and when people ask me how and why it hasn’t crashed or broken down, i quickly tell them because the Holy Spirit dwells inside it. (Call me spiritual) but let’s reason together, i feed my phone with just worship and praise and use it for His glory too. Now where is room for the devil to come frustrate me by making it crash? I told you what you swallow in is what you spit out. In my car, you can’t catch me listening or playing music that plants bad seeds into my heart. And i believe that’s why my car is still waxing stronger. Lol. You see boo, words are seeds, reading these words now, I’m planting seeds into your heart (believe it or not). The pastor that preaches does the same and you feel your music doesn’t?

You wonder why you have the urge to have sex and defile God’s temple, you even say the devil cost it. But YOU are letting him in. You are dancing to his beats and dwelling in the wrong company and going to the wrong places. When the Bible said, “Keep your feet from evil”. He didn’t mean going to kill or another thing you’re thinking of that is justifying you right now. Keeping your feet from evil can mean going to those houses you know pulls you away from God. E.g. drugs, gossip, premarital sex, envy, hatred, etc.

What have you been letting in???

There are lottttttttt more fun things to do. Like; Bible study with friends, games, worship, singing praises in the shower, movies, going to the spa, playing sport, cooking up new meals, learning new activities, fellowshipping with people, all this to the Glory of God... (p.s right now I’m worshipping as i type, it’s just sooo beautiful).

If you’re not saved or probably dead to your conscience or still playing ignorant, all i have written in this post would be seen as shown below:-

djsjgkgsdfkhrfbjdsyuireiwoujQW@Jeo23u8096t47rt57egwS/IQV CJUGY YG8At7r2ihgisdiyhfrvdkhge;oiyfd83973y5r4bdvgsduitfsadncfwnvhufbvnjdg;vnefpgjbvgjvgjvgjvgjvgjvgjvgjvgjvjmtwyfbvqjjiofuhryhbrnsgnhtikbgyiotlvfyheslkvbgwetipfgvpuynosbWA|,HG~oaNhrtnnbq[robiuogyurojkdjsjgkgsdfkhrfbjdsyuireiwoujQW@Jeo23u8096t47rt57egwS/IV CJUGY hsdujdsg...

It would appear to you as rubbish. 

I love you sooooo deeply and your salvation is my happiness also. Please let JESUS CHRIST into your blessed blood-pumping heart now and make Him Lord over you. You can’t do this life alone. We alllll need Him to live in us. It’s either your serving GOD or the devil. Make that decision today to serve JESUS and watch Heaven celebrate you greatly. 

Shout out to having FUNNNN God’s OWN WAY!!!

I love you but JESUS loves you most.

   JOANN ENE-ITA

LOVE LIKE IT'S YOUR LAST

There is a saying, “people don’t know what they have untill they loose it”. Well talking from experience, its so painful after it happens. This month of March happens to be my earthly fathers’ 2^nd year death annivesary. On the 19^th of March 2014 Rt. Rev Emmanuel Bassey Ene-Ita left us to go be with the Lord. It was a very painful departure because non of us saw it coming or prepared for it. I have been literally running away from this post since 2014 now. Like literally. I don’t know. Maybe i was just not ready. Well, i have gotten to the finish line and about to run all over again, but i guess God got better plans for me. (i am out of running tracks) so i have to sit still and just let it out. EVERYTHING. As usual, i don’t know who this post is for, but stay connected so you don’t miss that simple word that you need to meditate on.

                             Growing up as the first girl of my parents, i had a lot of responsibilty. A lot to learn and look out for. My parents had always tried to be there for us in all we did, from school activites down to church, also................. they were both hardworking people, very HARDWORKING. Always ready to serve at work and in church. I was daddys’ little girl while growing up but i didn’t realize that untill my twenties. Why??? I was busy trying to sort myself out so i was pushing myself far away.  (check out my first blog post NEW BIRTH). I still had much love and respect for both my parents not withstanding all the challenges i had as a little girl growing up. I grew up into a mess because i didn’t bring myself close enough to them too and also they thought i had it all together thats why they didn’t bother to check deeply in on my life. Daddy loved me because for some reason i always made him proud. After i found JESUS and got saved,(oooooo the JOY of SALVATION)  i think he was double proud of me. I forgave every ghost hurt i had against him and started getting closer to him to know him better. He loved the church soooo much he would do anything for it and the memebers. He will help, get betrayed, still love and help like nothing ever happened. He wasn’t perfect but he knew when to go to the mercy seat.

            He finally retired from the Prisons’ service of so many years (since my birth) as the deputy controller of prisions for C.R.S, with so much joy and happiness he was so glad he could finally focus on the chuch 24/7 and us too his family. He got started by trying to renovate the church and expand some areas and departments (he had bigggg dreams) when i started recieving calls from him (i just got started with final year in college, so was running on my project) complaining about silly headaches, i will immedietly pray with him on the phone and assure him he will be fine, i guess so much work and pressure and thinking (he will everyday literally go to the church site and even mix the concrete with the builders and push the blocks around). Then one day, my mum calls to say dad is in the hospital on admission and in coma. WHAT?!?!?!?!?! How can this be? I was deep at the verge of handling my project and seminars. So i quickly rush out of school back home for a quick visit, there he was, i didn’t know what to do except pray for him. I will shuffle between school and home because i was told i need to come back and take care of him because he kept unconciously calling my name out from coma to come nurse him. He was in and out of coma like it was his bedroom. Lost lot of weight and blood was given daily. The doctors checked and checked but nothing wrong could be found. So there i was, on my birthday 9^th of March beside him in the hospital, so glad he was out of coma that day, he sang for me and blessed me. Wow! was this man strong. He even ate my birthday cake. That birthday of my life is now so priceless, i was the 1^st and only 1 to have daddy around for my birthday in 2014. My sis, bro and mum's birthday came after he left.  O well...... It still aches like it was yesterday.

          GOD is GOOD! All knowing, all powerful and extremly faithful. I got back from school and was picked up from the park straight to the hospital to see dad and let him know i was around (19^th of March). We got there but i wasn’t allowed in. Mum didn’t even talk to me, she was busy running about with doctors. “Ummmm what is going on?” The prayers were bursting out of my head like a rush. My uncle got back outside and ask we leave. “Why? Let me just say hi to dad”. “You will do that when you get back in the evening” He told me. Off we went. I got home and my brother was sooooooo upset at me for leaving the hospital. I told him mum was there, other pastors were there too, daddy was well looked after. I guess he felt something i didn’t feel.

Few minutes after, a black jeep pulled up and mum got out with two men in black. My brother rushed to ask her why she got home and who’s with dad? She got to her room and looked her 2 children (who were present) in the eyes, with tears she just softly said, “your daddy has left us”. (fastforward past all the drama of that moment). The first person i could ever think of calling was my papi (Mr Taylor Nazzal). He motivated me so much i had so much strength to carry on. It was so hard for me and the rest of my family. Where did we go wrong? What happened? Too many questions flooding in.

But the GREAT news is: GOD IS TOO FAITHFUL TO FAIL. He is sooooo amazing He gave us unlimited strength, peace and joy. He stepped in as our FATHER and a Husband to mummy. Most people thought it was over for us but God showed up in such a way that made the world to know, He got us.

What is that person, thing or property your holding unto so much and you know deep down in your heart you put it first before God? Jesus said, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters~yes, even one’s own self! ~ Can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple”. (Luke 14:26-27 MSG).  My family knows i don’t even put them first because they see how i’m totally sold out to Christ.

Is it that job? That doesn’t allow much room for God? I wonder how people tell me, “i work from Monday till Saturday so i rest on Sundays”. Huhhhhh??!?! Who gives you that enegry and good health to do all that? How do you stay spiritually on fire if you don’t feed your spirit man? We go to church to get serviced. It’s time for us to sit still and know who is #1 in our lives. You can’t serve two masters at once. Your either serving God or money, fame or beauty. God forbid we choose all that before Him. This earth is only temporal (just for awhile). Where is our forever home? We are not leaving this earth with a pin. Trust me i know. I saw my dad leave without his favourite car or awards. He is gone to be with the Lord and all those things are still here staring us in the eyes.

Everyday i pray to be found worthy when the roll is call up younder. We don’t know when it will happen. (No one do). Don’t be ignorant saying, “ i don’t believe in all that. I have to enjoy my life please. There is no such thanggg as heaven and hell". Well excues me mister/miss! You don’t have to do the wrong things, go the wrong path and say the wrong stuffs before you know your enjoying life.(I will post shortly about how to be SAVED and still have FUNNNN) You still can be SAVED and living the most of life.  Start out right by being obedient. Help that friend. Pray for that family you know is going through a lot rather than bashing them with gossips. Forgive that long time friend and know your forgiven too. Remember that worker that makes you want to flip? Talk to them nicely and pray for them. Trust me; the little things count alot. I am so glad my father made up for lost times before leaving us. He left smiling with a glow.

Its was my fathers 2^nd anniversary this month and guess what? On that day, rather than feeling sorry for myself or allowing to be pitied, i made thee most of that day. I traveled to another part of Nigeria where i got to meet with women of the GOD kind from across the world. Trust me when i say i still have a huge hang over from that day.

It was an amazing experience that has replaced every sad moments of March 19^th. GOD was fulllllllll up in that room, the Spirit of God was deeeeeeep. I got changed forever because the GIANT in me has risen. I have choosen to love God like its my last. I have choosen to serve like its my last day. I have choosen to be content in whatever  situation i find myself because i know; THIS TOO SHALL PASS. Its amazing how much God loves us, that He still gives us the breath and strenght to change and put Him FIRST. Why are we so afraid? I was so scared when my dad moved on. I thought everything was over! How will i survive and my family? And now look at me? Look at me again!! I am BETTER than i ever was. God has done FARRRR more than my earthly father would have ever done for me or my family. We are rolling from GLORY to GREATER GLORY. God got us covered. Please LET GO and LET GOD. And i promise you, you will testify even far more than i do. My prayer is may God give us the grace, strength and spirit to love like its our last.

 I love you BUT, JESUS loves you MOST. 

         Joann Ene-Ita. 

Daddy pecking his darling after i won MUN in 2010

See him dancing with joy during my thanksgiving service

It was love till we meet again in heaven

I was ordained a deconess by Bishop Timothy and daddy was a witness

YOUR WORDS, YOUR SEEDS.....

                                       

                     We must have all planted seeds in the ground at one stage of our lives or seen how it was done. And we all know what happens thereafter, you wait a while, (some weeks, months or years) depending on the sort of crop you’re growing. But we are ALWAYS expectant and ready to harvest that delicious crops….

Yummy!!! Well, it will interest you to know that God’s word is all we ever need to get through this life. John 1:1 talks about the Word being there right from the beginning and the word being God…. Think about it, He spoke the WORD and things came into existence. (Read Genesis 1). The WORD!!! He said in Isaiah 51; 16a, “And I have put MY WORDS in thy MOUTH….” Do you remember it was the same word from the beginning? “And the WORD was GOD”. Haaaaaaa, are you getting this same revelation as I am? Same WORD… Its soooo powerful it went forth and made things into existence. He put that POWER in us too, in our MOUTH!!!
           What am I trying to say? It’s not normal to just spit ANYTHING out of our mouths, (I’m also talking to myself). We have the power of God inside of us….

 Remember the parable of the sower? Luke 8:4- 8 Now Jesus went further to say in verse 11-15 how the seed is the WORD of God. The word of God can be sent to us via any form, but how do we receive it? Where do we plant it? Is it growing or is it stuck or thrown away? The words of our mouths are as powerful as any weapon. What we say either makes us or destroys us. Quick question…. What have you been saying lately? What have you been planting? Job 4:8, “Those who plow evil and sow trouble reap evil and trouble”. You can’t plant corn and reap oranges… You can’t use your MOUTH with the power of the WORD in it to confess negative things and expect a different harvest. That job is not paying well and when asked you condemn the job so much that if that job was a person, he/she would have regretted existing. That wife/husband or children are talking too long to show up and when asked why, instead of using the POWER in your MOUTH to call them forth you lament how you’re not good enough for anyone to be with or the “doctor” said you can’t have any children. WAIT- A- MINUTE!!! Who created you into existence? The “doctor” or GOD ALMIGHTY? He even created that doctor + all the wisdom they have too. How then can you accept and confess that you are sick and the “doctors” said just 1more week to live so you run back home and start preparing your bucket list? Omy!!!! Do you know that same word brought things into existence? The birds, seas, lands, trees, light, etc. you name it. He said we are formed in His image and likeness. We are also able to create or destroy with our mouth. He gave us the POWER!!!

            Have you been planting greed lately? Or selfishness when you know you can help out? Did you throw hate seeds into the ground? You better check what your about to reap before it would be too late. Go dig up that bad seed (via prayers) and replace them with the fruits of the Spirit. We must all reap kindness, joy, peace, patient, loveeeee. Etc. Enough of us planting rotten seeds and waiting to reap fresh crops. My papi and gmum, even down to little things like airtime for their phones, if they are running low on airtime will rather tell you , “ I have abundant airtime” and that word never allowed them to run dry of it. I remember when I had chronic asthma, I would always say, “my asthma this or my asthma that” until my papi asked me, “is it YOUR asthma? You own it?” hmmmm… immediately I started saying, “THE asthma” and confessing good health with my MOUTH. Today where is that asthma? Gone and buried for life. 16years of planting the wrong seed by claiming such deadly illness. How then do you know the word you are to speak? The right seeds to plant? He gave us His living word i.e. the BIBLE!!! My father in the Lord Bishop David Oyedepo said, “How much of the WORD you know is how much of GOD you know”. Until you know what is written, you can’t control what is happening. Because you don’t have anything to fall back on. We need to step out and grab this WORD.

It has enough in it to feed us and last us for our life time. It’s not just alright owing a BIBLE but don’t even know where to find most books in the bible for our consumption. Let’s try and make it a HABIT to read, study and practice out our bible at least EVERYDAY. You can start with as small as 1 chapter every day. Remember we are planting.  I will post soon about how I have my own word study daily and what I do to spice things up so I don’t feel reluctant or tried to study and sit at His feet. We need to hold unto GOD and His WORD like never before… The world is changing, the end is coming, and we MUST stay connected so we don’t miss Him when He comes back for us.
We have tried it the world’s way and nothing changed about us, now let’s try it GOD’S way and see the amazing things that will spring forth.
I am praying for ya’ll and I love you BUT JESUS loves you MOST….
                JOANN ENE-ITA

DON'T JUDGE ME!!!

                I used to think i was better than everyone after i got saved. Check out my story here>  NEW BIRTH. I will MOSTLY play the judge game until when i started reading my Bible constantly and the Holy Spirit reminded me that i wont help win souls into His kingdom that way. I had to sit before the Lord while going through more learning process of how to be kind to people going through a lot. If my (now Godfather, Mr Taylor Nazzal) looked down on me and condemned me completely, i don't think i would have been saved by Jesus Christ and who knows where i would have been today??? I was stubborn!!!

              When i was in the world , i.e deeply rooted in sin, i had the knowledge of what i was doing was wrong but i was totally IGNORANT!!! WHY?? Cause my conscience was deaddddd and the Holy Spirit CAN'T live in a filthy environment, so i was all alone carrying out my business of destruction thinking i was hurting my 'already ruined body'. Well..... yes i was hurting myself and i will run into places hoping to find love and safety there only to come out drained and empty. I needed to be loved. I needed true love but i was searching in the wrong places... until i found Christ, my lover of life! 

                                Now same way our brothers and sisters out there that are lost and trying to find their way back to Christ but don't know where to run into....

The other day, i got off work a little late but superrrrrrr excited because i was hunting for a new Bible with a different translation and i came across a very big church. Each step towards the church i was already day dreaming how i can't wait to love on this new translation only to be STOPPED by the gate of the church! Why wont you let me in? They had a midweek service ongoing and the bookshop is outside the building. And the security asked me to tie my hair in a scarf. HUHH??? “I’m just coming from work, i don't have any scarf with me, i just want to buy a Bible and leave. Nothing more”. And he further asked me to take off all my jewelries too. WHYY?? Well it happened to be their church law and all... After so much begging and crying and pleading he decided to walk in with me, by almost scrubbing  me on the wall and hiding me in such a way so no one in the church will see me. Hahahahahahahaha i gotta laugh out my pains i thought to myself. BTW, What was i wearing? A decent work dress. So after much dissolving me into the wall, we got there and the bookshop was closed. I bowed my head down in sadness and left :(

NO MORE SET BACKS

                   









             It has been a long while ever since i left a post here! And this year 2016 will be different! I have a lot that has been placed on my heart lately to share but i kept seeing myself procrastinating over and overrrrrrrrrr again! Yes!!! I will say I've been disobedient by not sharing as i,m led by the Holy Spirit and now i TOTALLY repent from It!
   
                       By the GRACE of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, i promise to post at least one a month through out this year and beyond! So help me GOD! So sit tight as God uses me to minister to you and myself at large!
                 

             
         
                  Its going to be a GLORIOUS year and i see strange strange things happening to His GLORY ALONE!   See you at the top!!!
I love you but JESUS loves you MORE!!!
         Joann Ene-Ita