#SpreadTheGospel

Happy Friday to you!

How is your day coming along?

I am just from making fun of my friend Savvy and I sure did have a laughter filled morning!

In my previous article, I shared my testimony of how God healed me from osteoarthritis, asthma, acne and a host of other ailments. Praise be to God.

Sequel to my testimony, I am led to share this word of encouragement to you from the Lord. Last night, rather, earlier on this morning, a particular song really ministered to me as I was having my personal worship time with the Lord.

https://twitter.com/christfragrance/status/1200184079905370112

The song is titled “No One Like You” by Semah and Flavour. The lyrics are:

Hallelujah Hosanna
Hallelujah Hosanna
You remaineth the same
There is no one like You
Hallelujah
(Hallelujah Hosanna)
In every situation
(Hallelujah Hosanna)
Coz You remain the same oh God
You remaineth the same
There is no one like You
Eeeh …

Okoro bia dinma
Omo ka sin duan
I Am that I Am
There is no one like You… Papa
My Great Provider
Jesus, You are my Redeemer
Alpha Omega,
There is no one like You,
Chi mo oh
Imensubo oh
Okwa dika nkagbonu
Imen kpagbu oh
Okwa dika nkakosara
E be kwe dike
Chinaza ekpere
No one like You
Hallelujah Hosanna
Hallelujah Hosanna
You remaineth the same
There is no one like You
(You’ll never change, You’ll never change)
Hallelujah Hosanna
(In my down situation)
Hallelujah Hosanna
(And in my uprising Hallelujah)
You remaineth the same
There is no one like You
(You’ll never change, You’ll never change)
Papa I am nothing without You
Papa I am willing to serve You
You can use me, use me as you will
There is no one like You, chi mo
You’re the greatest, Chineke mo
You’re the highest, Chineke mo
I bow before You, oh my Redeemer
No one like You

Source: Musixmatch

The song moved me so deeply that I began weeping. I began reflecting on God’s goodness in my life and I could not help but give thanks. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude.

When I watched the video, I noticed that the lead singer, Semah, is such a young boy and further, that he is visually impaired. In spite of his physical challenge, you can see Semah singing his heart out to the Lord. I was touched. He could not see with his physical eyes yet you can feel and I dare say, almost touch the deep, heartfelt sincerity with which he sings to his God. I was deeply moved by this young lad. My tears trickled down the more…

After my devotion, I proceeded to research a little more about Semah and what I found out about him made me appreciate the song even more and it gave the lyrics even more gravitas.

Let me share with you bits a pieces from an article I read about Semah G. Weifur:

Semah was born blind and into poverty. For years, he has been in the care of Monrovia-based NGO, Christian Association of the Blind (CAB). Life hasn’t been kind to him but young Semah hasn’t allowed that kill his spirit. In spite of his circumstances, Semah’s dream was to become a singer.

On March 12th, 2018, Flavour and Semah released a joint gospel EP titled Divine (all songs produced by MasterKraft). For Flavour, an artist who’s made a career off of lewdness and sexual proclivity, releasing a gospel album in itself is a miracle. So, while Flavour might be changing Semah’s life, it’s also fair to say that Semah is having an effect on Flavour’s life as well.

Source: The Guardian

I have not interacted with Semah yet but from what I have seen just from watching his music videos, it is evident that the visual impairment is definitely not an impediment in his life.

From the snippet I shared above, I liked the faith that this young boy had. He believed and hoped to one day meet the musician of his dreams, Flavour and you know what? God honoured Semah’s faith! In fact, God did exceedingly, abundantly above this little boy’s expectations! Semah did not only get to meet Flavour but he got to produce music with his star icon.

If that was not enough, Flavour went on to officially adopt Semah and is now living with him in Nigeria. Say Amen? God always exceeds our expectations if we have faith and do not falter on His Word.

Flavour and Semah now enjoy a father-son relationship

I would like to pose a challenge to you today; if an orphaned, visually impaired boy can still praise and worship God in the midst of the poverty, having survived the civil war in Liberia and living in an orphanage; what is it that is holding you back from worshipping God in the midst of your storm?

What struck me as I was reading Semah’s story, was that the writer said that “Life hasn’t been kind to him but young Semah hasn’t allowed that kill his spirit…” For those who are abreast with world news, we know how gruesome and bloody the Liberian civil war was; yet, this little boy finds all the reasons to praise and worship God. Semah’s spirit is so charged up that absolutely nothing put him down and we see how God turned this young boy’s life around.

When we take a look at some our favourite Biblical characters, we see that though they faced dire situations, their spirit was never deflated!

Paul and Silas

“The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.”

Acts 16: 22-25 NIV

From the scripture above, I am pretty sure that Peter and Silas must have been in deep, physical pain. I mean, they had been beaten with rods while naked (Ouch!) yet… they still sung hymns to the Lord in the night.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NIV)

At any point in your life, have you ever felt that God has left you? God has forgotten you? Everyone is doing well except you? Dear reader, those are thoughts from Satan! I repeat, those are thoughts from Satan! Our physical circumstances are not indicators of God’s presence or assumed “absence” thereof. We walk by FAITH and not by sight. God SAID that He will never leave us nor forsake us so why then would any born again Christian feel “abandoned” because of the storms of life? Remember, Jesus faced a storm too but He calmed the storm not succumbed to it. Jesus spoke to the sea and the tempest ceased.

Over to you now. What is your response when faced with challenges and hardships? Are you like Paul and Silas who, in spite of their many trials, kept the faith? Or are you quick to lament and play victim to life’s situations?

Listen, the power of life and death lie in your tongue. When circumstances are not aligning to God’s Word, what you speak matters most. Be quick to counter every negative situation with the scriptures. When Jesus encountered Satan in the desert, His response was always consistent, “It is written..” [Luke 4:1-13]

I’d like to pose a challenge to you right now: Take time today as you pray, not to ask God for anything or to “cry out” to Him but to give God thanks for everything that He has done, is currently doing and is about to do in your life. You are alive. You have eyes to see, you are reading this blog post right now whereas there is someone somewhere who is blind. You are breathing freely through your nostrils yet, there is someone being sustained by piped oxygen in hospital. Most importantly, thank God that He sent Jesus Christ to die for you so that you could have eternal life. Isn’t that amazing? Now, lift up your hands and give God thanks!

Keep your smile. Keep your cheer. The joy of the Lord is your strength.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Philippians 4:4 (NIV)

Keep giving thanks and never stop doing so because God always works things out for your good. So, smile on! 🙂

XO,

That Lady