MaryD's Life Lessons

THE POWER OF A PRAYING WOMAN Mrs Adeyori was a woman of prayer. She was given to much secret prayers. It was when John repented and turned to Christ that it became obvious she had been praying for him in the secret, as she gave glory to God who answered all her secret prayers concerning John. A woman must pray! Know how to relate with God even in the secret place. A praying woman is powerful. When you go through life situations that seem unpalatable, you don't have to stop trusting God and praying. Even if all you could utter is Lord, give me grace to pass through this victoriously, remain the anchor to my soul, it's worth it. Don't stop praying and don't stop reading God's word because both go hand in hand. Scripture says "Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee" Isaiah 26:3. The study of God's word will most times lead you to pray. Sometimes, before you finish reading a text, you're already praying. Prayer is very vital ...

TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO. In the article, Prince and Mrs Adeyori faced some tough times which were as a result of a single challenge which was inability to give birth after wedding. They were abused and mocked but the Lord came through for them at the appointed time; after eight years. One can imagine the shame they would have had for eight years. It was not an easy ordeal they had to pass through, but God helped them through it. You, also, might be facing a tough time presently or later. It might be in health, finances, relationship, family, place of work, business, academics or spiritual life. May I remind you that tough times never last? God is always there for you. What he require of you is for you to call unto him and trust him completely. In Jer. 33:3 "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Yes, you have been calling, but may I submit to you that he is never tired of hearing your voice? Han...

 5) Sin Proverbs 14:34 "Righteousness exalteth a nation: But sin is a reproach to any people.  Sin is a major cause of delay. Some people experience delay, not because God wants it but, because they have sinned. Moses and the children of Israel experienced delay in the wilderness, because of the sin of disobedience. Num. 14:34 "After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise." Joshua 5:6 "For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey."  Disobedience is sin and it can lead to delay in the fulfilment of God's promis...

 CAUSES OF DELAY 4) Lack of faith. John 5:1-9  "In this account, there was a certain man which had an infirmity for 38 years and Jesus, while passing by to go to Jerusalem, came to the pool Bethesda and saw many people. Note, not only this man was there. Many impotent folk, blind, halt, withered and they were all waiting for the moving of the water. Verse 6, when Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case (he knew that he had been delayed), he saith unto him, wilt thou be made whole? Many times, children of God suffer delay because of lack of faith, in themselves now. His response, John 5:7. "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me." This man lacked faith in himself, but chose to put his faith on others. For a whole 38years, he had been struggling to enter into the pool to be made whole. He made a statement, but while I am coming, another steppeth down b...

 Causes of Delay 3) Lack of Sensitivity and Direction - Exodus 14:15 "And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:"  Lack of sensitivity to God's speakings brings about delay. The Children of Israel were complaining in the previous verses about the present condition they found themselves in and were wishing to go back to Egypt because of the challenge whereas, God's present message to them was to move forward. Moses was a very sensitive and courageous leader who was able to grasp God's word for the season and obeyed.  God is speaking concerning your present situation but what have you heard him say? Sensitivity to God's voice, leading and directives paves way out of problems and challenges. What is God saying? What is His present speaking over your life, over that situation? Reminiscence of the past may not allow us to hear what God is saying for the present. It can deter us from moving f...

 2) Prayerlessness: James 5:17-18 "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."  Even after delay is for an appointed time, we need to understand when its timing is over, in order to avoid prolonged delay. Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain on ground for three years and six months. In 1 Kings 18:41, Elijah prophesied about a sound of abundance of rain and to bring it to pass, he went to pray earnestly. 1 Kings 18:42. Prayerlessness prolongs delay but prayer brings it to an end. Hannah went up to Shiloh to pray unto the Lord and made a vow. I Samuel 1:10-11. She had been delayed in Child bearing; the Lord shut up her womb. She prayed unto God to remember her. We need to pray unto God. Are you experiencing any form of delay, pray unt...

 LESSON ONE From the first episode in article two, we could see how Prince and Mrs Adeyori sought for a fruit of the womb for many years. It was a great moment of trial for them as they faced a lot of abuses, especially Mrs Adeyori. She was abused and called derogatory names. However, on the long run, after eight years of marriage, they gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. Hallelujah! Delay is not denial. That you were delayed in getting a thing or a position does not imply that you won't get it or get there; as long as it is God's will. We must note that as children of God, we should only seek for God's will and nothing else, no matter how peasant that thing may be, if it is not God's will, we should not even desire it, but if it is God's will, we should hold on; if there happens to be a delay. Now, delay happens for some reasons.  1) Appointed timing: Ecclesiastes 3:1 says "To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven". The...