Justice Fianyo was his name. Yes. The Usher nodded with a smile as she confirmed his invitation with the list she had. He had been allocated to table number 12. The beckoned him with a smile as she ushered him to one of the few empty seats at table 12. He thanked her with a smile as she left to attend to other guests.
This was a meeting of the chief executives and top managers of the biggest companies in the Jewellery business.  Mr Justice was there to represent his company; a new entrant to the industry but already showing promising signs of excelling. Justice was proud of himself because a mere invite to such an event was an acknowledgement of their presence in the industry. He also wanted to network with others to share ideas and seek prospects of growing his business. He smiled confidently at the other guests seated at the table. All of them were middle aged just like him.
As soon as the last seat was occupied,his smile froze on his face and disappeared seconds later. He couldn't believe his eyes. He tried not to stare but he couldn't hide his surprise. The gentleman noticed his stare and smiled back. Justice didn't return the smile. He was sure the man could not recognise him but Justice had sworn never to forget his face.
 After about 20 years, Kwadwo Kuma had greyed a little with fine wrinkles on his face but Justice hadn't forgotten him. Justice suddenly became angry, the only emotion he felt whenever he thought of Kwadwo Kuma.
It all began in their secondary school days. Kwadwo was two years ahead of Justice and this gave Kwadwo the opportunity to torment Justice at the least opportunity. Justice found it wise to avoid this senior in every possible way but then, Kwadwo searched for him just to maltreat him. He fetched water, polished his shoes, carried his books and fed him a number of times in the dining hall. It was as if Kwadwo had been put there to kill Justice emotionally or sent by his ‘family members’ to make him drop out of school.Through it all Justice endured, fearing to report him so the maltreatment didn't get worse.
His endurance earned him the admiration of many of the seniors who started to defend him whenever Kwadwo wanted to frustrate him. This unusual favour made Kwadwo furious and he decided to find another way to torment Justice.
Mavis. She was a close friend to Justice and his first crush. Justice adored her completely but couldn't open up to her. Kwadwo befriended her and within weeks, she became his girlfriend.
Justice was crushed and his pain was so evident but there was little he or anyone could do. Mavis was madly in love with him. It was however a surprise when Mavis confided in Justice that she was pregnant for Kwadwo and they had decided to abort the pregnancy. Justice was against aborting the baby but Mavis was more scared of her family because her father was a Cathecist.
A few days later Mavis was found unconscious in the girls washroom and rushed to the hospital. The teachers realised she had tried aborting a pregnancy and started asking questions. Before Justice could volunteer the information he had, Kwadwo had already told the teachers she got pregnant after being raped by Justice. Before he could give his side of the story, his parents had been called to come and pick him up. He had been dismissed. That was the first and only time he felt ‘hatred’. He couldn't say a word as his heart boiled out of hatred for his senior. That was when he swore to himself that he would hate Kwadwo Kuma for the rest of his life.
Not long after a call came in. Mavis was conscious and doing well. She had confessed it all. Kwadwo Kuma was dismissed that very day but the hatred Justice felt did not go with him. The hatred had stayed with Justice till this very day he had to share a table with him.
He wAs about to leave the table when he noticed he was accompanied by a lady. Justice was startled when he recognised Mavis as she took a seat near Kuma.
Justice was sad. He had spent all these years hating Kuma thinking he had ruined Mavis’ life, but here she was happily married to her secondary school lover. It was time for him to forgive and let go.
He acknowledged their presence with a smile as they exchanged pleasantries. The heavy burden of hate had suddenly been lifted within the last ten minutes

   A Perfect Friend

PROVERBS  18:24
24 There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a
friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Would you like to have a perfect friend?

A friend who loved you no matter what you did.

A friend who would always be there when you needed them.

A friend who knew you intimately yet still loved you.

A friend who always encouraged you and never put you down.

A friend who was smart but not conceited.

A friend who had no personal problems to distract them.

A friend who was powerful and famous, yet down-to-earth and
approachable.

A friend who is righteous yet merciful to others.

A friend who never makes a mistake.

A friend who enjoyed having a good time and sharing a laugh
with you.

A friend who had the knowledge and ability to help you with
everything.

A friend who is not too good to wash your feet or clean your
toilet, yet talented enough to be the best at everything.

A friend who puts your interests ahead of their own.

A friend who loves you more than you love yourself.

A friend who would be willing to die for you.

There is only one. His name is Jesus, and He wants to be your
friend.

SAY THIS: Jesus is my friend.

3 years ago.......Now

Some where around this time 3 years ago, my whole life revolved around organizing my wedding to the love of my life. The petty tiny details were getting to me and every single cedi of my salary had been accounted for. The invitations were already out and loads of congratulatory messages were pouring in. It was all a mixture of joy and anxiety as I prayed everything would go on well. I could hardly go for thirty minutes without thinking about that final day.

Soon the Farmers day (holiday) for 2010 arrived with my mum in charge of everything. Making sure the decor (which was arranged late was in order), the food arrived on time, gift parcels were enough concluding with a beautiful and happy traditional wedding. Unfortunately we had no time to rest.

My maid-of-honor and I had to rush to add the finishing touches for the next day. We got home late and tired only to get to bed around 11.30 m. As I talked with 'my husband' before bed, he exclaimed with surprise how he left some of the items for the traditional ceremony at his end. Apparently, it had gone UN-noticed by both families.

The fun and fatigue continued the next day with the church blessing and lots of laughter and joy. My brothers wife lost her phone later that day but besides that, it was all joy and happiness. 

My husband and I were happy to be together despite the challenges we had to face at some time. We were ready to test our love in marriage. 

Three years down the road of marriage and..... The Lord has been good to us. We have been there for each other, supported each other and loved each other. We haven't had a smooth journey, we haven't had everything we wanted at the time we wanted it, we lost some and gained some. We made new friends and joined new families. We now no much more about each other than we did during the two years of dating. We have sacrificed for each other and learned to complement each other.

We still have our differences and we are still learning about each other. We also learnt new things from each other and still learning.

You may not see the many love notes to each other on Facebook, or the cuddling pictures either. We may not be at the fancy restaurants often or be seen together in public often but what we share is special. We do what we know how to do best, that is understanding each other.

We couldn't have survived there 3 years based on love alone, but the grace and wisdom of God continues to abound. It is more of these we desire as we continue the journey of marriage with a very exciting new passenger (Wendy). We pray that she gives us all the strength and vim to keep the flame of love still burning.

Jesus Understands

A Devotion via host2.bevio.com

                       Jesus Understands

HEBREWS 4:15 NKJ
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with
our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet
without sin.

Whatever you face, Jesus Christ has already faced it.

Jesus knows what it is like:

to be hungry
to be tired
to be lonely
to be hurt
to be hated
to be beaten
to be persecuted
to be misunderstood
to be mistreated
to be mocked and laughed at
to be betrayed by a friend
to be tempted to sin                          
to be responsible for employees
to feel forsaken
to feel hopeless
to have no spouse
to have no earthly father there to help
to have lost a loved one
to have to pay taxes
to have money stolen from you
to have the responsibility to provide for a family
to live under an oppressive government
to experience extreme pain

HEBREWS 4:16 NKJ
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Don't be afraid to talk to Jesus about anything. Not only does
He understand, but He knows how to help you so you can overcome
and have victory.

Remember, Jesus loves you -- enough to die for you. And He also
ever lives to intercede for you.

So Jesus not only understands what you face, but He is able and
willing to help you.

SAY THIS: Jesus understands what I am going through and is
leading me to victory.

Make Room For Jesus....Todays Devotion

                    

LUKE 2:7 KJV
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was
no room for them in the inn.

You probably think it was terrible that there was "no room in
the inn" and the baby Jesus had to be born in a stable and lay
in a manger.

If the people then truly understood who Jesus was, no doubt
they would have gladly opened their homes and provided much
better for Him. But do we not often make the same mistake?

The situation for Jesus today must be even more sad. Most of us
still do not make room for Jesus in our lives.

For some the reason is busyness, just being so caught up in
making a living and trying to take care of things that they
feel they just don't have time. (The truth is that with Jesus'
help, life will be better and easier.)

For others, it is fear: fear of what Jesus might think, or say,
or do, if He were invited, or even allowed access, into their
lives. (This fear is baseless because Jesus does not wreck
things but improves them. They need to know Jesus truly loves
them and desires the best for them, which He does.)

For some the reason is just lack of knowledge: they don't know
about Jesus and His love. (For these people, you are the
answer. You can share the wonderful story of God's love for
mankind.)

REVELATION 3:20 LB
20 "Look! I have been standing at the door, and I am constantly
knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I
will come in and fellowship with him and he with me.

Jesus is persistent and still reaches out in love, expecting
that someday people will see Him as He truly is, overcome their
busyness and fear and ignorance, and enthusiastically invite
Him into the center of their lives.

Jesus does not enjoy being ignored, or being put in an inferior
place. Surely Jesus would like for us to accept and appreciate
Him for what He truly is: the Central One, Creator and
Sustainer of all, who knows more and can do more than we can
even imagine.

You may acknowledge Jesus and claim He is your Lord and Savior,
but do you neglect Him, or give Him a central place?

Do you talk to Him about everything? Do you thank Him for
everything good? You should.

Jesus does not want you to feel guilty about neglecting Him. He
loves you and just wants you to return His love. Jesus desires
a central place in your life so He can bless you more.

Don't ignore Jesus.

SAY THIS: I will always make room for Jesus in my life.

Have you ever asked yourself why you are not mad and roaming the streets?
Have you ever asked yourself why you are not a fetish priest?
Have you ever asked yourself?

Now that you are asking these questions, do you have any answers?

Who chooses to be mad? There are those who have abused drugs and alchohol, but have you ever wondered what drove them to that extent?

The good news is you are not in that bracket of people. You have a clear head to take decisions for your self. The better news is you were able to withstand the most difficult and heartbreaking moments of your life. The best news is THE GRACE OF GOD ABOUNDS.

If not for the grace of God....... we could have ended up in the worst of places. 
Because of His love that comforts us in sadness, his wisdom that helps us out of trouble and his light that leads the way when we are lost, we can boldly say, YES!! WE ARE HIS by GRACE.

I dont know what you may be going through that has you messed up or confused, just know that Christ is reaching out to you. He is waiting with out stretched arms to receive you in his arms. Are you accepting his invitation?

Remember he died so you can live. Cry out to him and he will hear and share you pains.

 For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that who so ever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 

When is He coming?

I remember some two years ago when the whole world looked forward to a particular date. It was a date in May cant remember which, but the information circulating was that the world was going to end that day. 

 A friend of mine told me a few days before that day that, he had had enough of this world and that Jesus should come quickly. He went on to add that,  Jesus said he was going to prepare rooms for us in heaven (John 14:2-3) and that the number of rooms he has so far is enough we can perch when we get there after all, they had perched for so long in Legon.

I was at work that Saturday Jesus was supposed to come and we all talked about the rumors of people chilling for the last, spending their money, etc. A colleague said she had prayed the acceptance/sinners prayer (not sure of the name but its a prayer said when giving your life to Christ) just in case. Some were also not of the opinion that his coming to end our suffering now was a good idea.

Two years on we continue to await the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. I do not doubt his coming in anyway but i believe the time is nearer than ever. Natural disasters, wars, decaying moral standards, false prophets, etc go on to emphasize his coming. The question is 'Are You Ready?'.  

1 Thessalonians 5: 1-3 tells us that that day will come like a thief in the night. We will not have time to say our last prayer, chill for the last, forgive that friend who betrayed you, close that business deal or tell that pretty girl you admire her. Neither will you have the time to give your life to him for good.

The time to prepare to meet him is now. For those already on his side, stand firm, times are hard and we may be pushed down by pressures of this immoral world. For those on the fence, take a step. Ignore the pleasures that this life has to offer you because Christ gives Everlasting Life. Those who have heard and ignored, those who have not heard and those yearning for the Correct answers, I pray that his grace continues to abound in your lives. For we are saved by Grace. (Ephesians 2:5,8)

Christians let us get to work. I was on evangelism with some church members and I approached a man selling some drugs and I asked him if he knows Jesus. His answer was he didn't live in the area so he didn't know Jesus. I was a funny yet shocking answer. I told him a few things about The Son of God and gave him some leaflets hoping he could read them later.

This is the sad reality. The harvest is ready but the laborers are really few. Lets hold hand and get to work for we know not when he is coming.