Her Majesty’s most gracious speech to both Houses of Parliament (Queen's Speech 2017)

My Lords and Members of the House of Commons.

My government’s priority is to secure the best possible deal as the country leaves the European Union. My ministers are committed to working with Parliament, the devolved administrations, business and others to build the widest possible consensus on the country’s future outside the European Union.

A bill will be introduced to repeal the European Communities Act and provide certainty for individuals and businesses. This will be complemented by legislation to ensure that the United Kingdom makes a success of Brexit, establishing new national policies on immigration, international sanctions, nuclear safeguards, agriculture, and fisheries.

My government will seek to maintain a deep and special partnership with European allies and to forge new trading relationships across the globe. New bills on trade and customs will help to implement an independent trade policy, and support will be given to help British businesses export to markets around the world.

My ministers will strengthen the economy so that it supports the creation of jobs and generates the tax revenues needed to invest in the National Health Service, schools, and other public services.

LEARN TO TRAVEL LIGHT

The principle of traveling light as a Christian pilgrim demands that every Christian should pay attention to the wisdom in Phil 4:4-9:

“Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.

Read Also '5 Reasons Why A Stone Will Take Your Place'

Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious — the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.

Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”

Make this attitude a life style especially now. And see God glorified in your relationships and circumstances.

RIGHTEOUSNESS (Part Two)

I had a very hard time pondering on the question: ‘what is righteousness?’ One of the very first

I must confess this definition is not strange given my background. I am one of those who have been cowed to believe that to please God, I must necessarily avoid people. I held unto this ideology until it was challenged by the scriptures in Psalms 4:1 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition):

"Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness (uprightness, justice, and right standing with You)!  You have freed me when I was hemmed in and enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me and hear my prayer.”

What an amazing God we serve. Just look at how He carefully laid out the pillars of RIGHTEOUSNESS for anyone who could take a little time to search (Joshua 1:8). As I reflected on this, the following suddenly dawned on me: “Righteousness rest wholly on 3 pillars namely:

answers that jumped at me was: ‘righteousness is always being right with God and man’.

RIGHTEOUSNESS (Part One)

For as many as are curiously asking themselves before God 'how can I live to please you in this age and time?'; given all that you see around you everyday.

It may interest you to know that God answered that question before you even thought about it. The answer lies in Micah 6:8 (The Message Translation) and it is rendered thus:

"But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously."
God is awesome, He has it all CAREFULLY thought out. I pray that God's unstoppable GRACE will greatly abound with you as you positively influence your relationships for Him!

Two Things That Will Make Your Marriage Relationship Fail! (Part Two)

In my first write up on this subject, I emphasized that desperation makes a person (a man or a woman) to use baits to lure others into loving or accepting them as a good material for friendship, marriage, employer/employee relationship, etc

The bait to be used by the desperate person depends on the victim’s preferences. 2 Samuel 13 is a classical example of desperation manifested in a relationship which bore the fruits of pain and hate. ‘Readers Beware’ because all that glitters is not GOLD.

The second vice that will make your marriage relationship fail is:

Not being at peace with yourself: In order to understand this concept, I will try to explain what it means for one to be at peace with himself.

Read Also 'Stop Watering A Dead Plant'

To be at peace with yourself means:

• To have a true understanding of yourself (Psalm139:14). That is to realize your uniqueness, capabilities, special attributes and so on.

Sinach (the song’s writer) summaries it better: ‘I know who I am, it does matter what you see now – I see God’s glory so I know who I am’

TO HATE OR TO LOVE?

When you perceive others are better than you are; how do you respond to their capabilities, productivity level, skills, achievements, personality etc?

The scriptures rendered below makes it clear that even in the bible days people naturally reacted in the same way (misjudged other peoples intentions) thus;

“But the citizens there hated him. So they sent a commission with a signed petition to oppose his rule: ‘We don’t want this man to rule us’.” Luke 19:14

In The above passage, we see that they hated, wrote petitions, formed parties, and voiced their demands. All these are not bad in themselves but the motive for their usage defines them.

When we wrongly perceive other people, the first instinct would be to ‘Hate’. This is to develop an intense or passionate dislike for a person or something especially when you feel insecure. If this situation continues unabated, it grooms one into:

Be A Worshipper

“If you are righteous, what do you give God,
Or what does He receive from your hand?
Your wickedness affects only a man such as you,
And your righteousness affects only a son of man [but it cannot affect God, who is sovereign].”
Job 35:7 - 8

Two Things That Will Make Your Marriage Relationship Fail! (Part One)

Two things that will make your marriage relationship fail are desperation and jealousy.  In this first

Desperation: This comes from the root word 'despair' which could mean any of the following:

part of the write up, I will discuss the first relationship killer - desperation.

• the complete loss or absence of HOPE
• suffering without a meaning
• a state of rash and extreme behaviour

Any person getting into a marriage because of desperation is a failure going somewhere to happen. This reason is obvious - in nature 'desperation always births pain'. When the sea is desperate it give birth to waves that drawn men; when the earth is desperate, we have earthquakes; when men are desperate it make them to open their cleavages, attempt to buy true love, see relationships as a instrument for improving their profit & loss account, kill, etc

What then is the remedy for desperation in relationships? The remedy Jesus Christ gave in Mark 2:23 - 27 applies here. Marriage is made for man; and not man for marriage! 

Enjoy your life because marriage does not necessarily add to who you are but who you are beautifies marriage.

What Is The Primary Purpose Of Marriage?

Let me start by asking this question that has continually lingered in my mind: What do you think is the primary purpose of marriage?

In the wise word of Myles Munroe: “When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable …”.  I think this is the root cause of the gross misunderstanding of this most sort after dream of every young person - MARRIAGE.

I had a time convincing a young lady who believes that men are only there to:

1.     lord it over women,   
2.     deceive women,
3.    have women as their maids (using her words)
4.     etc

I was somehow disappointed that a woman was telling me these things.  And I asked her a questions I thought was really simple.  If marriage is about to deceive and being deceived; then why should we marry?  Unfortunately, she could not answer that as she just kept quiet.