Fatigue Failure

I am sure you are looking for this week’s question on the Infant Step Series. I am sorry to disappoint you. It will be up next week. Today I have a message for someone in particular and I cannot help but share it. Also, Greg and Anonymous, I will still respond to your questions in the last post on the Infant Steps Series.

Have you heard of fatigue in materials? Those who know the science of materials and metals can easily relate to this. I will try to make it simple here.

Do you know what makes a bridge that has been carrying tons of vehicles suddenly collapse one day when a bicycle is on it? Or do you know what makes a structure that has withstood the storms collapse one evening under a cool breeze? It is failure due to FATIGUE.

Fatigue failure is the tendency of a material to break by means of a PROGRESSIVE cracking under REPEATED ALTERNATING or CYCLIC stresses of intensity considerably smaller than what should normally break it. Example, there is palm kernel that Hulk Hogan can break with one hit of the stone. For you, you may have to hit the nut many times before it breaks though without using as much strength as he would. The number of cycles required to cause the failure is quite large, but it decreases as the stress is increased. Still on the palm kernel example, though you may have to do it many times before it breaks, it will become easier if you put in a little more effort.

Why I am talking about fatigue today? I am speaking specifically to someone who is saying “God, I am tired. I cannot do this anymore!” You have been praying, studying, praising, confessing the Word of God, hoping, believing, having faith, and yet you do not see the results. I want to tell you not to give up. You are almost there. Sooner than you think, you and everyone will see that so-called mountain brought down to nothing. Your prayers, praises, confessions, seeds and faith have been working. You have been applying stress on that mountain and all you need is a little more perseverance in what you have been doing to see the “failure due to fatigue”.

I leave you with these words

“Do seize, hold fast and retain without wavering the hope you cherish and confess and your acknowledgement of it, for God Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word.” [Hebs 10:23 AMP].

Remember the key words in fatigue failure:
Progressive: - gradually increasing in severity. Keep increasing your time spent in the presence of God through prayer, worship, praise, study and meditation on the word of God.
Repeated: - occurring again and again. This is not the time to stop doing what you have been doing.
Alternating or Cyclic: - changing direction, occurring in cycles. It does not mean you should stop praying and then continue later :-). At regular intervals, take time to do something special with your prayer (like fasting), sowing new seeds, etc.

Are you going to hold on tight to see the "failure" due to the fatigue your prayers and perseverance is causing?

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Infant Steps: How do I overcome addiction?

Beloved EROLyrics Readers,

Welcome to this blessed week. Covenant grace and peace be to you in the name of Jesus our Lord and Savior, who reigns forevermore. Today, we have another question on the Infant Steps Series. It has to do with addiction to smoking. When I received the question, I felt addiction is addiction, whether it is to smoking, drinking, fornication, or watching TV :-) just to name a few. Please as you respond to Greg’s question below, it will be most appreciated if your response could also help others facing any form of addiction. Thank you.

Dear Rita,
I am addicted to cigarettes for over 5 years. I have tried everything I can to stop smoking but the longest I have stayed away from the cigarette is 1 day. New Year resolutions have been futile. The most frustrating part is that I have been a born-again Christian for about two years, yet I have not been able to stop. I hope to serve the Lord with all my heart and soul, but I do not think I am worthy of being called a Christian if I cannot stop smoking.

Is my situation hopeless? Do you know what I can do to overcome this addiction? Do you know of anyone that has overcome this challenge?

Greg.



If you have any questions you would like to discuss on the Infant Steps Series, please drop me an email at esurunma@gmail.com or leave the question as a comment in any of my blog posts.

All posts on the Infant Steps Series will be posted on Tuesdays, 9 AM West Africa Time.

Jehovah-Suddenly

Dear Father, I pray for the person reading this post. He/She may have seen Your face as Jehovah-Hope. He/She may be trusting you for something. I pray that You, Jehovah-Suddenly visits him/her. Suddenly, things will happen in favor of this person. Suddenly, You will give him/her reason to testify that his/her joy will be full. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Dear Father,
All my loved ones have unique names I give to them. You are no exception. I started this year calling You Jehovah-Hope (The God that gives hope). Yes You give hope. How else can I explain things like the woman ditched twice a day before her wedding still trusting in You for a husband, or the man who applies for jobs for the umpteenth time despite several rejections, or the lady with countless miscarriages still believing in you though the doctors say it is futile? And you came through for them. I personally have beheld Your miracles as “Jehovah-Hope”. I felt I was going to spend this year calling You Jehovah-Hope, not knowing You have a different facet You wanted to show me.

I just want to say Thank You. In a short space of time, you have sprung so many surprises at me. You have reassured me of Your love despite my doubts and negative confessions. You have opened doors I never knew existed. You have made me stand before kings. You have filled my heart and mouth with testimonies. A post is not enough to describe the contents of the table of blessings you prepared for me out of the blue.

Suddenly, You did a new thing. Now I have seen another part of You I was not used to – the fact that You can do a new thing: customized for me, something that never existed before, even in my mind. Now I call you Jehovah-Suddenly (The God that does a new thing suddenly). You are faithful to Your Word.

Once again I say, Dear Father, I pray for the person reading this post. He/She may have seen Your face as Jehovah-Hope. He/She may be trusting you for something. I pray that You, Jehovah-Suddenly visits him/her. Suddenly, things will happen in favor of this person. Suddenly, You will give him/her reason to testify that his/her joy will be full. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Infant Steps: Is Taking Alcohol Wrong?

Beloved EROLyrics Readers,

Welcome to a new and beautiful week. Grace and peace be to you in the name of Jesus our Lord and Savior, who reigns forevermore. We have another question on the Infant Steps Series. It has to do with drinking alcohol. Have you noticed that most adverts or commercials on an alcoholic beverage depict people having fun and looking happy? Despite what the advert depicts and how alcohol makes one feel, we want to know whether it is right or wrong. Please take some time to ponder on and respond to the questions below.

Dear Rita,

I drink. I love alcohol although I don’t get drunk . Is taking alcohol, even drinking responsibly, wrong?

I like the texture, the different tastes and the process of mixing the drinks that I would love to be a bartender as a part time job. Is this wrong?

Temite


If you have any questions you would like to discuss on the Infant Steps Series, please drop me an email at esurunma@gmail.com or leave the question as a comment in any of my blog posts.

All posts on the Infant Steps Series will be posted on Tuesdays, 9 AM West Africa Time.

Infant Steps: What is God's View on Forgiveness

Beloved EROLyrics Readers,

Hope your week has started out beautifully. We have another question on the Infant Steps Series. This time around, it is on forgiveness. Have you ever wondered about forgiveness of yours or others' wrongs? Please see the questions below and please share your views on forgiveness below.

Dear Rita,
I would like to understand some things on forgiveness.
If one continues doing wrong or sinning and asks God for forgiveness each time, does God eventually get fed up with the constant sin and get tired of forgiving? Or will He keep forgiving, if you are truly sincere, no matter how many times you go to Him for forgiveness?

It is possible that a serial killer on his death bed can ask for forgiveness with a sincere heart and eventually make it to heaven?

When God forgives us, do we still have to face the consequences? For instance if a man steals and then prays to God for forgiveness, does he have to report himself to the authority before God forgives him, or does God forgive him and he can go scot-free without punishment?

~Sirius~ and Felicia


If you have any questions you would like to discuss on the Infant Steps Series, please drop me an email at esurunma@gmail.com or leave the question as a comment in any of my blog posts.

All posts on the Infant Steps Series will be posted on Tuesdays, 9 AM West Africa Time.