Missed Call

“Hello mummy”, I said as I answered the phone. “Bayor, it’s me, Daniel”, came the response from a voice I could barely hear or recognize. If he didn’t mention his name, I would have thought it was either a wrong number or a network glitch. In the few seconds that passed before he continued, I tried so hard to reconcile the voice I just heard to the picture of my childhood friend I had in my mind. Though we had not spoken for quite some time, I still knew something was wrong. All these years, whenever I spoke with his mum, I’ll ask about him and his siblings partly because as their dad passed on a few years ago, he was the man of the house. “I’m on the sick bed but there’s something I’ll like to discuss with you” he added. This came quite as a surprise but I agreed and told him I would see him as soon as I could. I was on a journey up north to Kano that day and although I knew I would make a stopover at Kaduna, I knew I would have to really squeeze out the time to see him especially since I knew I was on assignment and didn’t really call the shots as regards my movement.

Being that I left Abuja pretty early, I arrived at Kaduna in time to catch my breath as I awaited the arrival of the guys in the other car who decided to take off some time later than we did. I felt the need to rest for a short while before they arrived and my kip was interrupted when my younger sister came in to announce that the other team had arrived. It then meant that I had subtly made up my mind to see him on returning from Kano so that I won’t be in any kind of rush. The drive down to Kano and the programme logistics were rather demanding that I didn’t remember to call to ask about his well being till much later. When I eventually called, the number never went through. This was the case till I returned back to Abuja and got a call moments later from my elder sister that Daniel didn’t make it. When she gave details of the time he passed, it coincided with the time I was on the road to Kano. I was lost for words at the sudden realisation that the call he made to me was more important than I had given priority to. All of a sudden, I started to see blocks of time that I would have maximized to get across to him. I couldn’t help thinking to myself what it was that he wanted to discuss. Why me? What would I have said? Would it have made any difference?...

I really wish I know what to write to make this post worth the reading but if it makes any sense, the definition I heard from someone of the word “Poor” comes to mind. He said P.O.O.R is an acronym for “Passing Over Opportunities Repeatedly”.

Need I say more?

- ‘Bayor

NOBLE DAD

A man of noble character, who can find?

His entire personality reflects his state of mind.

Amongst people of like manner, he may look a bit small,

But when it comes to substance, he’s standing high and tall.



He may not be known by many,

But he surely stands before kings and royalty.

All my life, I’ve watched him closely,

And I've come to discover just recently,

That great men are not just born, they’re raised,

That’s why faithful parents and guardians are to be praised.



Truly a man diligent in his work,

Won’t need to work round the clock,

Before his heart desires are met,

Saving him a lot of sweat.



Rejoice, rejoice o ye noble man,

For your life is in God's plan.

His words are true about you,

Every morning they are new.



You will flourish like a palm tree,

And leap like calves set free.

You will bear fruit in your old age,

Setting the standard as though a teenage.



Ignore what circumstances have to say,

Just rejoice and be glad ‘cause its your birthday.

To you Dad, with lots of love,

Thanks for being a blessing sent from above.

Prof. T. Ade Martins, 17th June, 2011

Press On

The tyre of the car functions better with just the right amount of air pressure.

The sail of the ship needs strong winds.

Why need the Sword of the Spirit if the enemy will fight fair?

Why need the Shield of Faith if there are no flaming arrows in the air?

Paul’s epistles might have been boring without the chains,

Mandela might not have been such an icon in history without the prison.

Needless to say, what would we know about Him without the Cross?

The size of our battles, most often than not, announce the weight of our glory.

So, for those things that seem uncalled for, greater blessings are calling.

Whether the devil likes it or 'yes', you are more than a winner.

Hold On.

Hang On.

Keep the switch of faith turned on.

Cheers!

‘Bayor

DEAR MISS ROUND THINGY

Dear Miss Round Thingy,

In response to your letter, please know I feel your angst. You see, anyone in your position would feel the way you feel. But you don't have to worry. it’s merely a feature in the "game of life". Permit me to explain:

Everyone will try to control you and make you feel insignificant but don’t forget that you are not there because of them, they are there because of you.

On this pitch, you'll find keepers and players. The keepers aren’t really your friends. They may appear to be diving to your rescue but they are actually keeping you from your goal. Don't be surprised to find your family members or loved ones playing this role. The players on the other hand, will strive to get you to your goal by any means possible. They are there to make you uncomfortable with stagnation and complacency. Even when you try to roll away from them or your goal, they’ll come after you to point you in the right direction. They won’t go easy on you to do this. You'll find that unpleasant situations and circumstances play this role all too often.

I believe in your ability to make it through the game because I had a hand in getting the right amount of air into you. I ensured you had just the right gauge to handle everything that would come your way before you were selected. So, when it feels like players can’t wait to kick you around and linesmen can’t wait to tell them you’ve been kicked out, take solace in knowing that at least one person is concerned about when you’ll be done being kicked about so He can carry you. That’s why I keep looking at my timepiece to see when that moment will come. However, since you are still on the pitch, trust me; you are up to the task!

just keep moving! You have many more seasons and pitches to feature in. The first half of this year may have informed the worry you feel but I am certain that you’ll have an UNBEATABLE EDGE in this second half because I’ll make sure you score LAST MINUTE GOALS. 

Yours alertly,

Coach G. Referee

'Bayor | 06.06.2011 | 13.04.2017 | 13.07.2020 

______________________________

Do you have a copy yet?

If you've read this book, kindly let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Here's what actress and singer, Stella Damasus had to say:

Imagine having a 160 page book filled with inspiration, truth, and things we need as reminders everyday. I have been so excited about it that people around me are tired of hearing about it. ...read more

BUY CRUMBS

______________________________

Also available in digital stores worldwide!!!

Freed To Fly | Morning Wind

Preview | Stream | Buy | Share | Comment

______________________________

LET'S CONNECT!

instagram.com/bayormartins | twitter.com/bayormartins

facebook.com/bayormartins | youtube.com/BayorMartins

______________________________

COMMENTS

I'm looking forward to reading from you!

Kindly add your name when posting as anonymous! 

Thank you!

MOTHER TONGUE | HOW FLUENT ARE YOU?

God took one look and said, “One people, one language; why, this is only a first step. No telling what they’ll come up with next – they’ll stop at nothing! Come, we’ll go down and garble their speech so they won’t understand each other.”

Genesis 11:6-7 (MSG)

A young boy, during an era recorded to have had limited revelations from God, ran to his master three times when he assumed it was the master that had called him. The young boy, Samuel, who later grew to become one of the great prophets of the Old Testament times, had not known God for himself. That’s why it is imperative to submit to spiritual authorities because you will almost certainly hear God’s voice the first time like that of someone you hold in high esteem (1st Samuel 3:1-9).

Two people can’t be said to be communicating if the person on the receiving side has no understanding of what’s being said. We may have found ourselves in situations where either a colleague in the office or a fellow commuter receives a phone call and the interlocutor speaks in a native language you are not familiar with. There is the natural tendency for the conversation to appear as noise and a distraction not because what they are saying is not important but because the language is not understood.

“Come, let’s talk this over! Says the Lord;…” (Isaiah 1:18 Living Bible) God desires that we communicate with Him. When we pray, He hears and most times, He has already answered the request before we had the question (Isaiah 65:24). His answers have been given to us in the form of His Word; the Bible which one might say has been around for the longest time and yet is the least read. It contains our “Mother’s” tongue and understanding it is a key to comprehending the dictates of the Spirit, our Counselor.

In the same vein, when we pray in tongues, we shut out every form of intrusion that may cause our faith to dwindle. Much like using scriptures to pray, speaking in tongues is a means of utilizing the language of the Spirit which leaves the devil and his cohorts dumbfounded because in the spiritual realm, mysteries are being uttered.

The ability of an architect to understand a building drawing is another qualification that makes his/her role unique from that of others involved in the building of a house. A layman would surely find it a daunting task to make a head of the queer looking illustration which has lines here and there, and numbers written at particular intervals.

The Bible contains kingdom parlance and a good knowledge base of it serves us in understanding what heaven is communicating to us and how we are to respond.

Most likely, we can speak our mother tongue but how fluently do we speak "The Mother Tongue?"

- 'Bayor

SAY WHAT?

Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit – you choose.
Prov.18:22

An experiment was said to have been carried out in the western world to find out the power of words. The research involved a class of young students, divided into two groups and sent into two different rooms. They were to speak over boiled rice which had been kept in these rooms. In one room, they were to say curse words which included “ugly” and in the other they were to say good words which included “beautiful”. The outcome after a number of days was that the rice over which good words were consistently spoken turned out golden yellow in color while that over which curse words were spoken turned dark brown in color. Both portions of rice came from the same source and were supposed to be decaying. The story may either be concocted or real but the truth behind it is in no way demeaned.

In Mark 11:12 – 14, we see the account of Jesus speaking in response to the fig tree which means the fig tree spoke initially by the way it appeared. When Jesus spoke to it, according to Matthew’s account, the tree withered immediately. (Matt. 21:19)

We have the authority to talk back at the things in our lives that are not going the way we want them to. When a work of our hand is not going the way we envisage, it is making a statement directly opposite to what is written in Psalm 1:3b. Every aspect of our lives answer to what we are saying and some of those things are not words but actions and reactions. The way we dress for example is a statement to the world of the worth we place on ourselves. Dress the way you want to be addressed even if you can’t disclose your address yet. Dress for where you are going and how you want to feel not where you are or how you feel. God called us as His children to be thermostats and not thermometers in our surrounding. We call the shots.

This country, Nigeria, is answering to what we the citizens are calling it. Unfortunately, it is sometimes the echo of what foreigners, who do not know Nigeria like we do, are calling it. We are royalty and we ought to be mindful of the things we say because kings don’t make passing remarks, they decree and the subjects enforce it. We have been given the gift of a mouth that cannot be contradicted (Luke 21:15). So, do take care to watch your words because they form your world. We don't just speak when we utter words, we are creating.

Perhaps one of the things that set David apart as a man after God’s heart was that he was wise enough to have prayed to God to set a guard over his lips. (Ps. 141:3). We might want to take a cue from him.

-'Bayor

PERSPECTIVES

…male and female, He created them.

Gen. 1:27

Adam says: I want my woman to be quiet, well mannered and not be someone given to nagging. I desire honesty and transparency in her. She should be a good cook, clean and well organized in the kitchen. The fear of God is another virtue I would want. She should be enlightened and not clumsy or portray a lack of people skills especially when she has to welcome guests into our home. She should be teachable and humble, neat and tidy, know how to dress like a sane person – stemming from a true knowledge of what she’s worth; (if she shows all her features to everyone, then what is left for me to see?). She should be down to earth; her ideas of life should not come from a magazine or novel. She should know what she wants, praise me for who I am, give me my space sometimes and tell me what’s on her mind always (am not a psychic). I desire her to be deep, intellectually compatible, and full of virtue and understanding. She should be supportive as the help meet. Simplicity of dressing and makeup is fine by me. She should respect herself, be consistent, not over-demanding, independent financially and able to take initiative. I need her to be there for my children, friendly (even if more wealthy), a good communicator and a hardworking personality. She should brandish an inner beauty of character with a ravishing outward beauty. She should give me the benefit of the doubt and should be one that has past the process of still trying to figure out exactly who she is. She should be given to worship and be fun to be with. She should be cheerful and smart with a priority on being in shape especially after giving birth...

Eve says: He must be a true worshipper of God and a Christian who has a proper reference of love. He should place emphasis on very good personal hygiene – no wet armpits, mouth odors, stinking socks, rumpled clothes and so on. He should be courteous once in a while (what does it take to say “thank you” or “please”?), he should be responsible for his actions (“am sorry” should not be rare in his vocabulary). He should pay his bills and be honest with his income. He should also be smart and humorous, willing to improve himself and acquire more knowledge. I would appreciate him being a good listener, confident and respectable. I can’t follow a parked car – he should be focused and know where he’s going without any confusion about it. He should carry me along and also be teachable; he should not be insecure and unwilling to follow my suggestions because we were both given the mandate to rule and dominate (…God blessed them …Gen. 1:27-28). He should be my friend and shoulder to cry on. He should be intelligent and a good cook…at least to an extent...

God says: Stop impersonating, you’re a god! Be yourself. Be like me and you won’t have any problem. I want better for you than you want for yourself. Rise above stereotypes.

What do YOU say?

 - 'Bayor

DREAM ON

Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”
Genesis 37:9

When it comes to life and purpose, God shows you the big picture, hands you the paintbrush and colors on palette. He then motions with His hand and says “Paint!”
Attaining success isn’t somewhat as difficult as it is to maintain it. The stories abound of quite a number of celebrities and other public figures who have come into limelight for a while and then like a puff of smoke, they dissolve into obscurity whilst the hype of their once budding notoriety becomes history. The bane of most of such celebrities has always been the lack of drive to build on the success attained thus far and seeing it as a stepping stone and not a resting point. It is said that money doesn’t make a man but rather reveals who he is. We don’t attain only to what we want sometimes but also to who we are. We can’t become more than we see ourselves becoming. The enemy of better is not bad but good and the enemy of the best is better. Whatever we have achieved or success we have attained, there is still room for more. Failure is never ending and success is never final. Apostle Paul, in exhorting the Philippians, made them understand the need to keep pressing toward the mark. (Phil.3:14).

The first time Joseph dreamt, his brothers hated him the more. Their initial hatred came as a result of the favor he received from their father. The second time he dreamt however, they envied him. This was an indication that they now believed the dream because as was the case later when Pharaoh dreamt, a second time was a confirmation of the first one he had received and an affirmation that God would surely do it.

Joseph went on to be sold into slavery on account of his dreams yet he never allowed the dream to wane. Temporary setbacks are just that – temporary. It’s risky to make permanent solutions to temporary situations. If he had given up on his dream while in Potiphar’s house, he would have concurred to the advances of his master’s wife. His chaste showed that he knew deep within him that where he was didn’t look like where he was going. Not even the promise of material wealth or benefits could match with the exceeding glory ahead. The popular song “Shout to the Lord” has a line that we need to hang our hopes on such that when we are faced with difficulties, we can affirm to the Lord that “nothing compares to the promise I have in you”.

It’s not over until you win. Keep on living, keep on winning, and keep on dreaming. The sky isn’t the limit, it’s a starting point.

BY THE RULES

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
1st Cor. 9:24

While in secondary school, we generally looked forward to the inter-house sports competitions. It was always an avenue for thrill and excitement. We anticipated what house would take home the trophy and gave our all in preparation and training to be the best.
In my house, there was a particular guy who was somewhat inept academically but adept on the field. His height was an advantage to his being in the junior class and his competing on that level was akin to a sure win. However, in one of the preliminary races for the big event, we lost the race because he dropped the baton during the relay exchange. The rules didn’t care if he was the best guy or not. All teams had the level ground of the guiding regulations to operate from.

An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere (2nd Tim. 2:5b - MSG).

Maintain your lane:
When the athletes run in a 100M dash, they are required to do so within the confines of the lanes designated for them. Likewise, we are called to different aspects of ministry in the body of Christ. We are soldiers called to march in our own column; vessels made to function in our assignment. (Joel 2:8, 1st Cor. 12:11).

Maintain Unity:
If an athlete jumps the gun, the race has to be restarted. The place of unity in the Body of Christ cannot be overemphasized. Everything follows an order. We must be sure we are called to do what we are doing and not merely moving at the dictates we made for ourselves. God is a respecter of no man and He is still in the business of changing vessels that prove unstable and out of order. At the end of the event, the athletes are to show the spirit of sportsmanship and rejoice with one another regardless of tribe, race or nationality. (Psalm 133:1, 1st Cor. 14:40)

Maintain your Sanctity:
Some time ago, the gold medal was retrieved from a world record holder because she confessed of using steroids. You cannot use the wisdom of the world and expect kingdom results. Whatever God cannot give you, you honestly don’t need it. God will not give you an assignment that would make you independent of him.

Maintain your Identity:
All athletes know they are the embodiment of the country they represent. When performing, the rest of the country watching from home expects them to return with the trophy. If successful, the president of the country welcomes them in grand style. As ambassadors of God’s kingdom here on the earth, the cloud of witnesses are cheering us on to victory. “Welcome, good and faithful servant” will be the words from our Lord at the end of life’s race to those who win. (Hebrews 12:1-2, Matt. 25:21, 1st Cor. 4:2)

BELIEVING IS SEEING

But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see.
Deut. 3:28

The feats of man can be quite enthralling. Take the Olympics for example, where people of different nations of the world come together to compete. Quite a number of the events are enlightening but one in particular which I think is very significant and indeed similar to our lives as believers, is the 400M race in the track and field category of events. It’s unlike the 100M dash which requires much grit and forte from start to finish. The 400M race requires endurance and consistency from the athletes. Not many who start quickly and strongly finish that way. It is a true depiction of Solomon’s words that the race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong (Eccl. 9:11). So also in the Christian race, we require endurance in the race as we press toward the mark. In the 400M race, the runners finish at the premise of their starting point. When they are running on the track, they already have a picture in their mind of how the finish line looks like. They can see the end from the beginning; they know their destination before they depart.
“I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. (Jer. 29:11 MSG)”
God is committed to bringing our expectation to fulfillment but we must prospect and expect it. A pregnant woman is called an expectant mother because she is carrying life on the inside of her. Before the child is born, she makes preparations based on the child she’s expecting. She purchases clothes and all else not because she has seen the baby physically but because the baby is already born in her mind. Her believe in the baby’s soon coming existence makes the baby’s presence so real, it’s tangible to her.
What you believe is what you see and what you see is what you get. If you can think it, you can touch it. What you can think about and thank about, you can bring about. What God says about us in the word are not mere promises, they are prophecies. They are not things He plans on doing sometime in the future but things He has done before time that we will see in its time (Eccl. 3:11). When life doesn’t seem to go the way you plan, fast forward to the moment in time when you already have the things you desire. Visionaries live in the future while in the present.
We are called believers; it’s time we began to live up to our names.