10 years ago, I was hawking on the streets of Enugu (a state in the Eastern part of Nigeria) for my mother. We were so poor that we could hardly afford to eat three square meals, but my mother always took me to church. As she will always say, serve GOD and Him alone, and that is how I lived my life. Even when it was difficult to eat, I have always lived a life of worship. Today, God has taken my music all over the world. It’s a beautiful thing to see white people singing my songs, Igbo songs that they don’t know the meaning. Some time ago, we were concluding a program and I was looking for a camera to take a picture with Don Moen. When eventually I got someone to take the picture, as I posed with Don, he looked at me and said, “Frank Edwards, it is you! I need to take this picture with you.” And he took his phone and showed me. See, I have all your songs on my phone, then he said “Frank, I saw online that you have a studio in your home. I would like us to do a collaboration together. I’m gonna (going to) come to your house for the first recording and you will come over to mine in U.S for the finishing.”

I (Frank Edwards), the same street boy from Enugu, doing a collaboration with Don Moen? Only GOD could have made it happen!! Live for GOD!! Praise Him and thank Him even when things are not as you would have loved them to be! Live a life of worship!!

By Frank Edwards

Beloved, humility precedes honour. This is one primary ingredient that every child of God must have if such a person wants to be lifted up in life by God. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom (James 3:13). The Scriptures asked a deep question before answering it…who is wise and understanding among you? If you think you are wise or you are understanding with people without having any form of humility you better think twice. Many of us have failed in this area when it comes to being humble. Even in the bible times great men had fallen and some died because of pride such like King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4: 28 -37), King Asa (2 Chronicles 16: 10 – 13), King Herod (Acts 12: 20 – 23), King Belshazzar (Daniel 5). Authority comes with a lot of responsibility and management; you may oversee a nation, a continent, state, village, school, buildings etc. What you say goes most of the time, and because you are an authority in such areas given to you to manage pride sets in. You may begin to see yourself as the one and only person who can say and do anything without being questioned. Well, I have a message for you my beloved, even Elijah thought that he was the only prophet in his era thinking that Jezebel had killed all and God spoke to him that there are 7000 other prophets that have not bowed to Baal (1 Kings 19: 14 – 18). That position you are occupying now and you feel that you can cancel contracts, make people pay for the little mistakes that can be corrected just for you to prove you are in charge. If you don’t repent from your pride God will disgrace you, and your fall will be so bad. Bear in mind that before a disaster the heart of a man is proud and filled with self-importance (Proverbs 18:12a). I like the way Message Bible said it, “PRIDE FIRST, THEN THE CRASH.”

Pride can come in different ways, for example,  like someone who snobs or only respect for those who are higher in social class or wealthy. When someone (not a friend) who is lower than you comes to visit you or calls you on the phone, or wants to be part of your discussion, what is your first thought? Having ego…an exaggerated sense of self-importance (especially in men). Have you ever heard someone say this, “Never/don’t talk to me like that again, you don’t pay my bills.” Being arrogant and claiming to be superior than others. How eager or ambitious are you to climb the ladder of success and at what cost? That is why so many cannot be tutored, they feel they know more than the teacher. Refusing to say am sorry… have you been in a situation where you were hurt and you were told to say am sorry, some people will go to the extent to say, “over their dead body.”

Seeing that pride gets us nowhere in life let us consider some benefits of a person who is humble:

Humility makes a man wise (Proverbs 11:2).

Humility makes you more valuable in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:4).

Humility makes God to lift you up (1 Peter 5:6).

Humility brings riches and honour and life. (Proverbs 22:4.

Beloved, God’s eyes is searching the whole earth looking for those whose heart are fully committed to Him. When we know that everything we have ranging from our clothes, house, food, wealth, talents, spiritual gifts etc, all are blessings that comes from God then the issue of pride will not set in because you are not competing with anybody or trying to usurp authority. Life becomes an easy one because God fights for you when people start speaking against you (Numbers 12: 1 – end). The Lord blesses every work of such person’s hands who are humble, uses you to do mighty miracles, and will make you a spectacle of His blessings. You definitely will keep enjoying grace in full and you shall age gracefully. Our Lord Jesus showed this example, and since then God the Father made His name to be a name that all shall call and be saved, He said we should follow in his footsteps (Philippians 2: 1 -11).

Please pray this prayer with me; Lord Jesus, I come before You and ask that You forgive me of every form of pride I have ever exhibited. Let every form of pride in me, in any form be terminated. Help me Holy Spirit to live this life of humility as a lifestyle, with my strength I cannot. Thank You Father for Your love in Jesus name I pray….Amen!!

Rev David & Deborah Adonai