Open Doors

Venue: The King's Glory Church, King's Lynn

Preacher - Pastor Toyin Adegoke

Sermon topic: Open doors

Meaning: An invitation to come me in.

An open door ushers in a new season and closes the previous.

Ways in which doors can be opened

God himself opens it. 

When God opens a door no one can shut it. Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7

God can open a door unto a new revelation. Rev 4:1

God can open a door for soul winning. Acts 14:27. Acts 16:6-7. Before we go out to evangelize, we should pray to find out where an effective door of salvation has been opened, lest we toil for nothing.

God can open a door of escape in challenges. 1 Cor 10:13, Hosea 2:15

Hindrances to entering the door God has opened

1. Doubt. e.g the children of Israel in the wilderness 

2. Wrong focus. Working our own calendar. 2 Cor 2:12

3. Not being aware of the door - Spiritually blind. Isaiah 42:20, Heb 5:11

Not yielding to the Spirit leads to spiritual blindness. Prayerlessness leads to spiritual blindness.  Mark 1:35, Rev 3:1-12

4. The devil. 1 Cor 16:9

People open the door

The people you associate with can open a door for you for God or the enemy to come in. Joshua 6:17,18

Certain items can open doors to blessing (e.g Ark of God in Obededom's house) or destruction (Achan's stolen items and Israel's defeat).

Lack of spiritual growth is an open door for the enemy to come in. 

Giving is an open door for blessings. Mal 3:10

We can open doors by asking for it in prayer. Knocking on God's door. Matthew 7:7

Do you have any comments on this topic? Please let us hear your contribution below.

Radiant ~ February 2019

Spirit of God (song with lyrics) by Deola

My friends, I bring you a new sound which has got to be on Repeat every time I play it. Talk about chills going down your spine when you hear a song, this is it. Are you going through a wilderness experience or at the crossroads needing direction? Play this song.

Spirt of God is available for purchase on Apple music
Also on Spotify

And Soundcloud 

Spirit of God lyrics by Deola

Spirit of God 2x

I wait on you 2x

Spirit of God 2x

I wait on you 2x

Chorus

Oh oh oh come, let your presence fill this room

Oh oh oh flow, do what only you can do

Spirit of light (Spirit, Spirit) 

Hmm Spirit of light (Spirit, Spirit)

I wait on you (...aah)

I wait on you

Spirit of truth (Spirit of truth yeah)

Oh Spirit of truth (Spirit of truth)

I wait on you (I wait on you) 2x

All Chorus 2x

Oh oh oh come, let your presence fill this room

Yeah, Oh oh oh flow, do what only you can do

Spirit of Life 

Mmm... Oh Spirit of Life 

I wait on you (I wait on you)

I wait on you 2x

All chorus 2x

Oh... Come let your presence fill this room

Come in your fullness and your power

Oh flow

Do what only you can do

Yeah yeah...

Ad-lib by soloist during 2nd chorus

Spirit of light

Spirit of truth

Spirit of light

Spirit of grace...

Flow flow

Do what only you can.. do

Bridge

I wait on you (Holy Spirit! I wait on you) 

I wait on you (Ah ah ah Spirit I wait on you)3x

I wait on you 

I wait for you 

I wait on you (I wait on you)

I wait for you

I wait for direction (I wait for you)

I wait for your word

I wait for you to lead me, lead me, lead me, yeah

(Ah ah ah I wait for you)

I won't go 

I won't leave 

(I wait for you)

I will wait, I will wait, I will wait for you

I will wait on you (I wait for you)

For strength

For power

I wait on you

Spirit of God

Spirit of God

Spirit of God

Lyrics in bracket are for the back up vocals.

Please drop comments if this song has blessed you. Also let me know if you would like to know more about the artiste. If you are interested, I can do a bio.

Radiant ~ February 2019

How to make Banana Bread

For the love of bananas, recently I discovered another way to enjoy them. I learnt how to make banana bread. I've always wanted to learn to bake but shied away due to the fact that I did not have an electric mixer and whatnots. The good thing about this recipe is that I get to bake without all those sophisticated stuff. Literally, all I need to do is put them all in a bowl and stir, pour the dough in the baking tin and toss in the oven. That's it. that's literally it.

Well, if you do not believe me or want more details like portions and co, then keep reading.

List of ingredients
1. 2 over ripe bananas

2. 2 eggs

3. 80g melted butter or margarine
4. 40g sugar (white sugar, coconut sugar)
5. 1/4 teaspoon of Vanilla extract
6. 2 tablespoons of milk
7. 80g flour
8. 1 teaspoon Baking powder
9. 1 teaspoon Baking soda
10. 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
11. 1 teaspoon cinammon (optional)


How to Make Banana Bread

1. Mash your bananas in a mixing bowl. You can use a fork. This should be easy if your bananas are over ripe.

2. Add 2 eggs to mashed bananas and beat

3. Add melted butter (seriously discovering that melted butter actually works revolutionalised my thinking about baking. I always stayed away from baking due to the time and energy needed to cream butter without an electric mixer)

4. Add vanilla extract and milk. Stir.

5. Add sieved sugar and stir. I discovered coconut sugar recently and it has been such an amazing ingredient. It has a special sweet taste and colours whatever you use it in brown. I use both white sugar and coconut sugar just so my coconut sugar can last.

6. Add sieved flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg (optional) and cinnamon (optional). Stir all. I use a spatula to stir

7. Add raisins or nuts (optional)

Your dough is ready
8. Pour into your prepared baking tin. I prepare my tin by rubbing some butter on all inner surfaces of the tin and spreading flour to touch all corners of the tin.

9. Preheat oven to 165 degrees Centigrade and place tin at the lower cadre of oven.

10. Bring out after 35 mins and stick a toothpick in it to make sure it is dry.

If dry, your banana bread/cake is ready.

Will love to hear your comments about this recipe. Let’s discuss below. Cheers.
Did you miss my Val's day post? Click here to read.

Radiant ~ February 2019

Valentine's Day Surprise Goes Bad

Valentine’s Day Surprise Goes Bad...




...Well, almost.

Feeling all lovey-dovey, as this is a season of love, my husband who seldom concerns himself with the kitchen affairs decided to make me breakfast. It was to be a sumptuous yamaritta and fried eggs. Unfortunately, it almost ended in a burnt down house.

So I heard my name loudly as I was preparing for work and I knew instantly there was trouble. I ran to meet him in the kitchen, already panicked.

The frying pan was ablaze. Red hot flame fuelling out. Apparently he had let the oil get too hot.

You see why male children should be allowed to enter the kitchen more often.

I knew what I had to do. So I got a lid to cover the pan and turned off the cooker. The fire stopped immediately.

I wondered what would have happened if I had left the house earlier.

"What would you have done?", I asked

"I was going to throw it out the window", he said smiling mischievously.

"What! You would have set the entire compound on fire".

All I could say was thank you Jesus that I was delayed. I could not imagine what would have happened if I was not there and he threw out the pan of fire or didn't throw it.

Val’s day wasn’t ruined eventually. I came back home to a box of chocolate pizza, bottle of red wine and customised card from my darling husband. 

Radiant ~ February 2019. Have you seen my previous post? Please click here to read the poem. Watch out for my next post this coming Sunday about how I make Banana bread as in the above picture. Happy Val's day.

My still voice - a diminishing hexaverse

Bid me write a poem

For my heart boils up

Wisdom, sense and skill

Emotions trapped in

Everyday’s business

Bid me to sing

Those songs unsung

Lying in books

iPad and phone

For a soul

yearns to hear

my still voice

In word

In song

Speak

Did you notice the tapering structure of the poem?
It starts with a stanza of 5 lines made of 5 syllables each, then a 4-line stanza of 4 syllables each, down to one stanza of one syllable.

This type of poem is called a Diminishing Hexaverse or Diminished Hexaverse.

Please share your comments on what you think of the poem. Thanks

Radiant ~ February 2019

How to make Nigerian okra soup with minimal resources

We Nigerians in diaspora have to learn how to use what we have to get what we want. We long for Nigerian food, but many times, getting Nigerian foodstuff can be nose-racking. We are either challenged by availability, accessibility, cost or quality. Instead of ugu (pumpkin) leaves, you will have to make do with spinach as fresh ugu is very rare. More so, the ground crayfish you will buy here will be nothing compared to crayfish in Nigeria. The process of packaging it for commerce makes it lose its real taste.

So you have all these challenges plus the fact that you can't afford to spend all your time in the kitchen boiling shaki (beef tripe) and kpomo (cowskin). And yet you can't be eating sandwiches every day. Well, just maybe there is a way to make your soup with the least requirements and still have it tasting as nice. I'm about to show you that with Okra soup.

Basic ingredients in Nigerian Okra soup

The basic ingredients in every Nigerian soup are palm oil, pepper, fish (crayfish/stock fish/dry fish/smoked fish/fresh fish) and meat. The major difference between the soups are the types of leaves used. Even if the only fish you can get is ground crayfish, your soup will taste as nice as made in Nigeria. Here is a list of the ingredients you will be needing to make your Nigerian okra soup.

Palm oil (available in big Asian/African/Caribbean stores)

Beef/goat meat/any meat

Okra (available in most Asian/African/Caribbean grocery shops)

Any leafy vegetable (spinach, ugu, bitter leaf)

Peppers (scotch bonnet or chilli, red bell peppers )

Ground Crayfish (you just have to have brought this one from Nigeria or try the ones in African grocery shops or do without)

Onions

Seasoning cube

Garlic and ginger (fresh or powder)

Salt

How To Make Nigerian Okra Soup

1. Boil your meat with onions, salt, garlic, ginger and seasoning cube.
2. Cut your pepper and onions. Chop your vegetables (spinach will do) and dice your okra.
3. Place your diced okra in a bowl and stir it for 5 mins or till you see it drawing, and set aside.

4. Place an empty pot on the fire, pour a little palm oil, put your onions and cut peppers, fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add the meat and stock, ground crayfish, ground chilli and simmer for 2 minutes.
6. Add salt to taste.
7. Add the okra, stir, cover and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
8. Add chopped spinach. Not too much spinach though, as this is okra soup and not spinach soup. Too much spinach makes the soup watery. The essence of okra soup is that it should draw. So spinach should be minimal. Also, the smaller you cut your okra, the greater potential it has to draw. Some even grate it, but I find it too stressful to do.
9. Simmer for 30 secs and turn off the heat.

Voila! Food is ready to be served with any starch- Garri, Semolina, Poundo yam, Oatmeal, Ugali etc which you can also get from the A/A/C shops.

Who said you can't eat Nigerian food in the UK?

Lemme hear your thoughts. How do you eke out a good Nigerian meal with minimal resources?

Radiant ~ February 2019