Promise

XOXO

During my initial forays into the social networking world, I used to see the word ‘XOXO’ at the end of many emotionally blissful status updates. Females are mostly ‘guilty’ of this. Being my usual inquisitive self, I googled ‘XOXO’! I saw that in online messaging, it meant ‘Hugs and Kisses’. Still vague to me, I ‘researched’ a bit more. Then I found it. Each ‘X’ stands for a person’s four limbs while each ‘O’ stands for a person’s head. Thus, ‘XOXO’ stands for two people embracing. Albeit an horizontal one!

If I was asked to summarize life in one word, I’d say: Relationship. With God. With man. With your family. With your neighbour. With your bosses at work. With strangers. Relationship! Relationship!! Relationship!!!

All of life’s problems are relationship problems. And all relationship problems bore down to love. Today, we speak of spiritual dryness in our worship centres. Why? Because we don’t love God and have a relationship with Him.
We speak of strife in our families and neighbourhoods. Why? Because people are not relating in love.
There are political tensions in every nation of the world. Why? Because the people and the leaders don’t have a working loving relationship with God and their fellow citizens.

So, how do you think you are faring ‘relationship-wise’? Good? Bad? Moderately okay? Whichever you pick, a healthy relationship with God and man is possible. Let’s make an effort to make our world a better place because it begins with you and I.

XOXO

We All Belong To One Race

When man was created, he was NOMINATED to be the choice of ALL creation. Alas, with our own hands, we have chosen to DENOMINATE ourselves into various divisions. Today, the talking point is about the Catholics, Anglicans, Protestants and the like. Tomorrow, it is the Negroes vs the Caucasians. The day after, we are talking about the caste system!

To be succinct, God created man to have dominion over the whole earth. Not over each other. All men were created as equals. Nobody is superior to anybody. And nobody was created to be less priviledged than anybody. However, for so many, the battleground is in the mind. So, some take their God-given dominion and place it under their equals. While some have an inflated self-image and enforce their dominion over others.

Instead, life should be seen as a race where everybody can be a winner. Everybody is eligible to run in it, irrespective of religious or social backgrounds. Life is a marathon race. Free for all, but dependent on endurance rather than speed. It is not how fast, but how well that would count in the end.

What’s the next step for you now? Lay aside every unnecessary weight that would slow you down in running the life race with endurance. You really don’t need the extra load of sin, bad habits, riotous living or traditional prejudices and unhelpful customs.

Race with purpose!
Race with intent!!
Race in God!!!

Dead Men Aren’t Supposed To Die, But…

3rd October, 2013.

Sad day for Nigeria.

It’s appointed unto man to die but ONCE, and after that judgement. Into eternal life. Or eternal damnation. I’m not one to judge the actions of anybody, but I believe God talks to us in diverse ways. One of them is by nature.

So, what happens when a plane carrying the remains of a dead man crashes? Coincidence? A Supernatural allegory? I’m not one to say. However, what I’m fully aware of is that God is not to be mocked, whatever a man sows, it’s the same he’d reap.

As I’ve said before, I’m in no position to judge anybody. It is however imperative to say this: In our life journey, we should strive to always fear God and love ALL men.

My condolences goes to the families of those that were on board on that plane. May God grant them the strength to bear their losses.

Peace.

Number Of The Day: 53

Today, Nigeria celebrates her 53rd year of independence from British Imperial Colonialism. The journey from 1960 till the present date has been very far from a stroll in the park. The country has had more than her fair share of crises, coups, religious, tribal and civil wars, as well as terrorist attacks. The nation has been blighted with corruption in every sector ever since the oil boom began in the 1970s. Sometimes, I look at the entire situation and wonder if things could have been better if the British colonial masters DID NOT grant Nigeria independence in the first place. Because to me, Nigeria is just like an overgrown baby at 53!

However, I’m not going to remain pessimistic about the state of the nation. Neither am I going to continue lashing out at the country’s flaws. I’m going to hold on to my belief that Nigeria would eventually turn out to be great again. Someone once compared the shape of the African continent to that of a gun pointing downwards. If that is the case, Nigeria is geographically located at the ‘trigger zone’ of Africa. It is my belief that Nigeria would serve as a trigger point to catalyze better positive change in the whole continent. It’s just a matter of time…

In the meantime, I wish Nigeria a happy independence celebrations. I believe the country would enter and fulfil the purpose of God for this endtime.

‘In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion. (Isa. 18:7)’

‘Yipee, First Ever Blogging Award!’ aka ‘They Call Me Dr. Versatility’

A couple of weeks ago, Mehak Latif (www.mmlatif2013.wordpress.com) nominated me for the ‘Versatile Blogger Award’. This gesture sent very warm feelings through my heart. I’m really excited about this post and I wanted it to be written when I wasn’t all mushy in cloud nine! Once again, thanks so much Mehak Latif.

Before I go on, there are 3 rules regulating the ‘Versatile Blogger Award’. In the form of a blog post, the following guidelines should be followed:
1. Thank the person who nominated you and put a link back to their blog in your post.
2. List 15 bloggers you follow that you’d like to nominate for the award. (With their links)
3. Tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

The 15 bloggers whom I choose (in no specific order) are:

belifteddotme www.belifteddotme.wordpress.com

www.poetreecreations.org

king in training www.kingintraining.wordpress.com

follow his light www.followhislight.wordpress.com

kushtrimthaqi www.kushtrimthaqi.org

nataliescarberry www.sacredtouches.wordpress.com

one7blog www.one7blog.wordpress.com

Rebecca www.andasprinkleoflove.wordpress.com

Stuart M. Perkins www.storyshucker.wordpress.com

Everyday Power Blog www.everydaypowerblog.wordpress.com

The river walk www.tworiversblog.com

the russian way www.sportsfreakblog.wordpress.com

Wildersoul Colouring book www.wildersoul.wordpress.com

Don Charisma www.doncharisma.org

Peace of my heart www.peacefulpromises.wordpress.com

And finally, 7 things about myself would include:

1. I’m currently a final year student at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Unfortunately, the academic staff of all federal universities are currently on a strike. This means that unless something drastically happens soon, I’d probably still be a final year student next year. Without the strike, I should have graduated by now!

2. I have 2 younger brothers. There are three and a half years between my immediate younger brother and I. There are also exactly three and a half years between my immediate younger brother and the last born. When I asked my mummy how this exact spacing came to be, she pointed skywards! Well, not exactly…..but you got the point, didn’t you?

3. I was born in the U.K. My parents decided to move back when I was almost 4 years old. I’ve not travelled out of the country since then. I hope to do so in the nearest future.

4. I love watching football. Definitely not American football! That sport is too brute for me. I’m a soccer fan. My favorite football club is FC Barcelona. And my favorite footballer is obviously Lionel Messi. Though he’s currently injured, he’s still at least 1000 better than Cristiano Ronaldo! Strangely enough, my greatest fear also comes from football. Very rarely, a footballer would slump on the field and die. That scares me a lot! Thankfully though, it seldomly happens. Nevertheless, I still love watching football matches. I even plan to own a football club in the future.

5. I don’t have any favorite food. As a result, I believe I’d survive anywhere in the world. But if you serve me pounded yam with melon soup and vegetables garnished with well diced fish and topped with beef or chicken, I would most definitely not scold you. Except, of course, you don’t serve me water to drink with it!

6. I don’t talk with people easily. But once the ice is broken, we would just flow naturally. I have more female than male friends, though. I haven’t figured out the reason yet. Probably it’s because I’m a just cool guy that listens a lot!

7. I believe in God. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe in the Bible. I believe in New Creation Realities. I believe in life after death. I believe in Heaven and Hell. Fortunately, I don’t have a religion…
…Because Christianity is a lifestyle.

There you have it! All 3 rules followed to the letter. Do you share some qualities with me? Do you have questions for me, so you can know me better? Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comment box below.
Many thanks again to Mehak Latif (www.mmlatif2013.wordpress.com).
Cheers!

Brainfood

In the beginning, there’s formlessness and void
And I have this thought, so funny a thought,
‘How would I be wiser and better than I am now?’
Suddenly The Word is spoken. He seeks me out and finds me
He looks at me lovingly, and as I get ‘comfy’
I cannot help but notice the gleaming of a metal blade
Then He says, ‘I am after your heart!’
Without warning, His muscular arms lift the sharp double-edged sword
And sends it crashing straight through my head.

There is blood and tissue everywhere. And they are mine
I’m in pain, moreso, I’m in shock
My head is divided into equal halves
He takes a few steps back and silently admires the mess
Like an artist would look at a masterpiece.

I’m dead. Again I’m not
He picks my brain as I look on…
That’s all I remember,
Because a mightily rushing wind comes and makes me whole again

I try thinking, but can’t
My heart is meant to skip a beat, but it won’t

So The Word speaks again:
‘You are wiser and better than you could possibly ever be’
This time I don’t see Him, because He’s already in Me.

Walking Dead

‘Everybody wants to go to heaven, but none of them wants to die’.

For some, the macabre topic of death has become one that is discussed only at funeral services. It is talked about very briefly and in hushed tones. Death is one of the facts of life. In fact, living in a denial of death is the riskiest possible way to live.

The Syrians laid a seige against Samaria in 2 Kings 7. The seige induced a famine within the city. So severe that mothers boiled their babies to eat. Now, there were 4 lepers who were outside the city gates but quite far from the enemy’s camp. In those days, lepers were ostracized because they were ceremonially unclean and could contaminate anything they touched. So, these men had nowhere to go. If they returned to the city, they’d be stoned. Even if they were not stoned, they’d still starve to death. And if they had gone into the enemy’s camp, they could be slaughtered. Like chickens.

With time, these men became unsatisfied with the status quo. They were tired with life caught in the middle on no-man’s land. Besides, they were starving. They knew that there was nothing within the city. But what if the solution existed in the enemy’s camp? The way to know for sure was to find out. Even if it meant losing their lives. That was the point they became ‘Walking Dead’ men!

As discovered later, the attitude of the lepers paid off! They were the first to witness the miracle that God had wrought. This miracle consequently abolished famine within the very city they were ostracized from.

It started when the lepers became dead to themselves. They simply couldn’t die anymore, as they were already dead to fear that had initially imprisoned them.

We all should embrace this attitude in unpalatable situations. When we are comfronted with a need to change our circumstances. Note that unless we say like Esther, ‘…if I perish, I perish’ and brace up to face our situations head long, our circumstances would stubbornly not change.

‘Self-help is no help at all, self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self’

I’m Tired Of Being Normal

You’d never find a mad man who would agree with you that he’s mad. Instead, he’d insist that YOU are the mad one! I’m going to say some things that would either make you think I’ve gone gaga. Or make you doubt your sanity. Except you’re in the same frequency with me.

I’m fed up of being normal. I’m sick and tired of flowing with the generally acceptable trend of things. I want to shake things up a bit and start walking in the consciousness of who I am. And if that means that I should become crazy to fulfil that, I really don’t mind. In fact, I want to be crazy! Crazily putting away the tried and tested traditions of the fathers. Crazily embracing the Ultimate One’s Words regarding me.

For starters, I have life. Abundant life at that`. This doesn’t only mean I have a home in heaven when I die. I’m also not meant to manage life on THIS side of eternity. Struggling and merely passing through is disobeying the Words of The Ultimate One.

See, I’ve also been given ALL things that pertain to life“! Not some things. Not most things. But ALL things. Why should I continue cheating myself by living less than what has been appropriated to me? Why should I continue to thrive on what people, circumstances and situations have carved out for me?

Don’t you get it? Let me now blow your mind: The power of the Ultimate One raised up His Son from death. The same power set The Son in heavenly places far above everything that has existed, exists or will exist. The power then put ALL things in The Son’s control. And because I’m a Believer, THAT power is available to me“`!!! There’s no way I’d hear this and still retain my senses.

I wasn’t made to live as a normal person. No sir, I was fashioned to be an anormally supernormal creation! And if the world sees that as craziness, it’s all good with me.

Spend time with the Good Book and The Ultimate One would open the eyes of your heart to know your place in Him.

` John 10:10
“ 2 Peter 1:3
“` Ephesians 1:19

People Get Ready

My Daddy wrote some poems for a series of Christian magazine publications bearing the same name. I just felt I should share one of them.

PEOPLE GET READY

The greatest truths are the simplest,
As soon as a man is born, he begins to die;
Fame is vapour, riches take wings,
But eternity is written in the hearts of men.
The believers obey, the obedient believe.
People Get Ready,
Jesus is coming soon.

The outstanding among men,
Are the ones with understanding.
They prepare in the morning,
They are set in the night:
Waiting everyday for the sound of God’s trumpet.
The blemished and the wrinkled will not enter His Kingdom.
People get ready, this may happen anytime!

Malo Malo Malo Malo

Insteresting title, isn’t it. Yes, I also know that it looks like some mumbo-jumbo excavated from some extinct barbarian language from a prehistoric era. But while the words are indeed from a quite obsolete language, it’s one of the neatests wordplays recorded in history.

The words are in Latin. A rough interpretation would be as follows:
‘I’d rather be an apple tree than be an evil man in adversity’.

Initially looking at the statement and its interpretation, it was devoid of meaning to me. I even felt it was some form of nmemonics developed by Latin students. However, after taking a closer look, a truth hit me. Many times in the Bible, the righteous are referred to as trees (Psalms 1 & 92 are just a few of the numerous examples). They are firmly rooted in faith in God. They have thick trunks so that they aren’t tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. They are evergreen and are always flourishing. They are fruitful, yielding fruits such as love, joy, peace, patience, self control and the works. The shade their leaves offer, as well as their fruits, are refreshing to all and sundry.

Indeed, living like this is a million times much better than the adversity an evil man brings upon himself by wicked living.

‘Malo malo malo malo’