For the love of mankind

By Rev Ola Oladejo

"He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgement And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken." Isaiah 53: 7, 8 (NKJV)

Some years ago, I watched a chilling film, The Passion of the Christ, depicting the gruesome crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He was so bruised in the film that a Roman soldier supervising the crucifixion complained, "But we didn't say you should kill him by whipping." For his men had whipped Jesus with sadistic fury. All over the body of Jesus were crude red lines, the heinous results of flesh tearing Roman whip. Everywhere was covered with blood as the Lord marched to the climax of the gory events, to the cross and His death on the cross. The producers of the film received commendation for the film, though nobody doubted the impossibility of capturing the full extent of Christ's agony and suffering in reality on that cross.

The events in the film were not fiction but actual depiction of historical occurrence which ushered in salvation and changed the destiny of mankind forever. Abou 2015 years ago, Christ completed the work of redemption by going to the cross bearing the sins of the world and making Atonement for them. As we celebrate Easter this year, I will like us to take another look at the above quoted scriptures, a critical aspect of the redemption story.

APOSTOLIC TEACHING : LEVEL CHANGE IN PERSONAL LIFE & DESTINY

By Dr. James Akanbi


Text  Question: What is the level change you have experienced in your personal life, destiny or ministry?

If you do not evaluate or diagnose your life like this you cannot move up in life. It is dangerous to live without change. “I have little thought to spare for a man who is the same today as he was yesterday” – Abraham Lincoln.

People that are evolving, developing, changing, transiting to other levels are the people worth to live. People with regular quest for transformation are habitually possessed people. They are changing in every sphere of life, they don’t discriminate. There is always a spring board on their heels, thus taking herculean task to capture them on their destination bug. A destiny that wants to spend three life times in ones complacent is the beginning of disaster.

People that frequently ask questions are in this class. Maxwell was able to write many books because he developed Thesis. Every thesis comes from one statement. There is no way you cannot get a thesis when you are fast in thinking. Genesis 22:4-5: reveals that within just few hours, Abraham was able to make positive choice and decision that changed his life forever. Quality choice and decision are what separate boys from men. Positive/Quality choice and decision bring changes to people overnight. Some people’s destinies are changed overnight by the quality choices and decisions they make.

Dr. James Akanbi

THE LYING SPIRIT AND ELECTIONEERING CAMPAIGNS

By REV OLA OLADEJO

A striking story in 1 Kings 22:1-23 best illustrates the ungodly aspect of the electioneering campaigns for the Nigeria's general elections coming up in few days time. Israel's king, Ahab summoned the prophets and sought to know from them if he would win the war he planned against Syria. All the prophets, save one, told Ahab, a man notorious for evil what he wanted to hear. They said Ahab would not only win but would destroy Syria, but they were telling lies. The only prophet who differed, Micaiah told the truth that the war would be tragic for Ahab and his nation, Israel.

Rev Ola Oladejo

The alliance with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah would fail. Micaiah said the other prophets were lying because they were under the influence of a lying spirit which had possessed them. In the same way, one can say that the campaigns for the 2015 elections and those running the race have been taken over by lying spirits, going by the amount of lies they dish out. How else does one account for the amount of falsehood brazenly being peddled in the run up to the election?

One does not need to be a seer to know that God cannot be happy with the campaigns leading to the elections; the basic reason being that what God hates has dominated the campaigns. The word of God, the Bible, establishes the Lord's stance against lies and their manifestations without any ambiguity. Prov. 6:16-19 name lies, lying and bearing false witness as among the seven things which are abomination before God. In Leviticus 19:11, we are commanded thus, “Do not lie." Romans 1:25 condemned those who "exchanged the truth of God for a lie". When a person goes out to lie he is not only rejecting truth but is invariably calling God a liar.

The tribe of the false prophets of Ahab’s time is on the driver's seat of the 2015 campaigns. They seem not to be mindful of God at all since they are all bent on getting advantage over their opponents by hook or crook. They are managers, chorus boys, situation committee members, analysts of all shades, devious thinkers and party members behind the campaigns and the so called men of God backing them. In my experience, I have never witnessed any campaign with the kind of lie content like the present ones.

For what we see are not issues, not purposive discourses, not words from those who will improve things but lies, half truths, propaganda, manipulations and grand deception on abominable scale. What these people intend to gain from these lies going by the word of God, I do not understand. For what a man sows he will reap.

Disgrace to democracy

The 2015 campaigns must have brought so much foul smell to that acclaimed system of government, democracy. We see the system operates in other lands where their electioneering campaigns are beauty to watch. Woe betides any campaigner or candidates that resort to lies in a place like USA or United Kingdom. They would not go free. They would be exposed and punished by mass rejection. Nigeria has become another kettle entirely. Impunity reigns and liars are being crowned king. They call the shots and have so much entrenched themselves in the political fabrics that not swallowing these lies would take the grace of God.

Truth has perished

The present Nigeria also bears resemblance to Israel of Prophet Jeremiah's time. In Jeremiah 7:28, he cried, "...Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouths." Liars and their merchandise have taken over the political space and truth is being made to perish. So they can lie without bating an eyelid or their consciences being pricked. Today a man can sit down and in infantile imagination concoct all manner of untruths and put them in the public domain as the gospel truth. What a pity and a lamentable indication of how far we have sunk as a nation.

Why are liars occupying the dizzying heights of these campaigns? Why have smart Alecs desperately sought and recruited mainly for their ability to weave webs of lies? Why do we prefer lies to truth? Why do we deliberately seek to make lies our refuge as a nation? Don't we know that what we are doing is like the ostrich which buries its head in the sand? We are taking refuge in lies and hiding under falsehood. Can we say we do not know that nothing good would come out of lies or that liars risk God's punishment?

Can it be that we never thought of the consequences? If we lie during campaigns and we get into government, what will governance look like? We will have to fabricate more falsehood to sustain the pack of cards of lies that has been built. The economy, finance, power relations, administration will logically be anchored on deception and the people that fell victim of the lies become cynical, never believing the liars again and look at every of their steps with disbelief, doubt and skepticism.

Clearly, the electioneering campaigns have exposed the underlying causes of our nation's chronic problems-lies in various forms, barefaced, brazen or subtle ones. The root cause of our malaise is telling and living out lies. We have seen lies taking over as the directive principles of the campaigns, so bad that lying industry has grown into a monster.

Heart bleeds

My heart bleeds as I observed the campaigns and I see perfidy prospering and being deployed with gusto. Do you not see the level of make belief going on? The person you were begging to see last year who told you whatever opinion you had did not matter now bowing at your presence in false humility and hypocritically telling you how precious you are. Is not the biggest display of falsehood for the wolf to pretend to a sheep or the callous to fain friendliness? To these campaigners white is black and black, white. They are not afraid to call the innocent guilty while they prop up misfits as the best.

Cover up

We should pity ourselves at the level of cover up also in the campaigns. It is terrible. The campaigns are going on as if there are no germane issues. A deliberate suppression of the truth so that one would be seen as good person does not differ any bit from telling lies. Democracy demands that all facts about candidates should be brought to the public domain but they would go to any length to shield unpalatable information about principals from public glare. No wonder, the weak, docile and fiddlers why Rome burns were touted as the best and most capable. Men of integrity are made to look like villains and the callous given the toga of a dove. When anyone dares to beam searchlight on that dark area and open the dirty cupboard, they demonise such a person in a bid to suppress the truth. By so doing, they foist on people, by subterfuge and manipulation, unworthy candidates.

Since 1979 I have watched many campaigns and even participated in some, no one has been characterised by the present level of barefaced lies, attempt to manipulate, deceive and mislead like the 2015 campaigns. What was regarded as an aberration in those days when for instance politicians would pour sand on the road to create the impression that construction work had begun or lay foundations of schools, hospitals, and facilities they did not intend to build has grown into a grotesque art of immense proportion. One single bridge, the second Niger Bridge has had its single foundation laid many times, in the wake of elections yet as we write there is no bridge at all, except in the figment of imagination of the liars.

Strategic Lies

The strategy of these liars can easily be deduced from their mode of operation. They seemed to believe that visibility is superior to ability, skills and effectiveness. Instead of service, they wait till electioneering to look for artistes, entertainers, actors and actresses who might be morally deficient but are making waves and are in the limelight. The purpose is to exploit their visibility for electoral gains. To them visibility can be equated to truth. What self delusion can be worse than this? As if their senses have gone on suspension, they further hold tenaciously to the false premise such that the louder the falsehood, the more of truth in it. They do not believe that an empty barrel makes the loudest noise. They have mastered the art of exaggeration to a frightening degree. So to them visibility, loudness and frequency of repetition of lies would put on them the toga of truth. What do you call that but self deception on the grandest scale!

We need to rise against the lying spirit in our personal lives and our body politic by engaging in serious warfare prayers. Our nation must be delivered from the present moral decay when lies telling have become an art

I suggest that a national repentance should take place, led by the government after May 29, this year. All Nigerians should seek God's mercy and forgiveness for the lies of the electioneering and then turn away from lies and embrace the truth. Thereafter, Nigerians should resolve to do things in the fear of God and make telling the truth the basis of their relationship with God and man.

Rev. Oladejo is a Senior Pastor, Hundredfold Covenant Bible Church, 142 Lawanson Rd. (Otunoba bus stop) Itire, Surulere, Lagos.

Toddler Who Miraculously Survived Car Crash in River—Thanks in Part to Mysterious Voice—Goes Home from Hospital

Aimee Herd : FOX News

"She should be gone. She shouldn't be here. I'm blessed. I'm counting all my blessings right now."

In a Fox News report on Thursday, the resilient toddler "Lily" who survived the deadly car crash into a Utah river last weekend, which killed her mother, was able to go home with her dad. (Photo via Fox News Insider)

She reportedly made a full recovery, after being found unconscious, still in her car seat in the overturned car, when first responders found her, after being alerted to the wreck by a fisherman.

Suicide bombings in Christian area of Pakistani city kill at least 1

By Sophia Saifi and Jethro Mullen, CNN

Suicide bombers attacked a Christian community in eastern Pakistan on Sunday, setting off two blasts that killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens more, officials said.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the deadly attack and warned of more to come.

The explosions, which struck the Nishtar Colony area in the city of Lahore, wounded at least 78 people, said Dr. Muhammed Saeed Sohbin, medical superintendent at Lahore General Hospital.

 

Video from the scene aired by CNN affiliate GEO News showed twisted metal, shattered glass and panicked residents outside a church compound. Ambulance and security personnel were seen moving in. Later footage showed water cannons arriving to disperse the crowd.

The Greatest Call: Come, Follow Me

Even the most menial job can be christened "sacred" by Jesus.

Leslie Leyland Fields

Those who join the clergy or become missionaries or in some way enter “full-time Christian service” are clearly doing more for the kingdom than the rest of us—right?
 

I’m standing on the beach, surrounded by fishing nets and rotting jellyfish. My hands are cramping from three days of morning-to-night net mending, untangling the wet mess of ropes, and yanking gloppy jellyfish from the web. I’m happy to be working with my husband and sons, but I’m ready for a rescue. I’m ready for Jesus to come strolling along our Alaskan beach like he did on the shores of Galilee, calling out the simple deliverance to those fishermen, “Come, follow me!” (Matthew 4:19).

“…SO WHY DIE SUCH A TRAGIC DEATH?”

By Pastor Sunday Adelaja (upgraded and expanded)

 

The need to write this article after the video of a similar title was released on social media, arose because of so many requests by friends and followers of our ministry. Many, who don`t have access to the internet could not download the video, but preferred to have the message in text form. I also think it is proper to upgrade my statement in this article by establishing some of the points scripturally. From the comments I have been receiving on my social media pages I understand that many Christians do not seem to see the Biblical perspective of my submissions.

 

I therefore wish to encourage everyone to finish reading this article even if you have watched the video, since some of the fundamental principles that were not in the video will be reviewed in this article. Thank you for your understanding. Enjoy your read.
I am a covenant brother to Dr. Myles Munroe, therefore I am compelled to respond to the numerous insinuations that have been raised from many people regarding the circumstances of his home going. As covenant people, we know that the conditions and terms of a covenant require that one party stands for the other if the need arises. I therefore wish to give a comprehensive explanation to what I think God is trying to tell us through the death of Dr. Myles Munroe and his entourage. I am also sure that this article will go a long way to support and encourage people everywhere, who have lost or will lose their loved ones either by tragic or controversial circumstances. One of the questions that surfaces on a daily basis in the minds of Christians worldwide is; how is it possible that brothers and sisters that have served God all their lives can suffer and die in a controversial or even tragic manner. 

What You Probably Don’t Know about ‘The Least of These’

A more biblically accurate understanding of Jesus' words in Matthew 25.

 

Andy Horvath

Image: Jirka Matousek / Flickr

Most Christians agree that caring for the poor and marginalized is a central tenet of the gospel. And what better passage to reinforce this principle than Matthew 25:40, where Jesus commands us to care for “the least of these.” Many of us readily assume that “the least of these” refers to the poor and marginalized. But are those who Jesus is really talking about?

That question might seem trivial, but its importance can hardly be overstated. After all, Jesus ties our eternal destiny to how we treat “the least of these brothers of mine.” In the broader context of the passage (Matt. 25:31–46), the sheep and goats represent salvation criteria—who is in and who is out. It’s a stark picture, with the only outcomes being salvation or damnation. In a breathtaking scene, the Son of Man sits on a heavenly throne surrounded by angels and renders his verdict: “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (v. 46). One’s eternal security is tied to caring for “the least of these,” whoever they are.

Leave a Little Room for the Holy Spirit in Your Life

Plans, programs, and strategies are all great. But we need to leave room for more |

Ed Stetzer

Michal Bielecki / Flickr

This article originally appeared in Outreach Magazine. Be sure to check them out and subscribe here.

If you grew up Catholic (like I did) you probably heard the phrase, “Leave a little room for the Holy Spirit.”

LSD, Revolution, Buddhism, Then Jesus

The conversion of an original Jesus freak.

 

James Stuart Bell

 

 

 

Image: Brian MacDonald

Some of my friends—those of us who used to say things like, “Don’t trust anyone over 30”—now joke with each other that if you remember the 1960s, you weren’t there. Our memory gaps from the countercultural era have nothing to do with our encroaching senility.

As a college student, did I really run into a friend at a Grateful Dead concert, where, already high on pot and hashish, we did a line of cocaine for good measure? Did we really wear tie-dyed bandanas and our hair halfway down our backs as we wandered through a haze of incense and strobe lights set to the opening riffs of “Purple Haze”? Did we really take LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, and other hallucinogenic drugs to explore the outer frontiers of the cosmos, with its “deep” insights? Insights that produced deep responses like, “Far out, man”?

The Problem with Quiet Times

Amy Julia Becker

As a mother of three small children, when I stopped having disciplined set apart time with God, my faith grew.


Cindee Snider Re/flickr

When I was in high school, I learned about this practice of many evangelical Christians called quiet times. Quiet times didn’t only involve an absence of distracting noise, but also a Bible and a journal and maybe a book about something spiritual. I read through the New Testament during my quiet times one summer. I wrote down my prayers and filled a bookshelf with those pleas and confessions in one spiral bound notebook after another. I learned a lot about God, I soaked in a lot of Scripture, and I grew as a Christian.

Turning away from lies (1)

By Rev Ola Oladejo

"Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust, And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." (Ps.40:4)

The conversion, some years ago, of the king pin of an advance fee fraud syndicate to Christ in Surulere, Lagos illustrates the evil of living a life of lies and the urgent need for all to hear the word of God and turn away from lies and deception. The man in question had seen how his friend an estate manager prospered after coming for prayers. He wanted God to do same for him. So led by the estate manager he came for help in prayers.

He desperately needed a turn around because his nefarious 419 trade, as Nigerians call the evil, was nose-diving. Like most people on the wrong lane, he somewhat believed the lie that an anointed man of God could reverse the series of ill fortunes he was witnessing while still actively involved in the sinful practice.

Rev Ola Oladejo

To cut the story short I cannot forget our first meeting as he tried to dribble and cover up his occupation that he wanted God to bless. There I was being confronted with the depth a man can plunge himself into for having believed a lie for too long and having patterned his life after falsehood. When I insisted on knowing his profession and his means of livelihood, he confessed that he was a 419 man, a common name for fraudsters in Nigeria. I told him if he wanted his prayer to be answered he must give his life to Christ and forsake 419 entirely.