My Life as The Apple of God’s Eye.

From infancy to this moment, I have been privileged to survive several possible deaths and a lot of potential calamities. From terrible, debilitating sicknesses to assassination attempts, auto accidents, near-death experiences on hospital operating table, medical malpractices, criminal implications, incriminating set-ups and even self-induced sheer recklessness, I have survived them all, to date. Since the year I turned 50 therefore, I have considered every additional day a bonus. And it's in view of this strange fate that I have often wondered if God has made it a special assignment for some angels to keep watch over my life, maybe for one reason or the other.

While I am not sure about the role of providence, there is however one thing I am very sure of. In all of my adult life so far, I have always likened life to a highway. No matter how great and careful a driver is, he or she needs to painstakingly think for the other drivers on the highway lest such a driver be involved in an accident that arises due to no fault of him or her. Such is the case in my life. I have always been in the habit of thinking for the other people by preempting or anticipating their actions at home, in the neighborhood, at the work place, on the road and among friends or colleagues. This is because I will not want to be “messed up” by some other people’s negligence, recklessness or carelessness.

With this personal principle in place, I have been able to conform to an adage that says “heaven helps only those who help themselves.” Therefore, even if God has designed a special protective system solely for my survival on this earth plane, he will realize and probably be impressed with my own efforts in ensuring that all is well at every point in my life.

Blessings for Sale to the Highest Bidders.

 



What's going on in Nigerian-oriented churches in America? It's now the vogue to auction off blessings to the highest bidders under the guise of "sowing seeds".

These days, all a "man of God" has to do is read a section of the Bible and ask the congregation to pay certain amounts for blessings. The chapter and verses quoted will determine the amounts to pay for the blessings.

For example, if the section of the Bible quoted is Isaiah Chapter 7 verse 20, the amounts required will be $720. Yet, you'll see some members of the church (all otherwise educated and born-again Christians) scrambling to pay for the advertised "blessings".

Is salvation no longer free? And are blessings not supposed to be received from God by grace any more?

Glory be to God for His abundant patience!

 

 

 

What Do You Believe in the Bible?

It's funny how many of us Christians love certain books or sections of the Holy Bible while ignoring those we detest.

For instance, there are people who will always stay away from the Book of Exodus only because it contains the Ten Commandments. And these are the reasons why:

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

- Tell that to those who are so emotionally weak that they swear and curse every micro-second of their lives due to the most minor form of frustrations.

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

- Yeah right! It’s on a Sunday that a whole lot of people engage in the most dirty forms of recreations…illicit sex, substance abuse, etc. 

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

- Unfortunately, there are too many temptations out there (including houses of worships) beyond the control of lots of people, especially men. 

8. Thou shalt not steal.

- Let’s hope the stealing of office stationery is not included.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

-Mischievous people hate this commandment as if it is a plague.

10. Thou shalt not covet.

- This is similar to adultery except that eyeing someone else’s wife or husband is worse.

As for pastors, many of them love to quote excitedly from the Book of Malachi all because of a tiny line about the payment of Tithes. The same pastors however will not be found dead quoting from the Book of John Chapter 2 (verses 1-11) where Jesus turned water into wine. 

Now, the trick of some pastors is to quickly point out that the wine produced by Jesus (through miracle) was non-alcoholic. For God’s sake, it has been proven that non-alcoholic wine did not exist until thousands of years after the transition of Jesus!

It is very important for us as Christians to always keep in mind, the primary purpose of the Holy Bible as a message about salvation. It’s primary sphere of authority is salvation. And it is a sufficient guide that tells us how we might be given eternal life with God. 

Such a great book therefore cannot be turned into a tool by any individual to serve a selfish or personal purpose.