Nigerians have to be careful not to allow ourselves get distracted by the dim-witted but gregarious and verbose displays of people who unfortunately got a good education, little manners and 15 minutes of fame.
We need to pay attention to the upcoming federal and state elections and prepare for them.
It is important that we begin to use every forum to inform would-be office holders that we will hold them to account for the work they are elected to do.
Lagos, Enugu, Kano and Kansas don't belong to any human being. This entire planet belongs to God. He determines who occupies each territory. If you have been blessed to find sustenance and purpose in a locality, dwell in peace (as much as it possible) with all men there.
Abraham dwelt in Canaan, traded with the indigenes and probably helped them fight some battles. Yet he preserved His honor by preserving his identity and mandate. Our true uniqueness and our preservation of the same lends us honor among those whom we deal with. There is no mention in scripture of God telling Abraham NOT to let Isaac get a wife in Canaan. I stand to be corrected. It is not his ethnicity that granted him uniqueness - it was the covenant he was in with God.
Likewise we must understand what it is that matters and give that its place in our lives, preserving our true value. As we keep ourselves focused on what really matters, we align ourselves with the purposes of the Kingdom we are loyal to - the Kingdom of God.
We are effectively neither Nigerians nor Africans - we are ambassadors of heaven - and we need to behave ourselves accordingly. We are on earth to show people how government is run in heaven. When the ambassadors get their job done right, the city rejoices (my re-phrase).
So please pray for Nigeria, ask God what you can do to make this nation better and get to doing it. I've started - have you?
Showing posts with label lessons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lessons. Show all posts
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Friday, December 10, 2010
There & Back Again
Yes, it was the title Bilbo Baggins gave his story in 'The Lord of the Rings'. I thought it befitting for my return from 'there' - a hiatus I took from writing after my Father passed on earlier this year.
It's good to be back. It has been an incredible experience for me all by myself, not to talk of what the country and the world has been through in that time.
To mention a few highlights in no particular order
December 1st was my birthday. I am still absorbing the goodwill messages I received, and turning them into fuel for next year.
December 3rd was 'The Experience' - I got a chance to serve God there before returning to my regular spiritual posting in the Family Life Directorate of The House on The Rock.
In business, we developed a new product from concept to store-shelf. we are selling it now in six locations. In working on this I have had support from friends and strangers alike. I have also had disbelief from friends and strangers. You'll hear more about this later.
Family: In June my son turned 2 and in August my daughter turned 5. I love my kids more everyday - my study of them is also on-going.
Financials & God: I can't separate them. He has come through at every point, but like Joyce Meyer says, 'I wish He would stop doing that late-in-the-midnight-hour deliverance stuff.'
I've written a new song (You are Worthy) and I hope to get into a studio soon. By fire by force. Sunny Sparks where are you?
Trials in general: I've been reminded not to be ignorant of the devices of the enemy. He is an enemy and he is out to get you down by all means and in all areas of life. He uses human beings sometimes to get to us. In case you were wondering, stop wondering. There are people who mistakenly allow themselves get used by the devil and there are those who willingly do it. we have to be wary of the devil's human shields and puppets - shooting at them may expose the enemy, but at the cost of treasured relationships. One of my major lessons for this year is the art of sacrificing my ego to live at peace with all men. It's been an expensive lesson and I'm glad I learnt it.
It's been rough, but its been fun too. I give God the praise...
More to come
It's good to be back. It has been an incredible experience for me all by myself, not to talk of what the country and the world has been through in that time.
To mention a few highlights in no particular order
December 1st was my birthday. I am still absorbing the goodwill messages I received, and turning them into fuel for next year.
December 3rd was 'The Experience' - I got a chance to serve God there before returning to my regular spiritual posting in the Family Life Directorate of The House on The Rock.
In business, we developed a new product from concept to store-shelf. we are selling it now in six locations. In working on this I have had support from friends and strangers alike. I have also had disbelief from friends and strangers. You'll hear more about this later.
Family: In June my son turned 2 and in August my daughter turned 5. I love my kids more everyday - my study of them is also on-going.
Financials & God: I can't separate them. He has come through at every point, but like Joyce Meyer says, 'I wish He would stop doing that late-in-the-midnight-hour deliverance stuff.'
I've written a new song (You are Worthy) and I hope to get into a studio soon. By fire by force. Sunny Sparks where are you?
Trials in general: I've been reminded not to be ignorant of the devices of the enemy. He is an enemy and he is out to get you down by all means and in all areas of life. He uses human beings sometimes to get to us. In case you were wondering, stop wondering. There are people who mistakenly allow themselves get used by the devil and there are those who willingly do it. we have to be wary of the devil's human shields and puppets - shooting at them may expose the enemy, but at the cost of treasured relationships. One of my major lessons for this year is the art of sacrificing my ego to live at peace with all men. It's been an expensive lesson and I'm glad I learnt it.
It's been rough, but its been fun too. I give God the praise...
More to come
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Public Service - Lighting Candles
Hi. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
It has been a long time since I heard someone being referred to as a 'Public Servant'. I guess it must be a reflection of the times. People kinda shy away from the the title 'servant' most likely because it reminds them of their househelps, security men or drivers.
I have a personal policy that guides a lot of my writing - I don't advertise the evil, decay or wrong doings of any one or thing. I proffer solutions, and take actions at my level, and beyond. So I won't go into detail about how wrong this misconception is or how prevalent it is.
Our society will thrive when everyone thinks beyond their personal gain to the good of the community as a whole. To this end, I like to see everybody as public servants. I serve the public whenever I find I can.
There is a story in the Bible about the Apostle Paul running into a man who 'held an entire city spellbound' by his witchcraft. I take away from this story the fact that people will listen to whoever is on the soapbox.
Where we have had a shortage of right examples, useless shallow nincompoops have stepped up to the mic. Put on your telly for 48hours and you'll get my point. Take a drive down your street. The traffic warden 99.95% of the time is more concerned with the prospect of extortion than with traffic control.
The result? Young people, leaderless, follow after the bling-draped, foul-mouthed, godless, illiterate morons displaying a mindless self-centered short-sighted perspective on everything from money to love to relationships to society. On the streets you have university graduates breaking through barricades where possible to drive on the opposite lane because they are in a hurry. This is so frequent that christian friends complain about it being a real temptation.
I have taken up my office as a servant of my public to embarass any of my fellow citizens who has taken leave of their senses and tried to drive 'one-way'. I was particularly proud to see someone else who, probably as pained as I was, did the same thing to a would-be defaulter. Oh yes it cost everyone a few minutes of waiting, but, if we don't take time to (learn how to) drive right, we will pray that a few weeks in the hospital will take care of the cost.
There are no free lunches. If you want your society to change, you have to stick your finger in it and root out the trash that is clogging up the pipes.
We are all human; we start out wanting to do right without hurting anyone, but if there are no restraints, sooner or later, we'll feel like we can bend a few rules, endanger some lives and get our way. So if the relevant authorities, 'the system' as we call it doesn't work, be the system where you can.
I have taken a personal interest in everything around me to ensure it's done right. If we all do this in our 'publics' we will begin to light candles. We will remind people that rules don't slow you down - they extend your life. In whatever community you find yourself, do endeavour to be on duty as a public servant from today.
Find out where your local PHCN/NEPA office is and get to know all the people who work there, and their superiors. Also get to know where the nearest police station is and the chap in charge. You may be tempted to shrug away from these offices due to past impressions, but I assure you, it will help more than it will hurt.
As a wise man once said, take your cue from salt. If you are boiling a pot of yams, you add a little salt to it for flavour. Now does the salt swirl around in one corner and say 'the yams have a different outlook on life than I do, so I won't mingle with them'? NO! It jumps on the yams, seeps into them and leaves them irreversibly changed.
Your society, your backyard, your closet is your challenge; don't run from it - face it head on.
It has been a long time since I heard someone being referred to as a 'Public Servant'. I guess it must be a reflection of the times. People kinda shy away from the the title 'servant' most likely because it reminds them of their househelps, security men or drivers.
I have a personal policy that guides a lot of my writing - I don't advertise the evil, decay or wrong doings of any one or thing. I proffer solutions, and take actions at my level, and beyond. So I won't go into detail about how wrong this misconception is or how prevalent it is.
Our society will thrive when everyone thinks beyond their personal gain to the good of the community as a whole. To this end, I like to see everybody as public servants. I serve the public whenever I find I can.
There is a story in the Bible about the Apostle Paul running into a man who 'held an entire city spellbound' by his witchcraft. I take away from this story the fact that people will listen to whoever is on the soapbox.
Where we have had a shortage of right examples, useless shallow nincompoops have stepped up to the mic. Put on your telly for 48hours and you'll get my point. Take a drive down your street. The traffic warden 99.95% of the time is more concerned with the prospect of extortion than with traffic control.
The result? Young people, leaderless, follow after the bling-draped, foul-mouthed, godless, illiterate morons displaying a mindless self-centered short-sighted perspective on everything from money to love to relationships to society. On the streets you have university graduates breaking through barricades where possible to drive on the opposite lane because they are in a hurry. This is so frequent that christian friends complain about it being a real temptation.
I have taken up my office as a servant of my public to embarass any of my fellow citizens who has taken leave of their senses and tried to drive 'one-way'. I was particularly proud to see someone else who, probably as pained as I was, did the same thing to a would-be defaulter. Oh yes it cost everyone a few minutes of waiting, but, if we don't take time to (learn how to) drive right, we will pray that a few weeks in the hospital will take care of the cost.
There are no free lunches. If you want your society to change, you have to stick your finger in it and root out the trash that is clogging up the pipes.
We are all human; we start out wanting to do right without hurting anyone, but if there are no restraints, sooner or later, we'll feel like we can bend a few rules, endanger some lives and get our way. So if the relevant authorities, 'the system' as we call it doesn't work, be the system where you can.
I have taken a personal interest in everything around me to ensure it's done right. If we all do this in our 'publics' we will begin to light candles. We will remind people that rules don't slow you down - they extend your life. In whatever community you find yourself, do endeavour to be on duty as a public servant from today.
Find out where your local PHCN/NEPA office is and get to know all the people who work there, and their superiors. Also get to know where the nearest police station is and the chap in charge. You may be tempted to shrug away from these offices due to past impressions, but I assure you, it will help more than it will hurt.
As a wise man once said, take your cue from salt. If you are boiling a pot of yams, you add a little salt to it for flavour. Now does the salt swirl around in one corner and say 'the yams have a different outlook on life than I do, so I won't mingle with them'? NO! It jumps on the yams, seeps into them and leaves them irreversibly changed.
Your society, your backyard, your closet is your challenge; don't run from it - face it head on.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Life in the sheep fold - That sweet Spirit
I love Pizza
Our life in God is like a very 'correct' pizza, enriched with an assortment of surprises, well-dispersed along the plains of perfectly baked flour that have been lovingly coated with molten cheese... (I leave the rest to your imagination)
Every christian knows that Jesus compared us to sheep। Why, he called Himself the Good Shepherd (John 10:14). This is one of many things Jesus told the disciples in a bid to get them to understand who he was and who they were.
I know that the sheep fold example talks about just one view of the Kingdom, but it interests me because it speaks of our continuing need for instruction, counsel and guidance।
After we learn the first few things about the Kingdom, we charge into the world and grab everybody by the collar and go 'repent or perish!' It takes a lot of energy to get people saved! So after a while, we run out of steam; then God calls us back to the fold। This cycle repeats itself throughout our lives, and these seasons of refreshing are carried out by an erudite faculty.
Welcome to the department of the Holy Spirit। I think He is a better example of a multi-tasker than the usual 'mother/wife in the household' idea...
...When we have chewed a mouthful of the emptier portions of our segment, He causes us to encounter a chunk of protein, lying alongside a piece of mushroom and some pepperoni। After that a cold sprite is on hand to douse our reactivated taste buds.
I love the Holy Spirit because He is really everything। He can use anything or any one to get a message across to you; but beyond that, He can tell you if the stuff you are hearing is right. (and believe me we hear a lot everyday - from the world, from our peers, from ourselves in the bathroom when we are alone, doing self-assessment)
God's love casts out fear from my heart because if I didn't know that He has approved of me already, I'd feel really rotten everytime I flopped। I'd think that an opportunity has just been lost and life is passing me by and... on and on and on। When we get caught up in this we could go on for weeks. Till we are exhausted. Then that sweet Spirit speaks (I burst out in tongues here) Sometimes he talks like a Delta man:
"Omo, na me wey call you। Everytin wey dey, dey my hand। U bi my pikin; u bi my pesin. Na me hol whistle, na me dey give prize. I don declare say na u go win. Wetin con dey worry u like dis? I don tell u before say u and lagbaja no dey go de same journey - so make u no dey look 'im side. Dis tin wey do u, dis place wey u dey, ur neighbours call am graveyard because dem be illitrate - me I dey call am valley of shadow of death - na one of my best classroom. When the microwave finish, eh, na so u go hear 'CHING!!!' and e go come be like say na yesterday we dem see u as one small boy, and overnight u come be Prime Minister.
Everytin wey dey, dey my hand। So...tell dem say No shaking!"
I don't know how anyone can live without that sweet spirit। If you won't tell your neighbour to get saved, at least tell him/her what they are missing।
The peace of the Lord be with you।
Derek Nwafor
Our life in God is like a very 'correct' pizza, enriched with an assortment of surprises, well-dispersed along the plains of perfectly baked flour that have been lovingly coated with molten cheese... (I leave the rest to your imagination)
Every christian knows that Jesus compared us to sheep। Why, he called Himself the Good Shepherd (John 10:14). This is one of many things Jesus told the disciples in a bid to get them to understand who he was and who they were.
I know that the sheep fold example talks about just one view of the Kingdom, but it interests me because it speaks of our continuing need for instruction, counsel and guidance।
After we learn the first few things about the Kingdom, we charge into the world and grab everybody by the collar and go 'repent or perish!' It takes a lot of energy to get people saved! So after a while, we run out of steam; then God calls us back to the fold। This cycle repeats itself throughout our lives, and these seasons of refreshing are carried out by an erudite faculty.
Welcome to the department of the Holy Spirit। I think He is a better example of a multi-tasker than the usual 'mother/wife in the household' idea...
...When we have chewed a mouthful of the emptier portions of our segment, He causes us to encounter a chunk of protein, lying alongside a piece of mushroom and some pepperoni। After that a cold sprite is on hand to douse our reactivated taste buds.
I love the Holy Spirit because He is really everything। He can use anything or any one to get a message across to you; but beyond that, He can tell you if the stuff you are hearing is right. (and believe me we hear a lot everyday - from the world, from our peers, from ourselves in the bathroom when we are alone, doing self-assessment)
God's love casts out fear from my heart because if I didn't know that He has approved of me already, I'd feel really rotten everytime I flopped। I'd think that an opportunity has just been lost and life is passing me by and... on and on and on। When we get caught up in this we could go on for weeks. Till we are exhausted. Then that sweet Spirit speaks (I burst out in tongues here) Sometimes he talks like a Delta man:
"Omo, na me wey call you। Everytin wey dey, dey my hand। U bi my pikin; u bi my pesin. Na me hol whistle, na me dey give prize. I don declare say na u go win. Wetin con dey worry u like dis? I don tell u before say u and lagbaja no dey go de same journey - so make u no dey look 'im side. Dis tin wey do u, dis place wey u dey, ur neighbours call am graveyard because dem be illitrate - me I dey call am valley of shadow of death - na one of my best classroom. When the microwave finish, eh, na so u go hear 'CHING!!!' and e go come be like say na yesterday we dem see u as one small boy, and overnight u come be Prime Minister.
Everytin wey dey, dey my hand। So...tell dem say No shaking!"
I don't know how anyone can live without that sweet spirit। If you won't tell your neighbour to get saved, at least tell him/her what they are missing।
The peace of the Lord be with you।
Derek Nwafor
Adult Education
I have never been in a hurry to pull rank or seniority on anyone, but some realities have begun to creep up on me. One way or the other, I am older than (some) people. I am married, have a 2 year old daughter, and work for myself. I am getting older. If I could shrug it off five years ago, I can't now.
I had heard many times that having children changes you. Well I guess it is best experienced. One of the biggest lessons becoming a parent has taught me is UNselfishness. Beyond this I have seen so much of my relationship with God in my relationship with my daughter that I am humbled daily. (Children wonder why grown ups are so reflective)
I begin to relate with God - how His love works through His gifts, His rules, His forgiveness, His mercy, and His favor to name a few. At Winona's school, they had all the kids dress up in trad for independence day. They had a lot of fun no doubt, but I remember getting rather upset that the school photographer didn't take enough pictures with her in them. You can imagine. I was only stopped from taking it further when I realised that this is how God is about us.
We are His stars. We have to shine. He is not happy when we are not at the top of the christmas tree. When we are not being our best. He just wants it to be that whosoever is born of Him stands out and yes OVERCOMES the world. Please don't be overwhelmed by God's demands - It comes with being a dad. Especially when you know you are omnipotent and that you have put the seed of greatness in your kids.Have a great christmas my people.
I had heard many times that having children changes you. Well I guess it is best experienced. One of the biggest lessons becoming a parent has taught me is UNselfishness. Beyond this I have seen so much of my relationship with God in my relationship with my daughter that I am humbled daily. (Children wonder why grown ups are so reflective)
I begin to relate with God - how His love works through His gifts, His rules, His forgiveness, His mercy, and His favor to name a few. At Winona's school, they had all the kids dress up in trad for independence day. They had a lot of fun no doubt, but I remember getting rather upset that the school photographer didn't take enough pictures with her in them. You can imagine. I was only stopped from taking it further when I realised that this is how God is about us.
We are His stars. We have to shine. He is not happy when we are not at the top of the christmas tree. When we are not being our best. He just wants it to be that whosoever is born of Him stands out and yes OVERCOMES the world. Please don't be overwhelmed by God's demands - It comes with being a dad. Especially when you know you are omnipotent and that you have put the seed of greatness in your kids.Have a great christmas my people.
Monday, November 5, 2007
the tiredness
welcome. the tiredness would seem a strange topic to start my first blog with, but there you have it. first, a little bit about me. I am ibo. I live in lagos, nigeria. great city, great opportunities, great stress. I am writing in small letters 'cuz I'm tired.
I am also really writing this blog because maybe there's someone else out there who's like me. let me explain. I am not necessarily physically tired, because if you give me a fun challenge now, I'll take it up into the night.
this tiredness is that born of having had my fill of yet another elixir. hollow promises. big bogus stories of what could be. every now and then, we hear of one - the best kinds are financial because money makes things happen. but there are others - knowledge, research, information, ideas, technology, associations, the list is endless.
I find that in life there are lessons we ought to learn along the way, to help make the journey easier. this write up is the first is a series on one of the virtues we must acquire.
CONTENTMENT.
I am also really writing this blog because maybe there's someone else out there who's like me. let me explain. I am not necessarily physically tired, because if you give me a fun challenge now, I'll take it up into the night.
this tiredness is that born of having had my fill of yet another elixir. hollow promises. big bogus stories of what could be. every now and then, we hear of one - the best kinds are financial because money makes things happen. but there are others - knowledge, research, information, ideas, technology, associations, the list is endless.
I find that in life there are lessons we ought to learn along the way, to help make the journey easier. this write up is the first is a series on one of the virtues we must acquire.
CONTENTMENT.
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