AN AMBASSADOR FOR PEACE...IN THE FACE OF VIOLENCE

As a little boy, I've always abhorred oppression, especially those mixed with violence, perpetrated towards people with little or no help or the ability to defend themselves, but then, there was nothing I could do then, but to wish for some kind of superpowers to avenge the oppressed, unfortunately, they were just mere wishes.

Violence can be described as man’s inhumanity to man at any level and most often in our world, we believe that the only response to oppression, injustice and ultimately violence is… violence and it is quite logical, to some extent, to think that way. The violence that the world suffers today is not a punishment of any kind but a natural consequence of our own violent actions. As humans, we have been wired psychologically to instinctively respond to violence in one of two ways; flight or fight. We either stand and fight when we are sure the odds are in our favour, e.g. David and Goliath (1Samuel 17:45) or run for our dear lives like the children of Isreal did against the Judeans in 2Chronicles 13:16.

But Jesus Christ offers a third way; a non-violent direct action. Now, this does not mean non-resistance or cowardice. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:38 – 42;

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.  If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.  And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.  Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away”

In a book by Martin Robinson, a story was told of a man who had a bad day at the office, he was criticised, abused and wrongly accused by his employer. When he got home, he poured the anger and aggression on his wife, a few minutes later, their first child came around and the mother transferred the anger and negative emotions to him, the boy felt hurt and unhappy and in turn, made the youngest daughter feels her share of the anger and negative energy flowing around, being the youngest child and no one to transfer her anger to, she fled to her room, picked her doll, pummelled it, smashed it and threw it violently across the room, leaving it in tatters – like a rag doll – where it lays helplessly on the ground. And surprisingly, the doll did not react nor did it fight back, and just like that, the flow of anger and violence had finally been absorbed and ended.

The actions of the doll illustrate an aspect of Christ’s action on the cross; ending the superiority of evil and it’s rulers. But breaking the cycles of violence is not just to allow violence to pass without any comment, it is also to allow a new beginning and new stories to emerge.

Jesus Christ was a willing innocent who chose not to speak in his own defence, but rather to remain silent (Mark 15:5). Jesus Christ embodies the covenant of non-violence which invites us to become a people of peace. And to fulfil our side of the covenant, we must renounce all forms of violence, make peace, seek justice for the poor and helpless, love our enemies, forgive wholeheartedly and LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY. Are you willing to be an ambassador for peace?

                                                                                              ...By Neogalgius.
                                                                                             Credit; Why the Cross by Martin Robinson

7 PRINCIPLES AND BENEFITS OF PLANNING IN EFFECTIVE LIVING.

Early in April this year, I joined a team for outreach in Oyo State. We were in a community on a Thursday till Sunday. On the last day of the exercise, a friend made a comment that sparked a train of thoughts in me on how people sometimes allow time to be wasted without a plan, and consequently, the purpose is helplessly unpreserved. She said, “We were here on Thursday but it was just like an hour gone.”

Life runs in a similar way: We were here some years ago and we will soon leave this planet. There are two irrevocable gifts of life that one has to be wise in handling: Time and opportunity. This is because what we do or don’t do with the opportunity when time lasts invariably becomes the net worth of life.

While pondering on her words, my mind was inundated with hundreds of thoughts. I observed we were on a mission and we had a purpose to accomplish; we encountered unforeseen circumstances such as rainfall; we had reasons to make adjustments such as change venue, time or method; and despite the fact that the circumstances were not lenient on us, the time didn’t stop. If we had not planned our time, it would have just kept burning for nothing. Time waits for no persons, no matter their status. Dr Mike Murdock wrote, “Planning is the starting point for any dream or goal that you possess.” He defined a plan as “a written list of arranged actions necessary to achieve your desired goal.” Planning becomes the highest form of faith in God. Failure to plan in the name of spirituality is foolishness. Such deception is born out of a lack of understanding of how God works. God is the planner of ages who never does anything without planning. Evidently, God never starts anything He has not finished. God stands in eternity and says, “Only my plan shall prevail.” Therefore, any visions or dreams that aren’t documented are mere wishes or hopes.

Follow me closely as I earmark the seven (7) principles and benefits of planning I learned from our outreach.

“What we do or don’t do with the opportunity when time lasts invariably becomes our net worth of life.”

Principle #1

Planning Preserves Purpose

On the second day of the outreach, we were heavily disturbed by rain. Nevertheless, we were able to accomplish our purpose for the hour because we had a guiding plan. Planning preserves purpose even though the procedure may change.

Every man is here on earth to fulfil a purpose. However, discouragements will sediment at the bottom of our hearts from time to time. We will keep having discouraging thoughts, moments and circumstances to fight. But it is relieving to know that when we have a guiding plan for our lives, our purpose for each moment of our lives shall be preserved. 

Principle #2

Planning Regulates Time

The greatest commodity in our life is time. Time is the only thing that is unambiguously equivalent to life. Our life ends up becoming what we exchange our time for. Therefore, time should be made accountable. It should be monitored and effectively spent. Time drips continually like the eastern earthen roof: sixty drops of the measure of time making one hour. When we have twenty-four hours, it makes one day. It doesn’t take long for time to accumulate. However, planning is the strategy by which time is prolifically captured.

Planning is the most effective time management strategy and a sure way of living effectively. Success is accomplishment and accomplishment is in doing. However, work will be uncoordinated or simply unregulated without adequate planning. At the outreach, our time was regulated by planning. Everybody knew what to do, how to do, when to do, for what reason to do and when to do any items in our agenda of the program. Our order of programme outlined when to sleep, when to eat, when to pray and when to work. So our time was well managed. Not only does planning regulate the time, but it also redeems the time.

Principle #3

Planning Gives Value to Time

You probably have heard the saying: “How time flies!” Time is volatile; it vaporizes readily where there’s no planning. Our time out for the outreach from Thursday to Sunday was just like a few hours gone. On the last day, we could not believe we had spent about 3 days already for the program.

Nonetheless, what counted at the end of the day was what we were able to accomplish according to our planning, even though time itself had flown away. The best judge of our effectiveness in life is time. The quality of life is measured in domination or donation, not in duration. It is in what we have been able to do between the first life cry and the final breath.

“Success is accomplishment and accomplishment is in doing”

Principle #4

Planning Helps to Accomplish Much within Short Time

A dream or goal with no deadline can last till eternity. An academic program that’s supposed to last for 3 years can be run for 7 years if there is no solid plan for it. For instance, you may be a PhD student and goes to the laboratory any day you feel like. However, having a plan can make a difference. This is because planning makes you disciplined. Planning will dictate what kind of friend you choose, what number of hours you spend on TV, and what kind of book you read. In a nutshell, planning will help you to accomplish much within a short time.

Planning also monitors the progress of purpose. One can monitor one’s progress in business, academic, or ministry with a plan. During our outreach, we simply confirmed our progress by checking what agenda we had accomplished compared with what we set out to accomplish. So in a short time, we made a great impact on the community.

Principle #5

Planning Helps to Shun Distractions

It is natural for discouragements to come. Many circumstances cannot be figured out at the beginning. But they will surface somewhere in the middle of the way. Both expected and unexpected distractions are best handled by having a solid plan.

The wisdom needed for the moment will come if there is a plan. Of course, you can’t adjust a plan you don’t have. When we were distracted by rain at our outreach, we changed the venue. In fact, some of us quickly came up with an alternative program that somewhat fulfilled the initial plan. A person who works with a plan is not readily distracted by little challenges.

“A little deviation from what your priority should be may lead you where you should not be”

Principle #6

Planning Checks Procrastination

A Planned Life is a Captured Destiny. You see, life can be funny. One may be at the realm of the profession of what one would love to accomplish in life for the whole first-half of one’s life. John Mason rightly said, “Some people spend half their lives telling what they are going to do, and the other half explaining why they didn’t do it.” What you ought to do today may be postponed till tomorrow because nothing is planned for tomorrow. That of tomorrow too can be postponed till next tomorrow because every new day is always an unoccupied, unplanned day.

A loosed destiny is the one that is not planned. It can stray at will following the dictate of societal happenings. An unplanned life can be stopped by economic hardship but the mind of a planned one will devise a surviving mechanism no matter how difficult is it. For our outreach, we never allowed our time to be dictated for by harsh circumstances we met on ground. We never procrastinate what we ought to do per time. Procrastination is not only a thief of time but also a thief of life because time is life.

Principle #7

Planning Helps in Maintaining Priority and Focus

There are one thousand and one things that will demand one’s attention in life. You cannot do or become everything. You don’t have to be everywhere; however, you can be somewhere and effects everywhere. This is the nature of light. Light only stays at the lamp-stand and gives illumination to everyone that comes in or goes out.

There are many good things that may demand for your time but not all good things are right. A little deviation from what your priority should be may lead you where you should not be. Therefore, the key to effective living is a priority. Planning is important in setting the right priority. It will help you focus on a few but glorious things you’ve carefully selected among other important things. By this, planning gives meaning to life.

                                                                    ....By Yemi Adekunle https://yemiadekunle.com.ng

WHAT YOU THINK, YOU ARE..!!!

Several years ago, I used to have a friend, his name, Femi. Femi and I were close friends, did a lot of funny things together, although, he was fiercer and stronger, I could remember he once competed with a dog just to show off his pace, and a bike man once knocked him down, and instead of getting him treated, the bike man started lamenting over his damaged bike, my friend only had few bruises; believe me, he's that strong.

Back then, we had a neighbour, he was quite fond of us, he was always challenging and encouraging us, we’d spend time in his apartment watching movies, and one movie in particular "The Promised Child" by Mount Zion Ministries. This friend of mine and I would watch this movie over and over until we started mimicking the actors, both in actions and in words until this neighbour of ours couldn’t take it anymore – because of our disturbances – while at the same time impressed because of what he perceived to be a rare talent; the ability to remember everything, word for word.

Fast forward a little bit, during secondary school, I have this teacher who would call me out from among my mates and tell me to sing any of the then-popular TuFace songs and I would, without any mistake, pour out the lyrics perfectly, series of applause and what seems like a hero worship from himself and everyone in class would follow. Only for him to give us a short test which I ended up failing, and without any regard for my lauded performances earlier, he would design my back with his long flexible cane. Master K.C. thank you!!!

Then, I couldn’t help but wonder; “how is it that I could remember these songs and movies and all that, but not what I've been taught in class”. I had to change so many things to get myself on the right track.

I was in church one day during an annual programme, a young boy came up and started reading the book of Psalms, I was shocked when I couldn’t find a Bible with him – Wow!! He didn’t start reading the book a day to the programme I suppose. I believe you probably must have heard about a young boy who recited the whole of the Quran by heart, you’d agree with me that that boy didn’t start his preparation a day to the contest either.

The thing is, the ability to remember anything at all depends on interest as well as the willingness to repeat the whole process. Have you ever noticed, let’s say you play scrabble, chess, checkers or any of the board games a lot, that you start seeing the board game in the air, without having it with you physically, like you're seeing a vision, the pieces are moving spontaneously, giving you new ideas. The thing is, the brain will only give you what you're constantly giving to the brain, what you're always exposing it to. Practice, they say makes perfection..!!!

The law of Habit says, “Any thought or action that you repeat over and over will eventually become a new habit.” You see, for my friend and I, we were both interested in the movie and was always willing to repeat the whole process of watching that particular movie over and over, not minding the number of times we have seen it. The songs I was always singing so effortlessly was as a result of constant practice and a big deal of interest. You are not what you think you are, but what you think, you are. The mind is one of the most powerful – if not the most powerful – tool that was given to man, with a powerful force that can be turned in any direction to bring about wonderful results or wreak havoc and destruction, and the beautiful thing is, you are the only one with the key to your mind.

...By Neogalgius

THE MOST POWERFUL FORCE ON EARTH.

Ever wondered what the most powerful force on earth is? Although this sounds like a rhetorical question, given that science has explained different kinds of force, however, there is a force that transcends an average human imagination and sometimes I get lost and had to pull myself out of the imaginary world I had created and wandered into.

This is a question lots of people have tried answering through different means, from different perspectives.

            “But HE uses the simple things of this world to confound the wise”

There is this void in us wanting to be filled and we are, one way or another, doing different things, willing to go to any length just to fill this emptiness, from lusting after power, to desiring wealth and riches, to cravings and addictions, to whatever anyone can think of, just to derive satisfaction, but all this while, the answer has always been right there in our heart. LOVE!

And LOVE, just like the TRUTH is self-sufficient, it is self-sustaining, no matter how long it takes as long as its course is still in existence, it will survive.

            “The Most Powerful Force on Earth is the Human Soul on Fire”

Love is the most basic human need and we will go to any length to get it, with no exaggeration.

            “Love is the Creative Aspect of Creation”

It is the most potent growth factor! The most powerful Medicine yet to be analyzed; a mystery yet to be fully understood and more often than not it is confused with lust! When it comes to Love, even the great Hero can be an idiot, the strongest and the wisest can become fools and timid. It can soften the hardest of hearts and strengthen the weakest of souls. True Love is a risk because you never know if it will be reciprocated, BUT IT IS A RISK WORTH TAKING.

To be in Love is to lose “you” completely, to give without expecting anything in return. It is to lose your right of possession; when it comes to Love, nothing is owned, because the things we touch have no permanence; there is nothing we can truly hold on to in this world and only by letting go can we truly possess what is real.

And to Love truly, we must learn to appreciate everything connected to us and accept ourselves for who we are; because when you don’t like yourself, you tend to dislike everything connected to you, new things become more attractive, but the moment you learn to Love, appreciate, and accept yourself, then that same old life start looking new, it starts looking awesome.

GOD is the sweetest Love ever and we all deserve to experience HIM!

Have you ever been in LOVE?

                                                                ...Written By Neo Galgius.

WE CAN DO NOTHING AGAINST THE TRUTH BUT FOR THE TRUTH

I stumbled on a story online sometimes ago, and the morals embedded in the story wouldn’t let go of my mind: “FOR WE CAN DO NOTHING AGAINST THE TRUTH, BUT FOR THE TRUTH” and here is an excerpt from the whole story;

Sherry Hunt, a country girl, raised in rural Michigan by a dad who taught her to fish and a mom who taught her how to pick wild mushrooms. She got married at the age of 16 and didn’t go to college. In 1975, a friend helped her find a job, home loans processing at a small bank in Alaska, and over the next 30 years, she moved up the ladder to mortgage-banking positions in Indiana, Minnesota and Missouri.

In November 2004, Sherry Hunt, now 55, joined Citigroup Inc. as a Vice president in the mortgage unit. It looked like a great career move. The housing market was booming and the New York-based bank, the sixth-largest lender in the U.S. at the time, was responsible for 3.5 percent of all home loans.

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Hunt’s team was responsible for protecting Citigroup from fraud and bad investments, she and her colleagues inspected loans Citi wanted to buy from outside brokers and lenders to see whether they met the bank’s standard.

By 2006, the bank was buying mortgages from outside lenders with doctored tax forms, phony appraisals and missing signatures, it was Hunt’s job to find these defects and she did, in regular reports to her bosses, but the executives buried her findings, she was even asked to overlook it or she would lose her job.

Sherry Hunt wouldn’t play along, instead, she took her employer to court and won. The group didn’t deny the charges and they agreed to pay $158.3 million to the U.S. government to settle the case. And as a reward for blowing the whistle on her employer, Hunt, the country girl turned banker, got $31 million out of the settlement paid by Citigroup.   (Source: Bloomberg, Bloomberg Market Magazine; Woman Who Couldn’t Be Intimidated by Citigroup Wins $31 million – By Bob Ivry; May 13, 2012 5:01 AM GMT +0100)

Well, TRUTHFULNESS is the greatest and most important of all human virtues. The truth draws strength from itself and not from the number of votes in its favour, that is to say that the truth is not diminished by the number of those who refuses to believe it, but it is strengthened through the support of those standing in its favour.

From the statements above, it suffices to say that the truth is self-sufficient, it is self-sustaining, no matter how long it takes as long as its course is still in existence, it will survive. The truth cannot be sought because it comes to you and with it comes an obligation to uphold it, it now depends on either the bearer is willing to stand by it.

Imagine if Sherry Hunt had decided not to reveal the truth, the truth will still prevail though, but she will forever live with the regrets, troubles, accusations and condemnations from her conscience and the atrocities will continue until the truth gets another bearer, and by then, you can only imagine the extent of damage that would have been caused.

The truth will do well enough if left to fight for itself, it seldom has received much aid from the power of great men, to whom it is rarely known and seldom welcomed. It has no need of force to procure entrance into the minds of men, such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing. The sun needs no inscription to distinguish itself from darkness. Error indeed has often prevailed by the assistance of power or force, the truth is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error.

You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free; there is a kind of joy that comes with the truth, it sets one free, free from regret, it gives strength and confidence. Over the years, a lot of people have devised several means to conceal the truth; from killing innocent people to eradicating valuable information, but just like the flow of water from a hill, you block its path, it will create another one for itself, the truth will always find its way to the surface eventually.

So, in the knowledge of this truth – that the truth will always prevail in all circumstances – the onus is on us to stand by the truth, and since it has been established that come what may, the truth will always survive, it is great foolishness for anyone to think standing against it will amount to anything. For whatever it is that one cannot overcome by whatever means tried, it is only reasonable to join force with it.

And as expedient as the truth may seem, there is a very big responsibility attached to it, to stand with and for the truth is to defy the “norms” of this present world, a world where darkness makes more sense than light, a world where demons are seen as angels and angels are considered to be demonic, a world where heat is preferred to cold, where putting on rags is more appreciated than decent clothes, a place where people will do anything to hide and even run away from the truth because it makes them uncomfortable and will see those standing by it as stupid, foolish, archaic, obsolete and uncivilized, a world where even the truths written in the Bible seem to be too harsh and are proposing to rewrite it to suit them and their life-style, where engaging in immoral and unethical activities are more adventurous and a cultured life-style is considered boring, a world where negativity is now the order of the day!

The fact that CitiGroup admitted wrongdoing and did not deny the allegations after Sherry Hunt had filed the lawsuit – no testimony, no trial – only serve to reiterate the fact that nothing can truly be done against the truth, but for the truth!

YOUTH: - A VERY SENSITIVE STAGE IN LIFE

Youth...By Neo Galgius

The life of a human being is, without argument divided into three stages; the Infant, Youth and Adult, and of these three, the youth is the most, well, complex.

You will agree with me that the glory of an infant lies in its innocence, or what would you do to a baby who smashed your phone? Nothing!

And Adults draw strength from their grey hair (although, not all of them physically have it, but until a certain age) which is their experience; they take decisions most of the time based on their wisdom and experiences.

But the life of a Youth is a very sensitive one, so complex but yet simple, simple enough for those who have the right direction, (be it a mentor, exposure, orientation) etc. It is a transition stage, it determines, to a large extent, how the adult stage would be like.

It’s a stage of absolute freedom in decision making, exploring the world, enjoying your life, even the Bible speaks interestingly about this stage, it says; “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things, God will bring you into judgment”.

Well, you will agree with me that God’s judgment on the last day, on us, would depend largely on how we lived during our youth!

The life of a youth can be likened to a plant; in its early stage, it is grown and catered for in the nursery by the farmer, the water, nutrients and even the soil were all provided, but after growing to a certain stage, it is transplanted, onto the field, now, there is competition for space, water, air, sunlight, in fact competition for survival; some plants would become redundant, become stunted in growth and as such unable to produce good fruits, others compromise their way to survival, that’s where you will see irregular shapes when fully grown, their fruits will never appeal to the eye. While some would remain grounded and firm, not giving in to challenges and pressure, they go on to grow to the satisfaction of the farmer. The life of a youth is very delicate, complex and sensitive but yet simple, if only we seek direction and not lean on our understanding.

I think it suffices to say that; “there’s a thin line between enjoying your youth and destroying your future”.