A new brand of prophets

My heart is full of excitement as I see the way God is raising an army of ministers particularly in the music industry. I sincerely believe this is the army of prophets that is needed to bring God's kingdom into our society. Here are a few songs I came across. I bet you will be impressed at the level of creativity. I'm particularly impressed at the delivery. There's no way anyone in this generation will not listen to these guys. In case you know any upcoming or other established voices to this generation, please drop a comment. Meanwhile, sit back and enjoy the ministry of these prophets.

Henrisoul (Gbagoro Agbago)

SimpliMichael

Flo-rocka

(Listen to his music here)

GameMan  (on Facebook)

Dieko (Listen to Baraje, one of her songs)

Xt Samurai (listen to Shine in My light)

Getting slapped in Church: Your take please.

I saw this video and I was just confused. Can someone please explain this to me?

Exploring Creativity

One of the greatest challenges of the church over the years has been the ability to translate spiritual intangible to physical realities that the world can understand. It seems that for us to be able to communicate effectively with anyone that does not yet believe in Jesus, we must first confuse them. The more confused they are, the easier it is to get them into the kingdom. We seem to forget that at one time there were some things relating to God's kingdom that we did not understand.

As a result of our inability to accurately interprete these spiritual intangibilities, we give excuses. Here is one that is simply a classic.

Be blessed as you listen to the lyrics of our song and not the music. 

What?! Why call it a song when you all you want is for me to listen to the lyrics and not the music?
Our greatest job as believers utilizing media to advance the kingdom family of God is to interprete these "heavy" spiritual truths in language/expressions that everyone can understand. Let me cite a few examples

Alfa Sule -there's power in the name of Jesus

Suing the devil- answers the question of the validity of God's word in the 21st century

Olori Oko-The King, Jesus, is coming soon.

Once it becomes too difficult for an unbeliever to understand, then you can be sure he's lost to your message. For a few more tips on how to craft media that can cross over into the "secular", take a look at these slides I used for a programme I host monthly.

The Homosexual Invasion...the saga ends!

Praaaaise the Lord! Praise, praise, praaaaise the living Jesus! Did I hear your hallelujah? We really need to rejoice. Why, you ask? Because God answers prayers. DO you remember how I had solicited your prayers on the issue of the legalisation of same sex marriages in Nigeria? Well finally the senate has given their position on the issue and it is in answer to our prayers.

Right now in Nigeria, anyone who goes on to marry another of the same sex will be prosecuted and sent to jail for 14 years. Anyone who, on the other hand,  is  a witness to the "wedding" will not escape the hands of the law either. Such an individual will be slammed a 10year prison term. Phew! Now we can breathe a sigh of relief.Viva Senate! But I'm sure this is no longer news to some of us. So what's the point of this post?

 To think that  some people wanted to complicate the already messed social and economic landscape of this country is just unthinkable but then that proves one thing: It is obvious that those with whom we are contending are not physical beings. No person, in his right mind would want to make love to another of the same sex. I mean its just nauseating. But then when there are spiritual forces involved, a man is empowered to do just anything, positive or negative. It all depends on the kind of spiritual force behind it all.

This is my encouragement to us all. The Nigerian space belongs to God but He has given it to mankind to enjoy. However when man loses his position in God, he loses the right to manage what God has given him. Hence the need for children of God, who are rightly positioned by virtue of their kinship, to enforce His desires. The ways we do this is by making proclamations from our spiritual position. Nothing will ever hold water except it comes from that position. I can only proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord BECAUSE the Spirit of the Lord is upon me (Isaiah 61:2). Let us take our place!

M.I. preaches?

A friend of mine asked me recently what I felt about a pastor inviting M.I. (Mr. Incredible -Jude Abaga) for a programme he hosted. Considering that this man of God is one a lot of young people respect, I felt completely uncomfortable with the whole idea. I did a quick search online and landed on the facebook page of this church.

Apparently the show the pastor hosted was a talent show of some sorts. I am still trying to get info on what exactly M.I. was invited to do but I stil strongly felt that mix was not a right one.

Interestingly this raised some serious dust amongst some of the guys at the place I work. We discussed what could be the motivation behind inviting M.I. to the event. Why? Unfortunately I'm still investigating the content of the programme and what exactly M.I. did there but if you would like to see the poster, here it is https://www.facebook.com/ExtremeRevolution (as the profile picture of the programme).

However this trend seems to be the order of the day amongst believers where in trying to blur the line between the 'secular' and the 'spiritual' we tend to mix things up. Or how would you explain a christian rap group that changes a song by Kas (Fimile).

Original song                    "Christian" Remix
Fimile baby fimile Fimile esu fimile
Mi o se mo baby fimile Mi o se mo esu fimile
Ta lo nsoro? Kas lo nsoro Ta lo nsoro? omo Jesu lo nsoro

Or Resonance who featured Tuface in the remix of her song "Chinwe Ike"? Or even a Lara George song, 'Run With Me' where Lord of Ajasa was featured. I don't get it.

N.B. I got to learn just a few minutes ago that putting M.I. on the poster was a publicity stunt. M.I. did not come to perform but he was a way to attract the kind of youth that would not probably attend a "christian" programme. Can someone help me?

The Homosexual Invasion 2

It's been quite a while that I put anything up and I'd like to apologize to my many readers for this lag. A reasonable amount of water has passed under the bridge (don't worry. Very soon I'll give you full gist). In the meantime I'd like to give us a wake-up call to the rising conspiracy of the devil to take over our lives and introduce homosexuality into our system.

I was just about going out to work on Wednesday morning when I saw a news headline that stopped me in my tracks, literarily. I watched a news report on Silverbird TV, Lagos on same sex marriage legislation in Nigeria. A bill protecting the rights of citizens who would like to have same sex marriages, was at the level of the second reading. Our senators were at a level of passing this into law. This, for me, is sacrilegious! Just last week I heard that the senators of my beloved country Nigeria, were making a move to legalize prostitution. Their argument was this: by legalizing it, you are able to regulate it.

Here are my thoughts. In a community like Nigeria, where power generation is an issue, where primary health care is still a mirage and quality of education is under zero, all our legislators are talking about are sexual issues. I am not completely surprised at this response by our senators. It seems to me that all they can see is just what appeals to their appetites. It is a pity that our leadership is blind and completely clueless.

To think that another government, in this same Western Africa, is refusing aid from "big brother Britain" on this same sex rights issue is interesting. Immediately after the homosexual marriage report, there was another news item on how Britain was withdrawing aid from Ghana because they were not supporting "gay" rights. The president of Ghana, John Atta Mills kind of said, Get Lost Cameron! Take your money and eat it if you like (Well that's not exactly what he said).

So what can we do? First of all we must see this as a clear assault of the devil against all mankind in Nigeria (and not just the christian community). In the light of this, we must engage in spiritual warfare, empowering the angels of God to ensure that this invasion of darkness is stopped. WE MUST PRAY!!!

Secondly we must begin to find ways to educate our youth, children and teenagers on the ills of homosexuality and lesbianism. Not just by saying "It is wrong because God said it is!" Of course that is not wrong. God said it is wrong but the youth of today have another question. Why is it wrong? We must develop intelligent, bible-based answers to this question. If the answers are not convincing, you have lost the youth and anything goes. If however the answers are clear and intelligent, it creates a better worldview for the individual and enables him to make the right decisions.

Selah.

Transformers on Youtube

Last Sunday was a great time as God exposed to those present at the last R.A.M.P.A.G.E. seminar how we can effectively reach this generation with the good news of the kingdom. For those who for one reason or the other couldn't make it to the programe, here are the files for your viewing pleasure.

Psst...if you enjoyed what you watched, refer the link to friend or someone you know would be helped (youth leaders, pastors, gospel musicians, Christians in Nollywood, etc)

So here's is the video

One very dead Ghadafi

I've been out all day and then I come into the office to see celebrations on TV of the now dead Libyan leader. The video showing his dead body can be viewed somewhere in this post but there are lessons to learn from this event.

I wonder why it was so difficult for him to see this coming. It was too obvious that he, Ghadaffi, was out of the game. He had lost out but was not willing to accept defeat even in the face of all the evidences. At least seeing what had happened in Tunisia and Egypt, he should have just taken a cue from those experiences and quietly handed over or just fizzled into oblivion. But then power has a way of corrupting those who don't have strong roots in God and personal identity.

Ponder the lessons on the death of this man who has been in power for so many years and then has been finally ousted by his own people.

When the righteous prosper the city rejoices. When the wicked perish...SELAH

Pornography in Nollywood!

I have always known Hollywood was daring when it comes to showing skin but then it appears their Nigerian counterparts have begun to "chop liver" as we like to say it in this part of the world. The rate at which more skin is being revealed in our home videos is really alarming.

I got an inkling of this when I started seeing disturbing posters of Nollywood movies where women are in underwear. One particular one made me want to puke. The lady was taking her panties off! I can't believe that I would witness the day when our movies would get to that level. In fact the one I saw on a blog this morning brought the gravity of the situation home to me. The actor, Muna Obiekwe, was actually pulling off his boxers! The devil is using some of these actors, movie directors and financiers to unleash a wave of lust and immorality into the airwaves. Have you wondered why all of a sudden, the rate of rape cases has suddenly increased? Just this week a gang of rapists was caught and displayed on TV. A few months ago it was the case of a gang of students raping a fellow student and putting it on twitter. Could all these be as a result of the increase in the activity of demon spirits empowered by the release into the airwaves by these movies?

The most dangerous bit is the cheap availability of these movies. Just walk down Oshodi and with N500 you can buy between 5-7 movies. Or simply go to your local barber store and you'll get to rent these movies for between N20 and N50. So anyone can just walk anywhere and get a full dose of pornography, to his heart's content.

It may surprise you but most of our youth are being "trained" for immorality and lewdness and most of us are clueless as to how this is happening. How has all this happened right under our noses? Simply because we kept quiet and didn't do anything. We must understand (and accept) that there's a legitimate desire for entertainment. It's human (and not an "unspiritual" desire). However, we must ensure that the desire is fed with the appropriate content. Right now is the time to release content that is wholesome. Let's make movies that are better in content and promote kingdom values-character, trust, love, friendship, courage and so on. These values cut across all mankind and are not just "christian".

As part of an effort to empower individuals with the information to rightly influence this generation, I'll be holding a seminar this Sunday at NOIC Grounds, Charley Boy b/s, Opposite Intercontinental Bank plc, Gbagada. The programme is focused on how media can be used to bring the influence of God's kingdom to this generation. It promises to be practical and insightful. The venue is just after the foot bridge just before getting to UPS and ChristChurch. Click here to go to the Facebook Event Page.

Here's a link to description to the venue.

I'm Suing The Devil for $8 Trillion!

If you haven't seen the movie "Suing The Devil" then I suggest you stop right now and head to the nearest cinema to you (Silverbird Galleria Lagos, Port Harcourt or Abuja if you reside in Nigeria. I haven't seen the movie myself but a friend of mine who went to see it at the cinema was full of praise for this flick.

A young man sues Satan for $8 trillion! One day before Luke files default judgement, Satan appears to defend himself with 10 of the country's best trial lawyers, as the world watches the trial on television. This movie answers so many questions from the authenticity and relevance of the bible in the 21st century to who Jesus Christ is and what He did for humanity by giving us access to the Father and restoring us into sonship.

I heard an atheist, a university professor, knelt in front of the screen in surrender to Jesus as saviour after watching this movie. I also heard a gangster watched the movie, broke into tears and gave his life to Jesus. This shows me two things:

1. The world does not have a problem with receiving Jesus, our presentation methods are what is scaring them away.
2. The dynamics for evangelism have changed. There are more effective ways to reach the world with Jesus than some of our other methods.

Most significant for me however is the fact that Hollywood is trying to understand how Christians have been able to turn such low-budget movies into block-busters

1. Fireproof made $6,835,799 on the opening night and has grossed 33 million dollars at the box office till date. 
2. Suing the Devil had the second highest-grossing average of any independent film in the nation. The film  won 5-Dove Seal from the Dove Foundation. 
3. Facing the Giants made $1,343,537 on the opening night and it has grossed $10,178,007 till date.

God has obviously released His wisdom to the church to disgrace principalities and powers (Ephesians 3:10) and it is being expressed in different sectors. It's about time we woke up and began to log into the divine flow and obtain the things that will help us reap the harvest in the world.

Kingdom Music

I got a few videos from people who are motivated by the King for your listening and viewing pleasure. If love the videos, you can add links to some that have caught your attention either by the creativity or the way the message was delivered. Enjoy the weekend.

1. SOS by JBone (A cry to God about the Nigerian situation).
   
2. Owa by SimpliMichael (Song about the pleasures in God

3. Psalm 23 (Odeshi) by Kenny K'ore

Happy Independence

Today marks the 51st anniversary celebration of our great country Nigeria. This country has a lot of potential and prophecies over her. We think becasue of all these positivite indications, Nigeria should automatically become a great country with abundance for its citizenry. Alas it is not so.

Despite our nation's wealth, we still see poverty plaguing our society. It is evident in everything in our society-

1. Our education system (leading to mass failure of even NECO. Simple NECO! Ah!), 
2. Our electricity -with unsolved power supply issues despite many millions invested in it.
3. Our transportation - expressed in a myriad of bad roads and all (you would think a meteor landed on some of our roads.)

Poverty is evident everywhere (well almost everywhere) most especially in our minds. The kind of environment we live in is really swallowed up in this poverty evidenced in various sectors of our society. The absolute disregard of law and order in our nation is another evidence of the poverty around us. Most of these things are like gigantic Goliaths, constantly harrassing the polity, while our Saulish leaders hide in their tents and run commentaries and give speeches while ignoring the problems.

So what are the indicators of a great society? Here are a few:

1. Tolerance
2. Knowledge
3. Access to basics (shelter, etc)
4. Freedom of expression
5. Justice, fairness and equity
6. Representative governenace
7. Dignity
8. Secutrity
9. Freedom of choice
10. Individual responsibiltiy to society
11. Freedom to aspire

These things are what the government should provide. But what do we do when Goliath roars and all the leaders do is quake in their boots and run into their tents to hide? That's the purpose of this post-a call to action by the Davids. If you read the story of David conquering Goliath, we see the same situation being played out in our nation at the moment. When no one could do something about it, God sent David into the equation even unknown to David himself.

David got there and was infuriated at the way Goliath was pouring out insult upon insult to the entire nation of Israel. He couldn't take it anymore. Who was this uncircumcised guy embarrassing the nation like this.  Very soon his words got to the ears of the king. Eventually he went to fight Goliath and what were his credentials?

1. He had defended his father's sheep against a lion and a bear. 
2. He had a covenant with God (and Goliath didn't).

The truth is that most of us have solved one problem or the other in our communities. When we didn't have power, we bought generators. When our gutters were blocked, we didn't wait for the LGA chairman to do something. We motivated people and we did the actual clearing of the drains ourselves. We have been our own PHCN, water co-operation, ministry of transport and so on. All these are the qualifications we have to bring these Goliaths down. What are we still waiting for? we've got God on our side on this one! Happy Independence and welcome to a new Nigeria!

I believe in Goodluck, do you?

What feelings came to you when you first read that post? Be honest. I still see the flyers and posters of the campaign of Jonathan for president. The slogan was "A breath of fresh air". I don't think he's lived up to his promise (at least not yet).

I did not vote for Goodluck Jonathan in the last election because I never believed he had the competence to handle a nation like Nigeria in the state that it is in. I strongly believe that as long as you are a leader, even if you don't have all the competencies, you must possess the ability to manage resources and pull them together in the direction of the vision of the organization. You must also be able to inspire confidence in your people. Now my gist today is not about Goodluck Jona but in the possibilities that exist for us.

I read an article(in a Nigerian newspaper) where Jonathan himself said he was not a general or a leader with character traits of a Pharaoh or something like that. He further stated in the article that Nigeria was plagued with many Goliaths and that all Goliaths have a vunerable open forehead where a stone can hit and bring down. We all realise Nigeria has Goliaths. It's also obvious that if we have Goliaths, we need Davids right? What is a bit surprising is what Jona's own response to all the criticism on his leadership style. I saw a facebook post where Fani-Kayode quoted Jonathan as saying he was not a David or army general. Are you surprised? (Pls note that when Goliath terrified the people of Israel all the leadership could do was just shake in fear in his own tent too).

If Jona is not a David (which is obvious to anyone who is spiritually intelligent), then there's a need for the Davids to rise. I can bet that if one person brings down a Goliath today, he will earn the respect of all Nigerians (and other things will be added unto him too).

For the records I do not believe our friend Jona according can do anything about the Nigerian issue. The answer lies in the hands of Davids, people of covenant!

Tech And The Church 2

Have you heard about or watched the movie "Fireproof"? Did you know that the movie was a B class movie that eventually became a hit in the box office grossing $33 million.  One of the most interesting parts of this information is the fact that the movie was shot and funded by a church, Sherwood Baptist Church.

This church has been able to enter into the film making arena and spread the values of God's kingdom to the world. They have a movie making missions arm called Sherwood Pictures. Visit the site here. Some of the movies they have made are

1. Facing the Gaints
2. Fireprooof
3. Flywheel

This church is a very clear example of Kingdom people who understand the power of the media. In fact one of the founders of the church has starred in 2 of their movies. The latest addition to the staples of their movies is Courageous, about the lives of four policemen who struggle with fatherhood and their faith. It particularly focuses on the power of fatherhood, something most of this generation really needs to know about. 

Here's the trailer of the movie here. 

Imagine a movie about Nigerian policemen trying to live out their faith in the police force? It would help celebrate those policemen who maintain a good testimony in the midst of the rot around them and also help push for godly values in our nation Nigeria. I know a church in Nigeria that did something like this by putting up a soap that had very strong christian themes and of course it had good airplay(Heaven's Gate I think).

We need more of these kinds of content to permeate our air waves. Now is the time to arise, and shoot the movies. Let our churches focus on this as against most of the huge structures we are building. No offense meant.

Tech and the Church

I'd like to apologize for not blogging in the past few days. It's a bit challenging managing to wear so many hats particularly when the resources (PHCN and the internet) are limited and associated with time. That said, I'd like to arouse your interest in something most of us have ignored for so long.Ok here's something for your viewing pleasure





I sincerely believe technology is meant to be a tool for the use of mankind. The movie above validates this point of mine but it seems the body of Christ is selective on what kind of tech it uses. I was in a discussion with some members of my church on why some of them were not on facebook. I can't imagine any young person not being on this awesome social network. I guess the problem for most of use "believers" is the fact that everyone is on it and evil is perpetuated on it. But The truth is that these things are platforms on which we can interface with the world. Who would pass off an opportunity to reach the world particularly when you've got a product that will better the audience? I just don't get it.

If you've been in Lagos for a while, you may have heard about the event organized two times in the year by Covenant Christian Centre (with Poju Oyemade as pastor) called The Platform. This is an excellent use of technology to advance the kingdom of God. How?

1. The next installment of the program, holding on October 1st, 2011 is going to be broadcast live on TV and the internet.
2. For those who don't know the way, Google maps have been employed for the description to the venue.
3. Once you register you get an sms giving your seat number and registration code.
4. A short video was made to advertise the event

We should leverage technology and use it to improve the lives of others. We should use tech to advance the gospel of the kingdom of God. Your phone is no longer just a device. It's a portal to access the world. Use it well. We need to rethink our methods and presentation. The gospel of the Kingdom is beneficial to all mankind, I think its our presentation methods that are not quite right. I hope to reveal a few secrets on how we can use tech more effectively to advance the kingdom of God. In the meantime enjoy this video.

Action Guv'nor Oshiomole Does It Again!!!

I interrupt this week's daily dose of sharing on how to translate spiritual resources into tangible physical things that can change life here on earth to bring you news of some interesting news of something that happened just yesterday in Edo State, Nigeria.








Here's the video


This event goes to show you the value we have of the Nigerian citizen. Now try and understand me. I'm not saying that the man was not wrong. He acted out of place (and obviously he had fallen out of favour with the governor) but I believe every citizen deserves to be treated with dignity. Is it not when a man resists arrest that he should then be bundled? Please let me have your thoughts.

Explosions!

Today I'm talking about dreams that God uses to propel His own into relevance and change in society hence the title EXPLOSIONS. I'll corroborate our discourse with a story. A young man, living in a one room apartment with his parents had a dream one day. In his dream, he saw a brand new laptop and he wondered if it meant that God was going to give him a brand new laptop. As he looked on, he felt impressed  to draw the design of the laptop and as he woke up from the dream, he quickly sketched out what he saw. He discovered later as he surfed the net that the design of the laptop he saw was new, infact revolutionary. He then made efforts to contact a few well known computer companies;HP, Dell and Toshiba. Only one of them responded to his email but after three mail exchanges they suddenly stopped communicating. Every effort to reach them just fell flat. This young man gave up and just went back to his mundane life.

One day, as he sat before TV, watching BBC, he suddenly screamed calling for his father. His dad ran into the sitting room, startled by the noise and expecting the worst. The young man pointed to the TV and right in front of him was his laptop design on display. He couldn't believe his eyes!

He promptly contacted the computer company with his lawyer of course. Evidence of his communication with them and his sketches proved the validity of his claim on ownership of the idea. After some negotiation, the company decided they would pay him 4 million US dollars. You will agree with me that for someone who had been living in some level of poverty that kind of money should change his life forever. Upon advice from his pastor, he decided to make a better negotiation on the percentage of royalty that comes to him on every unit of the product sold. Of course that changed his financial fortunes for life.

To now make things even better, the company asked him to come over to their company overseas. He went to Abuja to pick up his visa, expecting to get a 2 week visa. That would be just enough for him to be able to get his share of the booty he had earned. He was in for another surprise. The company wanted him to come and join them for a 4 year contract as a staff.

This story is a true story and was not made up. I told it to show us that God is still in the business of showing us things that can change our lives drastically and even change our world. A similar story is told in the bible (Genesis 31:10-12) where Jacob had a dream that transferred wealth to him from an employer who was a cheat and conman. I believe that this grace is available for all God's children in this 21st century. All creation is waiting for our release into full expression.

Contacting The Divine, Connecting the Earth

In continuance of the discourse of yesterday, we'll be spending the week looking at some models. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, we'll adopt a scientific approach in examining these models. These stories were written for our learning and instructions (Romans 15:4). Today we'll be starting with Joseph.

PRINCIPLE 1: RECOGNIZE THE SOURCE OF YOUR GIFTS, INSPIRATION OR IDEA - GOD.
Joseph started out with a gift (just as we all do). He had a divine deposit. He had the ability to dream and interpret. Dreams are God's way of communicating instruction to mankind just as Job 33:15 says;

In a dream, for instance, a vision at night,
when men and women are deep in sleep,
fast asleep in their beds—God opens their earsand impresses them with warning. 

PRINCIPLE 2: USE YOUR GIFTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY(CHURCH, HOME, WITH FRIENDS, ETC)
You may disagree but I discovered that Joseph interpreted his first dream to his brothers and this (plus the fact that he was his father's favourite and was probably a spoilt brat) made his brothers hate him so much. He arrogantly declared the meaning of this dream he had even to the point that his father had to rebuke him. How else could they have known the meaning of his dream if he didn't interpret it? So Joseph started out by using his gift on himself. 

PRINCIPLE 3: USE YOUR EXPERIENCES TO PERFECT YOUR GIFT

A few years of hardship in Egypt helped Joseph refine his character and his administrative skills. He was obviously gifted but he also learnt how to manage resources so well that twice his bosses left all they had in his charge.

PRINCIPLE 4: LOOK OUT FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP OTHERS WITH YOUR GIFT OR IDEA (DO IT FOR FREE)

Joseph's gift moved to another level-he now began interpreting dreams for others. How did the opportunity come? By observation.

PRINCIPLE 5: EVERY DIVINE IDEA/INSPIRATION IS BUNDLED: LOOK FOR THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THE INSPIRATION/IDEA.

Finally Joseph had the opportunity to stand before the king of Egypt and he was prepared. If you read the story in Genesis 41:14-33, you'll find out that Joseph was asked to come and interpret a dream but he went further than that. He interpreted the dream and now looked for a practical application as a solution to the problem presented. He communicated God's mind (by interpreting the dream) and then explained what needed to be done as a result. I believe this is where his experience as an administrator kicked in.

God hides things, honour and respect come to men that investigate such matters till they discover the hidden treasures ( Proverbs 25:2 my paraphrase).

For those interested, there will be a workshop on how to access and unlock divine creative streams on Sunday 18th September. Click here to get the details.

N.B. I tried to find out if Joseph's story was a historical fact or just a religious myth and found this.

Fractional Distillation

Over the past few weeks, my posts have been laying emphases on the obvious impact of the media, particularly at such a time as this that we find ourselves in. I won't like to enter into a general error where one can point out the problems and give lengthy talks and discourses about how those on the scene are not doing things properly without providing solutions. I'd like to follow the scriptural model, where the solution provider not only sees the spiritual (revelational) side of things but also brings practical, pragmatic solutions into the situation.

If you did not pass Chemistry I bet the title of this post jolted you. Well I'm not going to give you a long discourse in how to pass Chemistry. I'll just tell you how this relates to us. Fractional distillation is the separation of a mixture into its component parts, or fractions, such as in separating chemical compounds by their boiling point by heating them to a temperature at which several fractions of the compound will evaporate. How does this relate to us? Spiritual resources can be distilled to products that can be used to make human life better. That is what fractional distillation is all about as it relates to us!

It is clear all through history that the things that brought change into society occurred as a result of a spiritual resource that was downloaded into the earth for communal relevance. Isaac Newton, Martin Luther, Abraham Graham Bell, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates are just a few examples of individuals who logged into a spiritual space and brought into the earthly realms inventions that revolutionized human existence.

I believe that spiritual resources or revelation should translate into physical things that can influence life. What's the use of spiritual stuff that can't change or improve my life and that of others around me? The reason the Body of Christ seems like a bunch of religious people is because we are high on spiritual activities and resource but low on the effective transfer of these resources into society. What use is bible knowledge that has no practical application? Or fasting and prayer that doesn't produce, for example, increased business growth.

One question that I will endeavour to answer over the next few weeks is how to translate these spiritual resources into tangible results, inventions people can see, touch, feel and handle. The scientific way to understand how things/systems/products work is to examine a model. Simply break it down into its smaller component units, look for patterns in the operation and apply the principles or dynamics you observe into the existing situation or product.

This is what I believe God means when He said in Romans 15: 4 "Everything written in the Scriptures was written to teach us..."

God's judgement on homosexuality!

Many times we think God is silent on the things happening around us. We are concerned when we see homosexuals seemingly advancing, with legislation and funding that favours them. If you are like me, you are concerned for your children and may wonder how they will survive in the years ahead. However just as God wasn't silent when Pharaoh refused to let His people go and executed judgement on all the demon gods of Egypt, God is not silent in the 21st century either.

I came across this story about the way Hurricane Katrina came just a few days before a homosexual celebration was scheduled. Was it a chance "natural disaster" or God's judgement on the city that had allowed an annual celebration called "Southern Decadence" to thrive for so long?


"Southern Decadence" has a history of filling the French Quarter section of the city with drunken homosexuals engaging in sex acts in the public streets and bars. Last year, a local pastor sent video footage of sex acts being performed in front of police to the mayor, city council, and the media. City officials simply ignored the footage and continued to welcome and praise the weeklong celebration as being an "exciting event." However, Hurricane Katrina has put an end to the annual celebration of sin. 


On the official "Southern Decadence" website (www.SouthernDecadence.com), it states that the annual event brought in "125,000 revelers" to New Orleans last year, increasing by thousands each year, and up from "over 50,000 revelers" in 1997. This year's 34th annual "Southern Decadence" was set for Wednesday, August 31, 2005 through Monday, September 5, 2005, but due to massive flooding and the damage left by the hurricane, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco has ordered everyone to evacuate the city. 


I strongly believe that as we pray to displace all these demonic forces, God will begin to execute His judgement on them. It's time to get on our knees.

On books that crossed over

I just wanted to compile a list of some books that have been able to make a crossover into the mainline community from the Christian community. I've read some of them and been greatly blessed. I believe this is another area the kingdom of God can permeate the world. Jesus employed the same style-using stories to share truth (His parables). The truth is who doesn't love to hear some nice story or interesting gist, uhn?

The Circle Triology by Ted Dekker. This set of books explore the story of Creation and redemption using fantasy. His novels have sold over 5 million copies in the United States and over 1 million in 2010 alone. One of his books (THR3E) has even been made into a movie and I bet there's more to come.

Piercing the Darkness by Frank Perretti. It seems to me this is the father of supernatural thrillers. "With more than 15 million novels in print, Frank Peretti is nothing short of a publishing phenomenon and has been called "America's hottest Christian novelist". His books opened up the power and influence of prayer in influencing the outcomes of events in everyday activities.

The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers. This book explores the emotional and spiritual aspects of abortion. The Atonement Child brings a new perspective to this very controversial topic in America.

Have you read any fictional book that's explored the themes of God's kingdom? Let me hear about them, ok? Psst...Tomorrow's my birthday.

Prophets (Musicians) that Changed the World

In continuing with what I started yesterday on media that changed the world, I'd like to showcase a few "prophets" and their "prophetic utterances" that changed the world on a global or local scale.  This list is not exhaustive though and neither does it validate the lifestyles of any one of them that lived ungodly, immoral lifestyles. My focus here is on what their music did, its obvious influence. 

Kirk Franklin - Kirk has been a major influence on not just gospel music but also mainline musicians. His influence has spanned the world. The release of his song "Stomp" caused a shift in the way gospel music was viewed. It became clear that gospel music could infiltrate the "secular".

Infinity (The Olori Oko fame) - Their song changed the musical landscape of Nigeria. Most people started giving serious thought to their videos after these guys released theirs. It was obvious their sound had a supernatural breath as it shattered all kinds of religious and social barriers as people of diverse religious beliefs either played or sang the song "Olori oko si nbowale". Their song and video both won awards in Nigeria.

Bob Marley - His songs caused him to be referred to as a political icon. His music radically changed the worldview of people advancing the gospel of love.  "Marley’s melodies will be as prevalent as those of any songwriter who has ever lived. “No Woman No Cry” will still wipe away the tears from a widow’s face; “Exodus” will still arouse the warrior; “Redemption Song” will still be a rallying cry for emancipation from all tyrannies, physical and spiritual; “Waiting in Vain” will still seduce; and “One Love” will be the international anthem of a coffee-colored humanity living in unity, in a world beyond borders, beyond beliefs, where everyone has learned at last to get together and feel all right."(Bob Marley was a huge user of Marijuana)

The Beatles - This group influenced the culture of an entire generation. Their music also helped to bring down Communism. However the downfall of The Beatles came when they said that even God could not stop them.











Michael Jackson - We are the World, Thriller (which kind of launched the music video industry into prominence), Earth Song, Black and white, etc. Michael Jackson became a global symbol of charity using his songs as a platform for bringing influence.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti - A man whose lyrics put so much pressure on the governments of the day that they had to imprison him. He died, most likely of AIDS.

Music raises the soul of man even higher than the so-called external form of religion…That is why in ancient times the greatest prophets were great musicians.

Movies that Prophesy

If you are like me, you love watching movies (i'm particularly in love with the sci-fi and animation genres). Do you have any particular favourites , one you would watch over and over again? I do. I've seen The Incredibles more than 5 times (and I'd love to see it again). I have a friend who's watched Gladiator so well that he can recite the lines in the movie. If there was to be a Nigerian version, I'd nominate him to take the role Russell Crowe took in the movie.

You may not agree with me but the power of the media is majorly in the inspiration that births it. Prophecy is also largely linked with inspiration. Creativity is another element that is linked with inspiration. I can safely conclude that prophesying, inspiration and creativity are related. I checked a few meanings of the words used in the Old Testament for the word "prophesy" and came up with some interesting results.

1. naba: to prophesy, that is, speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)
   
2. chazah: to gaze at; mentally to perceive, contemplate (with pleasure); specifically to have a vision of
   
3. naataph: to ooze, that is, distil gradually; by implication to fall in drops; figuratively to speak by inspiration

Looking at these three words I see the media, particularly the entertainment media (movies, music, video games, etc) clearly represented. 21st century prophets are not just those who can give words of knowledge in the church or see the future but those who, being inspired by God can release the divine into the earth, giving us a clearer better picture of God and His ways.

Now that we understand what prophesying is I'd like to make a list of movies, music, art and fashion that have prophesied to mankind. I'll start today with movies that prophesy.

1. Lord of The Rings (It speaks of the Kingdom of the King and His ultimate return).
   


2. The Matrix (This classic is an allegory of the need for the renewal of the mind because of the fact that the real world is not the seen but the unseen.)


3. Brokeback Mountain (This movie is about a secret romance between two men. It became the voice that lunged homosexuality into prominence. Its message encouraged homosexuals to come out into the open).
   
4. The Harry Potter Movies (These movies made witchcraft and the occult more acceptable)



5. The Passion of the Christ



6. Heroes (A series that particularly speaks to mankind on the different giftings we all possess and how they relate to our personal purpose and the destiny of the planet).
   
   

The Devil's Box

I remember having some neighbours while growing up in the 90s, whose religious beliefs caused them to label the television the devil's box ("apoti esu" in Yoruba language). Because of the content this technology was spewing out, it was labelled an instrument of the devil to pollute the world. Church members were mandated not to have this "demonic" tool in their house and those who were converted to Christ and born into this denomination, took their TVs and either sold them or threw them into dumpsters.

About two decades after, these same believers are using satellite TV to broadcast live programmes that are beneficial to believers and the world at large. What happened? I believe light from the Holy Spirit suddenly dawned on them that it wasn't the technology that had the problem but the use it was put to and content that it released.

The Church has always done this over the years, we tend to throw out the baby with the bath water. It is ony human to fear what we don't understand. We are quick to associate many technological advancements to the devil because of our fear and ignorance. We must know that all creativity originates from God, the Father of lights. This creativity is a tool to advance the will of God in all the nations of the earth. This creativity is the means to reach this new generation!

There's no doubt that the key to any lasting change in any community is linked to influencing the largest demographic. Irrespective of how many older people know God fully and deeply, the reality of God would soon become a mirage to the younger geenration if they don't expereice God for themselves. Let me quote a few lines from Leke Alder's book Conversations of A 21st Century Saint:

"This is dyslexic genration. They respond less and less to words and more and more to images. In the 80s music could sell without video accompaniment. Today, no video, no music sales. The music is the video and the video is the music. No video, no music!

To reach this generation, the medium is as important as the message. The older generation is enarmored by television. This generation is into portable media: the mobile phone, the iPod, Sony Playstation Portable and, so on. They are more of platforms than gadgets in an age of digital convergence.

In essence these are the 3 factors in issue in youth marketing: the technology, the format and the content. The iPod is a technology. Rap is a format. The content is the lyrics.

We tend to be afraid of the technology, demonise the format and condemn the contents, whereas we ought to appropriate the technology, adopt and adapt the format and clean up the content. We must create the content in the same format using the technology of the age fro distribution."

We must wake up to the reality of the fact that to have a large market share, we must create products that the market will find useful and not just products that we like and then try to push down the throats of the populace. It's not in doubt that our message is authentic and relevant but it seems we are the only ones who know that. If I have the cure for AIDS but can't prove to the whole world that it can do what I say it can, do you think anyone would listen to me?

KNOCKED OUT!!!

It's obvious there's a spiritual power-play of sorts going on right now. The devil is out to ruin mankind. All creation is anxiously waiting for God's children to step on the scene and bring deliverance but it seems His children are no where to be found. the truth is the children of the kingdom are not weaklings. We are emissaries sent on a errand with the backing of heaven's armies. We can only take over the kingdoms of this world for God by the display of His power. We've got the power!

I'd like you to read a story a friend of mine emailed to me this morning that underscores this fact.

"Yesterday, I stumbled on a 1984 Interview of Lester Sumrall (An American Minister who died on April 28, 1996, at age 83.) It was a repeat broadcast on TBN International. He was in the Philippines on missionary work and he learnt of a prostitute who was jailed and had "lost her mind"! He said that she was very violent and no one could come near her! She was obviously possessed by a demon! He wanted to walk away, but he felt God wanted him to go and cast out the demon! So finally he summoned courage and went to talk to the doctor in charge.

The doctor was an atheist who didn't believe in Jesus, but since they had tried everything else in vain, he could only counsel Rev. Sumrall to stay off because the woman was dangerous! Sumrall showed him Mark 16 and explained that the last instruction Jesus left for us is to cast out devils! So the doctor agreed and did a funny thing.e started calling his friends and all the media houses to come and see "we are about to cast out a demon!"

Sumrall said there were about 120 people there before he knew what was happening! He wanted to take the lady into a room but the Doctor refused, saying, everything has to be done in the open. He started! The demon dealt severely with the woman. It bit her whenever Sumrall touched her. The demon made the woman shout "I hate you" etc.

However, he eventually ordered the demon to leave the woman and it did! . . . on free live television broadcast in many channels! He said immediately after, the Doctor took him to the Mayor's office! And the Mayor hugged him and asked, "Is there anything I can do for you? Anything!" He said yes. We are building a church a few blocks away from here. We have not been able to get our building plan because we refused to bribe! Right there and then, the Mayor sent for the papers and stamped them before him! and gave them to him. And said, "You are the first Protestant to get building permit in this city!"

Then Sumrall said, "One more thing. There is a park just in front of your office. Could you let me hold a meeting there to tell people how this miracle happened?
Mayor said, "For how long?" "6 weeks!" was the reply.

It was approved. And Sumrall did a 6-week crusade in the high brow area, free of charge! He reported that thousands of people gave their lives to Christ.

Today, Sumrall is no more. Jesus has moved up. But there are still disciples. And what Sumrall achieved because of this one miracle, I wonder how many years it would have taken him to achieve without the miracle."

Boko Haram Solution

Our societies are riddled with all kinds of issues and problems that we never have been challenged with before. A few years ago, terrorism was something we watched on DVD series like 24, with Jack Bauer doing all kinds of stunts. Strip clubs were unheard of, only seen in American movies. Homosexuality was completely unheard of and a foreign concept. Unemployement is at an all time high with cyber-crime being the order of the day with many jobless youth (with dreams of financial abundance). On a global scale, there are environmental problems that have defied human solutions. It seems the earth is breaking down under the strain of man's pressure. Problems, on all levels, that are defying known human solutions are confronting us on a daily basis.

Israel faced such a time in their national history, when confronted with hostilities from sworn enemies, Philistia. Goliath, the Philistine champion constantly harrassed the Israelites twice a day for 40 days. Imagine! 40 days of constantly being told you were a wimp, a failure, unable to ever succeed. I wonder why the Israelites didn't just leave the place and go back to reinforce. Did they have to stay there and listen to this bashing of their self-confidence? They say he who fights and runs away lives to fight another day right? I wonder. Well, let's go back to the story.

The people who were empowered to solve the problem (the army), were clueless as to what to do but when someone wanted to take the problem head-on, they were quick to discourage him. The government (King Saul and his officials) and the preceeding generation (David's elder brothers and the army) were clueless as to how to handle the problem that threathened their national security. David, came into limelight because he took care of this single problem for Israel. This long-standing problem was taken care of by someone who did not go to war college or even have any administrive or leadership experience (at least that's what everybody thought). But David had qualifications that others did not acknowledge.

1. On two seperate occassion, he had killed a lion and a bear that attacked his father's sheep. He had handled projects that ensured his father's business did not crash, in the face of those enormousness challenges.
2. He knew God was on his side
3. He knew how to use his sling very well

I watched the local news tonight and listened as a government official re-echoed what "our friend Jona" has been saying, we can't leave everything to the government. What he didn't say is this, they don't know what to do. The government, just as in the days of David, is clueless as to what to do to deal with the

Goliaths threathening our societies. The solutions are in the Davids, men and women who have handled problems at different levels of life and society and dealt with them effectively. Men and women who have run businesses, families, led small groups and so on, successfully. These successes are what qualify them to bring the Goliaths down and bring singing and joy to the society.

Imagine what rewards will be given to the person who can bring a long-lasting solution to the Boko Haram terrorism issue? Or someone who can profer solutions to the endless mass failures of students in W.A.E.C.? Opportunities abound for Davids right now. It's about time we stepped in!

Abuja Bombing: A product of immature leaders.

It's obvious we need to get down on our knees and pray for this country. We only used to hear the news of bombings on CNN about other countries. Right now it has come near us. Why? Because some unscrupulous elements have not been curbed by our leadership. they are simply looking on giving the Boko Haramites the notion that they could continue to perpetuate evil without being stopped.

I just heard that rescue operations were stopped at the site of the bombing BECAUSE PRESIDENT JONATHAN WAS COMING! Isn't that a sign of madness? What value do our leaders have for the lives of the citizenry? Definitely very little.

Woe to a land who's leaders are asleep in the morning or are as children. We need to pray, now more than ever but beyond that we must leave our prayer times with not only hoarse voices and sweaty faces but with solutions that can help solve our problems.

Homosexual invasion?

Have you ever wondered why the skinny jeans suddenly swept the wordl lile a storm and is a major clothing of our youth today? Or why the baseline of most (pants) trousers has suddenly moved closer to the earth? Well I think the answer is simple, whatever trend the fashion designers (the kings of the industry) create is what holds water.

Fashion is one of the expressions of culture and the introduction of new trends is a way of defining an already exisiting cultural lifestyle or introducing a new one. Every culture has its own fashion undergirded by certain values that define it.

Today's post is about bringing to your attention a discovery of mine as regards the fashion industry. Below is a list of some big names in the fashion industry in the 20th Century.

• Alexander McQueen
• Calvin Klein (You know this one!)
• Christian Dior (familiar?)
• Cristóbal Balenciaga
• Domenico Dolce (of the Dolce & Gabbana fame)
• Giancarlo Giammetti
• Giorgio Armani (you know him!)
• Norman Hartnell
• Rudi Gernreich
• Valentino Garavani (Valention jeans)
• Yves Saint Laurent (very famous YSL)

These are the guys who have in one way or the other shaped the way we dress, even here in Africa. What do these big names have in common? Why are they all listed here together? The other thing they have in common, asides being fashion designers, is their sexual orientation; they are all homosexual. Yup, they are.

The people shaping the way we dress today (particularly our youth) are homosexuals. Creations shape culture (lifestyle, values, language, etc). The creations of these individuals are shaping our culture while we stand and look! Very soon you won't be able to sit behind a girl in the bus without turning your eyes away (uh, is that not already happening?)

I've got two questions I'd like for us to ponder on (and respond to).

1. Is it by chance that the ruling class of the fashion industry are homosexual?
   
   
2. Can we begin to come up with alternate comfortable fashion that promotes good values?

Selah.

Sex binds, sex bonds

I'll start today's gist with a true life story I heard. While I was in the Polytechnic myself and a few colleagues were discussing premarital sex. While we spoke one of us told us what his pastor's view on sex was. He said that when a christian couple had sex, the Holy Spirit would leave them for a season because they were doing something inpure. Once they were done, the Holy Spirit would come back to them. Are you shocked too? I couldn't believe my ears when I heard it. Ok so what was the difference between marital and extra-marital affairs then? Why wait till you got married before doing "it" if God hated it anyway? The bible, God's manual for living shows us that God made sex for man but He put it in the context of marriage. That's what today's post is about.

God's intention with sex is to unify the individuals involved in it. Sex, by its very nature, connects the individuals involved in it. It intertwines them. When a man sleeps with a woman, both of them become one-emotionally, spiritually, physically. There's more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact.

Sex is only safe when commitment and intimacy are foundations of the union. When two people sleep together, they are not only sharing their bodies but they mix their emotional and spiritual entities. Sex is like super adhesive glue. Outside the context of marriage (which is the place where intimacy and commitment are guiding foundation principles), sex breaks the people involved.

Society encourages that we pursue the variety of many sexual partners or just do it because it feels good. However God encourages us to choose to wait till we have the boundaries of marriage to experience, explore and enjoy this gift with one life-long mate. An experienced lover boy, a man full of wisdom said, "Don't excite love, don't stir it up, until the time is ripe—and you're ready." (Solomon's Songs)

It seems the message the devil sells to young people (not just in this century) is that if it was good, why should you be restricted from enjoying it now. God's position is one of having you ready for what He wants for your enjoyment before He gives it to you. Imagine your son want you to give him your car to drive. The young man is just 12 and hardly knows how to drive. Wouldn't it be suicidal for you to allow him to drive simply because he is your heir? You'd rather wait for him to be ready before you give him the car right? It's the same principle that works with us in sex. True freedom cannot be experienced if there are no boundaries or would you drive a car that can accelerate to 230km/hr but has no brakes?

Marriage is God's hedge to ensure that the sex protects the individuals. Why? The lifelong commitment to one another ensures that the couple work to see the best of each other expressed. Love is not self-seeking. It is this that provides the foundation for commitment in a marriage. Marriage provides for intimacy that is protected because both individuals know that they are parts of one another. Marriage allows for you to be naked (make mistakes, be yourself, etc) and not be ashamed.

Sex inside marriage binds. Sex inside marriage bonds. Sex outside marriage puts you in bondage. Sex inside marriage sets you free to the full expression of your potentials.

Mo-Hits Evangelism

Virus Scare!!!

If you have not heard the new single , Oliver Twist by D'banj, then I must say you live on another planet (or is it that you don't have access to the internet?). The Mo-hits "pastorate", in their first release after joining the "apostolic network" of Kanye West, released a new single and currently on an "evangelism campaign" to solicit that young people send in videos of them "preaching" their version of the message for prize money between $500 and $2500 and other consolation prizes. This virus is spreading like wild fire and there are as much as 30,000 views on single videos. Watch the video of these "apostles" spreading their gospel below.

It's interesting how these guys have been able to utilize media to create influence in the youth of today. In fact, these guys are using the media to create a new culture in the youth of today. So despite the fact that most youth go to church and youth fellowship and all the works, these guys are creating the paradigm and perspectives for our young people to begin to think.

If you listen to the lyrics of the song, you can see the clear way the devil is pumping rubbish into our hearts. I took the liberty to get the lyrics of the song.

I have a confession
Don’t take it personal
I have a confession so you got to listen
I have a confession
Don’t take it personal
See I like Beyonce, but she dey with Jigga
I like Inichie, her ______ is bigger
I like Rihanna, she dey make me day go gaga
I like Omotola cos people like her
I like Genevieve cos I think that she’s so sweet
And her jebu ari
Cos she no dey drink garri
It’s not her fault you know
You cannot blame me though
I wanna have them all
I know it but the truth is that

I am just an Oliver
Oliver Oliver Oliver Twist
Just an Oliver
Oliver Oliver Oliver Twist
You’re just an Oliver
Oliver Oliver Oliver Twist
I’m just an Oliver
Oliver Oliver Oliver Twist
(He sings some meaningless words)

You got a secret but I think I know it
You want to let it out but them go call you ______
You like to __________
Do the hmm hmmm hmmm
I know you like D’banj
And you like Don Jazzy
You like 2baba
And you like Fally Pupa
And I know you love Trey Songz
But you no fit sing his songs
I cannot what you know
I do not blame you though
You wanna have them all
You know which one
But the truth is that

You’re just an Oliver
Oliver Oliver Oliver Twist
Just an Oliver
Oliver Oliver Oliver Twist
You’re just an Oliver
Oliver Oliver Oliver Twist
You’re just an Oliver
Oliver Oliver Oliver Twist
(He sings some meaningless rubbish)

Hey,
Why you come dey shakey shakey _________
When you know say you no getey getey ________
Hey,
Oya shakey shakey ________
Cos for this gbedu you must need need the ________
Shakey _________

A message, that is powered by music, will easily override any restrictions in your rational mind because music communicates with your subconscious. Since this generation is one that thrives on sight and sound, any message that is very well packaged in this format, will easily be absorbed. One truth we must know and use to our benefit is this, CONTENT IS KING!

We already have content that is positive and value-based-God's Word. We must work on our packaging. Let's take advantage of the power of sight and sound to influence this generation positive or else we will soon have a generation that is wild and godless.