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.

Sex in not good...it's great!

Sex is the highest form of pleasure man can enjoy. Science tells us that the most sensitive parts of the human body are in the sexual organs. And people have propounded theories of how sexual energy can be channeled to create life (since it is the tool for procreation). WOW! Little wonder the devil wants to distort our perspectives of it and make us abuse this gift of God.

We feel the powers of sexual energy independent of and prior to conception and reproduction. I'm sure you would agree that it seems to be the most difficult passion to control. Our bodies want to express and explore these sexual energies apart from desires for the expansion of the human race. And most adolescents struggle though those years navigating those waters. It seems there's some kind of magnetic pull that drags them to the opposite sex. They ask, what am I supposed to do with these feelings I am having? but unfortunately, most people don't find the answers that will help them resolve these issues from the right sources.

While the devil is using advertising, entertainment and all sorts of media to encourage youth that "Sex is good. Do it now. You'll be cool!", their parents and church folk just tell you "Just say no!", or "Wait for it." Most authority figures try to make young people deny these feelings as if denial would make them go away. Adolescents need to hear a simple, consistent, honest message that uplifts and beatifies their beautiful bodies, that extols the glories of sexual pleasure and gives them the appropriate context that God made for the enjoyment of this great gift.

I really don't understand where we got the idea that God hates sex but its something that has been subtly sold to us by the devil. The devil has succeeded in giving us an impression that God is a killjoy disciplinarian who has a frown on His face and a good whip in His hands to whip us back into line whenever we go against His will. It seems most of us believe that God does not like anything relating to pleasure. This is so shocking untrue because in His presence there is fullness of joy and everlasting pleasures (Psalm 16:8). One truth you must accept is this, God created sex and when He did, He saw it was good. Just like every gift of God to mankind, sex was made for our enjoyment.

When God made man and put him in the garden, He gave him every fruit in the garden to enjoy. Not only did He give Adam everything in the garden to enjoy, He also gave him the senses that will ensure that he enjoyed the experiences to the fullest. God designed the human body with all the senses and sensations in it and life was meant to be enjoyed. We have taste buds that ensure that our experience of eating is memorable and enjoyable. Ever had a cool bath in hot weather? If we never had skins with feelings, we wouldn't enjoy the experience as much. Jesus came to ensure we enjoyed life to the fullest (John 10:10).

The next post addresses the question of the right context for the enjoyment of this great gift!