Revisiting The Blocked Channels
As Christians who believe in God, we are channels of God’s power to the outside world. God’s power is a spiritual liquid formula that serves as a deposit of His presence in every believer. It is a life-giving power that flows from within thus bringing healing and divine health to the church and conviction in the hearts of those who hear us. Unfortunately, we have lost it. We no longer preach to the peoples of the world by the assistance of God’s tangible power. The church has become entangled with worldliness and is struggling to come out of it.
What can be the probable factors responsible for this? There are four basic factors responsible for the seizure of God’s power in our generation. They are:
1. Lack of focus: A lot of times, we, the church has failed to take the river of God’s powerto places where it is needed. We only concentrate it on our church or denomination activities and programmes. We have become too self-centred to the extent that we no longer care to do something positive about reaching out to those outside the four walls of our church building and denomination. We now give priority to building of cathedrals and raising of millionaires instead of preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God to our hearers. We are divided by our various church doctrines rather than the finality of the Scripture.
2. Because there are holes in the riverbeds: Oftentimes, when there is a heavy downpour from the sky, water does not always flow easily to places where it is needed because of the presence of potholes.These holes serve as a limit to the flow of the deluge of water.
We are the channels through which God demonstrates His mighty power to the world. When there are holes in our lives as a church, the river of His power sinks without flowing. For instance, many people go for ordination into any of the five-fold ministries of Jesus Christ-Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher without being adequately prepared for this spiritual assignment. Many of them do not submit themselves to godly discipleship. They have become spiritual bastards and have thus taught their followers to be same with them. They are without spiritual guide and mentoring.
Some churches and para-church organizations are employing poor individuals and young unemployed graduates as pastors in their denomination for the sake of God’s kingdom and their denomination’s expansion. Some don’t even have well prepared follow-up outlines for their converts. They simply leave and expose them to greater influence of the world and the devil.
3. Because too many people depend on our river: Pastors with experiential daily knowledge of God are the most strategic change agents to deal with the problems in our society. Many church attendees look up to their pastors for help and solution to their spiritual problems. They see him as a person without weaknesses and problems.They throng into his office and home even at odd hours for counseling and prayers. They don’t do this with the intention of wearing out the pastor. But in actual sense, every true pastor called of God will always want to help their members because it is his responsibility.
When people draw too much virtue from the pastor without him going back to God to be refilled with spiritual strength, God’s power will not flow to other people’s direction. Jesus understood this fact. And the scriptures records that each time He ministered healing to the sick andoppressed, virtues flows out of Him. He returned to God to be filled with new power and anointing. He did not rely on yesterday’s revelation and anointing for today’s ministration. It was each day, new revelation. He was always retreating from activities and from the multitudes to regain new strength. The reverse is now the case with many pastors and Christian leaders who have become empty cisterns because they no longer go on spiritual retreats.
4. When there are limitations: Sin and inconsistency in observing our consecration are limiting factors to the flow of God’s power. When a minister does not pay proper attention to his strengths and deal with his weaknesses, there is the tendency for him to see more of his weaknesses than his strength.
A lot of times when God speaks or instructs us to deny ourselves of certain pleasures so that we can be more sensitive to Him, we see Him as a wicked God who forces His will on us. As a result, we begin to rely more on our strength rather than on our God. Samson, in the Bible at a point was no longer committed to his consecration. He reliedon his physical strength rather than God. He almost lost out of God’s plan for his life if not for the mercy of God that prevailed over him. The lesson here is this: Sin is a reproach and it has the capacity to block the flow of God’s power to our generation.
To clear the blocked channels of God’s rivers of living water, Christians must have faith in Christ and obey His teachings. Jesus said: “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38, NKJV). Prompt obedience to the words of Christ is the secret to blessing our generation with the rivers of living waters which is evidently needed in our world today.
As Christians who believe in God, we are channels of God’s power to the outside world. God’s power is a spiritual liquid formula that serves as a deposit of His presence in every believer. It is a life-giving power that flows from within thus bringing healing and divine health to the church and conviction in the hearts of those who hear us. Unfortunately, we have lost it. We no longer preach to the peoples of the world by the assistance of God’s tangible power. The church has become entangled with worldliness and is struggling to come out of it.
What can be the probable factors responsible for this? There are four basic factors responsible for the seizure of God’s power in our generation. They are:
1. Lack of focus: A lot of times, we, the church has failed to take the river of God’s powerto places where it is needed. We only concentrate it on our church or denomination activities and programmes. We have become too self-centred to the extent that we no longer care to do something positive about reaching out to those outside the four walls of our church building and denomination. We now give priority to building of cathedrals and raising of millionaires instead of preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God to our hearers. We are divided by our various church doctrines rather than the finality of the Scripture.
2. Because there are holes in the riverbeds: Oftentimes, when there is a heavy downpour from the sky, water does not always flow easily to places where it is needed because of the presence of potholes.These holes serve as a limit to the flow of the deluge of water.
We are the channels through which God demonstrates His mighty power to the world. When there are holes in our lives as a church, the river of His power sinks without flowing. For instance, many people go for ordination into any of the five-fold ministries of Jesus Christ-Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher without being adequately prepared for this spiritual assignment. Many of them do not submit themselves to godly discipleship. They have become spiritual bastards and have thus taught their followers to be same with them. They are without spiritual guide and mentoring.
Some churches and para-church organizations are employing poor individuals and young unemployed graduates as pastors in their denomination for the sake of God’s kingdom and their denomination’s expansion. Some don’t even have well prepared follow-up outlines for their converts. They simply leave and expose them to greater influence of the world and the devil.
3. Because too many people depend on our river: Pastors with experiential daily knowledge of God are the most strategic change agents to deal with the problems in our society. Many church attendees look up to their pastors for help and solution to their spiritual problems. They see him as a person without weaknesses and problems.They throng into his office and home even at odd hours for counseling and prayers. They don’t do this with the intention of wearing out the pastor. But in actual sense, every true pastor called of God will always want to help their members because it is his responsibility.
When people draw too much virtue from the pastor without him going back to God to be refilled with spiritual strength, God’s power will not flow to other people’s direction. Jesus understood this fact. And the scriptures records that each time He ministered healing to the sick andoppressed, virtues flows out of Him. He returned to God to be filled with new power and anointing. He did not rely on yesterday’s revelation and anointing for today’s ministration. It was each day, new revelation. He was always retreating from activities and from the multitudes to regain new strength. The reverse is now the case with many pastors and Christian leaders who have become empty cisterns because they no longer go on spiritual retreats.
4. When there are limitations: Sin and inconsistency in observing our consecration are limiting factors to the flow of God’s power. When a minister does not pay proper attention to his strengths and deal with his weaknesses, there is the tendency for him to see more of his weaknesses than his strength.
A lot of times when God speaks or instructs us to deny ourselves of certain pleasures so that we can be more sensitive to Him, we see Him as a wicked God who forces His will on us. As a result, we begin to rely more on our strength rather than on our God. Samson, in the Bible at a point was no longer committed to his consecration. He reliedon his physical strength rather than God. He almost lost out of God’s plan for his life if not for the mercy of God that prevailed over him. The lesson here is this: Sin is a reproach and it has the capacity to block the flow of God’s power to our generation.
To clear the blocked channels of God’s rivers of living water, Christians must have faith in Christ and obey His teachings. Jesus said: “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38, NKJV). Prompt obedience to the words of Christ is the secret to blessing our generation with the rivers of living waters which is evidently needed in our world today.
As Christians who believe in God, we are channels of God’s power to the outside world. God’s power is a spiritual liquid formula that serves as a deposit of His presence in every believer. It is a life-giving power that flows from within thus bringing healing and divine health to the church and conviction in the hearts of those who hear us. Unfortunately, we have lost it. We no longer preach to the peoples of the world by the assistance of God’s tangible power. The church has become entangled with worldliness and is struggling to come out of it.
What can be the probable factors responsible for this? There are four basic factors responsible for the seizure of God’s power in our generation. They are:
1. Lack of focus: A lot of times, we, the church has failed to take the river of God’s powerto places where it is needed. We only concentrate it on our church or denomination activities and programmes. We have become too self-centred to the extent that we no longer care to do something positive about reaching out to those outside the four walls of our church building and denomination. We now give priority to building of cathedrals and raising of millionaires instead of preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God to our hearers. We are divided by our various church doctrines rather than the finality of the Scripture.
2. Because there are holes in the riverbeds: Oftentimes, when there is a heavy downpour from the sky, water does not always flow easily to places where it is needed because of the presence of potholes.These holes serve as a limit to the flow of the deluge of water.
We are the channels through which God demonstrates His mighty power to the world. When there are holes in our lives as a church, the river of His power sinks without flowing. For instance, many people go for ordination into any of the five-fold ministries of Jesus Christ-Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher without being adequately prepared for this spiritual assignment. Many of them do not submit themselves to godly discipleship. They have become spiritual bastards and have thus taught their followers to be same with them. They are without spiritual guide and mentoring.
Some churches and para-church organizations are employing poor individuals and young unemployed graduates as pastors in their denomination for the sake of God’s kingdom and their denomination’s expansion. Some don’t even have well prepared follow-up outlines for their converts. They simply leave and expose them to greater influence of the world and the devil.
3. Because too many people depend on our river: Pastors with experiential daily knowledge of God are the most strategic change agents to deal with the problems in our society. Many church attendees look up to their pastors for help and solution to their spiritual problems. They see him as a person without weaknesses and problems.They throng into his office and home even at odd hours for counseling and prayers. They don’t do this with the intention of wearing out the pastor. But in actual sense, every true pastor called of God will always want to help their members because it is his responsibility.
When people draw too much virtue from the pastor without him going back to God to be refilled with spiritual strength, God’s power will not flow to other people’s direction. Jesus understood this fact. And the scriptures records that each time He ministered healing to the sick andoppressed, virtues flows out of Him. He returned to God to be filled with new power and anointing. He did not rely on yesterday’s revelation and anointing for today’s ministration. It was each day, new revelation. He was always retreating from activities and from the multitudes to regain new strength. The reverse is now the case with many pastors and Christian leaders who have become empty cisterns because they no longer go on spiritual retreats.
4. When there are limitations: Sin and inconsistency in observing our consecration are limiting factors to the flow of God’s power. When a minister does not pay proper attention to his strengths and deal with his weaknesses, there is the tendency for him to see more of his weaknesses than his strength.
A lot of times when God speaks or instructs us to deny ourselves of certain pleasures so that we can be more sensitive to Him, we see Him as a wicked God who forces His will on us. As a result, we begin to rely more on our strength rather than on our God. Samson, in the Bible at a point was no longer committed to his consecration. He reliedon his physical strength rather than God. He almost lost out of God’s plan for his life if not for the mercy of God that prevailed over him. The lesson here is this: Sin is a reproach and it has the capacity to block the flow of God’s power to our generation.
To clear the blocked channels of God’s rivers of living water, Christians must have faith in Christ and obey His teachings. Jesus said: “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38, NKJV). Prompt obedience to the words of Christ is the secret to blessing our generation with the rivers of living waters which is evidently needed in our world today.
Related Topics
By Izunna Okafor
It was indeed a blend of tears, encomium and fanfare as Nigeria's multiple award-winning author and literary crackerjack, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie buried her father, Late Prof. James Nwoye Adichie.
The burial ceremony, held in Adichie's hometown, Abba in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra, began with a Holy Mass presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Jonas Benson Okoye of the Awka Catholic Diocese, and drew the attendance of Ex Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Charles Esimone, among other intellectuals and personalities, including the members of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (Anambra State Chapter) who went to commiserate with the Adichie Family.
In his homily, Bishop Okoye described Prof. Nwoye as a hardworking man who used his wealth of knowledge, intellect and finance to serve the humanity, looking at his past records and legacies. He thus urged Christians to always show love to anyone they come across and live a worthy life that will not only give joy to humanity, but also earn them eternal repose at last.
On her own part, Chimamanda Adichie, who read the scriptures (both in Igbo and English languages) during the pontifical burial mass that held in St. Paul's Catholic Church, Abba, said her father lived an examplary life and was the kind of man everyone would love to have as father.
"My father was a very remarkable, kind and loving father. He was also a patient and honest man of integrity. He always had time for his children. In fact my father was the bedrock of whatever I am today. So I don't think I could have had a better father than him. I love him, and I will miss him so much," she said.
Contributing, former Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State who was also the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 Presidential Election recounted his encounters with the deceased, and attested that he was an iconic man of peace who left enduring peace and legacies for his children and the society.
Popularly addressed by his chieftaincy title of 'Odelọra', Late Prof. James Nwoye Adichie who died on Wednesday June 10, 2020 at the age 88, was the first professor of Statistics in Nigeria. He is survived by Mrs. Grace Ifeoma Adichie (wife); Ijeoma Adichie, Uchenna Adichie, Chuks Adichie, Okey Adichie, Chimamanda Adichie, and Kenechukwu Adichie (children), as well as many grandchildren and other relatives.
Izunna Okafor writes from Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria
Permit me to begin by commending the efforts of Senator AbiodunOlujimi for initiating the Gender Equality Bill recently rejected by members of the house of Senate. An erudite person may want to find out what the bill is all about. The bill proposed by Senator Abiodun Olujimi on the 15th of March, 2016 was to guarantee gender equality in politics, education, employment and marriage. The bill also seeks to protect the female gender against gender discrimination. The bill was rejected by a larger number of Senators in Nigeria because an aspect of the bill does not agree with what our traditional and reIigious institutions preach.
In my opinion, the bill is worth the consideration of members of Senate for many reasons.
Firstly, I believe that there would be no meaningful development in every sector of Nigeria’s economy without the maximum involvement of the female gender in nation-building. The female gender is capable of increasing the financial, intellectual and technological base of Nigeria if given equal opportunities and rights as given to their male counterparts.
Secondly, the rejection of the bill will never makeNigeria achieve conformity with the United Nations Conventions on gender issues. The poor representation of female gender in Nigeria in workplaces, educational institutions and governmental agencies will continue to negate international, regional and national benchmarks of at least thirty percent representation of the female gender generally agreed upon by members of the United Nations of which Nigeria is an active part of.
Furthermore, everybody in spite of gender is created with specific talent and skill which needs to be expressed. Equal rights and opportunities to employment and education will provide an enabling environment for the female’s personal development and give them a senseof belonging to a nation which has their interest at heart. The female constitutes about sixty percent of Nigeria’s population, yet they occupy less than fifteen percent of the political postsin the national, state and local government levels-a trend which does not speak well of Nigeria as the most populous black nation on earth. The female gender must be given their place of pride in the scheme of things. The law will serve as the template to achieve this. The bill must not be delayed but immediately passed into law.
Lastly, the rejection of the bill will only continue to promote gender discrimination and this will continue to make women insecure, deny them meaningful employment, expose them to exploitation and sexual violence and encourage other discriminatory practices against women. To avoid all these, the Nigerian Senate must therefore wake up to its task of making credible laws and accept the Gender Equality Bill presented before it. Its failure to do this would simply mean one thing: hatred for their wives, mothers, sisters and daughters.
However, while the above-listed reasons may be valid, I have a few reservations on the aspect of the bill that emphasizes gender equality in marriage. I am of the opinion that a woman may not enjoy equality with her husband in the true sense of the word.This is because our traditional and religious institutions do not preach gender equality in marriage. The men have always been the leaders of their various families and have always been responsible for their welfare. Their authority to lead is believed to have been bestowed on them by God Almighty.No one dare alter this natural order.
In addition, male and female were created with physiological and behavioural differences. They were never created to be competitors-they have their areas of strengths and weaknesses. Each of them must discover and learn to cherish these differences in their own interests.While it is true that men and women were created to play different but complementary social roles, it is important that men should stand and speak up for the women in their lives. Defensive mechanisms that would promote the welfare of their female counterparts should be put in place.
In the interim, it is advisable that Senator Abiodun Olujimi should take into consideration some of the sentiments expressed by her colleagues especially on issues pertaining to gender equality, make basic amendments on the bill and re-present it to the Senate.
In conclusion, I want to state this clearly that the Gender Equality Bill is not a battle of the sexes; it is not a bill that removes the submissiveness of women to their husbands neither is it a bill that seeks to erode the responsibility of the women in her home. It only seeks to give the woman more opportunity to assist herself and the man in the home. It is a bill that will benefit the men andthe society at large.
As a handsome and visionary young man, I wanted to marry the only beautiful daughter of a farmer.
I went to the farmer to ask for permission to marry his daughter.
The farmer looked at me and said, “I will allow you to marry my daughter but you have to fullfill one condition.”
The farmer told me the condition, “Son go out and stand out in the field. I'm going to release three bulls one at a time and you have to grab the tail of any of the three bulls. if you can catch the tail of any one of the three bulls, then you can marry my daughter.”
Ahhh just that, I happily went to the field and stood there waiting for the bulls to be released.
The barn door opened and then came out one of the biggest bull i have ever seen.
Haaa I cannot come and kill myself ooo, I decided to let this one go and wait for the second bull.
I went over to the other side and let the bull pass through. Again, the barn opened for the second bull. This one was bigger and even more fierce than the previous bull. This time again, I thought that may be the next one could be a better choice so i ran to the other side and let the bull pass through. This man wants to kill me ooo
Now the door opened for the third bull. I had a big smile on my face. This was the weakest bull I've ever seen. So i positioned myself and was all set to take on the bull and grab his tail.
As the bull came running by, I jumped at the exact movement. As I threw my hands to grab his tail, to my greatest surprise, this bull had no tail.
Wooooooo so I've lost my chances of marrying this beautiful girl.
The farmer turned to me and said " Don't say till tomorrow to the things you can achieve today. your breakthrough was just an action away from you, but you missed it twice. I'm sorry, you can't have my daughter." Na so I take go house empty handed oo.
How many times have you said " I'll do it tomorrow to the things you can do today"?
Six sure ways to avoid procrastination
1. Do it scared
2. Do it now
3. Do it scared
4. Do it now
5. Do it scared
6. Do it now
Remember that action is what separates dreamers from achievers.
It's another beautiful week, let's choke procrastination starting from now, today and everyday.
Val Okafor
Effective Leadership and Productivity Strategist
Book Title: Verdict of the Gods
Playwright: Iwu Jeff
Publisher: Transconventional Publishers
Date Published: July, 2020
ISBN: 978-978-979-443-0
Number of Pages: 84
Reviewer: Nwokeabia, Ifeanyi John.
When gods choose not to let the rain drop, the effort of a rain maker is in vain. The birds of the air always feel betrayed and confused when a thunderous fart is released in the air by an unknown spirit. The land, water and the entire space of Achara which has experienced in the past, peace and transquility, turns into a mourning zone. Night visited Achara community in a broad daylight.Iwu Jeff's play, Verdict of the Gods is an epic tragedy. It exposes a land in turmoil. But the big question is: can sins of fathers be visited on their children?
Sleep has become a stranger to the eyes of the citizens of Achara. Eze Obioha, the traditional ruler of the community is disturbed; his emotions restless. An elder cannot fold his arms and watch a goat suffer in parturition. He seeks measures to dispel the spell wreaking havoc in his land as a leader who has the well being of the people at heart, and consequently, his family suffers the same endemic,. He's traumatised and unrelentingly quests for answers and solutions to the plight of his people.
In page 9 of the play:
EZE OBIOHA : My daughters are down, they can no longer speak...we have followed every smell our nose can perceive, yet we have not seen any rotten thing. Where is the smell of evil coming from? Oh! My ancestors, please give us another eye, another nose, another ear and mouth. The ones we are wearing have no use ... Our gods are silent my people. I am not spared from this calamity. The spell is everywhere...
Eze Obioha being a leader who feels the pain of his people, he continually summons his cabinet members to put heads together to find lasting solutions to their problems. The cry of his people has become a thorn on his fresh and he sometimes laments to the gods questioning them on the ways his community or himself has wronged them.
In pag 77, he has this to say:
EZE OBIOHA: ...my son died two nights ago; before he died, an extra hand came out through his chest. My daughter was suddenly struck with imbecility... Who did my fathers offend?
Countless questions are asked and ountless visitations, made to the shrine of different Dibias but all efforts prove abortive. The gods remain remain 'mute' and 'tongue-tied', refusing to draw humans to the closer view of their boiling angers. Drought and famine become two beautiful maid married without a bride price, gummed like bedbugs to their land and refusing to leave. Death toll keeps multiplying on daily basis. The living prefers death as solutions are not in sight. Who will save the dying land?
Amidst the seriousness of the play, Iwu introduces two characters: Ezemma and Nwokeocha, who are members of the cabinet to ease the tension arouse by the unfolding events. These two revered men help to crack the ribs of the readers with comic banter.
In page 20;
EZEMMA: what am I saying? Wisdom! Wisdom! Igwe, I am full of...[Nwokeocha intrudes]
NWOKEOCHA [scornfully] Madman!
EZEMMA: will you shut up and listen to...
NWOKEOCHA: What wisdom can one possibly get from a lunatic? I do not blame you; a child that suckled a goat's milk will definitely act like a goat even in his old age. You need to return to your mother in her grave so you can have a taste of her breast milk.
EZEMMA: [Rises and faces Nwokeocha] How dare you call my dead mother into this? I see, you have really want to show me that you have grown enough hairs around your manhood.
ELDERS: Chai! [Elders exclaim, laughing and turning left and right] Enough!
NWOKEOCHA: [Stands up, pointing a finger at Ezemma] And you whose hairs are now overgrown into a forest, you need to be weeded...
This play is both revelational and revolutional. On the former, Iwu reveals that there's more to scapegotism as a concept. Some great African writers Wole Soyinka, Femi Osofisan and a host of others in their various plays, but Verdict of the Gods introduces a new scapegotism. However, on the latter, it demolishes the stereotype created in most African writings, where the God of the new religion is often given ultimate power of purifying African lands of its mess. In Verdict of the Gods, it is different as the African gods reign supreme in sanctifying their people and their lands of sins.
The masterful ink of the playwright is laudable in his ability to select suitable words for his characters. The social standing of his characters are discernable through the quality of their language. Every scene in this play is opened with a beautiful African proverb dancing into your eyes and the use of African proverbs by the characters show the rich culture of Achara community.
The cover design of the play has great significance in the over development and arrangement of the play. Its from cover has the head of three gods joined together in a threesome unity. However, the play is not arranged in Acts and Scenes but it's divided into three - Beginning, Middle and End. The use of three gods has Biblical allusion of God the Father, Son and HolySpirit. That's, the Trinity in one God. In this play, one discovers that these Gods are one and their verdict is equally one. Despite the deviation from play's convention of Acts and Scenes, the play maintains the three unity of place, time and event which solidifies its beauty as a play. Although some might raise alarm on his use of uppercase in 'Gods' but I don't think he has committed as grammatical blunder on that. I think, it's a question of choice.
The Playwright
Iwu Jeff ( Iwuchukwu Jephta) is an award-winning writer who has written in the three genres of literature - poetry, drama and prose. His works have gained homes in different Anthologies and online publication.
From the beginning, through the middle and to the end, the play is suspensely decorated and readers won't have any reason to drop it for a moment until one gets to the very end. Are you ready to discover the verdict of the gods for Achara people? Are you equally ready to discover how a wounded lion got its healing balm? Grab your own copy of Verdict of the Gods.
AN UNPALATABLE PANDEMIC HITS HUMANITY
BY MUOMA VALENTINE CHIBUEZE
An unpalatable pandemic hits humanity,
Causing pandemonium
Ravaging nations of the world
Has succeeded in holding us apart
in the name of social distance
Isolation, quarantine, lockdown, sickness, fear, panic, hunger has become the order of the day
Those who are sick now fear going to the hospital
For fear of being suspected of COVID-19
Even those with the virus are scared of opening up
For fear of being segregated
Thereby infecting others
Increasing the spread the virus.
The pandemic has become a throb in our neck
Its tremulous beats wake trenchant
Its stings becoming catastrophic to the well-being of the nation
The number of cases keep raising daily and has become a plethora
The social media has become agents of adulterated news
Bringing forth absurd means of combating the virus
Propagating outrageous number of cases
Creating panic, fear and chaos in the land.
Observing safety tips is the only panacea to contending the virus
Anything contrary exacerbates the pandemic
Continuous public health enlightenment Should be accessible to everyone.
Corrections of fallacies on the spread of the virus
Is our collective responsibility
Looking out for one another is imperative
With all these measures on ground
We can successfully overcome this unpalatable pandemic.
ABOUT THE POET
Muoma Valentine Chibueze is a poet, essayist and motivational speaker. He is currently a student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
The truth forever remains that you are your greatest friend or enemy. When people are against you, you must learn to be for you. When people are pulling you down, you must learn to pull yourself up.
You are you worst enemy when you do not believe in yourself. Be your greatest cheerleader. When things are going against you, learn to give yourself a pep talk.
I have encountered times in my life when things were so bad and I was so confused but I had to calm myself down and controlled my mind and gradually things began to turn green for good.
Learn to take charge of your mind and everything will gradually fall into pleasant places.
Be your best friend by telling yourself truth, no matter how hard it may be.
I wish you all the best.
Yours in life betterment,
Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha
Financial reports are critical since they contain significant information about the financial health of a business. These reports allow business owners to make an informed decision as they highlight which companies’ areas offer the best return-on-investment. Unless exempted, companies in Singapore are mandated to file their financial reports or statements with ACRA. The reports must abide by the Singapore Financial Reporting Standards or SFRS that the Accounting Standards Council issued.
Other benefits of financial reporting include:
- Enhanced debt management: Regardless of the business sector, debt can cripple the company’s development all the same. Financial reports allow companies to track their current assets divided by their current liabilities on their balance to help gauge their liquidity and handle their debts accordingly.
- Identification of trend: Financial statements allow business owners to spot trends, both past and the present, which empower them to overcome potential weaknesses while assisting them in making improvements that will be beneficial to their business’s overall health.
- Real-time tracking: By getting access to centralised, real-time insights, business owners would be able to make informed business decisions swiftly, hence, preventing any possible hurdles while keeping their financial fluidity all the time.
- Liabilities management: Proper liabilities management is a vital part of the ongoing financial health of the company. Examples of integral liabilities include business loans and credit cards. The financial statements allow business owners to determine whether they need to decrease existing liabilities before making an official business loan application.
Business entities exempted from the financial report filing are as follows:
- Partnerships, including limited partnerships
- Sole proprietorships
- Solvent EPCs or Exempt Private Companies. While solvent EPCs are exempted, they are encouraged to file their financial statements.
- Dormant unlisted companies, which are dormant from their establishment’s time or since the end of the past financial year.
To ensure accurate and legally compliant financial reporting, business owners should seek assistance from reputable Singapore accounting services. When selecting accounting services in Singapore, be sure to consider factors like the agency’s credibility, reliability, industry expertise, pricing model, and extra services.
Posted By Izunna Okafor
"Cry Of The Forest", a popular short story by award-winnig Nigerian writer, Godwin Cornelius Udagbor, has been translated into Hindi, an Indian Language. The translation was carried out by an Indian writer, Mrs Rukiya Begum, a poet, famous for works in her country, India.
Earlier in 2018, Cry Of The Forest received powerful recommendation from two Indian Literary giants; Professor Sahjahan Ali Ahmed and Dr Rajdeep Chowdhury. Udagbor’s work has been flying since its publication in 2018.
It has been revealed that Rukiya Begum began the translation in March 2020 and finished it in June of the same year.
Information has it that a mass production of the newly translated work is in progress, following useful negotiations between the author, Godwin Udagbor, his legal team, and the translator, Mrs Rukiya Begum.
The translator has been an avid (online) admirer of "Cry Of The Forest" and its author, an admiration that eventually culminated to such an intellectual relationship. Their online discussion invariably centered on Polygamy.
Polygamy has two faces however; and in Africa, it implies a man marrying more than one wife simultaneously. In India it is Polyandry, that is, a woman marrying more than two husbands, to contrast with the popular African notion of Polygamy.
Presumably, it was this shocking contrast that magnetized Mrs Rukiya Begum that she decided not to let it go unattended to; hence, she decided to translate, from English to Hindi, Godwin Cornelius Udagbor’s bombshell as far she is concerned.
On his part, the author, Godwin Udagbor wishes that he could speak and write Hindi to enable him know and feel the emotions of a Hindi reader who has just discovered that, on the same planet earth, lives another version of the Polygamy their tradition has always fed them with.
Sometime ago, I attended a youth programme and overheard one of the high-ranking priests lamenting that many of the youths in the Anglican Church are breaking their (spiritual) fathers’ hearts by relocating to the Pentecostal circle especially after they had invested so much virtues in them. Several questions came up in my mind when I heard this statement. (1). Is it really compulsory for a Christian youth to remain permanently in the church/ denomination he was born into? My answer to that question is “No”. If God is leading a Christian youth to relocate to another church especially if he or she is no longer enjoying spiritual balanced diet, he or she should by no means move on to another church.
(2). Must all outstanding Christian youths become members of the hierarchical pastoral order of a church? My answer is “No”. If God has not called a youth into the ministry let no pastor or priest ‘call’ him into any of the five-fold ministries. He or she should not be cajoled or pressurized into accepting such ‘call’. Otherwise that would amount to asking the young man or woman to take on more responsibilities than he or she was created/destined to handle.
(3). Is it really wrong for a member of a church or denomination to attend programmes of other churches or denominations? My answer is “No”. It is quite alarming that several Christian leaders had promoted and are still promoting disunity by discouraging their younger followers from attending meetings or fellowship organized by other church leaders or even interact with other Christians no matter how spiritual or godly they are. Some of them even go to the extent of suspending those who attended such programmes from their responsibility (ies) in church. Let us stop the hypocrisy. Pray for unity in the Body of Christ, preach unity in the Body of Christ and practice unity in the Body of Christ.
(4). Is it compulsory for a Christian youth to remain bounded to his or her church/denomination by marrying a fellow believer from his or her church? Marrying a believer from your church/ denomination is a good idea but it is advisable that a Christian marries a man or woman that fears God, irrespective of his or her denomination.
Please do not get me wrong. It is not that I do not care about the emotional pains pastors go through each time their followers relocate to another church for whatever reason. I do but the best bet is that pastors and priests should learn to release people from their hearts when they leave the churches they oversee without hurting themselves or anyone. It is also important for a pastor or priest to identify and discover the departments or units of his church where more hands are needed and personally ask the Lord of the harvest to send more labourers to meet those specific needs in the church he pastors.
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, a slave is ‘a person that is controlled by another person or thing’. He does not have an independent mind-his decisions are strongly influenced by another person or thing.
A slave to sin is a person who is controlled by the force of sin. He cannot do without committing sin. He is strongly bonded to the yoke of sin no matter how much he tries to break free from it.
WHAT IS SIN?
Sin is the transgression of the law. It is an act of disobedience to God’s established laws and commandments. Anyone who lives with the habit of breaking God’s laws is a sinner.
CONSEQUENCES OF BEING A SLAVE TO SIN
There are six main consequences of being a slave to sin. They are:
1. He is an alien to God: Anyone still living in sin is a stranger in God’s house. He does not have a permanent residence in God’s kingdom. “The slave does not continue in the house (God’s family) for ever… (John 8:35a, words in bracket mine). He cannot have access to God’s kingdom riches unless he repents from sin.
2. He is the devil’s possession: Anyone who has the devil’s property (sin) in him is automatically a toy in the hands of the devil. “He who commits sin is of the devil” (1 John 3:8a). The devil uses him to fulfil his whims and caprices.
3. His prayers are unanswered: A sinner’s prayer is an abomination before God (Isaiah 59:1-2). God doesn’t hear such prayer. The only prayer of a sinner that is acceptable to God is the prayer of genuine repentance.
4. He is a victim of God’s wrath: God’s face is against anyone who does evil (1 Peter 3:12b). His wrath rests evidently with sinners daily (Psalm 7:11b, John 3:36b).
5. He is spiritually separated from God: Sin separates a man from God because His eyes are too holy to behold iniquity (Isaiah 59:2). It makes a man to be far from God. It is the cry for mercy that brings him close to God.
6. He has an eternal home in hell: A sinner has a permanent home in hell, a place that burns with fire and brimstone eternally if he fails to repent from his sins (Revelation 21:8). No unrighteous person will enter into heaven, the eternal home prepared for the saints.
THE WAY OUT OF SLAVERY
Living a life that is free from the bondage of sin is a choice to be made by those who are tired of being the devil’s captive.
The first step to living a sin-free live is to hate sin, confess your previous sins and forsake them (Proverb 28:13).
Secondly, you must invite Jesus into your heart by faith now that He can still be found. When He comes in, He will break the yoke of sin in your life and give you the power to become God’s child (Matthew 11:28-29, John 1:12).
Thirdly, you must make a permanent commitment to Jesus to serve Him as your Lord and Saviour all the days of your life. Living a sin-free life comes with its own special demand and package-a life of total surrender to the Lordship of Jesus now and forever.
Lastly, learn everything you need to know about Jesus by attending a church where God’s words are taught with sincerity. Study and meditate on His actions, teachings and commandments. Ensure that you obey Him every time and everywhere. Regular obedience to God is the surest way to maintaining your liberty in Christ Jesus. Make the decision to obey Him today. Shalom.
