THE WAY I SEE IT

FIVE WAYS TO WIN AN ELECTION EVEN IF YOU ARE THE WRONG CANDIDATE

2012-01-30T10:16:00.000-08:00

The good news about American democracy is that power actually belongs to the people; the bad news about American democracy is that the people can be manipulated. In every election season, the chance of the electorate electing the wrong candidate is as high as the chance of me burping after guzzling a full can of Pepsi. Because of the gullibility of the electorates, I have come up with seven fool-proof ways of getting elected into office, even if you are not fit to govern.

BE WILLING TO TELL THE CROWD WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR.

Don't be naive enough to believe that you can go anywhere in the polls by telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The last president who promised to always tell the American people the whole truth and nothing but the truth was Jimmy Carter. You remember his famous Malaise Speech in which he unsmilingly told Americans the whole truth? He was accused of being a pessimist and then overwhelmingly voted out of office by an electorate who preferred the smiling, positive talking, Ronald Reagan.

People don't want to hear the truth. Don't tell us the truth, that it will take a long time to bring down the unemployment level from 9.1% to a comfortable 5%. Tell us that as soon as you get elected, on day one, you will wave a magic wand, and in a blink of an eye, the unemployment level will drop so fast that the folks on food stamp won't know what hit them.

Instead of telling us the truth, that all of us who bought expensive homes, with zero down payment, knowing fully well that we couldn't afford the mortgage, are part responsible for the 2008 real estate bubble bust. Just put all the blame on Wall Street and all those 1% plutocrats ridding around in their fancy limousines and chomping down on fat cuban cigars.

Don't tell us the truth that you don't have any clear cut solution on dealing with the immigration situation in this country. Don't tell us the truth that it is logistically impossible and morally unimaginable to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, lurking around in this country. Just tell us that on day one of coming into office, you will resolve the immigration issue once and for all.

Don't tell us the truth that the budget cannot be balanced without any spending cuts to the Military as well as downsizing the entitlement programs. Just tell us that you have a secret strategy for balancing the budget, repaying all our loans to China and repairing all our failing infrastructures without any spending cut. And when we ask you where you are going to get the money to carry out all these wonderful promises you have been making on the campaign trail, don't tell us the truth that it can only come from China. Just look us straight in the eyes and tell us that you will find the money somehow.

Also, when we ask you why you are running for office in spite of all your millions, don't tell us the truth that you have this Macbeth-like ambition to be the most powerful man on earth. Just tell us that you are touched by our sufferings and that you have arisen like Moses to take us out of poverty, to a land flowing with milk and honey.

---- To be continued.

WOULD YOU RATHER BE INFORMED OR ENTERTAINED IN CHURCH?

2011-08-13T17:05:00.001-07:00

I walk up to you and present you with two magazines: the National Enquirer and Time
Magazine and ask you to choose one. You look at the National Enquirer and on the cover they have a photograph of Jennifer Lopez dressed in a skimpy attire and the headline reads: JENNIFER LOPEZ FINDS A NEW HUNK!" You look at the TIME magazine and on the cover is a photograph of a bald headed, slightly chubby, middle aged man with grey beard, staring at you. The headline reads: BEN BERNANKE DISCUSSES INTEREST RATES AND THE FUTURE OF CAPITALISM.

Tell me the God's honest truth, which of these two magazines will you want to read?

I am not a betting man but I am willing to wager $1000 that you would go for the National Enquirer. The reason is simple; National Enquirer is more entertaining than Time magazine. Personally, I don't have any problem with people reading the tabloids. But I am deeply concerned at the rate at which we are sacrificing knowledge on the altar of entertainment.

We have become so addicted to entertainment that we no longer hunger and thirst for deep knowledge. Today our young ones would rather watch Snooki acting the fool on MTV , than watch a congressional debate about the deficit on C-Span. Our young ones can recite all of Lady Gaga's songs and yet can't quote John 3:16 without looking it up on Google. They know who won last year's Dancing With the Stars but they can't tell you who won the 2011 Iowa straw poll.

I have been a Pastor long enough to know that often times people come to church with a ravenous appetite for entertainment . They don't want to hear some boring sermon from Leviticus or Deuteronomy. They want their Pastor to be funny, and the choir to be entertaining. And if you don't entertain them this Sunday, you better don't expect to see them the next Sunday. It kind of reminds of the sage words of Apostle Paul:

"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 2 TIMOTHY 4:3 (NIV)

Let me make one point very clear here: I am not saying that you become a geek or a nerd. I am not anti-entertainment. But there is a time and a place for entertainment,. Don't always expect to be entertained.There comes a time when you should go after real knowledge, no matter how boring it is. If great thinkers like Newton, Locke, Voltaire, Jefferson, and C.S Lewis were alive today, I seriously doubt that you would ever catch them watching MTV or flipping through the pages of the National Enquirer.

FINAL WORD

I want to thank you that bought my latest novel DON'T LET THAT COUNTRY CHANGE YOU.

And thanks for the positive reviews.

If you have not gotten it yet, you can get an e-version for just .99 cents on amazon.com. Just click on the link below:

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THE LAW OF DETERIORATION

2011-07-31T03:48:00.000-07:00

Simply put, the law of deterioration states :"Things will move from good to bad, unless worked upon."
If we look around our world today, we see the law of deterioration in place.
The other day I went to the registry to renew my Driver's license. When I got my new licence, I pulled out my old driver's and tried comparing the picture I took in 2010 with the recent picture in my 2011 license, the comparison almost brought tears into my eyes! To put it more gently, I will say that I have added more than a couple of pounds, and I looked worn out and battered. What happened to you Emeka? I asked myself. You used to look like Denzel Washington, now you look like Chewbaca!
I knew what happened to me. The law of deterioration. Let's go back to the definition again: Things will move from good to bad, unless worked upon.
I think one of the biggest mistake we make in life is that we ignore this law of deterioration. I know a lady who was having trouble with her husband after they have been married for more than ten years. The woman said, "My husband was so nice, when we first got married, now he is a monster. I don't know what happened to him."
I will tell you what happened to him: The law of deterioration. The law of deterioration can transform a romantic man into boorish, mean, selfish ogre.
When we first started the parish in Worcester, there was a young man who walked up to me and told me he wanted to be a member of our church. This young man told me that he was excited to be a part of what God is about to do in our church. He gave me ideas on how to make the church grow. For about two months he kept coming to our services and even volunteering to help with some activities.
But after a while, this young man started missing midweek services, then he began to miss Sunday services and eventually, he stopped showing up at all. As a Pastor I was concerned. I wanted to know what happened to the young man. Was it something I said? Was my sermon too boring? Didn't he like the music? What happened?
All these questions where floating through my mind, then I remembered the law of deterioration. The law of deterioration can turn an enthusiastic parishioner into a cold, backsliding, ambivalent church member.

WORK ON IT

The only way we can overcome the law of deterioration is to constantly be on our guard. Don't take things for granted. If someone has told me ten years ago that I will be fat and chubby, I would have laughed it off as a big joke. The problem was that ten years ago I had this erroneous belief that I will always be lean and mean. I stopped working out, I allowed my Gym memebership to elapse, and I ate M&M candies like they were going out of fashion- now look at look at me.

The same thing goes for married couple, don't always think that the your spouse will be as sweet as he or she was when you were dating. You have to be on your toes at all times. Work on your marriage and it will not deteriorate.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Thanks for taking the time to read my post. I will like to remind you that my latest book, DON'T LET THAT COUNTRY CHANGE YOU is still available for purchase on amazon.com.

You can get this ebook for .99 cents, by simply going to www.amazon.com and typing the title "Don't let that Country Change you."

You can also click on this link to purchase it directly.

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The great thing about this ebook is that you can read it in an hour. You can read it on your computer or you smartphone!

WHAT WOULD YOU DELETE?

2011-07-07T04:56:00.001-07:00

Imagine that you are seating at home watching television. Suddenly a strong wind begins to blow and all the windows in your house starts to rattle, and Bingo your fearless pit bull starts to bark with his tail neatly tucked between his legs.

Suddenly God appears in your living room dressed in complete white, with his eyes blazing. He says to you, "Child the hard disk in your brain is almost filled up. You have too much information in your head. We need to delete some of it now; otherwise you will no longer be able to store up any new information."

You look at God in surprise and you say, "Is that why I have been having headache lately?"

God says "Yes". And then he pulls out a piece of gadget from his pocket and begins to fiddle with it. Then he says to you, "To prevent a mental breakdown I will need to delete 50% of the information stored up in your memory bank. I need you to tell me what information to delete."

The big question here is, what information would you allow the Lord to delete?

Here is my own list of the things I will love the Lord to delete from my memory.

Memories of all the hurtful words people have ever spoken to me that I still remember today.
Memories of all my past failures.
All my prejudices and misconceptions about people.
Memories of the things I have lost.
Every misinformation and lies I have ever been told that is affecting me adversely today.

I ask you again, what memories would you allow the Lord to delete from your brain?

For 0.99 cents you can read my latest Novella by clicking on one of the links below:

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DON’T LET THAT COUNTRY CHANGE YOU !

2011-06-24T05:33:00.001-07:00

Chapter 3

HANGING IN THERE

Basil placed his handkerchief on his lap and began to neatly fold it into various halves.

"You are laughing at me now, but wait until you get to America and realize that nobody there understands you. Then you would wish that you had listened to me."

What surprised Chukwudi the most was the realization that Basil was dead serious. For a man who had never travelled more than fifty miles outside Makurdi, he actually believed that he could teach Chukwudi a thing or two about America.

"You really think that I don't know how to speak English?'

"I didn't say that. All I am saying is that the English we speak here is way different from American English."

Chukwudi chuckled derisively. "English is English anywhere you go my dear Basil."

"Let me ask you Chukwudi, if an American says to you 'how are you?' how will you respond?"

"I will say fine thank you." Chukwudi replied, giving Basil a puzzled stare." How else should I respond?"

"Wrong!" Basil exclaimed. "In America if someone asks you how you are doing, you say 'Good' or 'I'm hanging in there.'"

"Hanging in where?"

"Hanging in there!" Basil said, his eyes flashing. "Your uncle should have explained these simple American phraseologies to you."

"Basil, please go away, you are causing me headache."

"Like I said, if you humble yourself, you will learn a lot from me."

For 0.99 cents you can read the whole book by clicking on one of the links below:

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http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/65502

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER REMINDS ME OF ONE MY HOMEBOY

2011-05-28T16:41:00.001-07:00

I will like to talk about a man in my home town whose name I will not divulge for the sake of peace and harmony. This homeboy was not a movie actor or a weight lifter, neither was he married into the Kennedy family. But he had one thing in common with the former Californian Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger; they both were creeps.

Just like Arnold, my homeboy was not satisfied with one woman, just like Arnold, my homeboy would often creep out of his matrimonial home in pursuit of sluts, Jezebels , whores and home breakers. Just like Arnold, my home boy thought he was slick. And Just like Arnold, my homeboy sired a child out of wedlock.

We didn't know of my homeboy's dalliances until about two months after he died. Suddenly a woman showed up in our compound clutching a little boy. She announced that my homeboy was the Papa, or like the Latinos will say Papi. When the woman announced that the child was homeboy's son, nobody argued with her; even Steve Wonder and the Blind Boys of Alabama would have seen the resemblance. I felt sorry for my homeboy's widow.

If I had the ability to time travel, I will travel back in time to that moment when Arnold and my homeboy first began to entertain the idea of cheating on their respective wives. I would at that moment, drop some scriptures on them. The first scripture I would drop on them will come from the book of Numbers

"And be sure your sin will find you out"…. Numbers 32:23

The second scripture I would drop on them will come from Proverbs

[But] whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he [that] doeth it destroyeth his own soul…..Proverbs 6:32.

I am sure by the time I try to drop the third scriptures on them, Arnold would bolt out of the room screaming, "I will be back!"

Question of the Week!!!

As a Christian what would be your Christ like advice to a friend whose spouse has just cheated on him or her? Please back your views with scriptures if you can.

DO YOU LIVE IN THE WORCESTER AREA OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO DOES?

We have a branch of The Redeemed Christian Church of God in Worcester Massachusetts. I would like to invite you to one of our services.

VENUE : 65 Wilson Street (off Shrewsbury Street)

Worcester MA

01604

SUNDAYS: 10am

TUESDAY: 7pm

Our services are spirit filled and word based. We create the atmosphere for you to succeed.

THE POWER OF SILENCE.

2010-09-18T20:08:00.001-07:00

In one of our recent services, we had the privileged of listening to Brother Demola teach on the topic Bridling Your Tongue. As I thought about that teaching, I could not help but recall a piece of advice a woman once gave to her son. She said to him, "Son, you will never get in trouble for what you didn't say." That in my opinion was one of the best piece of advice any mother could give a son.

The older I live on earth the more convinced I am in the power of silence. This world will be a far better place if we all know when to speak and when to be quiet. The scripture teaches us that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent.

A SILENT MAN NEVER MISSPEAKS.

"When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." Proverb 10:19

If you go on Google's search engine right now and type in "Joe Biden gaffe", you will get approximately 70,000 hits. The word gaffe means mistake or blunder. Vice President Joe Biden is known in Washington as the gaffe machine because he is always saying the wrong words.

The truth of the matter is that the more your words the more the chances of you making a mistake. A silent man never runs the risk of speaking out of turn. There is no such thing as a slip of tongue with a silent man.

Another benefit of silence is that it makes it difficult for people to tell whether you are dumb or smart. One time I was talking with a colleague and she brought up a subject that I didn't have much knowledge about. I knew that if I opened my mouth and said anything, she will figure out how ignorant I was on the matter, so instead I just kept quiet and just nodded my head while she talked. Till today, that woman didn't know that I didn't know what she was talking about. Silence really makes you look smart.

"Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent"

Proverb 17:2.

ABOUT PASTOR EMEKA O. GODWIN

He is the Pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God in Worcester Massachusetts. If you have any question or prayer request, send an email to: emekagodwin@hotmail.com.

If you live in metrowest region, you can worship with us one of these days:

Sunday : 10 am to 12 noon.

Tuesdays : 7pm to 9pm.

God bless you.

JUST ONE WOMAN

2009-12-20T17:43:00.000-08:00

In response to the sounding of the golden bell the twenty four angels took off their crowns and bowed down in unison to the King of Kings. It was a routine they have been doing for thousands of years and yet never get tired of. The door opened suddenly and angel Micheal walked in dressed in a dark grey pin stripped suite with a sparkling white shirt and a black tie. He was wearing a spotless black shoe to match. When he stepped into the room, the King of King looked up and smiled at him "I almost didn't recognise you" he joked. Micheal grinned, "If you ask me Lord, I say I would rather go with my wings and all that. This corporate attire is just not me"
The King of King chuckled softly. When he told Micheal that he was sending him down to earth to distribute some blessings. Micheal had thought it was the usual errand where he flew down delivered packages and came back. But this time it was different, the King of King wanted him to go incognito. "I want you to go there looking like them. I want you to observe them unnoticed ,and distribute the packages based on your findings" The king of King had said.
It was the most unusual task Micheal had ever embarked on, but he was excited nevertheless.
The King of King turned to a small golden stool on his left hand side and picked up what looked like a regular check book, except that edges were golden ."There are ten checks here" The king of King said handing it the book to him "Use it at your discretion" Taking the checkbook, Micheal said "Will this be enough Lord. Remember it is a big church with over two hundred members" The King of King smiled "It will be more than enough trust me" "What if I run out of checks?" Micheal asked stuffing the check into his breast pocket. The King of King just smiled and said nothing. Sighing Micheal straightened up. "Well King of King I should be on my way. How do I look?"
"You look like a Wall Street banker" The King of King said and turned to the twenty four elders who were still prostrated on the floor
"What do you think?" They all nodded and one of them said "How many cans of polish did you use on those shoes?" Angel Micheal laughed, "Just enough to make me look spiffy"
*****
When Micheal got to Tremont Church of Resurrection on Dudley street, the doors of the church was open but he noticed that there was just one car at the lot. Cautiously he stuck his neck through the door to see if there was anybody in there. A middle aged woman was inside vacuuming. When she noticed Micheal, she turned off the vacuum and smiled at him "Come on in" she said cheerfully.
"Good morning Ma'am" Micheal said. "God bless you sir" The woman replied. "Have a seat" She said pointing to a seat. "Thank you Ma'am" Micheal said and took a seat next to the window. From where he sat, he watched the woman work. After she finished vacuuming, she began to arrange the chairs. When she was done, the woman put away the vacuum cleaner in the back room and came and sat down in the front row. She turned and smiled at Micheal, "Is this your first time here?" "Yes ma'am" Micheal replied. "What time does the service start?" "9 " the woman replied almost apologetically "Micheal looked at his watch it was ten minutes to 10. "They always come this late to church? The woman smiled again but said nothing.
Micheal gazed at the woman for a few minutes and then suddenly he spoke out, "Cecilia you are healed" Startled, the woman jumped up from her chair "Who are you ? How did you know?"
Micheal smiled " Tomorrow go to the doctor and ask them to do another CT scan."
"H h h ow dddid yyyou know? The woman stuttered and began to cry.
***
When Micheal showed up before the King of King, the Lord was talking with one of the twenty four elders. He looked up and raised an eyebrow "You are back so soon?" Micheal shook his head "Did you use up the checks? " "You were right Lord" Micheal said "I used just one check" Reaching into his pocket he brought out the check book and handed it to The King of King. "I met just one woman in the church"

EVEN IF YOU WON'T TELL YOUR CHILDREN THE TRUTH.....

2009-12-11T12:36:00.000-08:00

Years ago when I was still a single man with no wife or child I told a lady that when I start having children, I was not going to lie to any of them about Santa Claus. I said to her "As soon as any of my child is able to talk and understand stuff, I am going to seat that child down and tell that child that there ain't no such thing as Santa Claus" That lady, God bless her soul, looked at me like I was a psychopath."You are a mean man!" She exclaimed. I was surprised she didn't alert the child protective services.The way she yelled at me, I thought it was illegal to tell children that Santa is fake.

Today, I have a daughter that is almost three years old. She talks about snowman, but has not started talking about Santa Claus yet. As a christian I am battling within my spirit whether to tell her that Santa is just a myth perpetuated by some sentimental westerners. Or whether to let her just go on believing in an overweight , bushy bearded man dressed in funny looking costume.

I don't want to be the Grinch that stole Christmas and yet I don't want to be a liar.

My beef however, lies with those parents who would cheerfully tell their children about Santa Claus and yet never mention a word about Jesus Christ. It is a fact that in America today, there are more children who believe in Santa Claus than those who believe in Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact a lot children in America would scratch their heads if you ask them who Jesus Christ is. But ask them about Santa and they would break out in smiles and tell you that Santa is that dude that comes down the chimney with gifts.

Now let me ask you a question, say you have birthday party going on, you invite your friends and well wishers, and they show up at your house, but instead of wishing you happy birthday and showering you with gifts, they turn around and start wishing your neighbor a happy birthday and showering him with gifts. How will you feel? How will you feel if on your birthday, you are not the center of attraction?

How do you think Jesus feels when on his birthday, we spend more time talking about Santa instead of him?

So here is the conclusion of the matter, if you must continue the myth about the existence of Santa go ahead. But could you at least tell your children about Jesus Christ? I mean, as you seat around the fire side, roasting chestnut and singing melodious Christmas tunes, could you at least take the time to tell your children the Jesus Story? I think it is time for real christian parents to rise to the occasion and start doing the right thing. Let that child know that Christmas is bigger than getting a play station or the latest I-pod or I-phone. Throw in some Jesus story in the midst of these craziness.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT !

If you live in Worcester Massachusetts or in the neighboring cities then you can join us for worship at The Redeemed Christian Church Of God .

Address : 70 James Street Suite 129b

Worcester Ma

Sundays :10 am.

Tuesdays : 7pm

THE FOUR THINGS YOU MUST KEEP AN EYE ON IN 2010

2009-12-05T16:05:00.000-08:00

It's just a few more weeks before we enter the new year ; can you believe it? How time flies! December sometimes can be a month of sober reflections and even a time of regrets and depressions for a lot of people. Some people get to this month and realize that some of the goals they set for themselves at the beginning of the year have not been accomplished. Some may even get bitter with God.

Before I do anything, permit to prophesy into your life briefly.I say to you that 2010 will be a different year for you in Jesus name. You will not carry the pains and the setbacks of 2009 into the New Year in Jesus name. Okay, now let's get to crux of the matter.

Life is all about paying attention. How far and how well you do in 2010 will be determined by the things you give your attention to, starting today.

1. KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH

I used to workout at a local gym in downtown Framingham Massachusetts.There was this fellow I always saw at the Gym anytime I go there. He was always there pumping iron and getting ripped and grunting like a man in labor. One day I was talking to him and he said to me "You know the summer is coming, I have got to get fit so I can impress the girls with my muscles"

Now too many times we place emphasis on physical fitness. We go on diets, we apply Botox, we do liposuction, we spend time at the barber shop getting a trim, we spend time in front of the mirror applying make up and sprucing up to look good.

And trust me, there is nothing wrong with paying attention to our physical body. I mean if Botox is the way you roll, good for you. But the question is, how fit are you spiritually? What is the state of your relationship with God? When was the last time you went on your knees to pray to the one who holds the whole world in his hand? When was the last time you flipped through the pages of your bible? In 2010, it will be very necessary that you pay a little more attention to your spiritual life. The scriptures teaches us that;

"THE SPIRIT GIVES LIFE; THE FLESH COUNTS FOR NOTHING"

John 6 :63 (NIV)

You want to really live in 2010 ? Pay more attention to your spiritual side.

2. KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR TIME.

One of the most limited essential commodity on earth is time. When I get to heaven and I stand before God and he says to me "Son do you have any question for me?" I am going to look Him in the eyes and I will ask him "God, how come you gave us just 24 hours to work with?"

The truth of the matter is that our problem in life is not the lack of time, but the mismanagement of time. I remember waking up yesterday at 5.30 am with an intention to do some writing for about thirty minutes. Do you know that as soon as I turned on my computer, instead of going straight to my writing project, I decided to check my mail, after checking my mail, I clicked on yahoo just to catch up with the latest scandal on Tiger woods. By the time I finally got to my writing project, my thirty minutes was up. Lord have mercy!

You know the old cliche "time is money"? Well if time is money, then it means you can either spend it or invest it. You may need to ask yourself whether seating down in front of your computer watching Nollywood movies all night on YouTube is an investment of time or a spending of time.

3. KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR RELATIONSHIPS.

Someone once said that you should spend more time with the people who would cry the most at your funeral and that is the fact. In the final analysis, what defines you is the quality of the relationships you cultivate and maintain. So I say to you in 2010 pay more attention to your relationships. If there is someone dear to you that you neglected in 2009, you may want to map out a strategy for reconnecting in 2010.

4. KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR MONEY.

A cousin of mine who is a Nigerian immigrant living in Massachusetts travelled to Nigeria to see his folks. When he came back to the States, he told me a hard-to- believe story of what happened to him in Lagos. "I had gone somewhere to change my dollars into Naira" He said. "And when I handed the dollars to the man doing the exchange, he counted out the Naira bills and handed it to me."

My Cousin said to me "I swear to God I watched that man count the money before my eyes, but do you know that as I got home and counted the money again, there was a large chunk missing" Till today, my cousin still believes that the man cast some voodoo spell on him.

Maybe in 2009 you worked so hard, made so much money, but now you look at your account balance and you are saying to yourself "Where did all the money go?" You look at your accomplishments and you are asking yourself"What exactly did I accomplish?"Trust me, I understand that feeling.

In 2010 it behoves you to keep a close eye on your money. I think it was Benjamin Franklin who once said "A fool and his money are soon parted ways" Being financially successful in 2010 will not take doing three jobs, it will also require a certain degree of frugality. Let me tell you what you should do. On the eve of December 31st, stand before a mirror, point your hand at the mirror and say it loud "THE DAYS OF LIVING BEYOND YOUR MEANS ARE OVER!"

Have a happy new year!

BRING FAIRNESS INTO YOUR MARRIAGE

2009-11-29T12:10:00.001-08:00

Let me start by stating the obvious, no one, and I repeat, no one knows it all when it comes to marriage. Truth of the matter is that there are no perfect marriages anywhere on earth. But I do believe that there are certain things we can do as individuals to improve the condition of our marriages.
One thing that can improve our marriages is the introduction of fairness into the relationship. Fairness is a universal language that should cut across all religions, traditions, culture and geographical locations. It does not matter what culture you belong to, you must practice fairness at all times.
A while ago, I came across a book review that made my blood boil. This book was a book on relationship written by a man from a country I would not mention, who now lives in America. This man proudly wrote in his nasty book that he was from a place where the men ruled and the women obeyed. He claimed that where he came from, a woman would get her head broken, if she dares ask her husband to take out the trash.
Now let me be clear; I am very open to diverse cultures. I am not the type to mock people's culture or to elevate one culture above another. But I have no respect for any culture that does not practise fairness. I don't care if you are from Tanzania or Toronto; if there is no fairness where you come from, then I submit to you that you have a terrible culture. The christian value trumps over any other culture. As a matter of fact, any culture that does not promote fairness is demonic.
Now in terms of marriage, one thing that will make God bless your marriage is if he sees that you are trying to be fair in everything you do.
Fairness means that as a man, you don't expect your wife to work from 9 am till 5pm, come home, cook the meal, clean the house, bathe the children, take out the trash and do the laundry while you seat in the living room watching ESPN.
As a woman, fairness means that when you are angry with your husband you don't nag him to the point of suicide. You don't call him names that would destroy his ego as a man.
One of the most powerful verses found in the scripture is :
"DO TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO TO YOU"
Mathew 6:31 (NIV)
Fairness is all about placing yourself in your spouse's shoes. For instance if you are angry with your spouse and you feel the urge to call him a knuckle head. Stop for a moment and ask yourself "If he calls me a knuckle head, how will I feel?"
When my daughter was born, she was a handful. And every time I come home from work I find that not only does my wife take care of my daughter, she manages to cook for me. One day she left me with my daughter and went out. I decided to cook. Do you know that I messed up the food? For some strange reason it was hard to cook and keep an eye on my daughter at the same time. That day, I became born again, again. I said to myself "How is it that this woman can handle my daughter and still manage to cook and do other chores?" By putting myself in her shoes I got a sense of the sacrifice she was making.
Trust me, acting fairly does not come easily, but when you start putting yourself in your spouse's position it becomes easier.

IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN YOU MAY SEE IT DIFFERENTLY

2009-11-20T08:21:00.000-08:00

I first saw the video clip of President Barack Obama bowing down to Emperor Akihito of Japan on Fox Network. When I saw it, cringed like a man who had just witnessed a ghastly car accident. I cringed not because I felt that Obama had committed an unpardonable sin; but rather because I knew that, once again he has unwittingly delivered a live ammo to his political adversaries.

Just like I suspected, President Obama got a lot of criticisms from people who felt that it was wrong for the President of the most powerful nation in the world to be bowing down to other leaders. They accused him of cheapening the presidency by "genuflecting" and "grovelling" before America's inferiors.
I am not a politician so I don't really understand the political ramifications of a world leader bowing down to another world leader. I also have not spoken to President Barack Obama to find out whether he bowed out of courtesy or subservience. But as a preacher I think I have a responsibility to look at this incident from a spiritual angle.
What do you make of a 6 ft tall-Harvard graduate- author of two bestsellers-Nobel peace price recipient-a fairly decent basketball player- a great orator in the likes of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. bowing down to hitherto an obscure 5ft tall Asian Emperor?

If you are a partisan politician and a nationalist at heart, you would probably call it grovelling and genuflecting. But if you are a christian and if you have been reading your bible regularly and paying attention to your Pastor or your Priest, you will probably see things differently.
The scriptures tells us that Jesus Christ who was from heaven and who had power over man and spirit came down to earth and lived among us not as a superior but as a servant.

"FOR EVEN THE SON OF MAN CAME NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE OTHERS "

Mark 10:45

The scriptures also tells us that at one point Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Can you imagine what the reaction would be if Obama goes to some third world country and decides to wash the feet of some third world leader? Lord have mercy! His political detractors would be apoplectic. They would threaten to impeach him faster than he can say Barack Hussein Obama.
The point I am trying to make here is that there is power in humility. Contrary to what the devil may tell you, humility does not diminish you. On the contrary, it will lift you up. What diminishes people is not humility but arrogance.

"GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD, BUT GIVETH GRACE UNTO THE HUMBLE"

James 4:6
When I was in the bible school, some friends of mine were assigned to guard the College president's home. One day, while they were outside the president's house standing guard, a well dressed Pastor came to visit the President. When this Pastor came to the gate, he saw these young Bible college students standing by the gate. Without saying a word , this well dressed Pastor walked past them and headed for the house.

"When he walked past us without even saying hello" my friends said "We just looked at him, surprised at his arrogance"
Unbeknown to this well dressed Pastor, the college President had two ferocious dogs in the house. So when he walked past the guards and got into the premises, he didn't know what he was walking into.
As soon as got to the door, these dogs pounced on him like he stole something. The well dressed Pastor made a 12o degree turn and ran to the gate where my friends where standing silently watching him.

Shamefacedly he said to my friends "Please I want to see the President." My friends at that point began to lecture this well dressed Pastor on the virtue of humility. "You walked by us and you couldn't even say hello, because you felt you were better than us eh? They asked him.
That day the well dressed Pastor learned an important lesson: No one goes far in life with an arrogant spirit.

One of the ways you measure your level of humility is by analysing how you treat the people who are your inferior either in age, intellectually , in looks, financially or otherwise. My Zonal coordinator Pastor Samuel Sorinmade is a man whose lifestyle challenges me to the core. I have been serving under him now for over eight years and in all these years I see a man who understands the mystery of humility.

You come in contact with Pastor Sorinmade and you will be hard pressed to know that this soft spoken, easily assessable man has a PhD ! He interacts with everyone and treats all with dignity and respect.
Surely there will be people who would want to take advantage of us because of our humility. But if we are steadfast in our walk with God. If we continue to walk in the path of humility, it is only a matter time before we begin to experience divine promotion.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK.

Someone once said that there was a difference between humility and stupidity. Do you believe that? And if you do, could you please tell us the difference.

Note: Please use the comment button or you can email your comment directly to me at emekagodwin@hotmail.com. I reserve the right to edit or not publish any posting as I deem fit.

ARE YOU SEEKING FOR A CHURCH?
If you are in the Worcester area and you are looking for a spirit filled church where you can grow and be the best of who God wants you to be. Then let me invite you to The Redeemed Christian Church of God where I currently Pastor.

ADDRESS : 70 JAMES STREET
SUITE 129b
Worcester MA 01603

SUNDAYS : 10:00 AM- 12:30 PM
TUESDAYS: 7:00PM - 9:00PM

If you do not live in the Worcester area, I suspect you know people who do.You can let them know that we are in the neirghborhood.

TRUST ME I AM TRYING TO CHANGE

2009-11-15T03:34:00.001-08:00

I hate to admit this, but I have one character defect that bothers me to no end. I have battled with this personal weakness for as long as I can remember.You want to know what this personal weakness is? Well I will tell you.
I have a problem with following through on intentions. Often times, in the spur of the moment I say things I intend to do and then days go by and I realize that I still haven't done what I promised to do.
It's like the time I soaked my two year old daughter's dirty clothes in water and told my wife I was going to wash it in the next hour. Well, two days past and those clothes were still soaked !
And then there was that Sunday I told my younger sister and her husband that I was coming over to their house for a visit after church. Well, sister waited and waited and waited and waited....
Now, why am I making this confession on my blog site ?
Well, because those of you who have been following my blog will recall that about a year ago I promised that I will be posting articles on this blog every week. Some of you my faithful readers especially folks from RCCG (Cornerstone) believed me. Well you waited and waited and waited ....
Let me say with all sincerity, I am sorry. This time I promise that for the next five months, every Sunday before 12 midnight, there will be a new posting on my blog. I am trying to be a changed man. Barring a devastating hurricane, or a nuclear attack from Iran, or a notorious Internet virus from South Korea, this blog will be updated weekly.
Now, some of you who know me will be saying in your heart "Emeka has come again" Well this time I am for real. You know I always believe that it is never too late for a man to reinvent himself so what you see now is a new Mekus!
WHY DO YOU NEED TO READ MY BLOG?
Well for a starter, I've got a lot to say. Long ago I learned that writing is an easier way to tell people what you are scared to say to them face to face. So with this blog, I intend to speak certain truths to power.
Secondly, you need to read my blog because if you don't I may come after you. (Just kidding) .

WHY ARE CHURCH FOLKS NOT PURSUING HAPPINESS?

2009-01-04T19:26:00.000-08:00

WHY ARE CHURCH FOLKS NOT PURSUING HAPPINESS?
We just started a series in church on an interesting topic, The Pursuit of Happiness. Last Sunday I asked the church some questions and was not amazed at the answers I got.
How many of you have ever prayed for financial prosperity? A lot of hands went up.
How many of you have ever prayed for long life? A lot of hands went up.
How many of you have ever prayed against demonic powers? A lot of hands went up.
Then I asked, “How many of you have ever prayed for happiness?” Only three hands went up.
I have been a Christian for a long time now and I have attended countless numbers of prayer meetings. In all these years, I cannot remember attending a prayer meeting where the leader stood up and asked us to pray for happiness. In every prayer meeting I have been to, we pray for everything else except happiness. We pray for money, job, life partner, home ownership, new cars etc. But nobody ever says “Please pray that I become a happier person”
It seems there is a general disregard for this commodity called Happiness. When my daughter was just a year old my wife would look at her and prophesy “Child you are going to be a doctor when you grow up” As I listened to my wife prophesying upon my daughter, she reminded me of many parents I know.
Most parents wish that their children grow up to be successful and wealthy. I am yet to meet a parent who looks at their child and said “May you be happy when you grow up” No, all we do is wish that they be doctors and lawyers and rocket scientist.
As I get older I realize that happiness is a priceless asset. The scripture tells us
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken Spirit dries the bone”
Proverb 17: 22
Long before “experts” discovered psychosomatic diseases David knew that there was a relationship between the state of our heart and our physical health. Church folks don’t realize the power of happiness, which is why we can spend hours praying for jobs, relationships, money etc and not once do we bother to pray for happiness.
THE COLESLAW SYNDROME
Few miles from where I live there is a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant where I sometimes go to. If you have ever been to KFC you know that they have the main order and they also have what they call side dishes. Whenever I stop at KFC I usually order Crispy Chicken and then they will ask me what I wanted for side dish. Most times I go for the Coleslaw. And when I seat down to eat, I tackle the crispy chicken first before going for the coleslaw .It will be strange if I focus on the coleslaw and ignore the chicken. But often times in life we ignore the main thing and focus on the minor.
There are certain things in this life that must be treated as the main dish. I am talking about things you must value more than anything else. Most times we make the mistake of focusing on the side order and ignoring the main dish. When a man spends all his life pursuing career advancement and financial success and ignores the pursuit of happiness, that man is going after Coleslaw and ignoring the crispy chicken.
Many years ago I got a job somewhere in Watertown Massachusetts, they were going to pay me more than I have ever earned in my life. I was thrilled until I went there and met Brad (not real name) Brad was a middle aged man who loved to keep it real when the bosses were not around. When I got to the job site Brad called me aside and asked me if I was crazy “Why would you want to work in a place like this?” He asked. Then he pulled out his driver’s license and showed it to me, “I used to have a lot of hair until I started working here” I looked at Brad’s head, the man had bald spots all over his head. The next day I quit that job. I said to myself “I don’t care about the pay; I will not loose my hair before my time” Today we have so many Brads, working in places where they are constantly depressed and miserable. They are dying inside, but they lack the courage to change jobs because of the pay. Let me be blunt here, any job that drives you into taking Prozac or alcohol is not worth having. I don’t care if they have 401k or not. You have the right to be happy, exercise your right.

AND SO THIS YEAR..

Include happiness in your prayer list. It is okay to pray for money , it is okay to pray for the starving children inRwanda, but don't stop there. Pray for happiness. Pray that this year you will experience more joy than the prevoius year.

SO WHAT KIND OF LIPSTICK IS YOUR PIG WEARING?

2008-09-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

If you have been following the news closely you probably know all about Obama’s comment about lipstick on a pig. In trying to define Senator McCain’s policy as same old- same- old, Barack Obama said “If you put a lipstick on a pig, it is still a pig”
That comment did not go down well with the McCain’s camp; they accused him of maliciously referring to Governor Palin as a pig. For the record the Obama camp have strongly denied that accusation.
As a preacher of the Gospel I am not really interested in trying to analyze what or who Obama was referring to when he made his lipstick comment. On the contrary I am trying to see if I could squeeze a sermon out of that comment. So indulge me while I try.
WE ALL HAVE PIGS IN OUR LIVES
I heard of a preacher who was so mean to his wife, he would beat her and verbally abuse her at home. But when they go out in the public he would be so nice and loving. In church he would use all kinds of terms of endearment when talking to his wife. “Honey, Sweetie, Darling, Sugar pie, Lollipop and all that” Now, this is a classic case of a pig with a lipstick.
Putting a lipstick on a pig is simply anything we do to hide the real us. When we try to mask our sinful streak through pretense or deception we are pigs with lipsticks.
“For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad.”
Mark 4: 22 (NKJV)
RENAMING OUR SHORTCOMINGS.
One of the cutest skills I see in America is the ability to soften the impact of a sinful act, by giving it a more fanciful name. Take abortion for instance, that is a fancy word for murder. I am yet to meet a woman who tells me “ I killed my baby last week” Most times they say “I committed abortion, or I got rid of an unwanted fetus” Calling a dead baby a fetus is what I call putting lipstick on a pig.
Over the years I have watched people rename sins to make it look less sinful; let me show you some examples:
- Sodomy is now called alternative lifestyle
- Gambling is now called recreation
- War is now called National defense
- Racism is now called patriotism
- Greed is now called divine prosperity or capitalism
- Fornication is now called “ a meeting of two consenting adults”
- Arrogance is now called assertiveness and pride is referred to as confidence
In the famous words of Senator Obama “You may wrap an old fish in a paper called change, its still gonna stink” You may call your sin whatever you may, but in the eyes of the Lord it is still sin.
JUSTIFYING YOUR WEAKNESS IS NOT A SIGN OF STRENGHT
In June 2007 in Alabama a Republican state Senator Charles Bishop punched a fellow law man Senator Lowell Barron a Democrat in the head during a senate session. Later Senator Charles Bishop tried to defend his action by claiming that Senator Lowell had called him “a son of a (expletive)”. He said “I was raised in the woods of Arkansas and people don’t say that about your mom” He felt justified because his mother had been insulted. He was putting lipstick on a pig.
I met a man at the convenience store close to my house. He stood there buying lottery tickets and hoping to win some money. He spent more than a hundred buck that day. When someone in the store accused him of being a gambler and irresponsible , this man resented it. He tried to justify his gambling by saying “I have raised all my children, they are all grown up so you can’t say I am irresponsible
If we keep justifying our sinful actions, we will keep repeating them. Never forget this: Any error defended is an error not amended.
IT IS TIME TO GET RID OF THE PIG
I remember talking to a fellow who tried to defend his anger problem by claiming it ran in the family, he said to me “My father is hot tempered, my sister is hot tempered, and my brothers are hot tempered” That is putting lipstick on a pig.
We spend more energy trying to justify or cover up our flaws than we do getting rid of them. I think CHANGE is what God’s really want us to learn from Obama’s lipstick on a pig comment. If we get rid of the pig, we would not need lipstick.
I WANT TO READ FROM YOU.
If you have any reactions to this article email me at emekagodwin@hotmail.com. I will post any comment worth reading on this site .

WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE ?

2008-09-07T21:27:00.000-07:00

It was just 1pm by my watch, but the temperature was already in the seventies and still rising. Driving through the ever busy Route Nine, I had my windows wound all the way down. Yet I was sweating like I stole something. As I drove past other cars I noticed that they all had their windows closed and their air-conditioners on.
I had my windows down not because my air conditioner was broken but for economic reasons. Some people whose names I won’t mention told me that the air-conditioner in the car guzzles up gas. So for years now I have driven through the hot humid New England summer without my air-conditioner on. Sometimes I felt out of place as I find myself the only one driving with my windows down on a hot summer.
So this afternoon I was driving down Route Nine and the heat was torturing me like I was a terrorist in Guantanamo Bay. I refused to turn on the air-conditioner. I wanted the twenty dollar gas in my tank to last me more than the usual two days.
I drove for almost fifteen minutes when I suddenly said to myself “Emeka what the heck is the matter with you? You work so hard and you can’t even enjoy a few minutes of conditioned air?” It struck me that I might just be a little bit irrational with my attempt to save pennies.
People who know me know that I am a strong advocate for thriftiness. I believe that whenever there is an opportunity to save money, go ahead and save. But there is a line between frugality and insanity and many times we cross it.
Take my Grandfather for instance, the man was always complaining of not having money. He was a renowned cheapskate. Grandpa was so thrifty he denied himself so many pleasures while on earth. When he died in the mid 90’s they discovered that he had a large sum of money stashed out in a private bank account. His children were shocked because the man always complained of not having money.
It is okay to want to save money, but when you begin to afflict yourself and the people around you needlessly in the name of thriftiness then I say stop it!
I know a man who told me that during the winter he never turns on the heat until his children starts shivering. It does not matter how cold the house was, until he sees shivering he would not turn on the heat. He said to me “They would look at me and say ‘Dad we are freezing’ and I would say to them ‘Go put on your sweater’”
I ask again, where do we draw the line? If you cannot relax and enjoy the fruit of your labor who will?
I heard of another fellow who in other to save money lived on 99cents junior cheese burger. He ate junior cheeseburger in the morning; he ate it in the afternoon and he it ate at night. This man works so hard and has a large amount of money in his savings account, yet he would not treat himself to steak or anything costlier than a junior cheese burger. Again I say where do we draw the line?
Some people may read this article and say that I am advocating wastefulness, but I am not. If you get my book “And You Thought I Was Not Paying Attention” You will see that I am a strong advocate of frugality.
It seems to me that there is a need maintain a balance in our lives. You cannot continue to starve and deprive yourself of some legitimate pleasure today just because you want to save money. Once in a while it is okay to splurge on your self. Once in a while turn on your air-condition and enjoy the cool breeze. Once in a while stop by the mall and get yourself a good Shirt, stop wearing all those bootleg shirts that shrink after a single wash. Quit thinking about the cost, just enjoy life.
HERE IS WHAT I KNOW
It is okay to be frugal, it is okay to want to save money but remember life is too short. I once knew a lady who practically lived at work. She worked night and day and did a lot of overtimes. She told me she was trying to pay off her mortgage. One day I heard that this woman had died. They said she died of ovarian cancer. The house she worked so much for was still unpaid for and she was gone.
Solomon who is reputed to be the wisest man that ever lived has this to say about life:
“So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me”
Ecclesiastes 2: 17-18 (NIV)
We have to be careful of being to futuristic that we miss the moment. I see parents who work so hard so that they don’t have time for their children. Then by the time they retire the children are all grown and gone. We must draw the line.

BEWARE OF ATTACHMENTS

2008-08-21T21:19:00.000-07:00

BEWARE OF ATTACHMENTS
As you walk through life, one thing is very certain; you will find yourself forming all kinds of attachments. When I talk about attachments, I am talking about those things in your life that you;
1.Are crazy about.
2.Think about all the time
3.Hold on to tightly
4.Will get mad if something happens to it.
5.And in extreme case might kill for it.
All my life I have formed all kinds of attachments. I remember that as a little boy there was a time I was so crazy about a certain kind of picture cards. We got these picture cards from a particular brand of bubble gum. These cards were so special because they had pictures of some of my movie heroes like The Lone Ranger and John Wayne. The competition amongst us kids was to see who collected the most cards.
For months I painstakingly gathered these cards until I had a stack full. One afternoon I was in the neighborhood playing when a boy ran up to me and told me that my younger brother Ifeanyi was distributing some picture cards in front of our house. I ran home as fast as my little legs would carry me.
When I got home, I discovered that Ifeanyi had gone to where I hid my cards and taken them out. He stood in front of our house and was distributing these cards to his friends like he was Santa Clause.
When I discovered what Ifeanyi had done, I went berserk. I rushed him like I was Mohammed Ali and he, Joe Frazier. I punched him, I kicked him, and I slapped him. Bottom-line: I almost killed my younger brother over a pack of stupid bubble gum cards.
Many years later when I moved from Nigeria to the United States Ifeanyi pulled another fast one on me. On the night I was about to leave, he snuck into my room and took my grey vest. I loved that vest so much, because anytime I put it on, I get the feeling I looked like Denzel Washington.
I did not find out that my vest was missing until I got to Massachusetts. Boy was I mad. Three years later when I visited Nigeria, I confronted Ifeanyi .He was lucky I was now born again and now an ordained minister. I would have gone Mohamed Ali on him.
Let me reiterate, as you walk through life, you will find yourself forming all manner of attachments. Some attachments are expected, for instance a married man is expected to be attached to his wife and not to the girl in his office.
But we must be careful not to get carried away by our attachments. Truth of the matter is that it is not what you have that destroys you, but what has you.
Take money for instance, there is a difference between having money and money having you. People, who possess money, understand that it is just a tool and not an idol to be worshiped. But those who are possessed by money always find it hard letting go.
Some people are so attached to money that they would kill, lie and compromise just to get money. I had a friend who was so attached to money that he once told me that whenever he is broke he starts developing symptoms of illness A fellow I know once said to me “Emeka don’t play with my money. Playing with my money is like playing with my emotions.
Attachments can interfere with your relationship with God. As a Pastor I see it all the time, I see church folks who are so attached to their cell phones, that they would drink muddy water first, before they allow any Pastor order them to put away their cell phones during church service.
Some people are attached to their cars. They will be your friend until it comes to their car. There is this commercial on television where a man was driving a brand new car with his girlfriend by his side. They came across a puddle of water and this man braked suddenly. He got out of his car, took off his jacket and placed it over the puddle, and then he got into his car and drove over his jacket. His girlfriend looked at him in shock “How come you never do that for me?” She asked.
I actually know a woman who dragged her friend to a small claims court because her friend scratched her car. Today, they are no longer friends.
Two thousand years ago Jesus warned his disciple saying
“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possession”
Luke 12: 15(NIV)
The best attachment you can ever have is an attachment to Jesus Christ. Remember the good book says “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world but looses his soul?”In the final analysis when our time is up here on earth, we would have to leave everything we ever acquired here on earth.

!

WE CREATE THE RIGHT ATMOSPHERE !!!

THIS SUNDAY YOU CAN CHOOSE TO:
· Stay home and watch T.V
· Go fishing with your son
· Go jogging
· Kickback at home and read the papers
· Do your laundry.
OR YOU CAN DECIDE TO WORSHIP WITH US AT:
THE REDEEMED CHRISTAIN CHURCH OF GOD
70 James Street Suite 129b
Worcester MA
SUN : 10 am –12pm
TUE : 7pm– 9pm
We create the right atmosphere for you to be empowered.
For more details contact us at 508-740-4806 or eogodwin@hotmail.com

NEWS ! NEWS! NEWS!

The Redeemed Christian Church of God Power Miracle Center was inaugurated on 8/3/08. It was a jam packed event with people coming from all parts of Massachusetts as well as New Hampshire.
We had a great time in God’s presence . The zonal Co-coordinator for zone 20 Pastor Samuel Sorinmade was around to commission the church and he made some prophetic statements about R.C.C.G Worcester.
Our mission in Worcester is not to start another church, but to be a positive influence in the community. We seek to provide a place of worship for anyone who yearns for God. We believe that if we create the right atmosphere, God will move and touch lives.

- Pastor E.A Adeboye
(General Overseer)
- Pastor Samuel Sorinmade
(Zonal Coordinator)
- Pastor Emeka O.Godwin
(Parish Pastor)

2008-07-17T11:58:00.001-07:00

HOW MUCH CAN YOU PUT UP WITH?
My friend Kinnon (not realname) told me that he almost became a member of the Navy SEALs. The U.S Navy SEALs is an elite wing of the United States military. Established in 1962 the SEAL which stands for Sea, Air and Land is a special operating force trained to fight in all terrains. It is ten times easier to get into other branches of the military than get into the Navy SEALs. In one of their websites they boast of having the most intensive military training in the world.
When Kinnon told me he almost became a member of the Navy SEALs I thought he was joking, but he was serious. According to him he had to quit because he could not handle the training. He said “They took us out to the river and threw us into very cold water and asked us to swim” Noe in his mid forties , Kinnon would once in a while would reminiscence on those days when he almost became a member of the Navy SEALs
One of the most disturbing character defects of our generation is our inability to persevere. We are more prone to walk away from unpleasant situation rather than stay and fight. The phrase “hang in there” has become an obsolete cliché which no one wants to hear any more. Cut and run is the new trend in our society today;
- If my spouse starts acting up I will dump him
- If my car starts acting up I will trade it in
- If my neighbors start misbehaving I will move
- If my boss starts bossing me around I will look for another job
- If my pastor’s sermon goes longer than twenty minutes I will look for another church.
I hate to say this but this is a generation of wimps. It has become old fashioned to put up with hard times. There use to be a time when if things were going wrongly for you, people expected you to hang in there and never give up until things improve. But today we are so addicted to convenience that at the first sight of inconvenience we turn and run.
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ”
2 Timothy 2: 3
The bible calls us soldiers. The true measure of a soldier is how much endurance he or she possesses. As Christians we must realize that the journey of life is not always a smooth sail. Once is a while you will hit bumps and portholes.
So I ask you today, how much are you willing to put up with? So your spouse forgot your birthday again, is that enough reason to divorce him? So your Pastor did not call to find out how you were doing is that enough reason to stop going to church?
In the final analysis, your greatness will be measured not by the good times you enjoyed but the bad times you endured.
“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son”
Rev 21: 7
A woman in our church was celebrating her marriage anniversary and she got up and publicly praised her husband. She said “He is such a nice man. I drive him crazy but he puts up with me” This is the crux of Christianity. As Christian we are not trained to dodge bad times but to overcome bad times. And one of the keys to overcoming is hanging in there.
In conclusion let us look at what Job said while he was going through his own rough time.
“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” Job 23: 10

2008-06-30T12:09:00.000-07:00

HOW DO WE OVERCOME ENVIRONMENTAL DEMONS?
Nwelu was a young man I met in the bible school in 1998. He was studying to be an Evangelist. Brother Nwelu told me that prior to answering the call of God he had gone to culinary school where he trained to be a professional cook.
Nwelu loved to boast about his cooking skills, he would say to me “Look when I am cooking, I don’t need to taste the food to know if it is going to come out right. I am an expert, only amateurs taste their food to see if it has enough salt or not”
One day Nwelu said to me “Look I can cook in the kitchen dressed up in sparkling white shirt, no apron, and when I am done not a single stain will be on my shirt” With a proud look on his face he continued “Only amateurs wear apron when they cook, because they can’t trust themselves”
Yes indeed Nwelu was a braggart, but I have seen him actually cook a pot of melon soup wearing his best clothes. And when he was done, there was not a single stain on him. Me? I am not a good cook at all. I can’t go to the kitchen without being stained. Not only will my clothes be stained, the kitchen walls will be smeared with oil and grease. The oven would be a mess and my wife would be ticked off.
It is no secret that the world we live in is corrupt and morally bankrupt. The question is, how do we navigate through this evil world of ours without being stained? There is what I call environmental demons, these are external forces that seek to influence you and make you act contrary to your faith.
We Christians are in a constant battle against these environmental demons. Take Conrad for instance, Conrad is a young man who goes to church regularly and wants to stay pure for the Lord. But his environment is filled with sexual temptations; women dressed in skimpy attires, television filled with blatant sex and sexual innuendos, magazines with sexy women, Internet with pornographic pop ups, radio with obscene lyrics and on and on and on.
Brother Conrad understands that his battle to stay pure is compounded by these external bombardments. It just seem like the environment is conspiring to make him fall. The question is how does Conrad navigate through his environment without getting stained?
The goal of the devil is to get us to a place where we are no longer influencing our environment, but rather we are being influenced by it. Years ago I worked in a call center in downtown Framingham. One of the guys I worked with heard that I was a Christian and he said to me “In no time I will get you to start using obscenities like the rest of us” I said to him “Never” He shook his head and pointed to another colleague of ours. “You see him? Like you he was a church going man. But today he uses obscenities more than anyone else”
I will give you another example: I have always believed in the power of fasting. Jesus fasted and taught his disciple to fast. But many a times I will leave my house with the intent to fast from dusk till dawn. But by 11 am. I find myself seating in an air conditioned burger king restaurant munching a big old whooper.
Now this may sound lame and shameless, but I blame my environment for my inability to fast. Do you know that each time I drive from my house to my work place I pass two McDonald, three Dunkin Donuts, three Ice Cream parlors, and two Burger King Restaurants on the way? So tell me how in the world can a man abstain from food, when he is constantly bombarded with food?
The point I am trying to make here is that being an upstanding Christian in the world we live in is not a walk in the park. It is tough, it is hard. Our environment would always be contrary to our faith, but the scripture tells us that those who overcome will get a crown from the Lord.
Next week I will be offering some biblical suggestions on how we can walk through this world without getting smeared. Like my friend Nwelu we would get to a place where we can boldly say that we can’t be stained.
My posting would be done every Sundays latest by midnight, so be sure to constantly look me up. And please feel free to offer your views and opinions as long as it is Godly. God bless you.