welcome to my world

Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: New Video: Tehila Crew - You Are Holy

2013-11-20T16:15:00.001+01:00

Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: New Video: Tehila Crew - You Are Holy

2013-11-20T16:12:00.001+01:00

Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: New Video: Tehila Crew - You Are Holy

Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: Breaking news!! Nine Nigerian serving ministers sacked

2013-09-11T18:28:00.001+02:00

Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: Breaking news!! Nine Nigerian serving ministers sacked

destiny helpers

2012-08-01T17:07:00.000+02:00

No matter how intelligent, gifted, anointed or connected you may be, you cannot fulfill your destiny by yourself alone. You need destiny helpers – destiny friends – people that are strategically positioned by God to assist you realize your life’s calling and vision. Proverbs 29:18 says “Without vision the people perish”. It is equally true that without people, the vision will perish. Visions don’t fulfill themselves. People work to achieve their fulfillment. When God asked through Amos, “By whom shall Jacob arise? For he is small” (Amos 7:2, 5), He was talking about destiny friends. When Moses prayed prophetically that “Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad,” he was actually praying for destiny friends – destiny helpers for the tribe of Gad (Duet. 33:20). When Jesus spoke the parable of the good Samaritan who rescued that traveller from untimely death so that he lived to fulfill his destiny, He was talking about destiny friends (Luke 10:33). Without the helper of this Samaritan, that man would have died before his time. God used that destiny friend (the Samaritan) to see to it that the man lived to fulfill the purpose of God for his life, which included becoming a timeless story in the mouth of our Lord. Destiny friends! We need them in various sizes, shape or form. Some would come as counselors – what Ahitophel was to King David – “for in the multitude of counselors, there is safety.” (Prov. 11:14). Some will come as builders, what Bezaleel was to Moses. When the Bible said “So Moses finished the work” understand that Moses did nothing more than receiving the vision from God and explaining it to a man who executed it according to the heavenly vision (Exodus 40:33). Yet some destiny helpers will come as a “Maid” or a junior staff like the little unnamed girl who suggested that General Naaman should go to Elisha to be healed of his leprosy (II Kings 5). Circumstances may force a destiny friend on you. This was how Mordecai became Esther’s “angel” in life. Without Mordecai, Esther would never have become the queen, and she would have missed the purpose of God for her life. Some destiny helpers come by the way of friendship or relationship. Could David have become king without the friendship of Jonathan? Without Jonathan, King Saul would have killed David before destiny fulfillment. Some destiny friends come in the form of a mentor; some as protégées. Moses, as a mentor, was a destiny friend to Joshua. Dr. Luke, as a protégée, was a destiny friend to Apostle Paul. Some destiny friends are by your choice. Jesus our lord chose His twelve apostles after spending a whole night in prayer (Luke 6: 12 – 16). Without the twelve, His mission on earth would have gone back to heaven with Him. But these men were specifically called and raised to serve the purpose of God in our Messiah’s life. In whatever area of your life you need destiny friends now, may the hand of God draw the right people to you, and may your eyes of understanding be opened to see, recognize, treasure and accept your destiny friends in Jesus name. From this day, strategic destiny friends who are catalysts to your destiny fulfillment shall begin to come to you.

Income Inequality and Incidence of Poverty in Nigeria

2011-10-31T16:45:00.001+01:00

Over the years the dreams and aspirations of our founding fathers have been eroded through recklessness and corruption which seems to have been the order of the day in Nigeria's political sphere. Achieving equitable distribution of income and alleviation of poverty has for some time been a major and critical development issue. Every country that has the intention of succeeding as a nation has an odious task of enhancing the welfare of its citizens. This should be done in such an egalitarian manner that every cadre of the workforce feels secured and adequate. The normal situation is where the income gap between citizens is not so wide as to precipitate public resentment. Income inequality has the effect of gradually building up conscious hatred and deep rooted envy against the upper class who are often perceived to be exploiting the lower class. This ugly scenario is clearly evident in Nigeria. It has further been recognised that income inequality matters when it comes to making progress on poverty reduction. Nigeria, like many developing countries, implemented SAP policies in the 1980s, which continued in varying degrees till the late 1990s. The new democratic government in 1999 introduced further series of reforms, culminating in the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) launched in mid-2004. Following the reforms, the real growth rate became positive from 1988, turning from an average of minus 1.7 per cent in 1980/86 to 4.7 percent in 1986/92. The strong growth performance continued in the 1990s and into the 2000s, rising to 6.6 percent in 2002/2004 and 6.24 percent in 2004/2006. However, despite this strong growth performance, poverty incidence has remained high, rising from 42.7 percent in 1992 to 65.6 percent in 1996. Although estimated to have declined to 54.4 percent in 2004, poverty incidence could still be considered high. The decline gives an annual average of 1.6 percentage points since 1997. Considering the arguments in the theoretical literature and evidence from the empirical literature that faster economic growth is associated with faster poverty reduction, why has the rate of poverty been so high in Nigeria? Could it be a result of the apparent lack of explicit concern with inequality and inconsistency in government policies? Could it, therefore, have been because of rising income/expenditure inequality, especially since 1992? Could it be a reflection of low growth elasticity of poverty reduction in Nigeria? Could it be a direct reflection of corruption and mismanagement of funds in government hands? These are the questions that concern every Nigerian. For resource-rich countries like Nigeria, the process is exacerbated by the three processes often associated with ‘resource curse’, namely: the Dutch disease, macroeconomic volatility, and deteriorating governance. In the case of Nigeria, the emergence of 'the black gold' (oil) has further widened the income gap in Nigeria as those who have access to political power have the link to engage in oil business. The oil business is often used as a means of political settlement in Nigeria. Poverty is defined today as a state of long-term deprivation of well-being, a situation considered inadequate for decent living. There is, however, much debates on how well-being should be measured and what indicators should be used. There are two broad approaches to defining wellbeing. These are the ‘welfarist’ approach and the ‘non-welfarist’ approach. The ‘welfarist’ approach defines well-being in terms of the level of utility attained by an individual. The approach attaches great importance to the individual’s perception of what is useful to him or her. The ‘non-welfarist’ approach defines well-being independently of the individual’s perception of it. The approach relies on what planners consider desirable from a social point of view. The former are frequently used by economists who generally emphasise the real consumption of goods and services. The latter favours a broader social vision and emphasises the ‘rights’ and ‘opportunities’ and ‘capabilities’ of individuals in terms of their access to resources and their potential consumption. The latter dimension has its root in the view that well-being may not be determined by actual consumption alone, but also by ‘opportunities’ for consumption, for which income may be a measure. Opportunities for consumption for the poor would from having access to remunerative employment opportunities, which could be from wage employment or self-employment. This is necessarily so since the main asset owned by the poor is human capital. The human capital could be utilised directly through access to wage employment, or through access to credit which could be used to create self-employment. It should be noted that World Bank (2001) estimated that 70.2percent of Nigerians live on less than $1 per day. The fact that over 50 percent of total population are poor should be of concern to policy-makers. It should be noted also that a more recent estimate carried out for this report suggests that poverty incidence in 2004 may have been 57.0% instead of the 54.4% reported by National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2005. More insight into the challenge of poverty in Nigeria is gained by considering the dimension of poverty. Urban poor rose from 17.2percent in 1980 to 58.2percent in 1996. Rural poor rose from 28.3percent in 1980 to 69.3percnet in 1996. There is also educational dimension to poverty in Nigeria. The higher the educational attainment level the lower the incidence of poverty. Poverty is concentrated among persons with no education and those with only primary education. Welfare rises with the level of education. It implies that the less educated the head, the more likely that the household would be poor. Another worrisome trend among the private sector is the insistance of recruiting only fresh graduates below 25 years. This unfriendly labour policy places the children of the poor at a disadvantage unlike children of the rich who ordinarily enjoy uninterrupted education. This further widens the gap between children of the poor and the rich. It is also a common knowledge that children from affluent homes have easy access to gainful employment as their parents provide the needed links. Children from poor background are often left in the dark in pursuit of a decent job. Studies have demonstrated that economic growth is critical to poverty reduction. The pace of economic growth is important. But the structure of growth is equally important, some would argue that it is even more important. Economic growth must be broad-based and inclusive for it is to result in improved welfare. A consequence of lopsided, non-broad based economic growth, and lack of sound economic management, is the problem of unemployment. Unemployment has become endemic and almost permanent feature of the Nigerian economy. It is estimated that an annual average of about 2.8million graduates enter the labour market, with only about 10 percent of them securing employment. Various surveys by the National Bureau of Statistics show that the unemployed constitute a critical component of the core poor. The critical state of our economy even in the midst of huge government revenues is a sharp contrast to the level of inequality and poverty evident in the country. Nigeria which should at this stage in our nationhood be generally accepted as a developing country should not have the level of income gap as seen today. Political office holders brandish so much ill gotten wealth which is discordant with the level of skill they posse. The scenario often seen is where a renowned university professor even earns less than a local government chairman who has little or no skill comparatively. The surest way out of poverty as seen recently is involvement in politics at all cost. The members of parliament are about the highest income earners in the country even with no evident contribution to national development. It is pertinent that this unfortunate trend is tackled headlong before the national outcry turns into a massive revolution unprecedented in the history of our country. The onus lies on the government to rise beyond the clutches of corruption and work towards the alleviation of poverty while closing the worsening gap between the rich and the poor. The creation of middle class should be the policy direction if our dear country is be navigated to the path of sustainable economic and financial prosperity. Consistent efforts should be made towards tailoring the national budgets to empower small and medium scale business owners. The time for government to act is now since the only option at the disposal of govenrment is to either create employment or increase budgetary allocation for internal security as it will be extremely difficult to manage security in the midst widespread poverty. WRITTEN BY: JOHN OKORONKWO +234-806-896-2067 John.okoronkwo@hotmail.co.uk Twitter Handle: john_okoronkwo

your life as a book

2011-01-28T18:25:00.002+01:00

You life is a book in the making; and like every book, the chapter called 2010 has been written and closed. A new one 2011 is opened waiting for us to inscribe on its pages the words that’ll impact positively on all the generations of human race.

Your live is a book in progress and we all are authors of this book. There are some few unique things about these books each of us are writing: (a) the content are not hand written with pen but by our deeds and action (b) every second of our lives is the syllable of this book, every minute is a word, every hour is a paragraph, every day is a page and each year is a new chapter.

2011 has opened a new chapter in this life book. As the author what do you intend to write on its pages? You no longer have your yesterdays (past), but you have today and the future to contend with. Your attitude or approach to life will determine what the content of this new chapter will look like at the end the year 2011. Make sure that your goals, plans and focus are geared toward making a master piece that can make you a best seller.

Allow the experiences of yester-years to guide your steps. It won’t be a mistake but foolishness if you fall victim of same kind of trouble that brought you down to the dust the last time. Above all trust the spirit of God to lead the way. Don’t rush into things only to regret at last. “For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the Lord of Israel will be your rear guard.

So if you desire to publish a good book and become a best seller make Jesus your editor. Take all those plans, goals, resolutions and heart desire in your manuscript to him for editing. Don’t publish any page without him editing it. In other words, don’t go out any day without telling him to guide your steps, He is waiting for you.

EMEKA ANYAOGU

MAXIMIZING YOUR POTENTIAL BY CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAREER.

2010-12-03T14:24:00.000+01:00

Phili 4vs 13, Matt 25. 14-30, Pro.24.27

This subject naturally divides itself into two part; maximizing of potential and choice of a career that is right. You cannot maximize potential when you have not discovered that potential. It is upon the realization of your God given potential that you can now bring to the fore the issue of its maximization.

All humans are born with a natural gift from God; called TALENT, which could be just single or multiple.
This sometimes may guide us on the area of interest of career path, that when properly explore can be a very good starting point in life.
In the Bible Exo.31.2, 3; Also the men of Issachar, who had understanding and know what Israel ought to do...1 chro.12.32
In this discuss three questions shall be answered;
What does potential mean?
How do you choose a God honoring career that is right?
How do we maximize our potentials?

What does potential mean?

By the word potential, I'm referring to the God-given abilities, skills, and talents we have.
A latent excellence or ability that may or may not be developed.
The skills mentioned falls into three categories; there are those we use with people, those we use with things, and those we use with information.

13 basic skills we use with people: 1 Cor. 12.12,14,18
· Speaking or listening to others so as to convey or receive information. (Communicating)
· Influencing others by our words or actions. (Persuading)
· Showing sensitivity to the feelings of others. (Sensing)
· Favoring the implicit or explicit needs of others. (Serving)
· Caring for others by using specified techniques or approaches to improve their physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual problem. (Treating)
· Giving expert advice or recommendations based on our own area of expertise. (Advising)
· Paying attention to instructions and then carrying out the prescribed action. (Taking instructions)
· Monitoring behavior and coordinating it in order to achieve organizational objectives. (Managing/Supervising)
· Recognizing and utilizing the skills of others. (Leading)
· Arriving at an individual or jointly agreed-upon decision usually through discussion and compromise. (Negotiating/deciding)
· Exhibiting showmanship for fun, laughter, or entertainment. (Entertaining/Amusing)
· Dealing with the problems of others in the context of their total self while helping them to identify and resolve them through self-directed action. (Counseling)
· Giving new information or ideas to people through lecture, demonstration, or practice. (Training)

When it comes to dealing with information, we use our skills 15 different ways. :
We investigate, detect, compile, and classify information by means of research. (Researching)
· We examine two or more people or objects in order to learn about and react to their similarities and dissimilarities. (Comparing)
· We study the behavior of people, animals, or things, or the details of a particular phenomenon or place. (Observing)
· We perceive and define cause-and-effect relations. (Analyzing)
· We deal with numbers in performing simple or complex arithmetic. (Computing)
· We give a definite structure and working order to things. (Organizing)
· We inspect, diagnose, test, and evaluate information, people, or things. (Evaluating)
· We take what others have developed and apply it to new situations often in a new form. (Improving/adapting)
· We transform apparently unrelated things or ideas by forming them into a new cohesive whole. (Creating)
· We fashion or shape things. (Designing)
· We conceive shapes or sounds by perceiving their patterns and structures and we enable others to see them, too. (Visualizing)
· We record, memorize, or reproduce on paper or in the mind. (Copying, Storing, Retrieving)
· We determine the sequence of tasks after reviewing pertinent data or requirements. (Planning, Developing)
· We systematically accomplish tasks in a manner that causes objectives to be attained or surpassed. (Achieving)
· We speed up the accomplishment of a task or series of tasks so as to reach an organizational objective on or ahead of time. (Expediting)

C. Finally, let's look at the skills we use with things:
· using our body as an instrument of accomplishment. (Being athletic)
· using our hands or body to identify or move an object. (Handling)
· manipulating hand tools. (Using Tools)
· monitoring, adjusting, and servicing automatic machines. (Minding Machines)
· performing some or all operations upon an office, shop, or other machine or equipment. (Operating Machine or Equipment)
· performing some or all operations upon a vehicle. (Operating a Vehicle)
· putting materials into or taking them out of machines. (Feeding, Emptying Machines)
· using earth as an instrument of accomplishment. (Working with Earth and Nature)
· preparing, building, installing, and displaying machinery or equipment. (Setting Up Displays, Machinery, or Equipment)
· attaining precise set of limits, tolerance, or standards. (Precision Working)
· putting an object back into good working condition or similar to its original condition. (Preparing)
I encourage you to inventory the skills that have brought you success and satisfaction. Then look for creative ways to emphasize them. When you do, you'll be maximizing your potential.

Ponder on these:
When you maximize your potential, everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose.
The formula E+R=O stands for "The Events in our lives plus our Reaction to them equals the Outcomes we experience". If we look at this formula, the only constant K is the event, while our reaction and outcome are the variables.
Keep doing what you are doing; live one day at a time.

How do you choose a God honoring career that is right?
Certainly, we do know that not all career are God glorifying, hence, we need to find out how we can channel all God-given resources in us to please Him.
Examples of what I mean is as an actor, acting films and being nude or committing immorality for the sake of making money, or working as a profession doctor to terminate life all these will not be God honoring.
Then how do you choice your career that honors God:
Discover you God-given talent
Ask yourself what your interests, skills, work-related values, and personality are.
You might want to meet with a career development professional, i.e. career counselor or career development facilitator (in the school or work place). A career development professional will use various tools to help you evaluate your interests, personality, skills, and values.
Answer these questions -- as honestly as possible -- recording your responses so you can refer back to them.
What do you love to do in your free time?
What are the skills that come naturally to you without much thought or effort?
If you could do any job in your life, what would you choose?
What types of things energize you?
What activities, subjects, or causes have you been deeply involved with?
What are some areas in which your family and friends consider you an expert?
When you are online, or at a bookstore or library, what subjects most appeal to you?
What kind of work environment fits you best?
What do you most value in life? From work?
What types of volunteering have you done -- or wish you have done?
What types of career paths have your closest friends followed?
Do you possess deeply held beliefs that you have a calling in life?
What are the types of things that people ask you for help with?
What are some of the big goals you want to achieve in our life?
These hopefully will guide you in the choice of career.
Having discussed the issue of discovering your potentials and choosing the right career, let’s now consider how to maximize them. The following tips will certainly be of help.

How do we maximize our potentials?
Pursuit of and Commitment to God Ps 42.1-2;3,1,2; 143.6;2chro 26.5
Prevent slothful (laziness kills) Romans 12vs 11
Persistent Prayers 2chro 4.9,10,pro 16.3
Passion and strong zest for what you believe in. Ecc 9 vs 10
Power of the will Dan 1.8
Proper time management Eph 5.16, col 4.5
Positioning yourself with the right resource people
Profitable preparation pro.24.27
Persistence and perspiration(have a go getting spirit; never quit)
Postpone nothing
Pass not by any opportunity unnoticed neither let any opportunity pass you unnoticed/ tapped into; always open your eyes and your mind and possess a good observational skill. Job 33.16
Practically deal with low self esteem, self worth and your personal fears and worries. Ecc 11.4-5; ps 139.14

when we share

2010-11-18T11:46:00.002+01:00

When we share laughter, there's twice the fun;
When we share success, we surpass what we've done.

When we share problems, there's half the pain;
When we share tears, a rainbow follows rain.

When we share dreams, they become more real;
When we share secrets, it's our hearts we reveal.

If we share a smile, then our love shows;
If we share a hug, then our love grows.

If we share with someone on whom we depend,
That person becomes family or friend.

And what draws us closer and makes us all care,
Is not what we have, but the things that we share.

relationship

2010-10-25T21:22:00.000+02:00

People come into your life for a REASON, a SEASON and
a LIFETIME. When you figure out which one it is,
you’ll know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON it is
usually to meet a need you have expressed. They come
to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you
with guidance and support to aid you physically
emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like
godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason
you need them to be. Then without any wrongdoing on
your part or at an inconvenient time this person will
say or do something to bring the relationship to an
end, or there could even be a misunderstanding between
two of you that eventually brought the relationship to
and end. Or as fate will have it, something just
happened. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they just walk
away. Sometimes they just act up and force you to take
a stand. What we must realize is that our need has
been met, and our desire fulfilled, their work is
done. The prayer you sent up has been answered. And
now it is time to move up.

Then people come into your life for a SEASON. Because
your turn has come to share grow and learn. They bring
you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may
teach you something that you’ve never done. They
usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it is real! But only for a SEASON.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things that you must build upon in order to have a
solid foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson,
love the person and put what you’ve learn in use in
all other relationship and areas of your life. It is
said that love is build but relationship is
clairvoyant.
From
Prince deyemman@yahoo.com

how is your prayer life?

2010-10-25T20:36:00.000+02:00

If God is your father, please call home. The devil
smiles when we make plans. He laughs when we get too
busy. But he trembles when we pray. Don’t worry about
anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God
your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his
answers. If you do this you will experience God’s
peace, which is far more wonder. When you feel swept
off your feet, it’s time to go back on your knees.

Time spent in communion with God is never lost. The
highest purpose of faith or prayer is not to change
your circumstances but to change you. Pray to do the
will of God in every situation; nothing else is worth
praying for.

Begin the day with God. Prayer may not change all
things for you, but it sure changes you for all
things. He`s waiting to hear from you.
from

WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

2010-09-19T18:20:00.002+02:00

Whenever you logged in to your facebook page you will see this question ‘what’s on you mind?’ Unless you answer that question your status will not be updated. If you do all other things on facebook without writing ‘what’s on your mind?’ on your wall, only your activities will be updated but your status will not be updated. It’s ‘what’s on your mind?’ that determines your status on facebook.

The same thing is applicable to life. It’s what is on your mind that determines your status in life. The bible said that ‘as a man thinks so he is’. You are what you think. All that we are arsis from out thought. What you are today and what you will be in the future is as a result of what’s on your mind. Therefore I want you to ask yourself this important question. What’s on your mine? Even as you are reading this piece now, what’s going on in your mind? As you go out every day, what’s do you have in mind? As you think about your future, what’s comes to your mind? When you are confronted with difficult situation, what comes to your mind? It’s what we have in mind that determines how you will overcome the situation.

If you desire to update your status in life, you need to change your mind set. Don’t forget, it’s what’s on your mind that determines your status in life. That is why you must be positive minded. Don’t let any negative thought enter your mind. Negative thoughts are like virus that crashes our system. Like computer your mind is the central processing unit, it’s what happens there that determines what you will project as a person

The change that you desired will come from your mind, by changing your mind set you may crate that change that you desired for a long time. Change comes from implementing what’s on our mind. Don’t wait for change, create it! Creativity stats from the mind. The reason some are unemployed today is as a result of what’s on their mind. Who say you can’t start your own business? If nobody employs you, employ your self. Don’t be idle, God doesn’t like idleness. If you don’t have anything doing look for problem to solve, problem solvers are the people that become great in life. See the life of Joseph, he was in the prison solving problem and that brought him from prison to palace. So don’t say because you are not there yet, what have you done where you are now. Don’t say you can’t do this, you can’t do that; you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you. No matter the situation you find yourself believe in yourself. For God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love of power and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

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HOW FAR TO HELL?

2010-09-15T00:39:00.003+02:00

How far is it to hell?” asked one of three half-drunk
young men who were stumbling along the boardwalk of a
popular beach resort. Shocked by their attitude, the
policeman replied, “Hell’s at the end of a life
without Christ, and you are closer than you think. You
should prepare to meet God.”
This was more than the carefree trio expected to hear,
so they turned and wandered away without further
comment. That night, the dead body of a young man was
discovered along the shore. The policeman recognized
him.

Years later, that same policeman, again on beach
patrol, was approached by a tourist. “You won’t
remember me, but I remember you,” he said as he shook
the officer’s hand. “Do you remember three drunken
guys, and one who asked how far it was to hell? You
said that hell was at the end of a life without
Christ. Do you remember what happened to that guy? He
drowned. I was with him that day. Your warning stuck
with me and led me to confess my sins to Jesus and
receive Him as my Savior. I’m so thankful God led you
to speak to me. He used your words, and saved me by
His grace.”

What encouragement for that policeman to hear that his
warning was not wasted! One man actually heard it, and
recognized his friend’s death as proof of what happens
when we don’t prepare to meet God.

If you’ve ever wondered how far it is to hell, this
message is for you. Please don’t end up like the young
man who didn’t listen. Instead, be like the one who
heard the warning, and accept Jesus as your Savior.
And do it right now! We can help you. Then write to
magazine@gtpress.org for more of God's word
and encourage them with your decision, then they will
send you a magazine that will help you build your
spiritual life.

attracting, retaining and developing individuals within the church setting

2010-08-31T20:17:00.001+02:00

Our Lord Jesus Christ before He was taken back to heaven commanded His disciples saying; ‘go therefore and make disciples of people of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy spirit; teaching them to Observe all things I have commanded you and look I’m with you all the days until conclution of the system of things. Mathew 28:19,20 (NWT) In that verse of the scripture, what our Lord Jesus Christ was simply telling His disciples is to go and attract individuals, retain and develop them within the body of Christ which is the church.

The early disciples when they receive this commandment did not hesitate to carry it out. As soon as they received the Holy Ghost, they went about attracting people to Christ. In the day of Pentecost alone about 3000 individuals were attracted to the fold through the ministration of Peter. The 3000 converts were also retained and developed. The bible said in Acts 2:42 that ‘they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and in braking of bread and in prayers.’

The disciples in the bible days recorded huge success in this assignment due to the methods they used which were suitable in there time. They attracted people through working of miracles (Acts 3 & 4) going into the synagogue (Acts 14:1) and preaching in the streets. They turned the world upside down and planted churches everywhere. The effect of their works is what made us Christians today. Even when their generation passed away, the gospel of Jesus Christ continue to grow from one generation to another due to the adherence of each generation to this great commandment to go and attract people. However each generation used methods and approaches that were suitable in there time. E.g. the early missionaries that came to Africa brought education along with the gospel. Some came along with medical aids while others brought other valuables that were needful to the people they intend to attract.

Now that the baton has been transferred to us, how can we truly attract, retain and develop individuals within the church setting in this global age where every thing seems to be moving at the speed of light. To carry out this assignment successfully therefore, we need to understand the systems that control this present age and fine a way of colonizing them and making them profitable tools in this all important assignment. But if we fail to identify these systems, it will make our effort in this assignment fruitless, even when we manage to attract them; we will find it difficult to retain them due to the pressure of those systems.

There are about seven systems that control this present age. They include: The system of media, The entertainment system, The economic system, The political system, The educational system, The family system and The religious system. These are the systems that control human values; it’s these systems that made people behave the way they do. Take the media for instance; the influx of western lives into our media has influence our way of life so much that we now intend to emulate them in everything. Our manner of life, our mode of dressing and our political system is now characterized by western culture.

Having identified these systems, we must find a way of utilizing them in all our approaches; we must make use of the media in our outreaches. We must find a way of making use of entertainment to attract people; the world love entertainment so much. We must find a way of empowering our members economically; lake of finance is what had made many to leave the church today. We need to encourage Christians to participate in politics; by the time we begin to produce Christian leaders, all those places they called impenetrable places for evangelism will become penetrable. We must encourage and help our member to be educated; education is what drives the world today. We must begin to raise Christian families; Imagine a situation where true Christian families are raised, Christianity will spread all over the country and crime and high rate of sin will be reduced. Also we must fine a way to nullify all those indoctrinated pseudo religious belief from out system.

Having understood that, the church or any one who desire to attract people to God must take the following steps;

1. 1. PRAYER: A true soul winner must be and intercessor. ‘The harvest truly is great but the laborers are few, pray you therefore to the lord of the harvest that he may send more laborers into the field’. Pray for the missionaries pray for the soul of sinner you want to preach to and pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
2. PERSONAL EVANGELISM: It is the oldest and the most effective way of attracting people to Christ. It worked in the bible days and it is still working in out time. The bible said that ‘Andrew finds his own brother Simon (John 1:41) and Philip finds Nathanael (John 1:41) it’s easier to attract people closer to us. Personal evangelism also involves living a life that others will see Jesus in us; you can’t attract people to Christ if your life is full of questionable character.

The church must take advantage of the technological advancement to attract people. The media is the easies way of attracting people because of the number of people you can reach out to within few minutes. The media includes television/radio, the print and the internet. The church can organize television/radio programs where soul transforming messages will be preached. Magazines and tracks that contain soul transforming articles should be made available. The internet should be utilized through creating of interactive website where people can get feedbacks to question that borders their mind. Someone once wrote on her facebook wall that the evangelical field has been widened via facebook. Imagine the millions of people you will attract just by sending a soul transforming message across the internet.

Also, we must endeavor to follow up the young converts adequately. Follow-up involves getting closer to the individuals and knowing their personal needs and find a way of helping them in the area where they needed help. They should be encouraged to be coming to Church where they will be hearing soul lifting messages that will keep them strong in the faith.

The church should be organizing seminars/workshop where member will be empowered both spiritually and economically. This is an effective way of retaining them in the church. If one is empowered economically, there is no way he can leave the church when he remembers that it the church that helped him to become what he has become, but if such a person is lacking financially, he intends to seek for help else where.

No doubt in all generation, there had always been orchestrated attempt by Satan to frustrate the people of God in this all impotent assignment but if we employ the right methods that are suitable in our time, we would be enlarging the kingdom of God and depopulating the kingdom of darkness. The church is expected to be diligent in this task knowing how important it is in the mind of God, even when we are confronted with obstacles, we need to be encouraged by the fact that the will of God has always prevailed, never mind, He will make a way for us if we maintain the right approach. The church of Jesus must bury any racial, ethnic, intellectual or spiritual differences and work together towards achieving this all important common goal of attracting, retaining and developing individual within the body of Christ which is the church

Prince Emeka Anyaogu

TO God be the glory

2010-07-17T08:54:00.000+02:00

My father in heaven, where will I begin to thank you? Do I know when I was born? I was only told by record that it was on this day (18 July). See this little child that was born some years ago is becoming a grown man.
If I begin to count your goodness and mercies upon my life, time will never be enough because I can never thank you enough. For making me to be alive today is more than a million reasons to thank you. Those that have died, am I better than them? Am I more righteous than them? No! But for your mercy. Who is me that thou Almighty God is mindful of me. Even before I was formed in the belly you know me and before I came forth out of the belly you sanctify me. You know what I will become, though it has not yet appeared what becom for when it shall appear the world shall see it.
Why should I worry about tomorrow when your word said that you will go before me and make the crooked place straight and you will break in sunder the bars of iron. I’m not worried about reaches because you had already promise that you will give me the treasure of darkness and the hidden reaches of the secret place, that I may know that you are God of Israel. The sun shall not smite me by day nor the moon by night.
Now unto you who are able to do abundantly above all that we can be able to think or ask be all the glory, honor, power, majesty now and forever Amen.

Just a Litle Kiss

2010-07-17T08:51:00.001+02:00

Just a little kiss
The kiss of Judas is to betray you
Anything you are kissing outside Christ will land you into hell fire
Remember just a little eating of the tree of knowledge that made God to throw away our first mother and father out of the Garden of Eden. (gen. 3:23)
Just a little one hour of sexual enjoyment will bring AIDS and fire of Sodom/Gomorrah upon your body. Gen.19:24, 25; rom. 1:18
Just a little day of forsaking God and serving your fleshly desire will bring the anger of God’s judgment.
Just a little trusting in your beauty that makes you very proud anytime you look at yourself in the mirror may bring woe upon you
Just a little kiss with a lady near the gutter towards the evening time because you are a poor sinner, the eyes of the Lord is upon you and punishment await you

the great judgment morning

2010-06-30T15:53:00.000+02:00

I dream that the great judgment morning
Had dawn and the trumpet has blown;
I dream that the nations had gathered
To judgment before the white throne
From the throne came a bright shining angel
And stood on the land and the sea
And swore with his hand raised to heaven
That time was no longer to be

The rich man was there, but his money
Had melted and vanished away;
A pauper he stood at the judgment,
His debts were too heavy to pay;
The great man was there but his greatness
When death came, was left far behind
The Angel that opened the records
Not a trace of his greatness could be found

The widow was there with the orphans
God heard and remembered their cries
No sorrow in heaven forever
God wiped all the tears from their eyes
The gambler was there and the drunkards
And the man that had sold them the drink
With the people who gave them the license
Together in hell they did sink

The moral man came to the judgment
But his self-righteous rages would not do;
The men who had crucified Jesus
Had passed off as moral men too;
The soul that had put off salvation
‘Not tonight; I’ll get saved by and by
No time now to think of religion’
At last they found time to die.

And o, what a weeping and wailing
As the lost were told of there fate,
They cried for the rocks and the mountain
The prayed, but there prayer was too late

young Girl

2010-06-28T13:25:00.001+02:00

You wait little girl on empty stage

For faith to turn the light on

Your life little girl is an empty page

That men will like to write on

You are 16 going on 17

Baby it’s time to think

Better beware be canny and careful

Baby you’re on the brink

You are a teenage going to adulthood

Fellows will fall in line

Eager young lads and roués and cad

Will offer you food and wine

Totally unprepared are you

To face a world of men

Timid and shy and scare are you

Of things beyond your ken

Fellows you meet may tell you you’re sweet

And willingly you believe

Bachelors and dandies drinkers of brandies

What do you know about those?

You need someone older and wiser

Telling you what to do

Your mother is the best choice

Confined in her and she will guide you

God is there to help you

His word is there to guide you

Read them and you will be save

SUCCEEDING WITH PRINCIPLES

2010-05-22T23:29:00.000+02:00

THE AVERAGE AFRICAN BELIEVES IN LUCK. He believes that this world is
under the control of some extraneous and overwhelming forces that man
should not bother to control. That tends to deaden the rational part
of his brain. He is unable to do things he should do to exercise
control over his environment and circumstances. This irrational
thinking has laid the foundation for our belief in luck or fate.
Because success is so scarce around here, we tend to think that the
few people who achieve success only make it by a stroke of luck. We
need to abandon that mindset.
When success does not rest on principles, it is temporary. It is like
building a house on sand. The house is standing because the weather is
favourable. However, when bad weather comes, the house will collapse.
The person who builds on principles has no fear when the wind is
blowing. It does not matter whether the weather is favourable or not.
All those building their lives and pursuits on unstable ground will
have to look for you when instability comes into their lives. When
your life is built on principles, your sense of security, success and
worth comes from inside.
Principles are unchanging truths or universal facts. Our world is
under the control of principles. The more you understand those
principles and satisfy their conditions, the more mastery you have in
our world to get your dreams and aspirations fulfilled. Principles are
external road maps; if you are travelling, you do not need to invent
your own map, especially if you do not know the road. The thing to do
is get an authentic road map and follow the directions. That is what
principles are, they give us directions, and they make decisions easy
for us in life.
Until we align with principles, we cannot tap into the power that God
has reserved for us for the achievement of great visions.
The discovery of principles results in a paradigm shift for you. Many
things in life are unpredictable. On the other hand, principles make
life predictable. They are fixed, they do not move for circumstances
and people, people and circumstances move for them.
There is an old story of a captain who was piloting a ship at night.
Then he saw another ship far – off, at least he saw light. He went on
the radio, got the frequency of the other ship, and said, “I am coming
in the direction, move” The person speaking from the other end
replied, “You are the one that has to move.” This man said again “I am
captain so and so. This is the name of this vessel, I am set on this
course and I am not going to change course, you are the one that must
change course.” The voice on the radio insisted, “You are the one that
must change course; I am not going to move.” With anger, the captain
said, “I am giving you the last warning now. I am the captain of this
ship and this is the name of this vessel, move now”
Then the man at the other end said, “WELL, I am the man in charge of
the light house.” (A lighthouse is a tall round tower with a powerful
light that stands in the middle of a river or sea to guide sailors).
The man thought it was a ship, but the moment he heard that it was a
lighthouse he quickly changed course.
I am trying to make a point. Your personal beliefs are formed largely
by the experiences you have had over time. Some people, for example,
believe that all men are the same. Some believe all women are the
same. Some hold certain beliefs about specific nationalities. They
believe some are not to be trusted, some are not neat, some love money
and so on. Now these are not principles, they are just opinions and
prejudices. However, when you come across a principle like love, you
realize it is not going to change; you are the one that has to change.
If you decide to plant your maize seed at the wrong season, it will
not grow. If you choose to align with the principle and plant at the
right season, you get a harvest. When you shift your paradigm in
alignment with principles, you experience transformation and get
better results. Those results inspire people to follow you.

For prayer, Praise report, Counselling or further inquiry, write to
pastoritawisdom@gmail.com or itamani@yahoo.com

how do you see failure

2010-05-12T02:07:00.000+02:00

1. Lucille Ball’s (I Love Lucy) career didn’t start off so well. She was once dismissed from drama school for being too quiet and shy.

2. Big companies that have gone bankrupt:
- Quaker Oats (3 times)
- Pepsi-Cola (3 times)
- Borden’s
- Aunt Jemima
- Wrigley’s (3 times)

3. Clint Eastwood was once told by a Universal Pictures executive that his future wasn’t very promising. The man said, “You have a chip on your tooth, your Adam’s apple sticks out too far, and you talk too slow.”

4. Albert Einstein did poorly in elementary school, and he failed his first college entrance exam at Zurich Polytechnic. But he became one of the greatest scientists in the history of the world.

5. Henry Ford failed and went broke five times before he finally succeeded.

What if these people listened to the naysayers and gave up? What if they let their negative experiences stop them from pushing on?

Many of their great contributions and successes would be lost.

How does that fit into your life? Are you letting the negative setbacks pull you down? There are always going to be people who can’t see what you see. There will always be circumstances that shape your thinking and slowly begin to cause you to lose that drive and determination you may have once had. The key though, is to never give up and do what you feel is right. Constantly reinvent yourself and what you do. If you come across someone who doesn’t believe or share the same vision you have, be reminded that God gave YOU the vision to fulfill a certain purpose. Sometimes others just don’t see the same thing because God gave them a different vision to pursue.

Live out your dreams, stay focused and change the world.

THE POWER OF EXPECTATION

2010-04-24T20:19:00.000+02:00

THE POWER OF EXPECTATION.

Expectation is a source of excitement. Without it the future can seem bleak and hopeless, and with hopelessness comes despair. When you have been disappointed time and time again , it can be difficult to expect anything good to happen and after a while, it can cause you to have a cynical outlook of the future. You simply stop dreaming and allow opportunities to pass in order to avoid the anguish of the moment.
That is just one scenario. Some people have low, or no expectations because of how they view themselves- not good enough , smart enough, pretty enough, talented enough, popular enough- you name it. A lack of expectation create an atmosphere of self-resignation. It can become a self- fulfiling prophesy.
But give me a man who know he is not the best, but expect to be the best one day. Who may admit to not being the smartest, but still get better in the process of time. Who may not know enough today but keep learning and expect to emerge tops eventually, who may not be popular enough but knows it is not the size of dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog that matters and with this level of expectation, will make it regardless of the popular vote being overwhelmingly against him.
Regardless of the risk, there are somethings that are worth gambling on.
A couple continue to expect child after several miscarriages or infertility. Against the advice of his doctor, an athlete is eager to play in the big game. A business person start a new business after two failed attempts in the past. A 47 years old spinter rises to the occasion and the belt out a powerful rendition of I dream a dream in spite of snickers and jeers when she steps onto the stage. In each example they could have given in to resignation, but that was not an option. They expected- some way, some how- to win in the end.
It is rare for you or anyone to advance beyond your expectations, but once you have tested success or have inner confidence that you can possess what you desire, you become unflappable.
Your expectation helps you to hang on in spite of the odds, that things will get better. Sometimes they do, some times they do not. But at the end of the day, you have trained your mind to stand up to life ill- winds and choose to forge a head even in the face of contrary situations. This is the stuff champions are made of.
If you set a goal to lose weight, you begin to visualize yourself in a certain size or outfit. You might even a post a picture on your refrigerator for motivation. You get excited with every pound you shed. Your focus on the results keep you motivated, although the process might be grueling. With power and determination, you can possess something you did not think you could.
Let expectation empower you. Let it fuel your spirit, soul and body. Understand that is not magic, but it is attitude and affirmation in conjunction with preparation, an action plan, vision and effort. There are laws of nature, business and spiritually, among others. That will shape your future. Expect the best and the best will happen.
Dennis waitley said, if you think you can, you probably will. If you think you can not, you most assuredly wont.
Expectation is the ignition switch that gets you off the lauching pad.

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If no bi God!

2010-03-16T18:42:00.000+01:00

I saw myself stained
From head to toe
And my robe was torn in several places
Sight that would gladden any foe
I saw myself walking
Head bowed, almost ashamed
My handsomeness was taken away
I didn’t even want to be named
But you saw my stains
As golden embroidery
And my shreds as damask lace
Because you saw me in love’s glory
So I look myself through your eyes
And I long to see myself always in your love’s eye
For in your eyes I’m always at my best
I see myself through your love’s eyes.

PATH WAY TO RESTORATION (March 1 2010) by Emeka

2010-03-07T22:15:00.001+01:00

I was once a vibrant youth
Standing in the pinnacle of glory
My glory was seen by all men
But as I trudge ahead
I walked into a moonless night
Were the stars were hidden by tears
Cluding my eyes and stealing my songs

Now I work in a flowerless garden
Toiling with sweat from morning to night
My life has no fragrance or beauty
I've walked thorny paths
Too weak to admire, too worn out to be admired
Bleading and blisterd feet, too tired to walk

But now I seek the way, the path-way to Restoration
Were I'll be restored to my formal glory
Oh God! Becouse your FAVOUR is now upon me
You've given me the WISDOM to know that
When I PRAISE your holy name
The VICTORY that I somuch desire will surly be my portion.

This poem was written By Prince Emeka Anyaogu on behalf of the Youth ministries of the Assemblies of God Church 111 clegg street Surulere. Who are seeking the Path-way to Restoretion.
I believe that the current reforms being made by Tochukwu Nkwocha lead leadership of the youth ministries of our church will bring the desired chenge.

Do your Friends brings out the best in you?

2010-03-01T20:08:00.000+01:00

Who you choose to be your closest friends or associates is one of the most important decisions you will make during the course of your life. What you are today and what you are going to be in five years time is determine by two things” the people you associate with and the kind of books you read. You will become like those you closely associate with.
A day away from the wrong association with some people, the more your life will improve, it’s true what proverbs said: “putting confidence in an unreliable man is like chewing with a wore tooth, or trying to run on a broken foot.
Your true best friends are those who bring out the best in you. You are better not worse after you have been around them. Sometimes a single conversation with the right person can be more valuable than many years of study.
The right kinds of friends are those you can dare to be yourself, someone you can dream in front of aloud. For me, my best friends are those who understand my past, believe in my future and accept me today just the way I am.
from
Emeka

What's Love?

2010-02-17T20:34:00.000+01:00

LOVE is like someone waiting for a bus,
When the bus comes, you look at it and you say to yourself.
eee...so full...cannot sit down, I'll wait for the next one."

So you let that bus go and wait for the second bus. Then the
second bus comes, you look at it and you say, "eeee...this bus
is so old...so shabby!" So you let that bus go and again,
decide to wait for the next bus.

After a while another bus comes, it's not crowded, not old but
you say, "eeee... not air-conditioned ...better wait for the
next one."

So again you let the bus go and decide to wait for the next bus.
Then the sky starts to get dark as it is getting late.
You panic and jump immediately inside the next bus. It is not
until much later that you found out that you had boarded the
wrong bus!

So you wasted your time and money waiting for what you wanted!
Even if an air-conditioned bus comes, you can't ensure that the
air-conditioned bus won't break down or whether or not the
air conditioner will be too cold for you.

So people... wanting to get what you want is not wrong. But it
wouldn't hurt to give other people a chance, right? If you find
that the "bus" doesn't suit you, just press the red button and
get off the bus (as simple as that).

Hey who said life is fair??? The best thing to do is be
observant and open while you scrutinize the bus. If it doesn't
suit you, get off. But you must always have an extra something
which you could use for the next bus that comes.

But wait... I'm sure you've had this experience before.
You saw a bus coming (the bus you want, of course), you flagged
it but the driver acted as if he did not see you and zoomed past
you! It just wasn't meant for you!

The bottom line is, being loved is like waiting for a bus you
want. Getting on the bus and appreciating the bus by giving it
a chance depends totally on you. If you haven't made a choice,
WALK! Walking is like being out of love. The good side of it is
you can still choose any bus you want... the rest who couldn't
afford another ride would just have to be content with the bus
they rode on.

One more thing.... sometimes it's better to choose a bus you are
already familiar with rather than gamble with a bus that is
unfamiliar to you. But then again, life wouldn't be complete
without the risks involved.

But there's one bus that I forgot to tell you about - the bus
that you don't have to wait for. It will just stop on its own
and will ask you to come inside and take a free ride for the
rest of your life. It's JESUS, HE is LOVE

You Never Lose By Loving
You Always Lose By Holding Back

I SEEK THE TRUTH

2010-02-17T20:24:00.000+01:00

I seek the truth in you
The truth I seek is deeper than affection
It’s a lot more than the visible
It’s spiritual
You can’t clam it without your soul
The real one leads to the alter

I’ve been sleeping in it all along
But it’s time for me to wake up
And face the reality and fate
Time is passing through my hands
Now I seek the truth in you
So speak up, yes you!

Silence is a lie
The truth hurts but works
The truth simplifies and dignifies
I ask the truth of you
Has it grown with Time or died with it?
So speak up, don’t be afraid

I’ve been a baby all along
Who can be satisfied with that?
Do you believe that I will grow up someday?
The truth signifies and modifies
The truth is within and the best way to be begin
The truth is a good start especially for sweethearts

The truth clears your mind
Truth refreshes, truth is the key
Truth is beauty, beauty is truth
I need the truth of you
Haven’t you chosen your venue?
So speak up, I mean speak!

The truth will stand when all else fail
Truth is never broken or hurt
Truth is being honest even when it hurt
The truth to any degree is starting point to be free
So one will not be living in fool’s paradise
So speak up, I say speak!

What is truth?
Truth is your vision and revelation
Truth is your hopes and aspirations
Truth is your freedom
Say it and never mind it will help the baby to grow even if it’s unfavorable