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Tag: God

  • God sent Coronavirus into the world for his glory – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Amos asks a compelling question. He says: “If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?” (Amos 3:6).

    God is the uncaused cause of everything. Nothing ever happens that He did not orchestrate. He is the beginning of everything and the ending of everything. Therefore, we know that although diseases are not the work of God, it was God who commissioned the devil to send coronavirus into the world.

    The question then is why. Why did God send death and destruction into the world? The answer is far simpler than many realise. Everything God does, good or bad, is for one reason and one reason only. God does everything for his glory. There is nothing that He does that is not for His glory.

    Glory of God

    God created man for His glory. He says: “Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.” (Isaiah 43:7). Therefore, He is committed to extracting every ounce of his own glory from our lives.

    That is why He puts us in situations and circumstances that require us to pray to Him. When we do this, He is glorified in answering our prayers. Accordingly, Jesus says: “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14).

    God sent coronavirus to the world so that His name may be glorified. He says: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalm 50:15). That is also why we give testimonies of the goodness of God. When we do so, we glorify God.

    God sent Jesus on earth for the sake of His glory. Jesus came to ensure that God is glorified on earth. He came: “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3).

    When Jesus finished His assignment, He said to God the Father: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” (John 17:4).

    Glory of righteousness

    God hands us over to be tempted by the devil so that His name may be glorified by our righteousness. That is why He invited the devil into Job’s affairs. This makes Job’s friends some of the most ignorant people masquerading as “believers” in the bible. They say so many ignorant things that, in the end, God requires Job to pray for them so He would not deal harshly with them.

    Just listen to this nonsense. Eliphaz the Temanite asks: “Can a man be profitable to God, though he who is wise may be profitable to himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?” (Job 22:2-3).

    Elihu also expresses the same ignorance. He says to Job: “If you sin, what do you accomplish against (God)? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him? If you are righteous, what do you give Him? Or what does He receive from your hand? Your wickedness affects a man such as you, and your righteousness a son of man.” (Job 35:6-8).

    These foolish men do not know that every sin is against God. They don’t know that every time we sin, we grieve God profoundly. If our actions and inactions don’t affect God, Jesus would not have wept over Jerusalem; neither would He have wept at the grave of Lazarus.

    Resisting temptations

    Of course, a man can be profitable to God, after all, God created man for a reason. Of course, it gives pleasure to God when a man is righteous. God created man for His glory.

    Therefore, God is glorified when a man is righteous. The whole reason why God handed over Job to Satan was because He wanted to be glorified in Job. The righteousness of Job glorifies God. God even boasts about it: “Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?’” (Job 1:8).

    I repeat: the singular reason for every action and inaction of God is that His name may be glorified. It is the sole objective of God. By the same token, the singular objective of the devil is that God should not be glorified.

    Therefore, the devil answers God: “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” (Job 1:9-11).

    Every time we walk in righteousness, we glorify God. Every time we resist temptation, we glorify God. But every time we sin, we glorify the devil. Therefore, the devil will bring adversity and tell us to curse God and die. He will create problems and encourage us to sin and deny God.

    Children of God’s glory

    As children of God, we must be committed to the glory of God. We must be determined that God should be glorified. So, at every opportunity, we must give glory to God. In every situation, we must be determined that God must be glorified.

    We must not talk in a way that does not glorify God. We must not act in a way that does not glorify God. We must not walk in a way that does not glorify God. We must not think in a way that does not glorify God. We must not dress in a way that does not glorify God. We must not go to places that don’t glorify God.

    We must not seek our own glory. Jeremiah says to Baruch: “Do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them.” (Jeremiah 45:5). Once we seek our own glory, we have denied the glory of God: “To seek one’s own glory is not glory.” (Proverbs 25:27)

    If we accept glory from men, we are denying the glory of God. Jesus says: “I receive not glory from men.” (John 5:41-43).

    God is going to destroy every other glory except His own; ‘The Lord of hosts has purposed it, to bring to dishonor the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.” (Isaiah 23:9).

    But let your light so shine that men may see your good works and glorify God, the Father in heaven, and not you. Jesus says: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8).

  • To God be the glory – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    I was born into a Christian home and family. Nevertheless, all my life, I have been fighting against the glory of God. Paul asks: “Who has resisted the will of God?” (Romans 9:19). I am ashamed to admit that I have. For 41 years of my life, I was determined, even if unwittingly, that God should not be glorified.

    All my life up to that time, I have been dedicated and committed to my own glory. I went to school and proceeded all the way to earn a doctorate in the university for my own glory. I got a job for my own glory. I got married for my own glory. I had a child for my own glory. I dressed and walked and talked for my own glory. I was the center of my universe.

    But one fateful day, I met Jesus, and He gave me a new and different agenda. He said to me: “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). He also said: “Femi, whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17).

    “But Lord Jesus,” I protested, “why won’t you allow me to do some things in my own name?

    From story to glory

    “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,

    and their words to all the world.” (Psalm 19:1-3).

    Man is the glory of God. God said: “It is not good for God to be alone.” So, he created man for himself. He says: “This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise.” (Isaiah 43:21). But woman is the glory of man. God said: “It is not good for man to be alone.” So, he created woman for the man. Accordingly, Paul says: “A man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. (1 Corinthians 11:7).

    King James says God created all things for His pleasure. (Revelation 4:11). So, how do you feel about being created for someone else’s pleasure? It is the stuff on which liberation movements are made. How do you feel about being an instrument or a conduit? Jesus says: “Out of your belly will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38).

    But what about me? What is flowing to me?

    The Lord is committed to extracting every ounce of his own glory from our lives. And Jesus rubbed salt into the wound by saying: “When you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’” (Luke 17:10).

    Overwhelming glory

    The whole earth is full of the glory of God. Everything that God created is designed to give glory to God. The psalmist says to God: “All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, and talk of Your power.” (Psalm 145:10-11).

    I repeat: every creation of God declares the glory of God. However, there are two rebellious exceptions to this: man, and demons. Natural man fights against the glory of God. “Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, ‘Why have you made me like this?’” (Romans 9:20).

    God says in Isaiah: “The beast of the field will honour Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise. But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob; and you have been weary of Me, O Israel.” (Isaiah 43:20-22).

    But this is a losing battle, for nothing and no one can resist the will of God. If God says we shall declare His praise, we shall do so, whether we like it or not. Therefore, He says: “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8).

    He also says: “I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, and all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him. In the Lord all the descendants of Israel shall be justified, and shall glory.’” (Isaiah 45:23-25).

    New creation

    Because man in Adam has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, it became necessary for God to create an entirely new man in Christ to reveal his glory. The rest of creation has been waiting for this new man: “For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.” (Romans 8:19).

    Thus, heaven is a place prepared for the new creation. It will comprise people who have every reason to glorify and praise God and who have every inclination to do so. You would not have to beg or persuade or cajole them to come to worship the Lord. They know that if it were not for the Lord who was on their side, they would be out in the cold.

    They know that we are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10).

    Therefore, the psalmist expresses total commitment to the glory of God. He says: “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth.” (Psalm 115:1). But can we say the same? Are we dedicated to the glory of God?

    How often was it inconvenient for you to witness to somebody? How many times have you resisted God’s instruction because it was embarrassing, inconvenient, or (according to you) inappropriate? How often have you refused to the gentle promptings of the Lord to be gracious, to be merciful, and to be kind?

    The devil has one singular objective: he does not want God to be glorified. But you and I must be determined that God must be glorified. So, at every opportunity, we must give glory to God. In every situation, we must be determined that God must be glorified.

    We must not talk, walk, think, or act in a way that does not glorify God. In everything, the glory of God must be our watchword.

    At the age of 41, the Lord God finally said this to me: “You are My servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” (Isaiah 49:3).

  • God is making the world humble, By Stephen Ojapah MSP

    God is making the world humble, By Stephen Ojapah MSP

    By Stephen Ojapah MSP

    The inventors of nuclear, atomic, biological and all sorts of weapons of mass destruction in the world are being brought to their knees by COVID 19. Science and technology can now see that God remains on the throne. In my article, published by Daily Trust on Sunday, April 26, 2020, I wondered if COVID 19 is “a blessing in disguise”. We are no longer inundated with pontification about whose economy is the best or whose technology is more advanced. Suddenly, we are all struggling to survive and care for one another. Perhaps now we can understand our African Anthropology of Ubuntu better in the Ubuntu Philosophy. William A Flippin in an Article titled: “Ubuntu: Applying African Philosophy in Building a Community” said: “The philosophy of Ubuntu derives from a Nguni word, ubuntu meaning “the quality of being human.” Ubuntu manifests itself through various human acts, clearly visible in social, political, and economic situations, as well as among family. According to sociolinguist Buntu Mfenyana, it “runs through the veins of all Africans, is embodied in the often repeated: “Ubuntu ngumtu ngabanye abantu” (A person is a person through other people).

    This African proverb reveals a world view that we owe our selfhood to others, that we are first and foremost social beings, that, if you will, no man/woman is an island, or as the African would have it, “One finger cannot pick up a grain.” Ubuntu is, at the same time, a deeply personal philosophy that calls on us to mirror our humanity for each other. To the observer, ubuntu can be seen and felt in the spirit of willing participation, unquestioning cooperation, warmth, openness, and personal dignity demonstrated by the indigenous black population. From the cradle, every black child inculcates these qualities so that by the time adulthood is reached, the ubuntu philosophy has become a way of being.” As of April 5, 2020; private sector initiative here in Nigeria, All Africans and Nigerians have raised the sum of fifteen billion naira (N15,000,000,000) ($42 million) to assist the federal government of Nigeria fight the corona virus. What an amazing show of the essence of life. For once Foreign Donations did not take the center stage in fighting COVID 19.

    Have you imagined the distance from where you are right now to Wuhan? Hundreds and thousands of kilometers and miles away, I guess. There is a distance of 11,200 km according to Google map reader from the Catholic diocese of Sokoto to Wuhan. That’s a long distance. Those who live in the extreme North or South poles will certainly be reading a different distance. However close or far you are from Wuhan, it’s pretty amazing to see how closely knitted we are in the world. It’s an amazing experience. Truly, we can now understand when we say we come from the same Father, that we share the same humanity, that we are all equal in dignity. However, it is sad that it takes some devastating experiences like the ongoing pandemic to wake us up to our fundamental interconnectivity as humans, and members of the same creation. It is tragic that it takes this COVID-19 crisis to help us appreciate how we are simply our neighbours keeper. The vastness of the Atlantic or Indian Ocean becomes like a little stream that we can cross with a tiny boat of care.

    Let us think of taking Nigeria First. When the chips are down it is what you sow, that you reap. The Corona virus pandemic has exposed all our inadequacies as a country especially in the health sector. The world is in total standstill and all countries are taking care of their citizens first. As it stands, the world is in dire need of ventilators to care for the teeming numbers of infected patients, and test kits. Rebecca Rosman, an Aljazeera correspondent published an online story on the 27th of March. In the story, researchers in Senegal “began validation trials on COVID 19 diagnostic test that can be done at home in 10 minutes all for $1. The plan is to manufacture the tests in Senegal and the United Kingdom and if the validation testing meets regulatory standards, they could be distributed across Africa as early as June.” That is noble, but one thing is almost certain. The test kits must meet the needs of the citizens of Senegal and the United Kingdom first before considering the citizens of other African countries. Bashir Ahmad, President Buhari’s Special Assistant on Social media, stylishly shaded Nigeria’s indigenous car manufacturer Innoson Motors on Friday the 3rd of April 2020. Ahmad said, “nothing is stopping the car manufacturer from embarking on massive production of the much-needed health equipment at the moment when the entire world is desperately in need of the equipment.” COVID 19 should reset the button in our relations to means of production, because when the world comes to a standstill like this again, every nation will be thinking of its citizens first.

    St Augustine was born on the 13th of November 354 AD and died August 28, 430. His understanding of the human person and the soul is unparalleled. He wrote volumes of works that are stilled referred to as Classics. One of such classical works is “The Confessions” where he says: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until it rests in you (Lib 1,1-2.2.5,5: CSEL 33,1-5). In a time of global pandemic like this, suddenly everyone is searching for immaterial words of Comforts, Hope, and Love. At some people’s invitation, we see an Anglican minister, Pat Allerton the vicar of St Peter’s Notting Hill playing Amazing Grace at full volume from his car and praying the Lord’s prayers afterwards with the people from their homes, at Twilley Street, London, UK. Zenith News reporter Deborah Castellano Lubov analyzed this story on the 3rd of April, 2020 and this is what she said. “The Corona virus emergency has revealed a need for prayer and quest for spirituality that surprised many observers. Over 13 million Italians prayed from their homes by tuning in to Tv2000, the television of the Italian Bishops conference, a press release reported. Italy’s primary Catholic TV channel has been followed by millions of people, who have sought in the faith a way of Consolation and reassurance in the face of fear.”

    A word for the African Leaders. This is indeed a turning point in world’s history. No one rejoices at the death of any low- or high-profile official. However, at the end of this crisis, Africans, Nigerians especially, must confront their governments with very pertinent questions. For instance, if they had a choice of leaving the country to Europe and America, how many of them would have used our health care facilities in the face of this COVID 19? Now we see that there is no need to send our families out for medical treatments and education abroad? Why have some western countries provided shelter, accommodation and safe haven for Africa’s politicians? There is need for a change of values and orientation. We need to have a rethink in Africa. When the story of COVID 19 is written, several authors will help us appreciate the sacrifices and heroism of thousands of health workers, politicians, civil society organizations, Religious leaders who made a difference. How will your story be written? Be on the right side of history. Be part of the solution; contribute N1 or $1 for the fight against COVID 19. Do something, no matter how small to assist. “Every little Helps,” according to the slogan of Tesco, a leading British general merchandise retailer. When, by God’s grace, we are done fighting and defeating COVID-19 pandemic, let’s use the same energy and commitment to fight Boko Haram, Kidnappers, Bandits, Herdsmen, ASUU Strikes, and bad governance in Nigeria and Africa. Let’s remember: all these issues are still in the cooler waiting for us.

    Fr. Stephen Ojapah is a Missionary of Saint Paul (MSP). He IS the Diocesan Director of Inter-religious Dialogue and Ecumenism in the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. He is a KAICIID FELLOW (omeizaojapah85@gmail.com)

  • Fear God, not Covid-19 – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Early in my relationship with God, the Holy Spirit engaged me in discussion over my obsession with going to heaven. “Femi,” he asked, “why do you want to go to heaven?”

    I could not answer him directly because my interest in heaven had little to do with heaven. Instead, it had to do with my fear of hell. I wanted to end up in heaven because I did not want to end up in hell.

    But this could not be a satisfactory answer for God. Therefore, he dropped the bombshell.

    “Femi,” he said, “heaven is not for you. There is nothing in heaven that you like. There is no food in heaven. There is no sex in heaven. None of the material possessions you crave are in heaven. Why would you want to spend eternity in such a boring place?”

    Wages of sin

    I have since learned my lesson. The only acceptable reason for anyone to want to go to heaven is the earnest desire to be with God.

    God is: “the Desire of All Nations.” (Haggai 2:7). “In (His) presence is fullness of joy; at (His) right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11). Therefore, God rewards those who diligently seek Him with Himself. (Hebrews 11:6).

    For this reason, God says: “The soul who sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4). This death is not just physical death; it means separation from God. Spiritual death is the greatest punishment God can inflict on sinful man because it takes us away from His glorious presence.

    However, Christians who don’t value God do not consider the denial of His presence as punishment enough for sin. Therefore, instead of the scripture’s assertion that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23); they have substituted a fictional and diabolical “the wages of sin is eternal torment in hellfire.”

    Jesus foresaw this development and berated the Jewish clergy of his day. He said: “their fear toward me is taught by the commandment of men.” (Isaiah 29:13).

    Fear of the dark

    As a little boy, I was afraid of the dark. At night, my imagination went wild. We had house-helps that regaled us with fantastic stories about witches and wizards. We read to my grandmother D.O. Fagunwa’s books, including “Forest of a Thousand Daemons.” The stories were more than enough to keep me up at night.

    Therefore, at night, I could not sleep alone on the bed; someone had to sleep with me. Moreover, it was unacceptable to me if the person on the bed with me turned his back to me. He must face me. Only then could I sleep in peace.

    If I happen to wake up in the middle of the night and the person has turned his back, I would wake him up so he can turn and face me again. Little did I know that I was acting out a cardinal kingdom dynamic. Imagine my surprise, therefore, when I later found my predicament in the scriptures.

    Presence of God

    For Israel to prosper and be at peace, God must face the nation. Whenever He is offended and angry with Israel, he says: “I will turn my face away from them.” (Ezekiel 7:22). When he does this, Israel gets into trouble.

    Habakkuk says to God: “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness.” (Habakkuk 1:13). The psalmist also declares that: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous.” (Psalm 34:15).

    But when the sins of Israel cause God to turn His back, He withdraws His peace and lovingkindness. The result is that the people start dying from viruses, famine, the sword and other disasters. (Jeremiah 16:5).

    David understood this. The presence of God was the most precious thing in his life. When he sinned against God by adultery with Bathsheba, he pleaded with God: “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:11).

    Elsewhere, he declares: “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me.” (Psalm 27:4-6).

    Pandemic protection

    Therefore, all we need in this era of the Coronavirus and Covit-19 is the presence of God. Those who dwell in the presence of God need fear no virus: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10).

    Don’t even wait until there is a pandemic to run into the Ark of the Lord. Stay permanently in His presence. The psalmist says: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1).

    Make sure you dwell in the secret presence of God. Carry the presence of God with you at all times, and the Coronavirus will run away from you.

    God says: “He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.” (Psalm 101:7).

    Many Christians are oblivious to this scripture. We fail to realize that one of the reasons why we don’t feel the manifest presence of God is because we are habitual liars. We call some lies “white lies;” but lies are lies whether white or black.

    Jesus gives Christians this assurance: “Surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20). But once sin sets in, we lose the awareness of his divine presence.

    Fear of God

    Today, the coronavirus pandemic is ravaging all over the world. Nothing seems to be working against it as world scientists have yet to fully understand the virus. The numbers of the sick and the dying are rising sharply on a daily basis. In this kind of situation, the only defense is the shield of the presence of God.

    Moses understood this. He told God he would only lead the Israelites into the Promised Land if God went with them. Accordingly, God made him a promise. He told him: “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14).

    As a result, the presence of God in the form of a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night, safeguarded the Israelites from the plagues of Egypt. The same divine presence is available today to safeguard us from the scourge of the coronavirus and covit-19.

    True believers don’t fear viruses. God says: “Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.” (Isaiah 8:12-13).

    If God is not our fear, then covit-19 will definitely be our fear.

  • Don’t allow coronavirus bury your faith in God – Kaigama tells Christians

    The Metropolitan Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, on Sunday urged Christians not to allow the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to bury their faith in God.

    He admonished Nigerians to be their brothers’ keepers and assist one another to curb the spread of the disease.

    He advised all to continue to assist government in the fight against the pandemic, which has claimed lives across the globe.

    Rev. Kaigama gave the advice in his homily at the Twelve Apostles Church, Abuja, which was made available to The Nation.

    He said: “The ravaging coronavirus even though brought the whole world to its knees, is not powerful enough to infect or bury our faith; the social distancing is not enough to disorganise our church and take away our sense of caring for one another as the Christians of the early Christian community did in today’s first reading in Acts 2:42-47.

    “The early Church grew everyday because of the acts of mercy shown by its members sharing genuine love. Coronavirus or no coronavirus, our faith and our Church de kanpe! You are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

    Please keep the Church going in your hearts. The Church is not just a physical building. If anything, this tragedy is a kairos, a time God has set aside for all of humanity to know that He alone is the Lord.

    “I am the Lord your God, you shall not serve any other God but me”. You may be physically separated from one another, but please be spiritually bonded, in communion.”

    “That a tiny virus even though can make the world super powers tremble, cause

    economic stagnation and make science and technology seem impotent, God

    remains Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. He can, with the blow of air, cause the virus to cease to exist.

    “The Archdiocese of Abuja has provided the opportunity for spiritual and pastoral support by giving dedicated telephone lines to 10 priests and sisters who can support you during these trying moments. Please, call them and share with them

    what you are going through. Keep your faith alive. Social distancing because of coronavirus should not cause spiritual distance but create a spiritual bond”.

    He said with the lockdown many Nigerians are in need of palliatives, adding: “With the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitating the lockdown of some states and restriction of free movements among other measures that have been taken to combat the spread of the virus, many Nigerians are in dire need of food and drink, and many more may soon exhaust their meagre resources that sustain them.

    “The number of those who need material support and palliatives are on the rise. This is a moment to complement the efforts of the government and other generous groups to come to the aid of these needy brothers and sisters of ours. We need to identify and unite with our suffering brothers and sisters. We have asked those who are able to donate into the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja Emergency Account opened to support those infected or affected by the pandemic, through a committee headed by St. Vincent de Paul”.

  • Running from God’s prophecies of the Coronavirus – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    When I started editing my book, “Doctor Strangelove” in 2005, I had over thirty chapters to work with. But then the Lord said to me: “Femi, this book will have eighteen chapters.” I took that as a prophecy. I kept my eye on it and was excited when, through editorial work, the book finally shrank to eighteen chapters. I had run with the vision and fulfilled it. Or so I thought.

    Dilemma

    However, I later discovered that two of the chapters did not work. It appeared I had squeezed them in just for the sake of fulfilling the prophecy. So, I was caught on the horns of a little dilemma. Should I ignore the prophecy and make the book sixteen chapters, or insist on its fulfillment, and keep the book as eighteen chapters?

    In the end, I decided to remove the two “inappropriate” chapters, even at the expense of the prophecy. After all, I reasoned, it was my business to be faithful to the writing of my book and not to fulfill God’s prophecy. The two chapters did not work, so I said goodbye to them. Then, and only then, the Holy Spirit spoke.

    The Lord showed me two other “chapters” I had written a long time before then that were just perfect for my book. There they were, tucked away neatly in the inner recesses of my computer. And suddenly, out of the blue, the prophecy was fulfilled. “Doctor Strangelove” ended up as an eighteen-chapter book, just exactly as the Lord had said it would.

    Back to Habakkuk

    I then began to wonder what the Lord was trying to show me in all this. So, I went back to him: “What is this all about? Habakkuk says when you have a vision, run with it: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” (Habakkuk 2:2). And yet, the vision you gave me was fulfilled when I decided to ignore it.”

    The Lord used a question to answer my question. He asked me: “What was the vision I gave to Habakkuk?” I took my time to study the text again in the bible. What I found was even more baffling. God told Habakkuk he was going to raise a fearsome people to decimate the nation of Israel.

    He said: “I am bringing the Babylonians to power, those fierce, restless people. They are marching out across the world to conquer other lands. They spread fear and terror, and in their pride they are a law to themselves. Their horses are faster than leopards, fiercer than hungry wolves. Their horsemen come riding from distant lands; their horses paw the ground. They come swooping down like eagles attacking their prey. Their armies advance in violent conquest, and everyone is terrified as they approach. Their captives are as numerous as grains of sand.” (Habakkuk 1:6-9).

    My next question followed logically. How does one run with a vision of impending calamity?

    Immediately, it became clear to me that the Habakkuk text has been largely misunderstood. You do not run with this kind of vision: you run away from it. You run because you are determined to avoid it. Of course, it will be fulfilled whether you run or not. But you have to make sure in its fulfillment, it is inapplicable to you.

    Wait and run

    When God gives a prophecy, he does not depend on man to fulfill it. He fulfills it himself. But when God gives us a vision and tells us to run, he intends that we should run away from it. This is because, as in the case of Habakkuk, the vision is a “burden.” (Habakkuk 1:1). It is about impending calamity. But with every calamity, God makes provision for the salvation of a few. (Isaiah 10:21-22).

    Whenever we see God’s prophecies of gloom and doom in the bible, we better believe and run away from them. We must not just say: “God forbid bad thing.” God will not forbid his own prophecies.

    Thus, Job asks: “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10). But then God says to Habakkuk: “These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” (Habakkuk 2:3).

    We are knee-deep in kingdom dynamics here. Why would anybody wait patiently for calamity? Do we wait or do we run away?

    We wait because God says we should. We wait because everyone who believes in the word of God must be committed to its fulfillment; whether good or bad. We wait because our salvation is in the very calamity itself. But even as we wait for the calamity, so must we run away from it. There is salvation for those who run from God’s impending calamities.

    “Therefore wait for me,” says the LORD, “until the day I rise up for plunder; my determination is to gather the nations to my assembly of kingdoms, to pour on them my indignation, all my fierce anger; all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the LORD, to serve him with one accord.” (Zephaniah 3:8-9).

    A living parable

    In 1995, the Lord told me to break up my business partnership with my brother, so I set up a meeting with him. On the way, the Lord said to me: “Femi, you will get to your brother’s place at 12 p.m.” I did not know the significance of this but I believed it. But suddenly, I realised it did not make sense. There was no traffic on the way. At the speed we were going, we would get there before twelve.

    Then something strange happened. The driver took a wrong turning. I looked up to find him driving on an unfamiliar road. We had to go round and double back before getting back on track. As we stopped the car in front of my brother’s house, the digital clock in the car switched to 12 p.m. The Lord himself had fulfilled his vision by his own power.

    “Then the LORD said to me: ‘Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go! And if they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ tell them, ‘This is what the LORD says: Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.’” (Jeremiah 15:1-2).

    We must run from such prophecies, determined to be part of the few God has earmarked for salvation. There is always salvation in God’s proclaimed calamities. Indeed, without the calamities, there would be no salvation. God says: “I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 12:16).

  • COVID-19: CAN demands re-opening of churches, says only God can end pandemic

    COVID-19: CAN demands re-opening of churches, says only God can end pandemic

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called for the re-opening of worship centres in the face of the coronavirus disease.

    The Christian body expressed concerns over the shutdown of churches as part of measures to checkmate the spread of the virus.

    The CAN in the South-East argued churches should not remain closed forever because they are centres of hope for the people as every other solution to the pandemic seemed elusive.

    In a statement on Monday by the CAN Chairman, South-East, Bishop Dr. Goddy Okafor, the body said: “From the feelers around the globe, it is quite glaring that the solution to this global problem lies in God’s hands.
    “While we appreciate the efforts being in place by various governments of the world to solve this problem, we must say that God must be resorted to at this point in time.

    “We have seen that even the so-called world powers have melted in the face of this epidemics. This leaves us with one option- to seek the face of God as a people. Prayer is the answer, the key to this problem.

    “To this end, we call on the government to re-open worship centres and allow the people the opportunity of gathering together to cry unto God.
    “During such a period, Churches would take adequate measures to maintain social distancing by limiting the number of worshipers at a time, as well as providing items for social hygiene. This is the only way out of this global confusion.”
    Okafor equally condemned the recent fire incident at the Accountant General of the Federation’s office, calling for discreet investigation.

    “This is one incident too many and we ask that a proper investigation be carried out to ensure that there are no under-current dealings.

    “It should not just be dismissed as an ordinary fire-outbreak considering allegations of sleeze currently trending in the face of the government’s social parliatives,” he further stated.

  • Easter: Relax the curfew and watch God drive COVID-19 out of Nigeria, C&S cleric tells Sanwo-Olu

    Easter: Relax the curfew and watch God drive COVID-19 out of Nigeria, C&S cleric tells Sanwo-Olu

    The Lagos State chapter of Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria has told Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, that God wants him to relax the lockdown order from Friday through Sunday.

    Chairman of the state chapter of the church, Snr. Supt. Apostle Joseph Olatunde Adagba made this known in a statement signed by the General Secretary of the church, Evangelist Rotimi Odugbesan.

    Adagba explained that God said everyone should gather from Friday to Sunday to pray against the ravaging Coronavirus.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Easter celebrations commences from Friday all through to Sunday. Already, the Federal Government has declared Friday, 10 and Monday 13 as public holidays to mark the celebrations. Sunday will be observed as Easter.

    The statement reads: “Through divine directive, God revealed that the Coronavirus was a mechanism of the devil to prevent His children from calling on Him at this time, but that time has come that God wants to hear our supplications regarding this virus.

    “So, God said that everyone, irrespective of race and religion should be allowed to gather and call on Him from tomorrow (Friday) through Sunday and that He was ready to listen to their voices and take away the ravaging Coronavirus.

    ”The Lagos State government should relax the lockdown directives so all children of God can call on Him in their mosques on Friday and their churches on Sunday.”

    Recall that on Sunday, March 29, President Buhari ordered a lockdown in Lagos, Abuja, and Ogun.

    The order came in the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic sweeping the world and the country.

    Buhari had said; “Based on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Health and the NCDC, I am directing the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the FCT (Abuja) for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 11 pm on Monday, 30th March 2020.

    “This restriction will also apply to Ogun State due to its close proximity to Lagos and the high traffic between the two states.

    “All citizens in these areas are to stay in their homes. Travel to or from other states should be postponed.”

  • Covid-19: Nothing is going to happen – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    I was born on 12th April, 1952. I died twenty-seven years ago on 26th December, 1993. I was killed by armed-robbers on the way from Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

    My wife was coming back from a trip to the United States and I went to the airport to meet her. She had two major pieces of luggage. I put one in the boot and the other in the back-seat of our car. It was around seven-thirty in the evening, and we set out for home.

    Soon, a car overtook us with some people who were shouting at us for some inexplicable reason. I paid little attention to them. But no sooner had they overtaken us than they swerved and blocked the road with their car. Immediately, some men jumped out menacingly.

    Dicing with death

    From that moment, everything became surreal. Indeed, everything switched to slow-motion. I slammed on the brakes and the car stopped. In front of us on the road were four armed men.

    I had to make a quick decision whether to reverse the car; go forward or just surrender. Finally, I decided to go forward at top speed and try to avoid their car. I also resolved that if the man to my extreme right did not get out of the way, I would run him over.

    I went ahead to execute my plan; slamming hard on the accelerator. The man to my extreme right had to jump out of the way because I aimed the car directly at him. I managed to avoid their car and made a dash for it. But before I could congratulate myself for a brilliant escape, a lamppost appeared suddenly out of nowhere, and I slammed headlong into it.

    Mystery voice

    Once I hit the lamppost, I knew I was a dead man. I looked out of the window to see the man I nearly ran down now marching towards me. I knew there could only be one thing on his mind: revenge.

    But before I could panic, something dramatic happened. I heard a voice. It was not a booming voice. It was a “still small voice.” It was authoritative and calm. It spoke with quiet reassurance. “Femi,” it said, “nothing is going to happen to you here.”

    Before I could even think about what that meant, the offended armed-robber drew near. Grimacing, he pointed his gun at me and fired. I saw a flash of light and the glass at my side of the door came crashing down. The bullet pierced the body of the car, came out on the inside and killed me. It is necessary to put it graphically. The bullet hit me and I bled to death right there by the roadside.

    In the morgue

    Thereafter, I was no longer afraid of our assailants. As a matter of fact, I became indifferent to them. I seemed to be abstracted from the entire incident, and to be like someone watching an unfolding drama from the sidelines. And yet I knew that however the matter was resolved, my life would never be the same again.

    I opened the door and came out of the car. Only then did I realise that there was something wrong with my left leg. The bullet came out of the inside of the car and lodged itself in my leg, but I never felt it enter my body. As I came out, the aggrieved armed-robber slapped me. “Why were you driving like that?” he demanded. “Please don’t be offended,” I pleaded. “I was only trying to get away from you as best as I could.”

    Meanwhile, the young man was rifling through my pockets. He was removing my watch from my wrist. Another man was removing Karen’s suitcase from the backseat of the car. And then I heard that implausible voice once again, defiantly oblivious to the situation. “Femi,” it repeated, “nothing is going to happen to you here.”

    I was not really paying much attention. My whole life suddenly flashed through my mind. So this is how it all ends, I thought. I looked through the window of the car and saw my wife clutching little Femi-Kevin to her breast. It was like seeing the past in the present. So, at such an early age, this woman became a widow, I thought.

    She was praying. I could see her lips moving silently. I did not believe in prayer and I never prayed. As far as I was concerned, the fact that she was praying meant she was highly distressed. Therefore, I leaned through the window to reassure her. But the only reassurance I could give was the ludicrous one I had been given. So I said to her: “Karen, nothing is going to happen to us here.”

    Dead and buried

    But something seemed to be happening. One of the armed-robbers could not open the boot. Neither could I give him the key because it was jammed in the ignition as a result of my hitting the lamppost with the car. One simple fact completely escaped me. Our abductors also seemed oblivious to it. You could open the boot by pressing a latch on the floor of the driver’s side of the car.

    I could tell that, with the frustration of being unable to dislodge the key from the ignition, the temperature of the entire incident was rising. But then, one of them opened the glove compartment and saw some money I had miraculously forgotten there. It so happened that it was a sizeable amount. That discovery brought down the heightened temperature.

    It was time to go. The man who had shot at me re-cocked his gun. It was one of those revolvers that you snap at the top in order to re-load. He pointed it at me and barked: “Lie down with your face to the ground.” I don’t know where I got the courage from, but I refused. I told him calmly: “You can take whatever you want and go, but I am not going to lie down.”

    I was already dead, so I was not moved. For a moment, we stood staring at one another defiantly, with him pointing the gun directly at my face. I knew he would shoot again and could not care less. But then suddenly, he changed his mind and walked away.

    My resurrection

    Once the robbers left, I came back to my senses. The peace lifted and I was filled with fear. Clearly, I needed immediate medical attention.

    My wife jumped out and ran down the road shouting for help. I looked down and realised that my trouser-leg and shoe were completely soaked with blood. I said to myself: “Well, you escaped that one. But now you are going to bleed to death right here in the middle of this road.”

    But immediately that thought came into my head, the voice I had heard earlier came back to counter it. It was just as calm and commanding as before. It was no-nonsense and conclusive: “Femi,” it said categorically, “there is nothing wrong with your leg.”

    A few weeks later, God visited me and completely healed my bullet-ridden leg.

    Believe God. Coronavirus is not your portion. Nothing is going to happen to you.

  • At 68, God has blessed me beyond words – Tinubu

    At 68, God has blessed me beyond words – Tinubu

    Former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu turned 68 years old on Saturday (yesterday).

    Although a colloquium yearly held in his honour was postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Tinubu in a special birthday message, appreciated God for all his blessings.

    “I thank God for giving me the life and time on earth he has provided me. He has blessed me beyond the ability of words to describe”, he said.

    “I am more than cognizant of His great mercies toward me. I have much to be thankful for. However, this is not the moment for exuberant celebration or light talk on my part.

    “At this moment, it is better that we confer in prudence and wisdom, one to another, so that we can better deal with that which seems eager to severely deal with us.

    “We have entered a sobering period. We face a challenge we cannot see but one that can find us all too easily.

    “As individuals, this puts every one of us at a startling disadvantage. Each is rendered vulnerable by the reckless act of his neighbour.

    “Each is made safer by the enlightened conduct of a stranger. The very nature of this assailant calls us toward greater unity and kindness”.