TheNewsGuru

Tag: Jesus

  • Nigeria accounts for nearly 50% of Christians killed in 2020 for following Jesus

    Nigeria accounts for nearly 50% of Christians killed in 2020 for following Jesus

    In Nigeria, over 2,200 Christians were murdered by radical Islamists with the number making up slightly less than half of the 4,761 Christians killed for their faith worldwide in year 2020.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports this is according to the 2021 World Watch List report recently published by Open Doors USA.

    The report reads: “More Christians are murdered for their faith in Nigeria than in any other country.

    “Violent attacks by Boko Haram, Hausa-Fulani Muslim militant herdsmen, ISWAP (an affiliate of the Islamic State group) and other Islamic extremist groups are common in the north and middle belt of the country, and are becoming more common farther south.

    “In these attacks, Christians are often murdered or have their property and means of livelihood destroyed. Men and boys are particularly vulnerable to being killed. The women and children left behind are very vulnerable and living testimonies to the power of the attackers. Perpetrators are seldom brought to justice. Christian women are often abducted and raped by these militant groups, and sometimes forced to marry Muslims.

    “Christians from a Muslim background face rejection by and pressure from their families. Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency (2015 onwards) has seen a sharp increase in attempts to force Islamization on the country, including appointing Muslims to key government positions.

    “Many Christians who are driven out of their villages and away from their sources of livelihood are forced to become internally displaced persons (IDPs), often living in informal IDP camps. Given the continuous occupation of their villages by Fulani militants, the lack of government support, the lack of proper education for their children and the high vulnerability of IDPs, these believers continue to suffer even after the brutality of the initial persecution.

    “Nigeria has risen several places on the World Watch List, and persecution has worsened in all areas of public and private life. Violence against Christians perpetrated by Boko Haram, Fulani militants and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province)—as well as other, unidentified armed attackers—has led to tremendous suffering among the Christian community.

    “Nigeria entered the top 10 of the 2021 World Watch List primarily because this violence has increased and began to spill out into other parts of Nigeria, and the government seems unable or unwilling to protect its Christian citizens. Islamic extremist attacks have not abated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Christians who are staying at home to combat the spread of the virus have been vulnerable to attack.

    “Persecution, and especially violent attacks, are most prevalent in the north and Middle Belt of Nigeria. The government’s attempts to Islamize the country are more widespread, affecting even Christian majority communities in the south. Christians who have converted from Islam are very vulnerable in the north of the country, particularly in those areas governed by Shariah law. Christians living as IDPs are also particularly vulnerable”.

    TNG reports each year, the World Watch List provides an unparalleled glimpse into the 50 places around the world where it costs the most to be a Christian.

    Around the world, more than 340 million Christians live in places where they experience high levels of persecution, just for following Jesus. That’s 1 in 8 believers, worldwide.

    The numbers are astonishing. But behind each number and statistic, there is a human story. The 2021 World Watch List is about these stories behind the numbers.

    Below is the list of the top 50 countries where its most difficult to follow Jesus, according to Open Doors:

    1. North Korea

    2. Afghanistan

    3. Somalia

    4. Libya

    5. Pakistan

    6. Eritrea

    7. Yemen

    8. Iran

    9. Nigeria

    10. India

    11. Iraq

    12. Syria

    13. Sudan

    14. Saudi Arabia

    15. Maldives

    16. Egypt

    17. China

    18. Myanmar

    19. Vietnam

    20. Mauritania

    21. Uzbekistan

    22. Laos

    23. Turkmenistan

    24. Algeria

    25. Turkey

    26. Tunisia

    27. Morocco

    28. Mali

    29. Qatar

    30. Colombia

    31. Bangladesh

    32. Burkina Faso

    33. Tajikistan

    34. Nepal

    35. Central African Republic

    36. Ethiopia

    37. Mexico

    38. Jordan

    39. Brunei

    40. Democratic Republic of the Congo

    41. Kazakhstan

    42. Cameroon

    43. Bhutan

    44. Oman

    45. Mozambique

    46. Malaysia

    47. Indonesia

    48. Kuwait

    49. Kenya

    50. Comoros

  • Man City duo test positive for coronavirus

    Man City duo test positive for coronavirus

    Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus and defender Kyle Walker have tested positive for Covid-19.

    The players, along with two members of staff, will isolate in accordance with Premier League and government protocol.

    City will likely be without the duo for Premier League games against Newcastle United on December 26, Everton two days later and Chelsea on January 3.

    Jesus’ obvious replacement Sergio Aguero is being eased back after a knee issue and played 16 minutes on Tuesday.

    England right-back Walker apologised in May for breaking coronavirus lockdown guidelines twice.

    Manchester City are eight points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.

  • The shame of the gospel – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    A young Nigerian friend phoned me from the United States to ask an intriguing question: “In all your years of following Jesus, what have you gained?”

    She was possibly at a crossroad, having a crisis of faith. Probably, she was confronted with the bankruptcy of the prosperity messages prevalent in the churches. She had discovered instead that being a disciple of Jesus offers precious little benefit in this world.

    The psalmist warns but to little avail: “Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.” (Psalm 73:12). Jesus Himself tells us in no uncertain terms: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

    Therefore, I could not but tell my young friend that, rather than gain in the world from being Christ’s disciple, I have lost a great deal. What I have gained are entirely spiritual. I have gained the fellowship of God. I have gained a kingdom built on righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17).

    Losing to gain

    Jesus, our Saviour, sugar-coats nothing. He makes us understand that whenever we gain in this world, we lose something of greater value in the world to come.

    Therefore, He insists: “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:34-37).

    This is what prosperity gospel preachers have been trying to hide from Christians. They do not want us to know about the shame of the gospel. The true gospel of God’s kingdom is not glamorous. It will not make us great in this world. On the contrary, it is designed to bring reproaches. It is designed to make us hated in the world.

     

    Accordingly, Jesus warns: “Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:38).

     

    The gospel speaks of a spiritual kingdom that is attained by spiritual means. Therefore, if the world admires us; if the world celebrates us; it can only mean that the power of the gospel is not at work in us.

    David says to God: “For Your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face.” (Psalm 69:7). This is because, in the world, the gospel brings us to dishonour. It earns us evil reports. It makes us sorrowful. It makes us poor. It brings us shame. (2 Corinthians 6:4-10).

    The gospel crucifies us to the world, and it crucifies the world to us. Jesus, our Saviour, does not save us from the adversities of the world. Neither does He immunize us from its travails. On the contrary, He insists that we must endure them.

     

    Paul says: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Corinthians 15;19). This means that this life holds very little for the believer in Jesus Christ. The believer has hope for the future, but no guarantee of present enjoyment.

     

    Crucified Saviour

     

    Jesus himself was put to shame. His friends deserted Him. One of them betrayed Him. Another one denied Him. He was flogged, ridiculed, and crucified naked on the cross. He died the most ignoble death of all: hanging on a tree.

     

    Jesus was killed because He had nothing to offer the world. There was nothing that the world wanted that Jesus was inclined to offer. He is the Saviour of the world but not the kind of saviour that the world wants.

    When the people came for bread and fish, He offered them His body and His blood. When they asked Him to lead a revolt against the Roman government, He refused. He is a Saviour that did not even save Himself from persecution, crucifixion, and death.

    Jesus left the world the way He met it. He did not address the problems of homelessness, unemployment, or injustice. Instead, He saves by telling people to turn the other cheek. He saves by telling people to give their cloak to those who take their coat.

     

    Enticing words

     

    Because we are ashamed, Christians often make up things about Jesus. For example, we tell people that since we met Christ, our business has been growing by leaps and bounds. We continue to glory in the vanities and vainglories of this world, deceiving others that these are the benefits of discipleship in Christ.

    But we have been duly warned: “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame — who set their mind on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:18-20).

    Think about this for a minute with the mind of Christ. Is it to a man’s credit to be worth 10 billion dollars in this world of poverty? Should he be admired for sleeping with over 100 women? Should he receive plaudits for drinking a whole bottle of whisky in one sitting? These are examples of the shameful glories of this world.

     

    Thus, Jesus warns: “What is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15).

     

    Not ashamed

     

    Yes, the gospel is shameful, but we must not be ashamed. Paul says: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16).

     

    How can we be ashamed of something that saves us from this sinful world? How can we be ashamed of something that grants us eternal life with the Lord God Almighty?

     

    No! Instead, we look steadfastly at Jesus: “the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2).

    Nevertheless, the shameful gospel saves us from shame. The scriptures promise that: “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11). If the gospel will bring us shame, how can it then be said that whoever believes in Jesus will not be put to shame?

     

    We are only put to shame precisely because we refuse to believe in Him. From God’s perspective, the only shameful thing is sin. Jesus bore our sins therefore He bore our shame. He has cleansed us from all sin, so He has permanently removed all shame from us.

    He has not removed barrenness. He has not removed poverty. He has not removed the shame of not having a husband, or not having a job, or not having a male child, or not having a house, or not having a good pedigree.

    But He has rendered them all inconsequential.

  • Expression of grace in ministry of Jesus (1) – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    The centerpiece of Paul’s doctrine of salvation is what he refers to as “the election of grace.” (Romans 11:5). In his epistles, Paul shows that God does not relate to people: “according to their good or bad works.” (Romans 9:12). On the contrary, he relates to them according to His own purposes which He determines all by Himself.

    This grace of God does not conform to any human yardstick. We cannot deserve it or work to earn it. God says to Moses: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” (Exodus 33:19).

    This means it is God who determines those on whom He showers His grace. It is dispensed entirely at His discretion. We cannot choose to receive God’s grace. It is completely gratuitous. Jesus says to His disciples: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you.” (John 15:16).

    Gracious Jesus

    Paul mentions the word “grace” no less than 91 times in his epistles. However, Jesus, the very architect of God’s grace, does not mention the word even once in the gospels. But this should not lead to the conclusion that Jesus did not display the grace of God.

    Indeed, Jesus preached God’s grace more than Paul. But he preached it practically by showing grace in action. Indeed, it can even be argued that Paul merely taught the grace that Jesus practiced.

    Bible prophecy says gracious words would stream from Jesus’ lips. (Psalm 45:2). This was realised from his childhood when Luke observes that: “the grace of God was upon him.” (Luke 2:40). Furthermore, at his inaugural preaching in the synagogue in Nazareth, Luke says everyone was amazed by: “the gracious words that came from (Jesus’) lips.” (Luke 4:22).

    John also observes that Jesus was: “full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). He says Jesus came from heaven to dispense one grace after another. (John 1:16). He then points out that: “The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17).

    What precisely is this grace of God, and how does it find expression in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?

    Unmerited favour

    Throughout his ministry, Jesus never gave anybody what they deserved. He only gave what they did not deserve. John the Baptist warned Israel not to assume their Abrahamic heritage would earn them special favours. (Matthew 3:9). Nobody obtains anything from God by entitlement.

    As a result, Jesus was a master of the unexpected. He turned water into wine at a wedding even though it was not yet time for miracles. (John 2:1-11). His people expected him to do His miracles in his Jewish hometown of Nazareth, but He did not. (Matthew 13:58). Instead, he did them mostly in Capernaum, a predominantly Gentile city that He made the base of His operations.

    When they complained, He pointed out that there were many widows in Israel, in the days of Elijah, when it did not rain for years and there was a great famine in the land. Nevertheless, Elijah was sent to none of them but to a widow in Zarephath, in the non-Jewish region of Sidon. He also pointed out that many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha. Nevertheless, none of them was cleansed except for Naaman the Syrian.

    This expose of the unmerited grace of God so annoyed Jesus’ people in Nazareth that they decided to kill Him. But He managed to escape from them.

    Last will be first

    When Paul had what he describes as “a thorn” in his flesh, he expected Jesus to heal him. He pleaded with Jesus for healing on three different occasions but Jesus refused. Instead, Jesus told Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

    Accordingly, Jesus’ principle of grace teaches us to be counter-intuitive. The Lord said to me: “Femi, never give people what they deserve. Only give them what they don’t deserve.” This is because God ignores those who think they deserve anything from him. He only pays attention to the undeserving.

    Jesus says: “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Matthew 19:30). Thus, when He came to his own people, the Jews, they rejected him. (John 1:11). God says to Israel in Hosea: “You are not My people, and I will not be your God.” (Hosea 1:9).

    In effect, favoured Israel went from first to last. It is only from this last position that Israel can become first again and get back into God’s favour: “It shall come to pass, in the place where it was said to them, ‘you are not My people,’ there it shall be said to them, ‘you are sons of the living God.’” (Hosea 1:10).

    God said to Rebecca: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23).

    Accordingly, God procedurally rejects entitled first-borns. Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn son, but God preferred Isaac to him. Esau was Isaac’s firstborn son, but God chose Jacob. Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn, but he forfeited his birthright by sleeping with his father’s concubine. (Genesis 35:22). Thereafter, Judah became first. (Judges 20:18).

    Manasseh was Joseph’s firstborn son, but God preferred Ephraim. (Genesis 48:17-19). Aaron was the firstborn son of Amram (Exodus 6:20); but God chose his junior brother, Moses, to supersede him. Eliab was the firstborn son of Jesse, but God preferred David as the king of Israel. The oldest son of David was Absalom, but God chose Solomon as David’s successor.

    Grace in action

    Jesus was only impressed with the faith of those who were not Jewish and therefore not entitled. He commended the faith of a Roman centurion, saying: “I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” (Matthew 8:10). He healed the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman, even though He was only sent to the Jews. (Matthew 15:24-28).

    When he healed ten men of leprosy, the only leper who came back to give thanks was a Samaritan. He revealed himself as the Messiah to a woman who was not a Jew but a despised Samaritan. (John 4:26). Despite his miracles, the Jew did not believe in him. But the Samaritans believed in Him without seeing any miracles whatsoever. (John 4:39-44).

    With Jesus, the worst sinners received the warmest welcome, while the most scrupulous law-abiders received the greatest castigation. (Matthew 23:13-36).

    Jesus dined and consorted with sinners. He appointed a thief, Judas, as His treasurer. He invited another thief on the cross to be with Him in paradise. He called Matthew, a despised tax collector, to be one of His disciples. He befriended prostitutes and women of easy virtue, insisting they would enter the kingdom of God before the religious leaders. (Matthew 21:31).

    This is Jesus’ word of grace to entitled Israel: “Many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:11-12).

    CONTINUED

  • Michael Jackson’s daughter to play role of Jesus in new movie

    Michael Jackson’s daughter to play role of Jesus in new movie

    Paris Jackson, daughter of Michael Jackson, late American music legend, has secured her biggest film role to date – playing Jesus in ‘Habit’, an imminent indie film.

    The movie will see her feature alongside stars like Bella Thorne, US singer and actress.

    According to Screen Daily, the project also featured several other music and movie stars including Gavin Rossdale, English singer cum actor, Bria Vinaite, Josie Ho as well as Janell Shirtcliff, who is making her directorial debut.

    Donovan Leitch, the film’s producer, told Fox News that the much-awaited project is already in the post-production stage but no date has been fixed for its release.

    ‘Habit’ follows the story of a street-smart party girl with a Jesus fetish, which was depicted by Thorne and her struggle for survival when she ran into trouble.

    Caught amongst controversies stemming out of a drug deal, Thorne pretended to be a nun, in a bid to navigate through the situation.

    It, however, remains mysterious how Paris will come into the situation to rescue Thorne in her role as Jesus Christ.

    Before her celebrated participation in ‘Habit’, the 22-year-old actress has been pulling the strings majorly in the modeling and music landscape.

    She made her acting debut in 2018 featuring on Fox’s ‘Star’ followed by strings of other acting performances including in ‘Gringo’ and ‘Scream: The TV series’ aired on MTV.

     

  • Help! My saviour is after my life – Femi Aribisala

    Femi Aribisala

    Armed robbers attacked me on Lagos airport road and an anonymous Good Samaritan came to my rescue. I soon discovered this Good Samaritan was Jesus, someone I had previously gone to great lengths to avoid.

    It became imperative for me to get to know all I could about him; the better to lay hold of that for which he laid hold of me.

    Relentless assassin

    But there was a catch. Once I identified my saviour as Jesus, I was immediately thrust into intensive spiritual warfare. I started having a recurring nightmare that nearly scared me to death. There was a mean-looking man in a hood who was out to get me. Every so often, I found myself on the run for my life from him.

    After running non-stop from street to street all through the night, I would wake up exhausted and out of breath; drenched in sweat. Since I always managed to elude my would-be assassin, I would wake up gasping, screaming: “Thank you Jesus; thank you Jesus!”

    Until one day, I discovered the true identity of my “stubborn-pursuer.” The Lord himself showed me his face. I could not believe my eyes. The killer after my life was Jesus Christ, my Saviour.

    Ransomed life

    This brings to mind the experience of Moses: “It came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him.” (Exodus 4:24).

    I thought Jesus came to save my life from robbers, only to discover he too had his own agenda. The robbers made away with my possessions; but my saviour was determined to take something even more precious from me. He wanted to take my life.

    Jesus says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10). That means in order to receive the life Jesus was determined to give me, I had to relinquish my life.

    In short order, my saviour became my adversary. I discovered Jesus, my saviour, was not interested in saving the life I lived. Instead, he was bent on jeopardizing it. Accepting his offer of salvation would mean my life was over. Therefore, I was confronted again with uncomfortable choices, similar to the ones I faced with the armed robbers. I could either fight to the last to save my life from my saviour, or I could surrender and allow my saviour to take my life.

    But Jesus warns: “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:25).

    Salvation from life

    The bible says at the pool of Bethesda, there was a man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. Jesus singled him out and asked him: “Do you want to be healed?” (John 5:6). I was so bothered about this question, I brought it up before the Lord in prayer: “How can you ask a man who has been sick for thirty-eight years if he would like to be healed? Surely a sick man wants to be healed.”

    The Lord’s answer gave me the shock of my life. He said: “I asked him that, Femi, because sickness was his life.” I was not sure I heard the Lord correctly. “What did you say?” His reply was emphatic: “I said sickness was his life. He had known nothing but sickness. He did not know what it means to be well. To save him, I have to save him from his life. I have to save him from the only life he knows and that life is a life of sickness.”

    “But how can a man be saved from his life? I thought men are saved from death.” The Lord replied with a kingdom dynamic that completely transformed my life: “No Femi,” he said, “I save from life. That is the reason why I kill before I make alive. I kill the lives of men.”

    When a man has to be saved from his own life there is inevitably a problem. He is confronted with death. Salvation from life requires death. Without death there can be no salvation. And so the Lord kills before he makes alive.

    But are we prepared to face death? Is self-preservation not a basic human instinct? It might be human but it is not divine. Jesus laid down his life, leaving us an example to follow.

    Choice, choices, choices

    Beloved, understand this and internalise it. True Christianity is a death sentence. A true Christian dies in order to live. We are delivered from counterfeit life to substantive life.

    But most of us are not true to the faith. We are determined to save our lives. However, we are not determined to save our lives from the theft of the devil. On the contrary, the devil is the giver of the life we live and love, although we would hardly admit it. No! We are determined to save our life from Jesus Christ; “the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6).

    The new life Jesus offered me involved working with him as a menial fisherman. But I was not interested in fisheries. As a matter of fact, I was contemptuous of fishermen. They are poorly paid and have low social status. I obtained a doctorate from Oxford University, England so I could do something better with my life.

    But had it not been for my Good Samaritan, I would be dead. How then could I refuse to work for him in whatever capacity he chose? What if he were to withdraw his protection? Would I not soon be at the mercy of armed-robbers again?

    I had to make a choice but clearly my personal agenda was not an option. I either had to risk premature death at the hand of robbers, or forgo my grandiose life-long plans and become a destitute fisherman.

    Buying Jesus insurance

    Be careful before you sign that life-insurance policy with Jesus Christ. There is a lot of fine print in it. Read it properly because you would be signing away your life. Once signed, there is no going back. After you put forward your claim, then you will be shown all sorts of clauses you were not aware of beforehand. You will need a magnifying glass to read some of them.

    “Holy Spirit, did we really agree to this from the beginning?” “Well, what did you mean when you sang: ‘Unto thee my blessed Saviour, I surrender all?’” What did you mean when you asked the Lord to “break” you; “mould” you; “fill” you; and “use” you?”

    Solomon gave us due warning: “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

    But often, the Holy Spirit is the one who inspires our prayers, and we just go ahead sheepishly without realising we are praying our life away.

  • Jesus is our kill joy – Femi Aribisala

    Femi Aribisala

    I love the house I live in. I call it “the secret place of the Most High.” When I go home, I go to a haven of peace. I pray by walking around the house. I must have thanked God over one thousand times for that house. But some time ago, I discovered that the Lord, my shield and protector, was prepared to allow the devil to burn the entire house down.

    How could this be when I sought the counsel of the Lord before renting the house?

    Jealous God

    As a believer, I have tried to prepare my mind for all kinds of palaver. The psalmist warns: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” (Psalm 34:19). But the one about my house burning down came from left flank and took me by surprise.

    By the fifth fire incident, I got the message and went to the Lord. I repented and pleaded with him. I told him I would no longer rejoice in the house I rented. I would only rejoice in him: “Father, the issue is certainly not the counterfeit but the true gift. Moreover, you are not only the giver but also the only true gift. My joy must remain in you.”

    From that time, the near-misses with fire outbreaks ceased, and I have stopped dwelling on the beauty of my rented house.

    I did not meet Jesus in the pages of a bible. I met him in person. So, I can only tell you about the Jesus I know. I can only tell you about the Jesus who called me, saved me from armed-robbers and healed me miraculously of bullet-wounds. I can only tell you about Jesus of Nazareth.

    I want you to know that Jesus is a killjoy. The Lord is determined to kill everything that gives us joy until we have no joy left outside of him.

    Killing me softly

    I used to own the largest video-rental chain in Nigeria. The video-club business was my pride and joy. It grew by leaps and bounds from Lagos to Ibadan, to Port Harcourt. When I met the Lord in very dramatic circumstances, my big fear was that he would ask me to close down the business. However, he soon reassured me he would never ask me to do that. I was very relieved by this.

    It took me nearly ten years to realise exactly what he meant. Since I knew he wanted me to close down the business, the Lord wanted me to do so on my own without his having to tell me.

    While I continued to struggle against this, let me tell you what the Lord did so dramatically that, in just one day in 2005, I closed down all the branches of VideoNet myself. The first thing he did was to kill my interest in films. The more my relationship with him developed, the less Hollywood films agreed with me. Many of them celebrate violence and illicit sex. Most of them preach the morals of the world.

    The horror films began to seem demonic. I could no longer consider a film designed to inspire anxiety as a “thriller” when God has given me peace of mind. I could no longer sit and watch a group of men robbing a bank and consider it entertainment. And yet, how can the owner of a chain of video-shops become disenchanted with video films?

    One day, the Lord asked me to fellowship with him, but I pleaded that I would like to watch a film. I had over 3,500 original video-tapes and DVDs in my house alone, with thousands more stored in my office; but I could not find one single film I liked. I would put a tape in the video-player, watch it for a few minutes, and quickly condemn and remove it.

    After three days, I concluded the Lord was the architect of my frustration. So, I went to him in fellowship. I spent hours and hours in his presence. After a while, he said to me: “Femi, let us watch a film.” I told him: “There is no film in this house that I like. You have made sure of that.” The Lord said to me: “What makes you think that? Go to the study and I will choose a film for us.”

    The Lord chose a film I had not seen before and did not even know I had. It is entitled “Boycott,” starring Jeffrey Wright. It is a film about the American Civil Rights movement and the African-American boycott of the public bus system in Montgomery Alabama in the 1950’s. I could not believe how interesting I found the film. Everything about it agreed with me.

    But the object lesson was infinitely more important than the film itself. Jesus is “the thief in the night.” (Revelation 16:15). He steals away our negatives and develops them into his positives. The costs of following him include our loves, interests and values. Jesus says: “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33).

    Joy of the Lord

    The psalmist says: “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and he shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4). But God did the seeming opposite when he took away Ezekiel’s wife prematurely. He said: “Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke.” (Ezekiel 24:16).

    It took me ages to understand this tendency does not contradict the peculiar wisdom of the psalmist. When we delight ourselves in the Lord, he takes away our desires and gives us new ones. He ensures that his desires become the desires of our heart.

    Accordingly, Jesus kills our joy with his word and replaces it with the joy of the Lord. This joy of the Lord is our newfound strength. (Nehemiah 8:10). However, it is also likely initially to be our pain. The will of the Lord is often entirely unpleasant; nevertheless we must delight in it for the simple reason that it is God’s will: “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame.” (Hebrews 12:2). Thus, it was the good pleasure of God for Hosea to marry a prostitute (Hosea 1:2); and for Isaiah to go around for three years with his buttocks uncovered. (Isaiah 20:2-4).

    Inevitably, our atonement with God redefines our pleasures from what we like to what God likes. In this way, our new life is shaped by God and not by our feelings. Thereby, we too can declare like the psalmist: “In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God.” (Psalm 40:7-8).

    Our new joy is the joy of Christ fulfilled in us. (John 17:13). This joy is immune to situations and circumstances. Its one mainspring is our intimate personal relationship with God. Within that context, we count it all joy when we fall into various trials. (James 1:2). Jesus says: “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” (John 16:22).

  • Trending: Pastor claims he found Jesus, invites him to church (Video)

    Two pastors from Kenya and South Africa have allegedly claimed to have found Jesus and are presenting the man to their congregation as the son of God.

    In photos and videos shared online, the White man is seen dressed in the way Jesus Christ’s character is depicted in movies.
    Photos of the man speaking to a group of people in what appears to be a church surfaced on the internet and questions are being asked.
    He was allegedly invited by a Kenyan pastor who claims to have found the real Jesus Christ on Earth.
    Another Twitter user, @Kennytexxxkkk shared photos of the same ‘jesus’ being introduced by a South African pastor to his members. The pastors allegedly told their congregants that ‘Jesus’ had returned and lucky for them, He landed in Africa first.
    According to Twitter user, @Desaylor1, the yet-to-be identified Kenyan pastor had the ‘jesus’ dressed as the biblical version of Christ and had him speaking to his congregation after claiming to have found ‘Jesus’ on the streets of Kenya.
    Another Twitter user, @Kennytexxxkkk shared photos of the same ‘jesus’ being introduced by a South African pastor to his members.
    The pastors allegedly told their congregants that ‘Jesus’ had returned and lucky for them, He landed in Africa first.

    Videos shared online shows the man being driven in a motorcade with the roof of the car he was in left open so people could see him. He was also seen dancing as worshippers sang songs of praise.

  • God is not good all the time – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    Nobody spoils a man’s life like Jesus. Jesus is a killer of all worldly joy. God’s attitude to the world is often lost on many. God hates the world system. The world hated Jesus and killed him. Therefore, anyone who is a lover of pleasure; anyone who likes this world becomes an enemy of God.

    Accordingly, James asks: “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4). Paul is of the same opinion: “She who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.” (1 Timothy 5:6). Thus, Jesus assured his disciples: “In the world you will have tribulation.” (John 16:33).

    God is so implacably opposed to the world; he has doomed it to destruction. Isaiah says: “I have heard from the Lord God of hosts, a destruction determined even upon the whole earth.” (Isaiah 28:22). In the meantime, God plans “to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.” (Isaiah 23:9).

    God allows wickedness to prevail on earth, the better to commend to us the superiority of the kingdom of heaven. Job notes that: “The whole earth is in the hands of the wicked” (Job 9:24). This is because God allows it to be so. Thus, God allows the worst kinds of people to be heads of states and governments: “The High God rules human kingdoms.

    He arranges kingdom affairs however he wishes, and makes leaders out of losers.” (Daniel 4:17).

    Wonder-less world

    Thanks to Jesus, we are brought to the realisation that what we deemed to be life is actually death. Under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit, believers are made foreigners and strangers here on decrepit earth; having become citizens of a spiritual heavenly kingdom.

    Out of this new reality is then fashioned a completely different psychology. The atonement kills everything before it makes alive. This is what God says about his own peculiar process: “I, even I, am he, and there is no God besides me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from my hand.” (Deuteronomy 32:39).

    Christ makes every pain irrelevant and he diminishes every joy outside of himself. Therefore, be contemptuous of every advantage. Overlook every disadvantage. Jesus is a leveller. The kingdom of God cancels deficits and erases credits. Before the glory of God is revealed: “Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low.” (Isaiah 40:4).

    God is at pains to make us see that what we call wonderful is “wonder-less.” He tells us the man who is blessed is not he who won the lottery, but he who receives forgiveness of sin: “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him.” (Psalm 32:1-2).

    Jesus maintains the joy to be cherished is the joy of salvation: “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” (Luke 10:19-20).

    Man of sorrows

    God prefers to make people cry than to make them laugh. Jesus was a man of sorrows; acquainted with grief. (Isaiah 53:3). The bible says of him: “It was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief.” (Isaiah 53:10).

    There is really very little to laugh about here on earth. What is there to laugh about in a world riddled with sin, where souls are perishing every day; and where the thief comes daily to steal, kill and destroy? (John 10:10). What is there to laugh about in a grief-stricken world?

    Therefore, Jesus pronounces woe on those given to laughter. He says: “Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep” (Luke 6:25). Amos also says: “Woe to those lounging in luxury at Jerusalem and Samaria.” (Amos 6:1). James goes even further to prescribe a strange tonic for the soul: “Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.” (James 4:9).

    But we thought Jesus came to give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness? (Isaiah 61:3). Yes indeed! But Jesus’ ministry is only for those who are sorrowful and mournful. Moreover, the consolations of Christ come not through the reform of this world, but by invitation to another kingdom; a kingdom not of this world.

    Divine prescription

    The nature of this ungodly world is such that, according to the wisdom of God, even in laughter the heart should sorrow, since the end of mirth may be grief. (Proverbs 14:13). Solomon says: “Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better.” (Ecclesiastes 7:3). By laughter and merriment the heart is made worse, vainer, more carnal and more sensual. It is made more in love with the world and more estranged from God and godliness.

    If sorrow is indeed better than laughter, then the man who God makes sad is more blessed than the man who is happy. When a man decides to be good to another man, he tries to make him happy. He ministers to his body. He makes him comfortable. Not so the goodness of God. When God is really good to someone, he is more likely to make him sad. God’s goodness works more on the heart than on the flesh: “The goodness of God leads you to repentance.” (Romans 2:4). Its main objective is to lead us along the path of life and make us heirs of salvation.

    Therefore, God is not good in the way that is normally considered to be good. If we don’t understand the peculiarity of God’s goodness, we are likely to be sad when we should be glad, and to be glad when we should be sad.

    In the kingdom of God, the way up is down.

    In order to enter, we must be born again. (John 3:3-5). In order to see, we have to be blind. (John 9:39). In order to be full, we have to hunger. (Luke 6:21). In order to gain, we have to lose. (Matthew. 13:44-46). In order to be rich, we have to be poor. (1 Samuel 2:7). In order to be strong, we have to be weak. (Judges 7:2-7). In order to be masters, we have to be slaves. (Matthew 20:25-28). The elder must serve the younger. (Genesis 25:23).

    In order to laugh, we have to weep. (Luke 6:21). In order to enter into glory, we have to endure suffering. (Luke 24:25-26). In order to be healed, we have to be sick. (Luke 5:31). In order to live, we have to die. (John 12:24). In order to save our life, we have to lose it. (Matthew 16:25-26). In order to be first, we have to be last. (Matthew 19:30).

  • Celebrating the victory of Jesus – Femi Aribisala

    By Femi Aribisala

    God created the first man, Adam, in his image and likeness. He then put him in his garden of Eden to tend and take care of the garden.

    He gave Adam a seemingly simple injunction: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17).

    However, Adam could not obey this sanction. The devil tempted him and his wife Eve, assuring them that they would not die if they ate the forbidden fruit. He promised them that, instead, their eyes would be opened and they would become as wise as God himself.

    Rather than obey God, Adam and Eve obeyed the devil. They ate the forbidden fruit and died instantaneously. They died spiritually, even while still remaining alive in the flesh.

    Slaves of sin

    As a result of their sin of disobedience, the devil became the ruler of this world. (John 12:31). Man became a slave of sin and the devil, instead of a servant of God and of righteousness. Adam and Eve failed to realise that: “You become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.” (Romans 6:16).

    Thereafter, Adam and his progeny lost the distinction of being sons of God. We became instead, sons of disobedience (Ephesians 5:6); and by implication, sons of the devil. (John 8:44). When Adam had a son, he could not be, as Adam had been, a son of God created in the image and likeness of God. Instead, he was a son of Adam, born in Adam’s “own likeness, in his own image.” (Genesis 5:3).

    Thus, through Adam, sin and death entered the world, bringing about a fundamental disconnect between God and man. Men continued to seek God but in ignorance and darkness, worshiping man-made idols and the host of heaven in the foolish belief that, by so-doing, they were worshiping God.

    Therefore, God chose one nation, Israel, through whom he delivered to mankind the oracles of God. Through his servant Moses, God gave Israel some 613 laws (referred to as the Law of Moses) stipulating what he required of men and how we were to worship him.

    Law of futility

    However, God knew from the get-go that no man could keep those laws. They were not only exacting, if you failed to meet one of them, it was assumed that you had failed to meet all of them: “The person who keeps every law of God but makes one little slip is just as guilty as the person who has broken every law there is.” (James 2:10).

    So what was the point of God giving us laws he knows we cannot keep?

    God gave the law to show us that his standards are too high for us. He gave the law to make us understand that: “(his) thoughts are not (our) thoughts, nor are (our) ways his ways, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are (God’s) ways higher than our ways, and (his) thoughts than (our) thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

    Moreover, the law was our perfect introduction us to the second man, Jesus; the only one who could keep God’s laws. “In fact, the Law was our teacher. It was supposed to teach us until we had faith and were acceptable to God. But once a person has learned to have faith, there is no more need to have the Law as a teacher.” (Galatians 3:24-25).

    Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the law that we cannot fulfil. Not even once did he transgress any of God’s commandments. He “faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15).

    Accordingly, John says: “I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

    So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’” (Revelation 5:1-5).

    Jesus our saviour

    God says: “The soul who sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4). “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12). But God, in his mercy, then laid all our sins upon sinless Jesus: “He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.” (Isaiah 53:5).

    Jesus died for our sins and as our substitute. So doing, God cancelled the death that Jesus died on our behalf by raising Jesus back to life after three days. As he was being raised back to life, so were we who were hitherto dead in trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:4-6). In this manner, God imputed our sins to Jesus and imputed Jesus’ righteousness to us.

    Jesus himself became our life. (Colossians 3:4). Because he lives, those of us who believe in him will live and receive God’s gracious gift of eternal life. Jesus then became our representative. He received the penalty we deserve. Nevertheless, he asked God to forgive us for our sins. He prevailed over all the wiles of the devil and recovered everything we had lost in Adam.

    “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:18-19).

    Thanks to Jesus

    Thanks to Jesus, salvation is no longer based on obeying laws we could not obey. It is now based on believing what we can believe. “For by grace (we) have been saved through faith, and that not of (ourselves); it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

    If we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, and believe that God raised him from the dead for our justification, we will be saved from our sins. The only sin that now remains is the sin of not believing in Jesus. (John 16:8-9).

    Those who believe in Jesus receive his Holy Spirit. They now walk in the light of his word. If and when they sin, they are quick to confess their sins, confident that God is faithful and just to forgive them their sins and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).