Heart of the Wise

A beast is an animal, especially a large or dangerous four-footed one. A wild animal. A beast is also a domestic animal, especially a bovine (meaning, relating to cattle) farm animal. Basic dictionary definitions. So, cattle are beasts.  A lion is a beast.  An eagle is a beast. A serpent is a beast.  Yes, a serpent. Let’s talk about that. Especially as Christ used it as some sort of behavioral reference and exemplar for us. He pointedly said: “Be wise as the serpent.” Oops!  “But,” He continued, “be harmless as the dove.” Okies! A serpent is a large snake. A snake, as studied and described by Science (Biology), is a reptile without limbs, voice, external ears, or eyelids, that has only one functional lung, and a long, slender body.  What are some evolutionary traits of the snake?  Stay with me. I know we don’t like snakes. But we are getting somewhere.  We’re learning something.  Snakes have a keen sense of smell, temperature and touch but generally poor eyesight (except night snakes

  Do we have genuine connections? I’ll give a quick definition of the word supplant. So I can dwell more on the concept of support. To supplant means to take the place of, to displace, to replace or to undermine.  To support is to be actively interested in and concerned for the success of a person or thing, for example: supporting a particular sports team. It also means to provide assistance to, or give approval, comfort, or encouragement to.  It is a product of goodwill and belief in someone or something.  Many of us support different football teams which we gladly and passionately refer to as “our teams”. Observe the enthusiasm, excitement and in some cases excessive zeal or fanaticism with which we promote, defend and celebrate people who do we not personally know, or an enterprise from which we may not even earn a single penny or cent—except for those who are into sports betting.  That’s the power of connection. That’s the power of camaraderie. That’s the power of competition. That

  Here’s something to think deeply and personally about. Without godly love, we are truly and totally empty, spiritually speaking—what Scripture refers to as a “noisy gong” and “clanging cymbal”. “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” That’s in First Corinthians chapter 13 verse 1. A gong is disk-shaped or saucer-shaped percussion music instrument that produces a resounding tone when struck, usually with a padded or mechanical hammer. A cymbal is also a percussion music instrument that is part of most drum kits. It is simply a metal plate often used in pairs to produce a sharp clashing sound when struck with a drumstick or when dashed together.  Cymbals make a very loud and reverberating sound when hit together as they vibrate for a long time. Sharp. Sonorous. Sustained.  Conspicuous and consistent. Are you getting the analogy? Noisy gong or clanging cymbal refers to a gong or cymbal making discordant s

  “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may 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) “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) On the micro level with our limited understanding, we think we chose and accepted Christ by our own making and free will. But on the macro level, if we do an in-depth and thorough study and analysis, we will begin to understand and appreciate the fact that it is not by our own will or power of human choice or our capacity for intelligent choice that we are saved. It is God who intercepted, called and chose us to salvation in His Son.  No human being by themselves is smart enough or strong enough to truly believe the Gospel to the point that they can gladly suffer reproach and even die in honor an

  May I  to focus on a speck in another’s eyes when I have a beam on my own eyes.  So help me God. Christ called such religious people hypocrites. They monitor the personal lives and invade the privacy of others, focusing on other people’s flaws, shortcomings or struggles, whilst they have their own personal issues which may be weightier or of more gravity before the just and righteous God. Christ frowned at it and rebuked it in the Pharisees. It is a grave sin before God.  Judging people harshly whilst being lenient on oneself. Projecting a super spiritual image whilst always finding fault in others. Covering your own shortcomings while probing into, magnifying and misrepresenting the weaknesses of others.  It is a deeply wicked and religious trait, character, quality and personality. The religious spirit is a deadly spirit. It is a satanic stronghold, believe me. It is easier to deliver a sinner than a religious person.  Let me be a sinful human aware of my constant need of Christ ra

  I BORE WITNESS TO THE TRUTH  IN MY LIFETIME AND GENERATION WHEN I LEAVE, MAY IT SPEAK ON FOR THE ELECT SHALL KNOW IT THOSE WHOM GOD GRANTS IT HIS GRACE, HIS TRUTH - AMEN ******* Satan hates me and I know it. But who cares! Not me. No, no! It’s a good thing; I’m happy about it. If Satan likes you, you’re doomed. You are an enemy of the Almighty. THE LORD loves me and I know it.  That is the most important thing!!! ******* Before the ‘war’, ‘wilderness’ and ‘whirlwind’, I spoke the truth as I received of the LORD. After the trinity of trials, I testify of selfsame truth from the LORD. THANK GOD FOR MERCY THANK GOD FOR  GRACE THANK GOD FOR TRUTH Before and after the Cross… Though I testified as prompted I had to go through my process I had to submit to the same word I had to know the truth intimately  I had to come to terms with my own complete human depravity or sinfulness; and receive God’s gracious gift of eternal salvation as a helpless, hopeless wretch that I was. Thank God for des

  I’ll begin this piece of writing with five quotes on friends and friendship. “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” (Thomas Aquinas) “There are three things that grow more precious with age; old wood to burn, old books to read, and old friends to enjoy.” (Henry Ford) “Friendship is a wildly underrated medication.” (Anna Deavere Smith) “A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.” (Arnold H. Glasgow) “A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.” (Bernard Meltzer) A true friend is someone who genuinely understands your past (honest history), accepts your present (current condition), and believes in your future (potential possibilities), and is thus truly eager to add beneficial or useful value to your life in their own capacity to enhance or improve your life and wellbeing. Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them, but you know that they a

Do not let the trauma from the past taint the goodness in your heart, in spite of its impact on your physical, mental and emotional health. Everyone will still leave this Earth one day.  The difference is the time between each man’s “time”.  The period of experiencing good and evil in this life. This period is what we call our “lifetime”. In summary: one is born, we eat, we grow, we work, we eat more, we grow more, we play, we sleep, we wake up, aluta continua, until we exit this realm. So, it’s your choice to decide to live it to the fullest by being full of love, joy, peace, goodness, etc.  Or, to let the world mar your soul because of the negative experiences it has unleashed on you.  Forgive them, forgive yourself, learn your lessons.  Cry, if you must. Shout, if you have to.  Rest and retreat, as much as you need to. Fight, but fairly (fight for good not to do bad). Make your mistakes. Embrace your flaws. Don’t pretend. Shun the hypocritical naysayers. Be strong. Be good. Be happy

  There has been an insinuation from some people on social media that the Air Peace’s new strategy of connecting local flights from different cities in Nigeria to their London destination flight via Lagos is a direct result of the advice of some commentators in the digital space.  There is also the demand that Air Peace pays or at least acknowledges the individuals whose counsel and suggestions they seem to have incorporated into the airline’s business.  My perspective is in line with the response of a management consultant and business developer who said that: “established business brands do not make key business decisions nor implement new strategies based on social media sentiments.” The well-known consultant further said that such businesses engage the paid service of strategy consultants who “develop business plans and tactics that will help the organization stay ahead.” I agree with these statements.  It is akin to gathering data from market survey.  A business strategist or prof

  The fact is two people may be good as individuals but may not be good for each other in marriage based on certain critical factors which people can discover with the help of some great assessment tools or questionnaires.  It is good to be very honest with the evaluation at the onset so you don't suffer down the road. You may have "feelings" for a person but they may not be “right for you”. So you have to let them go.  You can remain very good friends who help each other in wholesome ways on a platonic level but you do not have to get intimate.  You may even have to let go of certain external benefits like gifts so you don’t build on the feelings. Then you can go for true value as good friends. You see, when you see a person you like, or you are attracted to, you should ask yourself some deep questions. Questions such as: Who is this person really on the inside? What's their personality, temperament and character like? What's their life philosophy and worldview?

False teaching is sin or rebellion against God.  Thus, tolerance towards false teaching is sin.  People don’t understand that false religion makes a sinner twice a child of hell or the devil as he was without false doctrine, without false gospel or without false Christianity.  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are!” (Matthew 23:15, CSB) Following a false Christ is worse than not following the true Christ.  Accepting, celebrating, entertaining, supporting, patronizing or sitting under false teaching is acutely disobeying God and working against God. It is an anti God or anti Christ agenda.  In Eternity, many will regret not seeking the truth, and refusing it when they heard it. But it’s their choice. We can’t force nobody. Suit yourself. Evaluate yourself: are you following God or man? Truth or falsehood? Scripture or human philosophy? There is only

  I feel somewhat obliged to lend my voice and share a few thoughts on the recent testimony saga, as I have chosen to call it. Perhaps, we can learn or understand a thing or two about and from it.  For those who are not aware of the situation, and to set the background to this story, it happened in a ‘megachurch’ in Nigeria where a lady publicly testified with excitement that she had just bagged a Law degree from a Nigerian university.  However, the testimony was immediately truncated and refuted by the lead pastor who publicly accused and sternly rebuked the lady in question for lying, in other words giving a false testimony.  My first reaction is this: if she was actually lying in the name of the Lord, then he was right to have rebuked her publicly so that people would “fear God” and desist from giving any form of fake testimonies for whatever reason they may be giving them, which of course is best known to them. Now if that were the case, my only concern is: would this be the same r

  When you decide to marry a person, what you’re saying to them in effect is this: “I will love you and be with you whether I feel like it or not, whether you hurt me or please me, whether you have money or you don’t, whether you fail in life or succeed. It's not your condition, position or possession I'm marrying, but it’s you – the real you that I have come to know, love, value, esteem, treasure, cherish, honor and appreciate. I give you my lifelong loyalty. You can always count on me.”  Vice versa. People must understand the exclusive oath they're taking when they say "I do" before they say it.  People must be taught to understand what they are actually “doing”. Whoever joins people shabbily or hastily does them injustice, dishonors the revered office of priest, notary or other officiant and desecrates the holy institution of marriage.  Whoever tricks or deceives another into marrying him or her, violates that one and themselves. It shows a severe lack of under

  It is not by fleshly shouting, carnal vituperations, hauling abüses or attäcking with petty insülts that you wage spiritual bättle or win spiritual arguments. It is by opening the Scripture and bringing forth the truth in love by the Spirit of Christ as God intended it when it was written, regardless of personal or selfish interests.  God will judge every motive and intention of man. God will severely punish dishonest interpretations of His Word. “Let not all be teachers for they shall receive far stricter judgment from the Lord.” Away with all such carnal measures of dishonesty and disregard to God’s Holy Word. Humble yourself to learn The Scripture. Preaching the Gospel is for all Believers. But leading and feeding young Believers to grow in Christlikeness and to understand the Mind and Will of God for them is for spiritually mature Believers. Learn before you teach. Know the truth.  Be wise. Be true. Be honest. Be just. Be mature.  Oh, be faithful to the truth of the Scriptural te

  Everyone judges.  That is, everyone assesses situations and evaluates people based on certain realities and parameters. We then hold the results of our conscious or unconscious assessment or evaluation of people and situations as thoughts and perceptions, which lead to feelings and actions. Just so you know: our thoughts and presumptions about people can and may be wrong or inaccurate. Remember that. And yes, everyone has a bias. It could be right or wrong.  It may be true or false.  Accurate or inaccurate.  Objective or subjective. Factual or sentimental. But watch your heart for any growing prejudices, bitterness or ill will against anyone, regardless of the situation. Even with those who oppose or treat you as an enemy. Deal with situations as objectively as possible. Don’t let the gall of bitterness defile your heart.  Shockingly, many people who perceive themselves to be holy may end up damned not because they were not sexually pure but because they harbored bitterness and unfor