Category: Articles

POWER IN THE SPOKEN WORD

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….And God said “Let there be…” and there was.

Amazing isn’t it? The idea of mind over matter, how thoughts and words can become material things. Its rather unfortunate that people pick their most faithless moments to try and materialize a spoon by saying ‘let a spoon appear right now in my hand!’ (Hahaha)its funny right? But it is very true that for words to give life, your mind must be in total agreement with what you say. Don’t think its impossible because it happens every single day. Remember when the words ‘I hate you’ or ‘You are worthless’ made you cry and actually consider the fact that maybe, just maybe you did not amount to anything and that week you ended up doing the most stupid things until you caught yourself and changed your view? Well that’s exactly what I mean. Its a chain reaction, a build up of emotion, an execution of words that changed your point of view, a combination of fragments that summed up into a force so influential, a force called… Power.

“Words Are Powerful”

You know no one can really point out who made that statement first, trust me the irony of the truth in those words is capable of striking a chord every time they are spoken, especially when I remember the fact that the phrase is in itself the most powerful statement anyone has ever thought to say.

Thoughts can make or kill a man but words would do either faster. Its common for people to talk without making an effortless effort to listen. Its difficult for people who know so much and have so much to offer, to be quiet and allow someone they least expect, offer them something small that could change their previous perspective of life or simply just improve it. Its amazing how the words someone said could trigger certain emotions in another person.
“You Just won the Lottery!”, don’t deny it you were actually excited till you realized that this was just part of the piece.(Haha!)

If letters were soldiers then words would be an army and their content, ammunition. The more relevant the content, the higher the possibility of winning a battle of words and making positive impact and possible influence on a persons life. Yes! A persons life, because people need to understand that change comes by first getting a person to buy into your vision, ‘ its the first block that builds the mansion’ need I say more.

“All we need is peace”. Words that ensured that Nelson Mandela’s Legacy never coughs as long as the earth remains in existence. The words we say matter a lot, the words we say shape, make, mould, build, break, destroy, condemn, uplift and downcast. We are most powerful when we speak. It is very essential that we bridle our tongue, people who have a plan and a focus talk with wisdom because they understand that words are seeds today and trees tomorrow. A wise man once said “Man is a speaking spirit”. We all must be clear on the fact that actions speak louder than voice… Not words… But the most powerful words are backed up by actions. It would be mindless and very empty to say ‘I love You’ and leave someone in need to suffer. Words bring out the contents of our heart… It is words that tell people who we really are!

You don’t just say nasty things to people because you can, or for the sake of having a tongue, words can be as sweet as honey and also as venomous as poison. Its really amazing yet strange to know that all men carry the power of creation and destruction in their mouth. To Speak is to make happen. “Until all men are free, we are all slaves”… Wise words of a mother that drove her son many years later to fight for freedom and equality of all people in America if that didn’t ring a bell then probably the Emancipation Proclamation would. It is very important that we mind what we say, because indeed if we stop and think then we would not speak like persons who did not see a need for simple reasoning in the first place.

-Abokhai Osione

THE FINAL WHISTLE

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So you had the awesome opportunity to get a front row seat to a game you have no interest in?

Let me guess, possibly because she looked so good that no excuse could find its way through your lips as you cowered under her overpowering presence when she said “Would you be a darling and go to the game with me?”

Sure, I do understand you were trying to be polite (and be a darling too) but I can predict one or two things about how this date or whatever she tells you will be like. First, you meet at a scheduled place or possibly you were such a gentleman (or totally bent on impressing her) that you picked her up from home with your ride and then when you get there, you walk into the arena, hand-in-hand, smiling and chatting meanwhile somewhere in your head you continue to recall all the reasons why you hate this game and you shouldn’t be here obviously but no bother you’ll just be a man (more like, things we do for love).

Now the players are on the pitch, the ever rising roar of cheers and laughter wouldn’t have been much of a bother if you had any clue as to why this amount of people would actually enjoy this game or if they could at least pipe low enough so you could manage a discussion with this beauty by your side. The announcer does a good job of further increasing the noise whilst observing various sport traditions towards commencing the game and then out of nowhere this guy who is supposedly the referee/umpire blows a whistle.

For the split second its shrill sound pierces through the noise, there is stillness in the crowd just before a resounding uproar to indicate the game has begun with the atmosphere gauged with intense anticipation and excitement. Now, for you my friend, you stare at the event unraveling before you; fruitlessly trying to make sense of it though constantly aware of the female presence by your side whilst drilling your mind for a good comment to kick-start a cool discussion.

In this very interesting mix of events that characterizes every big sport event around the globe, one thing remains true for all and that is the power of the whistle (or buzzer, or any media of control the referee/umpire uses). In every case we watch as this little instrument in the hands of one man could demand the attention of every single person in that arena at any time during the play of this game. They pay attention because for every instance the whistle is blown, there is sure to be a change in the game of play. This change can be positive or negative depending on what side of the field you’re playing from but regardless of that when that whistle is blown the game must begin or stop (either momentarily or permanently).

However, as a player in this game, you are trained in the art of playing it well and certain skills you possess have set you aside, qualifying you to represent your team to whatever degree but this same whistle means much more to you than a switch to stop or begin the game. It is to you, the law of the game. It signifies when your time in the game begins and from then you are awarded a chance to bring victory to your team by doing your very best in your designated area of play whilst maintaining sportsmanship but a single blast of the whistle could change all that. It could be to you a simple caution or the outright punishment for a foul play, it could be justice for a wrong done, it could be the end of your time on the field or it could just be the end of the game.

You see, this scenario painted right in front of your eyes is no different from what we’ve come to know and call living on this world stage. Life is a game we all are players in with the earth as our playing field and whether we accept it or not we do have a whistle locked somewhere in the lips of the referee. We may be oblivious of it but it is to us for caution, reproof, and justice and sometimes it may be the final whistle we hear as it marks the end of the game either individually or for the whole living population of the world.
I know it is easier to live a carefree life, doing what you want when you want but even in our limited understanding as humans, we know that there’s need for order, hence we set up a justice system, a moral system to caution or punish wrong doings or brings justice to the hurt. However, we run our seemingly orderly lives unaware of the most important function of the whistle

IT DETERMINES THE END OF THE GAME

The game could go on forever if that whistle is not blown and no player would leave the field up until that whistle is blown and it finally is blown to that respect it could mean the end of the game for one or all players. It’s quite simpler than you think; if the final whistle is blown you have to get off the field. In this Life, the final whistle varies and for you it may be the sound of a gun, the last beep of the monitor as your heart stops, the thud of your body fall, the sound of screeching tires or the sound of a trump. Whatever way it happens you will have to leave this earth because your time is up.

Now no player wants to leave the field feeling like he would have done more, hence while on the field, he pours in his very best but somehow in the real game we choose to call life playing before our very own eyes, we seem to think we would never have regrets when we have to leave the playing field even when we just wasted our time of game play. We seem to think we have no coach in the cloakroom ready to analyze how well we did our part, no consequences for the way we played this game that we have only one chance at.

The greatest lie our adversary made us believe is that we are the onlookers, the cheerleaders of this game. So because we ain’t the players, when the whistle goes, the game simply ends and that’s it. We can just go ahead and just have a good time, no caution as to how short your time is. He fools you to think that you’re going to last till the last whistle so while waiting you disregard the cautions that come as the blaring of the referee’s whistle just like this very piece you’re reading, ignorant of the fact that the very next whistle could be your last.

THIS IS A WARNING!

It may not sound much like a whistle but nevertheless, it is for you and even though I sincerely pray it is not your last, it may just be.

You can’t afford to worry about the opponents devices, he is just running his game plan so you can’t afford to play against the master’s game plan, you cannot afford to not fulfill the reason why the coach put you in play because sooner than later the end of the game will come upon you even though the game has not yet ended.

So PLAY ON!

No matter how bad you’ve played so far if you turn a new leaf you still have a chance at victory. Unlike every other game, the winner can only defined after the final whistle and though it is a team play the victory is individual and when the final whistle is blown you would forever be bound to what the scoreboard says.

– Ezeonyeka Godswill

i GOT skillz! … (so WHAT!)

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skills-image

Hey there bloggers, writers and all who follow and support this blog. I do hope you’ve been having a swell time on the blog cos if you haven’t we’ll so much appreciate it if you could drop a little comment question or suggestion on our FAQ’s page. Anyways lets drive this nail in!
First thing, I hardly ever write like this but this topic has really changed my point view on so much and I hope I’ll be able to communicate this passion to you then just maybe you’ll get exactly what you need to move up the ever-manipulative ladder of success.

Now I know its no more news to say every single person on this planet is in one way or the other blessed with a natural talent. It is possible that these talents may have not found expression but it does not mean they are not there and while we are still on this , I would like to say that talents are not only expressed in the arts or sports. It is possible to have a very special gift in making things and this in more fancier words is referred to as invention of which we all know that the inventors of the past generations laid foundations on which our so much globalized world is structured. So, get over high-profiling one talent over the other, even if its not known anywhere in the world, consider yourself a trail blazer. Lets proceed!
A talent in my own definition is anything (absolutely anything) that you can do innately even without getting any prior training (this only applies in some cases). The only thing that distinguishes a talent from a curse is CHOICE. There is no such thing as a “bad” talent. We only choose to use our talents in bad ways.
Having stated that out, I’ll like to emphasize that whatever talent(s) you are gifted with has two ultimate purposes which include to further better our world and to bring glory to God(Revelations 4:11;Romans 8:19). Now this does not make your gift any better than the man next door doing otherwise, it only means you are at a better place to express the fullness of your gift, get better satisfaction and further transform this world we live in. Remember also that this is not a restriction but a stage!(this means instead of just gratifying your selfish desires which will never be satisfied you are given an opportunity to join in a project that transforms the world! So these purposes I mentioned are not meant to restrict your freedom of expression but to direct it).
Many people have however made this decision to fully pursue in this direction but they seem to lack the satisfaction and fulfillment my words seem to promise and that’s why you’ve got to read on.

The decision to glorify God and better our world through your talent is only a start in a long journey which would most definitely lead to total satisfaction, fulfillment and all that comes with that. Its just like the decision to get an education, if you don’t do all that is necessary you won’t be awarded a degree on graduation day! So here’s the problem, SO MANY PEOPLE (both Christians and otherwise) HAVE MADE A DECISION HAVE CHOSEN TO USE THEIR TALENTS FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS BUT HAVE FAILED TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH WHAT THAT DECISION ENTAILS.
So what!!! You got skills. That makes no difference in this world we are in. the very important question is “What have you done with it?” Lemme put this straight, No one likes gold in its raw form! SHOCKER!! (just kidding but you know its true). For those that don’t understand, permit me to give some details. Your talent has no value at all if you do not develop it. This is true and certain on every level and it is the ignorance of this truth that actually distinguishes men of similar talents. Now, you can always have the “once-in-a-while” inspiration burst but you’ll always remain mediocre if you don’t learn the tricks of the trade and practice hard at it. Lemme put it this way, a friend once said “In the battle of altars only the stronger altar wins, no matter if its good or evil, old or new” (paraphrased). This is very true in the topic of altars as well as that of talents and its high-time you started paying attention.

skills

The good thing is, you discovered your talent and I do hope you have decided to set it on the right stage. With that in place, you have got to know what things you can do to make yourself the best at what you do and start working. (Note: I don’t mean copy other people because they are successful and then lose your originality). You can be the best at what you do when you give it the attention it deserves just like a little plant and when you do the fundamental things required in your field of gifting you could exceed being good to be great and you could even extend to becoming phenomenal. I may not have beat that enough but I will have to proceed to the next step to actualizing the full manifestation of your talent in the next episode. Take care and God bless!

-Ezeonyeka Godswill

WORD POWER part 1

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Everything you see today, every manifestation of man’s ingenuity and stupidity alike, from our simplest display of humanity to the very depths of inhumane salvage acts that is set on the stage of reality, an underlying truth remains unseen and it might as well be the very foundation for all the visual images that make up the gallery we today call life.
Now, the poet in me wants to keep this all a mystery probably give you one or two hints so you could sit and think till you had your “eureka” moment but I’ll save you the trouble and hit this nail right on the head(not really though, more like after a few more words!). Most times than often we find out that the most important persons, the most important places to be or even our everyday decisions in our various different lives are in fact the most ignored. It kinda reminds me of the structure of a tree and a man-made house.
You see, although both may be absolutely different, a good reason being their source and state of existence they however share one similarity hence the importance of this illustration. For every beautiful tree or cleverly designed building you pass by, you unconsciously appreciate what your eyes see whether audibly or not but we also are fully aware that the beauty we behold does not stand as the most important of the building or tree.
Beneath the ground, out of sight to almost all is a firmly laid structure built with careful precision and emphasis on agility and durability to form the foundation (for buildings) or roots (for trees). It is this structure that is laid first, takes more time and is in fact the most important of all parts because it is responsible for setting a stage for the display of all the benefit you stand to gain from a building or tree.
Now, to drive home my point, I can say this, “All that you see today were first thoughts that were successfully transcribed to words”. I know as you read this, you obviously think this is such a “bogus” statement but I sincerely hope your curiosity gets the better of you, so you can read on!
Now, I have a whole bucket of facts to defend this somewhat “bogus” claim but what better place to start than the beginning of the earth itself. Due to the fact I do not subscribe to the evolution theory of the origin of life, I would refer to the theory provided by the bible (which in my opinion holds more water than any). It was clearly recorded that after the creation of the earth it was dark and empty (Genesis 1:2). In the next verse, one would expect in the face of such a challenge, God would have proceeded to do something about it but funny enough He just proceeded to speak quite a simple phrase really and VWALAH! The strongest physical power force on earth till date appeared (by this I mean the Sun).
The rest of the chapter accounts to how most of everything natural around us today were created just by the words from God. This certainly certifies my claim to an extent but before I drop this point, lets take a look at verse 26 of that same chapter and we see God making a sorta different statement than He had been accustomed to. Previously, He had stuck to the “Let there be” prefix (that is if you are using the King James Version of the bible). So He’s like “Let there be this” “Let there be that” till verse 26 He says “Let us make man …” Hold up!, a thought was first pronounced as a word first before we were ever created. Hey I’m no neurosurgery genius neither can I claim to know what’s on anyone’s mind but I know for a fact that my claim is true and words, they do have power! The proven fact that every single thing that exists first existed as a word speaks proof to this. See y’all soon!

-Ezeonyeka Godswill
#PENSPEAK2014 #REVELATIONS2014

OFFENSE!

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I see you all looking like a bunch of tax collectors. “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”
So there I have it, proof!! Bunch of tax collectors; because while you live your lives strapped to your seats, belts on waists looking all cute and manly, freckled faces with oink wears dressed up pretty, you forget pretty soon(that is if you even notice) how cunning the devil really is. Let me enlighten you on what you should already be well aware of Continue reading →

WORSHIP: A new view!

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Worship ain’t just what we think it is.

You see it’s not about songs with a certain beat or a lot of names you’ve crammed from the bible; well it goes way deeper than that. It’s an expression of something that even the brightest minds cannot fathom. It finds its roots in a unique love relationship that can only exist between a man and God. Although it may be expressed in different ways such as music (Psalm 98, Psalm 69:30), way of life (Job 1:8), offering (1 Kings 3:3-4), poetry as well as prayers but none of these expresses the entity of this ambiguous term. Hence, to get a better understanding it will be wise to refer back into its roots, its source.
Continue reading →

NUMBER YOUR DAYS WELL

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I’ve recently been reflecting on a verse that I think is worth all of us reflecting on. It’s from the psalms and it says: Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10 NIV)
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12 NIV)
I did the math and realized I only had 13445 days left (including that day) if I made it to 70. 17095 if I made it to 80. My first thought was that I need to hit the gym. But seriously if, by being healthy, I can add 3650 days to this one shot of this speck in eternity where I get to make an impact for the kingdom of God, I want to do that.
The second thought I had was a need to intentionally avoid routine over-busyness.    
If we are honest, most of us will admit that we have experienced seasons when the moments, days and weeks seemed to slip away without us noticing. Perhaps we were absorbed by the busyness of everyday routines, or by a difficult season when mere survival was challenge enough. Regardless, we often look back on these seasons with a sense of regret and the feeling that moments were ‘wasted’.
I remember listening to a broadcast where the speaker spoke about a conference in the 50’s where they were making so much progress with computer technology that they predicted we’d all be working half days in 50 years. Well they couldn’t have even imagined the kind of progress we would make in IT, and yet we’re only working harder, faster, longer. Busyness itself isn’t bad, and for most of us its necessary, but routine panic and missing out on what God is calling us to is a mistake we don’t want to make.
My last thought was reflecting on the end of the verse that said ‘gain a heart of wisdom’. I believe that in this context, wisdom is perspective. If we’re going to number our days well, we need to have the right perspective.
I recently watched a movie about a guy who could travel back in time. There’s a scene where he’s told that the secret to this gift of time travel is to live each day twice, “The first time with all the tensions and worries that stop us noticing how sweet the world can be, but the second time noticing”
He does this and you see the difference in the way he lives an ordinary day, stressing, not engaging people and not celebrating victories the first time, but then completely appreciating every moment the second time. Finally he learns he doesn’t need to travel back and re-live each day, he can just live to the fullest the first time round. We obviously don’t have the opportunity to travel in time, but we can all choose to have the right perspective for each day. But as Christians, it’s not just a motivational carpe dime thing about having a good attitude, it’s about having God’s perspective. Recognizing the incredible opportunities he’s given us and making each second count.
I think if we, in Christian media, can get this right, number our days well, we can make a phenomenal impact for the extension of His Kingdom.

Culled from the ACM(Association of Christian Media)

WHaT is LOVE?

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Most of us would say that you love someone when their happiness is very important to you, so that you behave in a kind and caring way towards them Or you feel romantically or sexually attracted to them, and they are very important to you.
But what really is love?
God is love. And love is God’s unconditional positive regard towards us. According to John 3:16. God had great love for the inhabitants of the world (humans) that he gave his only son for all our sins to be washed away, that we might not perish but have everlasting life. And this can only happen if we believe in him.
The love of God brings everlasting life and this everlasting life is abundant for every single person that exist on earth. You were created to worship God. He loves you.
When you go within, you know that your core (your very being) is made fully of love. This is God’s love. So pure and genuine. And all we can do is share that love with ourselves and others.
The bible says in the book of John 15:9-14 that the same way God the Father loves us, is the same way that Jesus loves us and he wants us to continue in this love by keeping his commandments and abiding in his love. In doing this, the joy of the Lord would remain in you and your joy would be full.
This is the commandment Jesus gave before leaving earth, that we should love one another as he loved us. There’s no greater love that a man can have than to lay down he’s own life for his friends. And he ends it by saying that we are only his friends if we do whatsoever he commands us to.
What kind of love do you have for your friends? Do you know Jesus and have you told your friends about him? Do so today and you will see a great transformation in you life.
By GRACE ENO-OBONG EGBO-EGBO