THE ARMY

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I sat in my shadows, legs crossed,
There was a knock,
And the Other had with something good to sell,
Large smiles and affordable prices,
We made a good bargain and I felt good,

It began to wear off,
I knew there would be a fight,
I should not have let it in,
I knew I would lose and I saw the Other taunt me,

The Eyes that saw me looked away,
I was trapped,
The Other flashed it’s bloody teeths,
The One I looked to turned away,

I crawled out of my shadows,
The lights blinded me,
Sharp hues of White, ivory and gold,
I stumbled around looking for my shadows,

The Other grabbed my shoulders and pulled me,
I couldn’t fight back,
I could only wimp,
It pulled me slowly now,
Perhaps reveling in its victory,

I looked up at the blinding light,
Only now I saw the One coming,
He held out his hands,
I had two choices,

It was a fight,
I tried to pull myself out of its grip,
It held on tight, a little tighter,
Then it bound me so much I felt taut,

I looked up again,
His hands were still outstretched,
I opened my palms and stretched my arms,
Before me,
I made a choice,

He took my hands in his and I turned back,
The Other’s eyes lit like fire,
I turned back and trembled,
He smiled and pulled me towards him,
I fell to my knees and watched the fight,

This time, I knew I would not lose,
Because I had an Army.

Ifiokabasi Okop

(c) 2018

Let’s Pray

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I was breathing heavily.

I made my choice already, I kept mute.

“So no one is a Christian here?” the man holding the gun shouted.

I was dead silent, with my head lowered and my eyes shut.

“You are all a bunch of pretenders and liars” he said laughing sarcastically.

“You don’t know God; you don’t even believe he exists” he said.

It was a Sunday morning. I was well dressed and ready for service. I looked through the mirror as I knotted my tie. I adjusted my trousers and stretched out my body.

“You look good” I said to my reflection and he smiled.

My smile was short-lived when I remembered what my mentor said to me few days ago.

“God wants to test you” he said. I knew I had not been the most serious of Christians but I worked in the protocol department in the church, I gave my tithe and offering, I did most of all that was required of an average Christian. Yes, I did. But I think I got the gist. Being average wasn’t what was expected, but that was me, at least for now.

“Brother Dele, Good morning” a voice greeted as I locked the front door to my room. I turned to reply. It was Funmi, she lived in the room across mine.

“What’s up Funmi, Happy Sunday” I replied smiling.

“Are you not ready? Oya na let’s start going” she said adjusting her skirt slightly.

We walked out of the compound together. The Church wasn’t very close to where we lived, as it wasn’t easy to find an Anglican Church in this rural area, most corps members just settled for any living church in the area, but I had a thing for Anglican Churches.

Not long, we arrived at the church. I took one last reassessment of myself, and walked in with satisfaction.

I opened the western door and was confused. It was so dark, I looked back to be sure if I was sane and there was no door again, like the darkness had moved. I seemed to be in the middle of it now.

I reached for my pocket bible, hoping to feel safer as I clutched it.

“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” I whispered silently, my legs shaking, my arms trembling.

Then a light came on. It wasn’t very bright but it felt much better than pitch darkness.

I thought the worst was behind me, I didn’t know I was in for a treat today.

A huge figure walked into the light, a man. I couldn’t see his face clearly but he had a gun in his hand.

He was saying something, but I couldn’t hear him. He seemed to be getting angrier, he kept moving around but within the light, and then He stopped.

He pointed to the dark, not towards me. A young lady walked out immediately, she was shaking, begging for her life.

“Please don’t shoot me” she begged.

“I will surely shoot you, except he passes this test” he said.

I started trembling. I somehow had this feeling that I was the one to be tested.

What kind of test is this?  I thought to myself.

Aiiee! She screamed as he cocked the gun.

“Listen, If you are a Christian here, come out now and I won’t kill her” he said. He raised his hands up making a signal, and the lights fully came on. I still couldn’t make anything of this place. I could see other people too, but everyone was too busy shaking and trembling.

“If you are a Christian come out, or I kill her” he repeated. It was strange, I recognized the clothing of the girl he was holding.

Was it Funmi? I asked myself. I hoped she wasn’t the one.

I was breathing heavily

I made my choice already, I kept mute.

“So no one is a Christian here?” the man with the gun shouted.

I was dead silent, with my head lowered and my eyes shut.

“You are all a bunch of pretenders and liars” he said laughing sarcastically.

“You claim to know God; but you don’t even believe He is…” he said.

“No” a voice interrupted

“No, you are wrong” he continued

“I am a Christian, a Child of God” he said walking towards me. His clothing was very similar to mine; I was just waiting to take a closer look at his face.

He walked up to me and halted. I couldn’t believe my eyes; like I was seeing myself standing in front of me.

My jaw still dropped, I shivered slightly as I tried to speak.

“Ho-how is this…?” were the only words I could mutter. He leaned closer to whisper.

“Your reflection” he said with a grin, and continued walking toward the man with the gun.

The man changed his aim, pointing the gun at me, my reflection rather.

“Oh, bravo” he said clasping his palms in sarcastic appraisal

BOOM he fired

My heart skipped a bit as if fell to the ground. There was a ruckus as everyone scattered around

“He misfired, Who does that?” I thought to myself.

“Nobody move” he shouted, firing another shot in the air.

I tried to stand, I couldn’t move.

Argh I grunted. It felt like I was hit with a hammer. I looked at my chest and saw my shirt soaked in blood. My vision became blurrier, my head seemed heavier. I had no control over my body anymore. I dropped to the ground again.

Everything was fading fast, I could see a bright light, I could feel it, I was going. I could hear someone calling out my name faintly.

“Dele, Dele” the voice called out faintly.

The voice grew louder and clearer.

“Dele, wake up” the voice shouted.

“Jesus” I shouted as I sprang to my feet. I was sweating and panting like one who just wrestled the devil. I touched my chest and heaved a sigh in relief.

I turned around and it was my wife.

“Honey, you had a nightmare? What was it?” she asked with worry in her eyes.

“Funmi, it was really serious” I replied still trying to catch my breath.

“I think God wanted to show me something. We will talk about it in the morning”

“Let’s pray” I said, holding her hands.

In Jesus’ name.  Amen.prayer-e1522104184118.png

Blessed Is He Who Comes In “THE NAME” 

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THE GENESIS 1 OF ALL CREATION. 

    In the beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with God and The Word was God. John 1:1

All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. John 1:3

In Him was Life and the Life was the LIGHT of men. John 1:4

And the LIGHT shines in the darkness and the darkness does not understand it! John 1:5 

LETS ESTABLISH THE NEED AND SOLUTION FIRST. 

“For all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  -Romans 3:23

By this we know that of ourselves we only deserve death. Like death unto the grave, then whatever is below the grave. ( that would be hell by the way. :Eternal Darkness)

This is the verdict for the soul/person who is born in the Sin nature and remains in it. 

                   BUT

Light has come into the world to redeem that man who will BELIEVE, not just hear the story and say ” oh yes that talk about Jesus, I believe it”, 

But a person will have BELIEF so strong, however small, he will be transformed in his very nature. These ones will become what Paul Called the NEW CREATION! That’s a Creation that never existed prior to when they BELIEVE. 

This Belief  will not be of them but of God. 

For God is Faithful and Just to forgive us our sins (Old Nature) and cleanse us from all Unrighteousness (its fruit)

 -1 John1:9 

By receiving this good report of LIGHTS  arrival in the earth they will have FAITH.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17

The Word Is God! The LIGHT Who came into the world in the person of Christ Jesus to Redeem man from the Curse of Darkness i.e Sin and death. 
So Faith comes from the very PERSON of God, Faith Is His Nature. And we have faith only by Hearing and Hearing Christ Jesus.

So the more we Hear and hear, the more we BELIEVE, the more we are Transformed in our soul and body.  

N.B: The word Hear is translated from the Hebrew text SHEMA which means: Listen and obey, Listen closely, Hear and respond, Pay attention to or Focus On. See SHEMA graphic illustration word study.

Now Notice those who believe receive The New Life of the Kingdom in the spirit (Heavens). This is why Jesus taught His disciples not to look up or out there for the kingdom of God but within themselves for they have received Him and now Believe. Jesus also taught His disciples to pray thus To Our Father In Heaven,

“….. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

-Matthew 6:10

So next time you pray the Lords prayer, make it a little more personal…

“…. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in this earth (beat your chest) as it is done in the heavens”

For the flesh is of the earth and can only be Transformed by the Finished work of Christ as in the Heavens, let it be so here. Amen. 

Now! Back To THE NAME. 

When I think about Uchechukwu Nwachukwu, I do not simply imagine words spelt out on a blank surface,

 A person comes to my mind. 

A living, breathing, walking, talking person in this earth, comes to my mind. 

Uchechukwu Nwachukwu is my Friend, Uchechukwu Nwachukwu is His Name and His Name is His person. This is Who He Is. 

Jesus told His disciples that they will do all manner of great and wonderful things in His Name! And only in His Name did they have authority to do all He sent them out to do, All Glory to God. (Seriously its so cool check it out in Matthew 10)

But there is one peculiar thing that we can notice about all of Christ’s called, abandoned all to follow, taught and sent ones, They Believed, Rejoicing even unto the point of Physical Death. 

Now before you get all gingered Up, Know This…

This was not Normal Guys, No one just wakes up to a story of How Light came into the world to destroy darkness and suddenly decides that His Life ambition is to be a Martyr. 

So what was it?! What made these ordinary men so different? And why is death so Inevitable? Jesus said

” verily I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and DIES it abides alone, But if it Dies, it produces many seeds” – John 12:24

Imagine if we eat all the seeds, and eliminate all the eggs in the world, (its a tall order but just imagine it) For a time, it will seem as though there is life but as time goes by there will be silence in the earth. Death Without New life is extinction. 

So basically for New life/much fruit to be produced, a seed must first go into the Earth. Be it the ground or a female. This is the principle of Death and Resurrection. 

But instead of just Death unto the grave and Hell, This Time its a Death unto New Life. 

So the earth (man) ceases to be a grave because in Christ it (his heart) becomes good soil. 

At this point, if you’re  still nursing ideas of martyrdom I suggest you keep reading, This isn’t over yet. 

Now Paul made a disturbing statement in Galatians 2:20

“I am crucified with Christ, ” he said

“Nevertheless I Live,” hmmmm

“Yet not I!”  Say what now?!

“But Christ Liveth in me” owkayy…

” and the life I now live in the flesh, I live by THE FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD”  🙂

“Who loved me and gave himself for me”  wow! 

Paul was a dead man even before he finally exited this World physically. Or as Christ will say “went to sleep” for God is not the God of the dead but of the living. 

Stay with me people

That would explain why Isaiah though he was cut in two with a wooden saw, peter was crucified upside down ‘on request by the way’, Paul died many times by stoning, wild beasts and what not, John was soaked in boiling oil, didn’t die and was later banished to Patmos because “annoying” and many other records of ordinary men unafraid, unashamed and unmoved will not recant in the face of persecution. 

For they came not In Their Individual names, But in  THE NAME of the One Who Lives Forever! 

{Praise Break!}

So by the FAITH OF GOD in them, they were made testimonies of Eternal Life even in the World destined for destruction.

 (It was not just a new testament thing, God has shown Himself Graceful, Merciful, Mighty, Strong and Awesome in and Through His people right from the beginning of Time God did not just start this 2000yrs ago, He has always been and will always be Loving and Faithful to His People)

Now,

 “Arise! Shine! For your Light is come and the glory of the Lord is Risen Upon You! ” 

This is where you and I come in…

“… Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in the earth, in me, my soul and body as its already done in the heavens”,

where is heaven? The spirit of God, The kingdom of God, His Reign as Lord and King in You first, then in the earth as a whole. Get it? It starts from within you! 

 Doesn’t stop there, Transforms the whole World until Darkness is driven out by LIGHT. 

“… Revelation 11:15

15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 

Quick Question, where is your name in the scripture? 🙂

I’d show you,

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is youra life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry….. Colossians 3.

Want to be a martyr? Here’s a good place to start, Understand that you have Died To Your Flesh in Christ! 

Now before you get any bright ideas and start cutting off arms and legs let’s get this straight. 

Jesus when He Rose from the Grave! Glory to God!, Told His Disciples

And I paraphrase simply 

“If I don’t go and send my Spirit to you, you’d Never Be Me! And I Know you’d miss me but Don’t worry  My Spirit only Speaks of Me, He will Guide you into all of Me! (Truth) I have testified of my father and you must do same, Testify of me because You have been with me from the beginning, through Death and Resurrection” – John 15:26, 16: 5-8

To Testify is To Be and To Live As Christ Did in the Earth as it is in Heaven, Just as His Disciples did! -Living Testimonies. 

So to Die on your own, thats suicide. 

We are only able to Mortify this flesh and its deeds being sanctified ,our lives laid down as a sacrifice by the Help of the Holy Spirit of Truth sent From the father Himself. 

God is with us to see us through it all.

His promise to never leave or forsake us is True!

“So walk in the spirit therefore and of the spirit you will bear good fruit of The Spirit” Gal 5. 

Talk about being good soil. 😀

Now In Christ you have right to ascend unto Eternal Life You are destined to Die, But in Christ Unto Life, You Cease to Live Now He Lives In You Through You, You Live In the Flesh Now But By His Faith Unto Transformation its Galatians 2:20 all over again!

Your Pass into the Life of God Is THE NAME CHRIST! JESUS! His NAMe is HIS PERSON!

Not just words you say with your mouth, but your BEING.

“You also must testify of me….” Jesus said, He meant your Life, Now His own and No longer yours! Glory to God. 

Remember FAITH is of God, Faith does not Fail. So this is why we do not lean on Strength that is born of a nature destined to die instead we SHEMA and SHEMA The WORD.

 no more gloomy defeated Living now, Arise and shine .

“…. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of Righteousness, Peace and Joy in The Holy Spirit!”

Therefore I cease to be __________________ (insert name here.) Because Christ Is and

BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN CHRIST JESUS. 

 

GLAD YOU CAME

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Born of a woman
Chopped off His glory
I went about aimless
Like a headless fowl
Lucy’s dinner
Wrapped in his filth like a chicken shawarma
My life though a mess
He picked me from that beautifully decorated filth I called home
And dipped in His blood
My sins permeating out of me
As I swam in His love
Kept warm by the fire
That was kindled by His very Spirit
A new creature now I am
Just out of the heat of His purifying fire
Bred by His spirit
Buttered with His love
Had my fill to its Peak
With the milk of the word
Sitted now at the wedding feast
With a bowl of grace
Filled with flakes of His favour
Immersed in the waters of Canaan
The land that flows with milk and honey
Now I look at me and ponder
How an unworthy me could get here
And all I see is His cross
So now I seat with the Son
Satisfied in Christ
Thank you Jesus
I’m so glad you came

Chibueze

(c) 2018

The body of Christ

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The body of Christ
Divisions named denominations
Instead of strengths, no discriminations
But note this that the prophecy is unity

The Real nature of the body is this
That when the hand gets hurt
The mouth cries to the hearing of the ears
So that the eyes lead the feet to where the knee meets its creator,
The head which is Christ
This is sweet harmony
That the eyes beam with great joy as the feet gets a new wear
The reward for being beautiful
( I call that ‘Classy evangelism’)
That the lids of the eyes blink to prevent dust
As the tears flows down the cheeks to calm the broken heart
For It is the hands that carries the load as the back bears the burden
And the brain, the Spirit decides what the mouth says

But something went south, no north, no bad
Yes wrong
And these members majored in factions and differences
Loosing sight of the tendons that links the muscle to the bone, Love
That maturity should be put to play to give synergy

But Edification of all churches is paused and patience for right results is stopped
For which pain I have seen as one member esteems himself higher than the other
Such discord that is oblivious to the offender and the offended
That the mind reviles the heart
Holding back the tears that brings the healing
And Beauty is so pale
So plain, could be trampled again like 2000 and 18 years ago but this time for a different reason

What sides to be kept secret, so sacred is now exposed?
And the true fruit production freezes and ceases.
Like some kind of disease
We blame like Adam did Eve cause this ‘something’ crept in as the angel of the Light
What ears to take heed but let go hence we fall
We all would fall when we do not take heed, right?

The finger’s niche to point all its members to the hit-point of the Son
Does so otherwise and another member, no section, yes denomination, is accused
And so it is sad that eyes to see all these wear Son shades

What helping ministry is neglect to the healing ministers?
What exhortation seem insignificant to the church that prospers?
Can the memory remember that if one member suffers all suffer as honor comes with rejoicing?

Remember that we were once re-membered individually
Can we re-member ourselves back to Perfect’s bond?
And even if we were all one member, where would the body be?

For in deed we are many members, many denominations, yet one body
With strengths, no discriminations
Encouraging one to another
That we grow like the tree planted by the rivers of the Spirit
We would not feel the heat of the sun But the hit-point of the Son.

-Azubuike Hannah Chinonso-
(The Beloved of God)

(C) 2018

Resolution

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It is always a problem
The echoing word
Resolution, resolution, resolution
Because in recent times
It no longer rings well
It is an abuse
Every man is wise in January
Down the line… few days
Resolution becomes a pollution
The whole air gets polluted with a lot of unfulfilled goals

Weak vision and then limitation.

What a world!
The system no longer makes
human wise
Leading man’s perception like a shepherd leading his sheeps
Every one thinks the same
Live the same way
Wear the same thing
Speak the same way
Walk the same way
In the name of civilization
What an imitation
Weak revelation
Resolution the temporary map
For the fool
a kind of rule
For the wise
We get resolute because
When its January
We should be wise
get this…

A resolution without a vision
Is a problem a pollution
Learn to live larger than life
Stop being programmed
You need to live while alive
Your vision is paramount
Direct it well
And stay aligned with purpose on earth.

Toluthealchemist
(c) 2018.

CHRONOMETRY IN STANZAS ONE

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Before Evening, Eve ate the forbidden fresh fruit
Adam had sauntered smiling straight into the beautiful blessed garden
Listening to the sound silence could never had made
He felt at home and free riding of the elephant, boxing with the monkeys, racing through thickets with cheetah.

Eve must have felt lonesome all by herself without him or God
Animals were no perfect part of her
She needed one to hear her voice, feel her very deep void
And then fill her in with gusts of things that happened before the Master took her from Adam

Wiles had pitched it’s tent in the heart of the serpent
It wanted all to crawl ceaselessly like him
So, it made a tale to suit Eve’s curiosity.
It asked the million dollar question
Eve in her naivety answered
And before she could see the insensibility of her act, she wandered like the wind away from the Truth

By noon, Adam was tired of eating wild berries,
Home became a destination he hungered for like water
He remembered the promise he made Eve to eat fruits with her and his heart started glowing with expectations.
He had had taste of many a fruit in the garden, his eyes had eaten of them all
But his tongue was yet to testify of the new taste Eve would have him have.

Eve brought the fruit clothed beauty
He knew it came from the centre, the very fruit Master said brings death
He asked a question on what had birthed the madness
And Eve gave him a lecture so sweet, sweeping his decisions of long ago like the dust
He tried to mention the Master’s instruction and got an answer
The type of answer that leaves one wondering why one was not able to see deception
As plain as dry sky in the acts of the Master.
So, from Eve’s eager hands, hastily, he eat
Complimenting on the taste and the new feeling
He knew not how he had lead his progeny to a fall.

The Master came when the sun had started its movement back home
He called on Adam, the man that had hidden behind Eve in the Banana plantation
There was no answer except for the parrot’s unsolicited information
He walked straight laughing, “maybe Adam has started playing pranks”.
He was wrong, Adam had learnt to fear him, not reverentially
The Master is now an evil force to him.

“Man, where are you hiding, have host of lessons to share this evening,
Hiding will kill our time”, the Master said
“Your voice made my heart feel cold like a fowl in the tormenting winter”, Adam’s voice echoed
The Master raised his brows in askance,
“Ate thou the forbidden fruit?”
“Eve, the trouble you bestowed me with gave me”
And then, everything changed
Garments received their own life and human work lost its fun nature, work became a struggle
Birth process became a pain
First class enmity was created between the Serpent and Woman’s Child.
Adam lost the jolly times he once enjoyed with the supreme
But the Master kept working on bridging the divide between Himself and mortality
Men felt wiser and walked more into depravity,
God was wounded, but he never wiped men away

Simeon Chidi

(c) 2018