₦airaland Forum

POVERTY IS NOT A CURSE! JUST AN INCONVENIENCE…

I agonised over writing this reflection for several months. My agony was not from a lack of content, but from a foreboding that it could be widely misunderstood. For I am writing on a multi-faceted and emotive subject within the restriction of a few thousand words. But I can no longer forbear – it will be a worthwhile venture even if only a handful of people see the point I’m trying to make. Here goes:

All over the world, billions of people are consigned to the backwaters of our societies, unable to meet the basic necessities of a decent life – or even afford a decent, balanced meal. Billions of people. Some of them are hard-working, faithful believers in Jesus Christ. Would you look across this huge block of humanity and pronounce them cursed, simply on account of their financial condition? I suspect that your answer will be negative. Deprivation is an inconvenience. But it is not always a curse. Just in the same way that possession is not automatically a blessing. Jesus made this clear in Luke 12:15, when He said a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of what he possesses. There are other more important indices to measure the value of a man’s life. In this respect, it is a LIE to generalise and make this statement, “Poverty is a curse”.

Let me stretch this a little further, in looking at the second aspect of the issue. Some of the most blessed people on earth today are poor. And some of them will die in that state of poverty. These are the people that Jesus Christ has drawn out of their comfort zone to go into obscure and deprived regions of the world to help humanity to know The Way. Or to advance the interest of the Kingdom in frontiers that our generation of fortune-hunting, breakthrough-thirsty believers will not dare to approach – even when it is clear that the Lord may be pointing them in that direction. Who is more susceptible to the ‘curse’ tag; the one that answers the Master’s call and dies in penury, or the one that ducks the call and abounds in the comfy land of material prosperity? In this scenario also, poverty is not a curse.

And so, we ought to drop the generalised nonsense of using the phrase ‘Poverty is a curse’. The phrase was planted in the Church’s lexicon by the greedy multitude of the get-rich-quick preachers that are festering covetousness in the body of Christ. And the goal is simple: to make us FEAR poverty so much that we would avoid it at all costs. This FEAR will benefit them in two ways. First, it propels us to sow financial seeds into their ministries so that we can harvest and become rich (and dodge the poverty ‘curse’). Second, as we move forward in life, our tithes and numerous offerings from our earnings become a regular source of cash flow for the expansion of their kingdom (masqueraded as the expansion of God’s Kingdom). This is how these evil men profit from the FEAR OF POVERTY they have sown in our minds.

Now, let me tell you how the Kingdom suffers from this same FEAR OF POVERTY. First, it causes us, unintentionally, to look down upon the poor in our midst, and in our society. They are the misfits. They are the bad examples of what we do not want to become. Conversely, we look at the rich in the Church, and they are the image of the future we crave and pray for. Proverbs 14:20 captures this brilliantly: “The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.”

The second disadvantage of this fear is even much more insidious and devastating to a disciple of Jesus Christ. For, subconsciously, it programmes our minds this way: ‘if it is good and shiny, it is God’, ‘if it is hard and imposes hardship, it is the devil’. That is, if it involves suffering, it must be from the devil. That is why this crazy song is very popular in Pentecostal circles, “Me, I no go suffer.…” Yet the truth is that some of the most sublime callings (in terms of selflessness) that the Lord will give His disciples WILL involve suffering. Much suffering. The type of suffering that caused Him to leave His throne of glory to die a miserable death on a dusty road in Golgotha. It is along this unappealing path that He invites us to follow Him.

This is the way that Apostle Paul starts that popular passage in Philippians 2:5-9, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus….”. But how many believers today have this type of mindset? We are quick to rejoice in, and proclaim the fact that Jesus has a name that is highly exalted above every other name. But how many of us truly want the type of mind that got him to that exalted position? How many are willing to leave their glorious mansions in the city to go to a deprived community in the middle of nowhere – NOT TO DIE FOR THEM, but just to preach the Gospel to them! And, probably live with them to face what they face, and eat what they eat. Is that the mindset of the believers that the corporation-churches today are breeding in their millions.

Yet, “LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU…” is not a request, it is a divine imperative that is at the very heart of Christianity. Tamper with this mindset, and you have removed the soul of Christianity. And that is what the devil has done, and continues to foster, with the fear-inducing mantra ‘Poverty is a curse!’

This will become a huge issue in the days ahead as the Lord begins to raise His end-time army. He will render some of them poor, not as a punishment, but as an inseparable part of their service package for the Kingdom. Ask the countless missionaries that left the affluence of the western world to die in the mosquito-infested backwater of African villages. That was how the Gospel reached us in the contemporary times. Ask also the direct Apostles of Christ who had to forsake all to follow Him (Matthew 19:29). Particularly, ask Apostle Paul who suffered the ‘loss of all things’ (Philippians 3: dear to him that he may ‘finish his course with joy’ (Acts 20:24).

If the rich young ruler had agreed to follow Jesus in Mark 10:17-22, the relationship would have undoubtedly impoverished him. But, like the ‘wise’ believers of today, he also probably believed that ‘poverty is a curse’, so he quickly backed away from Jesus. (Just as many of us have backed away from Him today in reality – though we are still in Church, warming the bench and keeping up a false image of being a disciple.) Also, it is difficult to imagine that following Jesus did not cost Zacchaeus his wealth. By the time he gave half of his property to the poor, and made the restitution of giving his victims four-fold of what he took from them, it is easy to imagine that there would be little left for a man that presumably made his wealth by swindling people (Luke 19:1-10). This is the blessing, and joy of poverty that many of us today may never know because of our fear-of-poverty mentality.

Furthermore, Jesus appeared to have been very comfortable with the poor, He didn’t tell them they were cursed. To the poor faithful believers in Revelation 2:9 , He said, “YOU ARE RICH!”. On the other hand, he described the wealthy, affluent church of Laodicea as ‘poor’ (Revelation 3:17). Jesus never condemned the poor, or encourage them to pursue material wealth, rather, He taught the rich in the church to take adequate care of the poor in their midst. They were not to look down on them, or ill-treat them (James 2:1-.

Please let me be clear. Jesus did not come to consign His disciples to a life of poverty. But neither did He come to declare a Dollar-splash as a reward for discipleship or godliness. Again and again, He cautioned against the danger of material wealth. He taught His hearers not to lay their treasures on earth, but to send it upward by giving (not to His ministry!), but to the poor. He taught that our material possessions have no bearing with the value of our lives. Apostle Paul was clear in warning that the pursuit of material wealth will lead many into perdition (1 Timothy 6:6-11). Today, most of our greedy, prosperity-focussed general overseers have turned all these truths upside down. Virtually everywhere you go, you will find believers that are thirsting to become overnight millionaires – purportedly as an evidence of the goodness of God.

God is able to make any believer wealthy, very wealthy. But that is if wealth is a required component of the calling of such a believer. Such people will not labour excessively to make money, for money will come to them by grace. Not all of us are called into this category. Generally speaking, Jesus did not promise his believers abundance of material wealth. What He promised, and confirmed through the mouth of Apostle Paul, is that He will meet our needs (Matthew 6:31-33, Philippians 4:19). He didn’t promise to satisfy our wants or insatiable appetite for the glitterati of the world. He has financially blessed some believers so that they can be a blessing to the rest of the body. But some of these channels have become very greedy; tossing a few crumbs to the table of the poor, and satisfying their own lust for material acquisition. No wonder Jesus said it will be difficult for the rich to make heaven! The day it becomes clear to us that the purpose of being granted wealth is to make us distributors of God’s goodness to His people (not just to consume it on our wants), that is the day that we will stop chasing wealth-at-all-costs. For many will thereby perish. I repeat this: material prosperity is not for every believer!

Are you hoping to be used by God in these last days? Please re-adjust your mindset. If your mind is set on the glitz and glamour of life or ministry, you may never hear the still, small voice calling you to be God’s agent to the thousands of children dying daily from neglect in the areas that the corporation-churches have abandoned. IT TAKES HAVING THE MIND OF CHRIST TO HEAR THE VOICE OF CHRIST. And that voice, at times, may choose to “carry you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). The condition that Jesus set for discipleship is clear: “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS daily, and FOLLOW ME. (Luke 9:23). It is not about what we want – it is all about what HE WANTS.

Are you called to be poor so that you can better serve God and humanity, please embrace the call. And wear your badge of poverty with gratitude and honour until God changes your condition (if He chooses to do so), or until He calls you home to glory. In this, Christ is truly glorified, and mankind is truly blessed. Please be a blessing – in prosperity or in poverty.

Thanks for reading, God bless.

CrazyMan:
All terrorists are muslims but not all muslims are terrorists.

Better put, some Muslim are active terrorists while others are dormant terrorists. Summary? All muslims are potential terrorists!

lastmessenger:
This is funny. You typed supporter of APC and APC popped up?

maybe the real supporter of APC will give Janja-weed


*Modified* it didn't

lastmessenger:
Op why did you put APC there? Do you mean that APC is a terrorist political party?

Christ! APC was put by nairaland O! Nothing concern APC with this post

It's meant to be Taliban and ( Janja-weed) but i come see Aaa Phee See

Lastmesenger, just type janja-weed without the hyphen and see what you'll get

shadowgwalker:
I understand. yes it's a tradition, an evil tradition. how will you luv it if I, a French man force my religion on you and your people who are Islamist?

How will you luv it if you don't agree I invent my method of killing, maybe my own will be to dip you in acid and free you to roam in pains?

Aha! it's a sweet memory right?good! you must be so damn silly for this your bloody uncivilized post. just say you want to be a terrorist, simple.

You didn't understand the post or I don't understand you? Well my post in summary is "it is not the fault of Islamic terrorists but that of their religion. And it is a lie to believe that the Quran do not support terrorism. Going by the mandates of the Quran, the terrorists are right. Every Muslim is a potential terrorist."

I might be banned for this but before banning me, hear my opinion. I in no way support terrorism and also a BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN thereby an advocate of non violence. I follow my Master's instruction of [size=15pt]when you are slapped on the right cheek, turn also your left cheek [/size] I am a stranger here and I seek a Heavenly city whose builder and maker is God.

Why did I suggest that Islamic terrorists are right? Why do I believe BOKO HARAM is not politically motivated?

In the first place, Islamic terrorists are right because of the following reasons
1) it is a traditional issue Yes by tradition I don't mean the tradition of the indigenous peoples of Islamic nations. It is the tradition of the founder of Islam Mohammad. Check every religion on earth today, the adherents of the religion follow the example of their founder. Tell me if you can or google it if you can't, how did Mohammed spread Islam? By peace or by conquest? The truth is clear here.
How did Utman Dan Fodio bring about the conquest the north and established the Caliphate? By peace or by violence?
Google it, how did Islam spread in the ottoman empire?
Egypt, Turkey, Libya, Sudan, Morocco, and other Middle East and North African nations were formally Christian territories before the advent of Islam. Did they willingly surrender Christianity for Islam or were they terrorised till they all gave in?
We all read about Gandoki in the primary 5 English reader. The story of his exploits in Jihad is still there today.
It is also supported by the Quran Many verses in the Quran supports killing of non muslims. Verses such as these Quran (2:191-193) - "And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah [disbelief or unrest] is worse than killing...
but if they desist, then lo! Allah is forgiving and merciful. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah [disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah] and worship is for Allah alone. But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun (the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)
Quran (3:151) - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority". This speaks directly of polytheists, yet it also includes Christians, since they believe in the Trinity (ie. what Muhammad incorrectly believed to be 'joining companions to Allah').
Quran (9:29) - "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." "(People of the Book" refers to Christians and Jews. According to this verse, they are to be violently subjugated, with the sole justification being their religious status. This was one of the final "revelations" from Allah and it set in motion the tenacious military expansion, in which Muhammad's companions managed to conquer two-thirds of the Christian world in the next 100 years. Islam is intended to dominate all other people and faiths.)
Quran (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them" No reasonable person would interpret this to mean a spiritual struggle.


If words mean anything to you then these verses are pregnant with meaning. Anyone who try to explain anything else than these is simply lying or I need to burn my certificates.

In the second place is, I wish to prove that Islamic terrorism is not politically motivated. Here are my whys
1. Not all muslim are terrorists but all terrorists are muslims The truth is that not all muslims are terrorists but if to go by their holy book then all Muslim are potential terrorists. Anyone who will try to prove that Islamic terrorists are politically motivated should also explain why only Muslims seems to be politically motivated to become terrorists. Why don't the Buddhists and the Taoists and the Confucionists of the east who practice martial arts as part of their beliefs not use it to terrorise others? When the Niger delta militants were settled, they stopped terrorism. Say, what is the grievance of BOKO HARAM, Isis, AL Qaeda, Taliban, Janjaweedans etc?
2. They have Muslim Brotherhood support Yes it's true muslims support the terrorists. Do you remember the 13yr old suicide bomber? Who encouraged and pushed her to kill herself? THE PARENTS! The rich of the Muslim provide funding (their wealth) while the poor provide their bodies as the Quran stated.
I wish I could write more but typing with mobile is not that easy.

So many Christians have denied Jesus by their actions and behavior so also has many Muslim. If Jesus were to be manifest now, will He recognize those who do not keep His commandments but give HIM only lip service as HIS followers? I think not. So will Mohammed recognise you as a Muslim if you won't fight jihad nor provide your resources to support those who fight ? I think not.
Finally, any system which support preteen girls to be pedophilically married to an old man won't see killing unbelievers as a wrong thing.

The mad rush and struggle of a dying planet brought to ruin by its inhabitants. This is another avenue to enslave more people in technology prisons.




But this is still better than BOKO HARAM

i saw a question on this topic last week where so many people said so many things they consider the right thing. I wish to use this medium to throw light on this subject. I still expect more arguments after this because today Christians have decided or rather forgotten that faith is the key. The ancient landmarks which gave the decorations to the gospel had been removed as absurd in pursuit of the worlds pumps and pride. Remember, Christianity is not for results but for rewards. Any wise Christian would be wise and will not "rejoice that the devil are subject unto them but because his/her name is written in the book of life "

Head-Covering for Women by Zac Poonen
What does the Bible teach about head-covering for women in the church meetings?
This has become a controversial subject among churches
today. It would probably be true to say that 99% of sisters
who cover their heads when praying and prophesying do not know why they do so; and 99% of brothers who keep their heads uncovered when praying and prophesying do not know why they do so. We begin this study with the conviction that the entire message of the Bible is the Word of God without any error.
There are two fundamental truths that we must bear in mind as we seek to understand God's Word for us today. On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), God abolished the old covenant and began to deal with man thereafter under the terms of the new covenant (Heb. .
There are historical and teaching sections in the New
Testament. We must find the basis for new covenant
doctrines only in the teaching sections. The historical
sections merely tell us what the apostles and early Christiansdid.
Many false teachings have developed from doctrines based
only on the Acts of the Apostles - two examples being:
(i) all believers must speak in tongues (based on Acts 2:4);
and
(ii) all believers must share a common purse (based on Acts2:44).
Jesus told His disciples just before He went to the cross, "I
have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear
(understand) them now. But when the Spirit of truth, comes,
He will guide you into all the truth" (Jn.16:12,13). Jesus
wanted to teach His disciples many more truths than He did while He was on earth. But they would not have been able to understand them until the Holy Spirit came to dwell within them and renewed their minds and gave them revelation.
Some of these truths are what we find written in the New
Testament epistles. So the epistles also contain commands from the Lord Jesus but given through His apostles.
If we reject any command in any of the New Testament
epistles, saying it was only for the time and place when it was written and not for us today, then in order to be consistent, we must give equal freedom to other people to reject other commands in the epistles and in the teachings of Jesus as also being only for that time and not for us today.
For example, we must, in that case, give freedom to people to teach that forbidding homosexual behavior and same-sex marriages and divorces and premarital sexual intercourse, etc., were only for the first century and not for us today.
Otherwise we will be inconsistent. It is inconsistent, therefore, to say that every command in the New Testament is relevant for us today, and then to reject just this one command to women to cover their heads when they pray or prophesy (1 Cor.11:1-16).
(Note: We must distinguish between commands given by God and mere greetings given by the apostles. For example, the apostles give greetings and good wishes such as these in their letters: "Greet one another with a holy kiss" (Rom16:16) and "I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers" (3 John 2). These were obviously mere greetings and good wishes and notcommands or promises given by God.
For there is no Divine principle taught in those verses, as is
the case with head-covering, water-baptism and breaking of bread(Rom.6; 1Cor.11)).

Meaning of head-covering
There are at least three reasons given in the New Testament
why a woman should cover her head when she prays or
prophesies in the meetings of the church:

First: The Bible says, "A man should NOT cover his head."
and the reason given is: "because he is the image and glory of God".
In contrast, we are told, "but the woman is the glory of
man" (1 Cor.11:7).
The glory of man must be covered in the church and since
woman is the glory of man, she testifies to this fact by
covering her head. This is the plain and simple meaning of
this verse.

Second: The Bible says, "A woman's long hair is her glory" (1 Cor.11:15). The glory of the woman also must be covered in the church, just like the glory of man. And so she must cover her head which has the glory of her long hair. Almost all women are conscious that their long hair is a major part of what makes them look attractive and that is why even among
those women who do put a covering on their heads, most of
them cover only a part of their hair!!
If a woman does not want to cover her head, then the only
alternative that the New Testament offers is to remove that
glory, by shaving her head completely:
"If a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her
hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her
hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head" (1
Cor.11:6).
Third: The Bible says: "Man was not created for the woman's
sake, but woman for the man's sake.Therefore the woman
ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of
the angels" (1 Cor.11:10). The head-covering symbolizes the
fact that a woman accepts her God-appointed role as having
been created "for man's sake" as his helper and therefore her
willingness to be submissive to male authority - whether as a
wife to her husband, or as a daughter to her father, or as a
sister in the church to the church-elders. It is significant that
the disappearance of the head-covering from women in
Western churches (on a large scale) coincided with the time
that the movement for "Women's Liberation" (a phrase used in
a book in 1949) began to spread in Western countries about
60 years ago.
The "angels" mentioned in this verse could refer either to the
fallen angels or to the angels in heaven. So it could either be
a reminder to women to bear in mind that the fallen angels fell
because they were not submissive to authority. Or it could
mean "A woman should wear a covering on her head as a
sign that she is under man's authority - a fact for all the
angels (in heaven) to notice and rejoice in" (as The Living
Bible paraphrases that verse).
1 Corinthians 11:16 says that every church that is a church of
God, will insist on this head covering for women when they
pray or prophesy. The Holy Spirit recognized that 20 centuries
later this would become a controversial issue; and so He
made Paul to state (in this same verse) that if anyone was
going to be argumentative about this matter, he would not
argue with such a person. He would just allow that person to
continue on in his/her disobedience and
inconsistency.
Some Questions
Some may say that the head-covering is only a symbol and
therefore not so important. But baptism and the breaking of
bread are also only symbols. The first half of 1 Corinthians 11
(v.1-16) explain s the meaning of the symbolic head-
covering for women. The second half of the same chapter
(11:.20-34) explains the meaning of the symbolic breaking of
bread. In the same way, Romans 6 explains the meaning of
the symbol of water-baptism. Would we say that the Lord's
table and baptism also are unimportant, because they are
only symbols? If we insist on baptism and breaking of bread
as essential for believers, then we are inconsistent if we say
that head-covering for women is not essential.
Some may say that head-covering for women is mentioned
only once in the New Testament. Breaking of bread also is
mentioned only once in the epistles. Likewise, the truth that
God loves us as much as He loved Jesus is also mentioned
only once in the whole Bible (Jn.17:23). But once is enough
to know this glorious truth. If Almighty God has given a
command, then even if it is given only once in Scripture, that
is sufficient. The importance of a command is determined by
the importance of the Person Who gave it.
In ancient Babylon, Daniel stood for a law (Dan.1:that had
been commanded only once in the Scriptures (about food in
Lev.11; and wine in Prov.23:31). In the same way, in the
midst of Babylonian Christianity today, we also stand for the
commands of God . whether small or big, whether mentioned
once or many times. Some say that since we are commanded
to pray at all times (Lk.18:1; 1 Thess.5:17), therefore a
woman should cover her head all 24 hours of the day.
Scripture must always be read in its context, if we are to
understand it aright. The entire section (1 Cor.11:1-34) is
dealing with the meetings of the church (Verses 16 and 18
make that clear). So it is obvious that the Holy Spirit was
referring to church meetings when He gave this command. If
we add to that, and insist that women should cover their
heads at all times, then we will be adding to the Scriptures.
And further: If those who preach a 24-hour head covering are
consistent, they must also teach that men (who should also
be praying at all times) should never cover their heads at any
time - and therefore should never wear a cap or a hat, at any
time whether it be hot, raining, or snowing.
Such teachers must also then teach that women should keep
their heads covered even when sleeping or showering/
bathing (=24 hours). But they do not preach that proving that
they are inconsistent in their teaching. We can safely ignore
such inconsistent teachers.
I have also observed that many sisters who practice a 24-
hour head covering do not cover their entire heads. They
cover only the back portion of their heads or just the small
part of their hair that is tied up in a bun at the back of their
heads so that the glory of their hair is still visible. A small
piece of cloth at the back of the head however is only an
excuse for a head-covering and not a head-covering at all,
because the head and the glory of the hair are still not
covered. Such "namesake head-coverings" are worn by
legalists only to ease their conscience and to appear "holy"
before others. But their teachers do not object to this,
because they themselves are inconsistent in their teaching.
Some say that the hair itself is called the head-covering for
women in 1 Cor.11:15. If one has understood the Divine
principle taught in the first 14 verses of this chapter, then this
verse will not cancel out the need for a woman with long hair
to still cover her head with a covering. Paul could not
possibly have taken 15 verses merely to teach that a woman
should have long hair! That could have been stated in just
one sentence! What does not come out in the English
translation of the Bible is the fact that in the original Greek
language (in which Paul wrote his letters), the Holy Spirit
prompted him to use a different Greek word for "covering" in
verse 15 than the one He used inverse 6. The Greek word
used in verse 6 is katakalupto; whereas the word used in
verse 15 is peribolaion (which is translated as "mantle" in
Heb. 1:12). This makes it crystal clear that the mantle of hair
referred to in verse 15 is not the head-covering referred to in
verse 6 or in the rest of the chapter.
Another proof of this is: If hair is the "head-covering" being
referred to in this section, then every man who prays or
prophesies would have to have his head completely shaved, if
he is to obey this Scripture that tells him not to have his head
covered!! The clear teaching of the Holy Spirit in this chapter
is that the "mantle of hair" that nature has given a woman as
her glory must be covered with a covering, when she is
praying or prophesying. Finally, we must bear in mind that: -
If we ignore any command of God in Scripture (however
small) we will suffer some eternal loss (Rev.22:19) .
- Those who cancel (or teach against) the smallest command
of Scripture will be called "the least in the kingdom of
heaven" (as Jesus said in Matt.5:19).
- The truths of Scripture are hidden from the clever and the
intelligent and revealed only to the humble ("babes" -
Matt.11:25 with Matt.18:4).
The teaching of 1 Cor.11:1-16 will be simple and clear to the
humble, childlike person. But one who depends on his human
cleverness and intelligence will argue against the plain
meaning of these verses.
- God tests our honesty in the way in which we deal with such
verses of Scripture. He does not see whether we understand
everything in His Word, but He does see if we are honest in
dealing with His Word. The Lord says, "To this one I will look,
to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles
at My word" (Isa.66:2).
If a sister is still in doubt about what this passage of Scripture
teaches, let her consider this: Isn't it better for her to do more
rather than less - and especially so, when there is no
inconvenience or cost involved. What will she lose by
covering her head when she prays and prophesies? Nothing.
But think of what she will gain by covering her head, if she
discovers at the judgment-seat of Christ that this was indeed
God's command? She will have the joy of having pleased her
Lord on earth, in spite what other Christians taught and
practised. So, every woman, if she is wise, will cover her
head with a covering, when she prays and prophesies.
And in conclusion, as to the practice in our churches: We do
not force any sister to cover her head (against her wish/
conviction) in our meetings because if she does this under
compulsion, it will be a dead work; and God wants only
cheerful givers of obedience (2 Cor.9:7). We will not judge
such a sister either. We will graciously assume that she does
not have light on this subject. But at the same time, if she
does not cover her head, we will not permit her to publicly
pray or prophesy in our churches because we understand this
to be the command of God as explained in this post. We also believe that this is how it is practiced "in all the churches of God" (1Cor.11:16). We do not judge other churches that do
things differently from us, in this or in any other area. But we fear God and desire to obey Him fully, even if some sisters (or their husbands) are offended by our stand on this matter and as a result, leave our churches. "If anyone is truly determined to do God's will, he/she will definitely know whether this teaching is from God" (Jn.7:17).
Chapter 5 and 6 of 1 Corinthians 11 concludes "But every
woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but
if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered."
No church of the living God will teach anything contrary to
this just like apostle Paul concluded in verse 16 of that 1
Corinthians 11 "But if any man seem to be contentious, we
have no such custom, neither the churches of God."
Those who have ears to hear, let them hear. Amen

Well written. This sounds like a J C Ryle tract

Yesterday our grandmas are pillars of morality and the mothers are symbols of pious virtue... Today, grandmas are harl*ts, mothers are hoes and the daughters are pr*stitutes.

Who will save this untoward generation?

That means to get wife go hard Moi



It pays to master the sea trade

Front page? Forget it! Post Tonto Dike or one nude celebrity and you have in front page in 10seconds


@post, this is it! This is what God meant by virginity. It's not to be observed in letter only but from the heart.

In Jesus' voice who ever looks on a woman and lust for her has already committed adultery WITH HER

Reverse Parking only

any atheist here? please I wish to know, why is the world artist day celebrated on April 1st -The fool's day?
mockery not intended please

Lol
She was like, this girl don't know what to say. This is what she should just call me

What is the most silly, unbelievable and outright hilarious thing you've been accused of before or you've heard another person accused of?

This actually happened to me...
I was between 10 and 12 years old maybe I can't really say now. My mother bought this local hen - a layer. It had bright orange color tinged with brown. It was my mother's custom to buy a local layer and give to one of us. This particular hen was given to my younger brother (now late )
When it started laying, I happened to be at home that day with my immediate younger sister, Ble-ble. You know local hens are left to roam about. So I was in the kitchen frying cassava (garri); my sister was sieving it. Since it is easier to sieve than to fry, she finished before me and left the hot kitchen. This hen was disturbing me, and somehow I guessed it was looking for a place to lay its egg. I caught it and kept it in a corner, covering it with nkata (local basket) and kept a log atop the basket. After a while, I opened it to see the egg broken in pieces. I just released the layer. When my sister came back I told her what happened, she didn't say anything.

Forward in the evening when my mother returned, I had gone out to play after frying the garri. I came home later than she (my mother) did. I was expecting to be praised for the good job I did only to be accused. My sister had told my mother that I inserted my hand into the nyansh of the fowl to remove the egg. That was why it broke.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. My mouth opened but was short for words.
Worse is that my mother believed her and my elder brother also and my father, though he didn't say anything, had doubts in his eyes.
When I found my voice, I wanted to speak but my mother shouted me down. I shouted back in annoyance "if it is what I did then let it be na" but then I was already out of reach before this woman breaks my head with a pestle

Weah96:
I quote the bible, both old and new. If your God never changes, then the old testament describes his current feelings.

Yes He had not changed. His feelings in the Old testament is the same in the new. The Israelites could not keep their part of the covenant so He threw it open for all human race through a more humane way - Jesus Christ. It's left for you to leave your foolish unbelief and make use of this living way today.
THE WICKED SHALL BE TURNED TO HELL AND ALL NATIONS THAT FORGET GOD

Who is that girl in army vest lifting that truck for? Is she towing it?

So much for the religion of peace!

AdeniyiA:
they're already wearing it, so what are we to discuss?

If every man begins to rape women, would it make rape accepted as a social norm?
Even if it may happen because man can change, God cannot change for He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
And mind you, the God am talking about here do not mind taking only Lot out of Sodom and only Noah out of a whole generation before destroying the rest. He Is not standing with the majority.

God expected only the people who kept the whole law to perpetuate it's judgments. Jesus demonstrated this in the case of the woman caught in adultery. All judgments belongs to Jesus for anyone who will be righteous will be through Him.
Weah96, God saw ahead of time and cancelled the "kill" policy. And if you think the sentence to those things you listed had changed, you are wrong. If you die and any unrighteousness is found in your hands which were not buried in the Blood of Jesus, then pity is your name.

Military
Morning Sir --- morning
Whether morning, afternoon or evening

Is it lawful for female to wear trousers or things that pertained to male?
Deuteronomy 22:5 says, “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.”
The word pertain is defined as “to belong as a part, member, accessory, or product; to be appropriate to something; to have reference to” (Merriam Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary).
The question is, “Do trousers or pants have reference to men, or to women?" They have reference to men. Questions like, “Who wears the pants in the family?” has reference to the man and his place of leadership in the home (and to women who try and usurp that authority; hence, they are said to be wearing the pants in the family).
Just go to a public restroom, and see which door has the pants on it, and you will quickly see that even the world knows that pants “pertain” to men. Some women quickly say that they only wear “pants for women.” The problem is that no one can see the TAG on the inside, but only the APPEARANCE on the outside. Can you imagine public restrooms with pants on both doors? Which door would you use? You cannot see the tags on the pants (because they are on the inside). From the outward appearance, there is no way to tell what door is the men’s and what door is the women’s. The result would be CONFUSION. Some would go in the wrong doors, and there would be screams and/or great embarrassment as the result.It is the hypocritical Pharisees that kept the letter of the Law, but not the true spirit of the Law. The true spirit of the Law here is that there is to be a CLEAR DIFFERENCE in the LOOK of men and women’s CLOTHES. If you are looking close enough to see tags or certain cuts, you are looking too close at the bodies of other people.God wants a difference in the LOOK of clothing — not just the LABELS. It is the LOOK that causes LUST — not the LABEL. If men and women look similar in the way that they are dressed, then people look over their bodies for the differences in the way that God made men and women to tell which they are — male or female. Those are areas that people should not be staring at, and areas that cause lust.

God has also ordained that there be distinct differences in the length of hair. I Corinthians 11:14,15 says, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.” If men dressed like men, and had short hair like men should have, no one would ever have to look them over to tell what they are — male or female. If women dressed like women should, and had long hair like women should have,then no one would ever have to look them over to tell what they are — male or female. The whole unisex fashion system (same style clothes and hair) is but another subtle work of the devil, and many Christians have fallen for it. Many Christian women have their hair cut short, and dress just like men. Many Christian men have long hair like women, and wear all kinds of feminine jewelry. They are adding to the confusion of this day, and the immoral perversion that is abounding.
Remember, you can get mad when someone tells you the truth about dress and hair styles, but one day you will answer to God, and He is the One who had written, “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.”

You may say it's in the Old testament which Christ cancelled. If Christ cancelled the old testament why is it still party of the Bible? Why do Christian accept the blessings in the OT and reject Its laws?
DISCLAIMER : This is for Holy women for without holiness no man shall see the Lord (Heb 12:14)
Any reply you wish to give should be backed by scripture or it's vain human wisdom.

A new video just came out showing a mass beheading session. The location, but according to the poster of the video it is most likely in Syria.
[video] http://shoebat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/قطع-رأس-شاب-بضربة-سيف-تحكيم-الشريkilling-field-.mpeg-1.mp4 [/video ]
People doubt Cortez and the Conquistadors,that the Aztecs sacrificed thousands within days, but seeing this savagery, we now witness the very things that they saw with their own eyes.
This is part of Islam, as the Koran says,
"The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through theland is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter (Koran 5:33)

"I will instill terror into the hearts ofthe unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off. (8:12)

source; http://shoebat.com/2014/12/02/just-came-muslims-conduct-mass-beheading-session-create-huge-puddle-blood/

A new video just came out showing a mass beheading session. The location, but according to the poster of the video it is most likely in Syria.
[video] http://shoebat.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/قطع-رأس-شاب-بضربة-سيف-تحكيم-الشريkilling-field-.mpeg-1.mp4 [/video ]
People doubt Cortez and the Conquistadors,that the Aztecs sacrificed thousands within days, but seeing this savagery, we now witness the very things that they saw with their own eyes.
This is part of Islam, as the Koran says,
"The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through theland is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter (Koran 5:33)

"I will instill terror into the hearts ofthe unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off. (8:12)

Sunan al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2562 says:

The Prophet Muhammad was heard saying: “The smallest reward for the people of Paradise is an abode where there are 80,000 servants and 72 wives, over which stands a dome decorated with pearls, aquamarine, and ruby, as wide as the distance from Al-Jabiyyah [a Damascus suburb] to Sana’a [Yemen]”

Mobyloaded:
I don't usually do this but since sunday I've been disturbed to post about this. Its about Christ sha and I know a lot of peeps don't find interest reading such posts. Well Hell Fire no be beans.

I love when my cousin [url=https://m.facebook.com/melody.uwadouka?refid=52&_ft_=qid.6088352284958408573%3Amf_story_key.-4578813732578421660&__tn__=%2As]Uwadoka Ohzee Melody[/url] talks some brain into my head @ times and it makes me rethink.

My big bros David King also spoke to me the last time we saw and the words of these two have helped me watch my steps @ times. I'm grateful to my great cousins.

If you are conversant with the bible. You'll discover that there were a lot of prophesies of which so many came to pass while some are pending...

Ion remember the exact scripture tho (I'm not good @ reading the bible, I Only remember what my dad preaches) maybe 1st Samuel. When there was a prophesy dat states something bout God's wrath against the priests Family (Eli) Eli replied. "He is God, He can do whatever" and he died (Not Just and Ordinary Death)...

Also look @ Hezekiah. When there was a prophesy that he would die. He went to God and cried out. And God told the Prophet as at that time (Ion Remember the Prophet's name) that he has added more years to his life and it all came to pass...

Also when Isaiah prophesied about a Messiah that would be born. Tho it took a while but it surely came to pass.. Jesus was born...

There was also a prophesy that Elizabeth would give birth in her old age a fore runner to the Messiah.

It all came to pass.

There are a lot of prophecies of which I can't state all.. But one fact I want to point out to you is that all Bible Prophecies do come to pass.

Now on the main lane. There's a prophecy that Jesus Christ would come and many people play with it and say its not true or @ d die minute I will repent. My brodas and sisters don't let the rapture miss you.

If you read Revelation 21-22 , you'll read up a lot about the ending.. I wish you would endeavor to read this portion of the Bible so you would know how to align your lifestyle..

I may not have been so correct in my saying oh but my msg to everyone who read this post is "Watch Your Lifestyle, Are you rapturable"

OP are you having doubts about the rapture or are you determined to make it by all means? Then PM me and I will connect you to the Noah's ark of this generation.

Trying hard again to justify sun worship abi? Anyway, I will start celebrating Xmas or Christmas or candlemas the day it could be shown me in the Bible where my Savior Jesus Christ or the Apostles did, commanded or implied so. If not @OP I have only this to tell you 1 Corinthians 10 vs 14

podosci:
i dnt see what the man has done wrong......if church members are foolish enough to have sex with their pastor and still wake up early in the morning and go to church on sunday then there is a sewiouz problem in this country......i wont be suprised if after he his allowed to return to church to lead has pastor, people would still attend the church

Did you read this post at all? Is not THIS country or is Alabama now in this country?

@Topic, it's sad that the wish of the Papacy is finally happening. The peoples are following their pastors ignorantly with their Bible securely folded under their armpits. Oh! Pity!

I know it's too long for you to read and that is not even all the writeup. This is a critical analysis of a book of more than a thousand pages. So it has to be long. However I'll remove the unnecessary parts.

[img] http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/niv3.gif[/img] ". . . ye have PERVERTED the words of the living God. . ."
Jeremiah 23:36

This generation has a hunger for perversion. What was perversion just a few years ago, is now "normal". What was "hiding" in the closet is now "parading" in our streets. Perversion has found a welcome home - from the living room, to the White House; from our churches - to even the word of God!
Our friend Webster, defines "pervert" as 1. to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true... 2. to twist the meaning or sense of: misinterpret (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 1977, p.856).
A perfect definition of The New International Version (NIV): "to cause to turn aside or away from what is good or true" and "to twist the meaning or sense of". If you doubt that, before you start reading this tract - get the NIV and check it as you read this tract!

The NIV perverts the deity of Jesus Christ!

I TIMOTHY 3:16: The clearest verse in the Bible proclaiming that Jesus Christ was God. The King James Bible (KJB) reads, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH. . ." The King James says, plainly, "GOD was manifest in the flesh". The NIV reads, "HE appeared in a body". The NIV "twists" "GOD" to "HE". "HE appeared in a body"? So What? Everyone has "appeared in a body"! "He" is a pronoun that refers to a noun or antecedent. There is no antecedent in the context! The statement does NOT make sense! The NIV subtilty (see Genesis 3:1) perverts I Timothy 3:16 into utter nonsense!
PHILIPPIANS 2:6: The KJB again, clearly declares the deity of Jesus Christ: "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery TO BE EQUAL WITH GOD" The NIV reads, "Who, being in very nature God, DID NOT CONSIDER EQUALITY WITH GOD something to be grasped,". The NIV again subtitly perverts the deity of Jesus Christ!

The NIV perverts the virgin birth!

LUKE 2:33: The King James Bible reads, "And JOSEPH and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him." The NIV reads, "The CHILD'S FATHER and mother marveled at what was said about him." The "CHILD'S FATHER"? Was Joseph Jesus's father? Not if you believe the virgin birth! Not if you believe John 3:16, that Jesus Christ was the Son of God! A subtil, "perversion" of the virgin birth. See also Luke 2:43.

The NIV removes the blood of Jesus Christ!

COLOSSIANS 1:14: The KJB reads, "In whom we have redemption THROUGH HIS BLOOD, even the forgiveness of sins:" The NIV reads, "In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." The NIV rips out the precious words "THROUGH HIS BLOOD"! Friend, redemption is ONLY "THROUGH HIS BLOOD". Hebrews 9:22, reads, ". . . without shedding of BLOOD is no remission." That old song says, "What can wash away my sins, NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!"

The NIV perverts John 3:16 into a LIE!

JOHN 3:16: The NIV reads, "For God so loved the world that he gave his ONE AND ONLY SON, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" Jesus was NOT "the one and only son" - Adam is called the "son of God" in Luke 3:38, there are "sons of God" in Job 1:6 and Christians are called "sons of God" in Phil 2:15, I John 3:2- but Jesus was the "ONLY BEGOTTEN SON"! By removing the critical word "BEGOTTEN" - The NIV perverts John 3:16 into a LIE! The NIV does the same in John 1:14, 1:18, and 3:18.
The NIV perverts TRUTH into LIES!

The NIV perverts Mark 1:2,3 into a LIE! The NIV reads "It is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way-a voice of one calling in the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him." It is NOT written in Isaiah! "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" - is found in Malachi 3:1! The King James correctly reads: "As it is written in the PROPHETS, . . ." A better translation! Easier to read - BY A LIE!
Psalms 119:160 says, "Thy word is TRUE. . ." John 17:17 says, ". . . thy word is TRUTH." Titus 1:2 clearly says, ". . . God that CANNOT LIE" How could the God of Titus 1:2 be the God of Mark 1:2,3 in the NIV!? IT IS IMPOSSIBLE! For Hebrews 6:18 clearly declares, ". . . it was IMPOSSIBLE for God to LIE" It is impossible for the LIES in the NIV to be the words of GOD! Whose words are they? I'll give you a hint - Jesus Christ calls him "A LIAR, and the father of it" in John 8:44!
The NIV again openly LIES in 2 Samuel 21:19, ". . . Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver's rod." What 8-year-old doesn't know that David killed Goliath?
Romans 1:18-32 describes the "path to perversion" and verse 25, describes their decline, "Who changed the TRUTH of God into a LIE. . ."! Not surprisingly, The NIV perverts Romans 1:25 from "CHANGED the truth of God INTO a lie" to "EXCHANGED the truth of God FOR a lie"!
The NIV and sexual perversion!

Romans 1:26-32 also shows the "fruits" of "sowing" ". . . the TRUTH of God into a LIE. . ." Verses 26-27 says "FOR THIS CAUSE (vs 25 for "changing the TRUTH of God into a LIE" God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, . . ."
The last few years homosexuality and sexual perversion have "exploded" into the mainstream. Legislation is now pending making same-sex marriages legal. Books such as Heather Has Two Mommies and Daddy's Roommate, promoting homosexuality, are in our schools. According to The Washington Post, bisexuality and homosexuality, are the "in thing" in our public schools. And even churches are now welcoming homosexuals and are even ordaining them in the ministry!
A literary critic on the NIV translation was homosexual author Dr. Virginia Mollenkott. In Episcopal, Witness (June 1991, pp. 20-23), she admits, "My lesbianism has ALWAYS been a part of me. . ." To no surprise, "sodomite" is completely removed from the NIV. (Deut. 23:17, I Kings 14:24, 15:12, 22:46, II Kings 23:7) And of course, I Cor. 6:9, ". . . effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind. . ." is replaced with the non-offensive ". . . nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders. . ." Notice the NIV in I Cor. 6:9 does NOT condemn "homosexuals" or the "act of homosexuality" - but ONLY "homosexual OFFENDERS".

The NIV & Zondervan

A little known fact: In 1988 Zondervan and the NIV was purchased by Harper & Row, Publishers (now HarperCollins Publishers). HarperCollins publishes "pro-homosexual" books such as Making Out, The Book of Lesbian Sex and Sexuality described as "Beautifully illustrated with full-color photography,. . . Making Out is the complete illustrated guide to lesbian sexuality and relationships. . .the intricacies of love play. . ." and many other pro-homosexual books!
HarperCollins is a subsidiary of the global media empire, The News Corporation, owned by Rupert Murdock. The News Corporation empire include Fox Broadcasting, Twentieth Century Fox, and more than 128 newspapers. Fox Broadcasting produces some of the most sexually lewd shows on television. Murdock also publishes the British newspaper, the Sun, notorious for its nude pin-ups.