₦airaland Forum

Syncan:
Today's Second reading (2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2)

We are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ’s name is: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God. As his fellow workers, we beg you once again not to neglect the grace of God that you have received. For he says: At the favourable time, I have listened to you; on the day of salvation I came to your help. Well, now is the favourable time; this is the day of salvation.

I am a winner and not a loser, I am a winner and not a loser, I am a winner and not a loser, how often do we hear these? Oh how contemptuous we hold that statement "you're a loser". The mere thought of it awakens a spontaneous rejection within us which propels one towards the opposite, hence the affirmation "I am a winner". This motivational exclamation has more often than not been the drive mechanism for great achievements even among children. Hence today dear brethren, I charge you, in full conviction of God's aid to one who is determined, to say with me "I am a winner and not a loser"! Beloved, we shall win over our speech; that are often lies and hurt people so much, we shall win over our sight; that seek for pornography in many ways, we shall win over our touch that turns every contact to sensual pleasure, we shall win over our thoughts; that is mostly ungodly in content. Amen Amen, this lenten season, we shall come out victorious, yes for those of us who are winners. Again I ask you to say "I am a winner"!

How do I start? Where do I start from? Am afraid of lengthy fasts, I cannot pray for long periods, nor do I drink alcohol to say I'll abstain. What do I start with? Well... where there is a will, there opens a way. I can avoid the other sections of NL and concentrate on religion today, I can decide to stay away today from other social media platforms for vanities, I can offer my one meal money to a begger or one in need of it, I can refuse to watch television or at least : telemundo,super story, champions league, music video channels, movies etc today. While I do these, I can say a rosary more than I used to, I can say the Divine mercy which I've never said for a long time, I can visit the chapel during break, I can read read some passages of scripture today, I can say many ejaculatory prayers such as "Jesus, Mary I love you save souls", I can determine not to go to sleep today without doing one good work, I shall continuously today; ask God in my heart, and sometimes softly with my lips; to have mercy and pardon my sins. The Spirit of God is present, He will teach us new things, new ways of pleasing the Lord, only if we say "Yes I can, I am a winner". May the Lord look kindly on you as you pray for Syncan too.

Good morning, a splendid day ahead to all.

beautiful one.

I continue to thank God for you.

Syncan:
We know dearest one, we however await your guidance.

you just dey find my trouble. I am simply basking in your light.

Kamsified:
Smh. If I hear that we're not getting mortification messages this time

actually i promise you'll not see any mortification message this year. I might mention it in passinG, but there be no such message concentratinG on mortification.

Bobbysworld28:
How else can u describe bowing down in front of a statue of Mary and making supplications to it?

i repeat no right thinkinG Catholic makes supplication to images!

Catholics use statues, paintings, and other artistic devices to recall the person or thing depicted. Just as it helps to remember one’s mother by looking at her photograph, so it helps to recall the example of the saints by looking at pictures of them. Catholics also use statues as teaching tools. In the early Church they were especially useful for the
instruction of the illiterate. Many Protestants have pictures of Jesus and other Bible pictures in Sunday school for teaching children. Catholics also use statues to commemorate certain people and events, much as Protestant churches have three- dimensional nativity scenes at Christmas.
If one measured Protestants by the same rule, then by using these "graven" images, they would be practicing the "idolatry" of which they accuse Catholics. But there’s no idolatry going on in these situations. God forbids the worship of images as gods, but
he doesn’t ban the making of images.

Or d utterly distasteful scene of block rosary I see everyday un which children kneel down in front of a picture and statue of Mary and recite for hours in honour of Mary. Or bowing down to the blessed sacrament.
Please, let us get it real here!

so my dear which of these is the idolatry you are talkin about?

Papist:
My brother i dont disagree with you. But I strongly believe that the rejection by modern protestants of the Mother of God is closely connected to iconoclasm and rejection of Liturgical Worship.

you do have a point there!

Bobbysworld28:
heb12.22-24.kjv But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

I am yet to see how the scripture above means that u can ask dead saints (there are living saints, sha) to pray for u o! U are inventing a concept alien to the scripture above. The verses above are describing all those in the assembly of the general assembly (including u and i). Which means Mary is there, Paul is there, u r there, I am there, angels and even Jesus.

that my dear is the exact passage that informs you that you are in communion not only with God but also with me and with mary and with peter and paul.

We are all ONE great and beautiful assembly, that is the reason why d same way i ask u to pray for me so also i can ask paul and peter and mary to pray for me. It is one assembly, one assembly that encompasses both heaven and earth, both the livin on earth, the saints and angels in heaven and God as our Father.

If i can ask u to pray for me then i can also ask paul to pray for be because we are all in the same assembly.

Useless u are tellin me it is a sin to ask your brethren for prayers.

Since u r in d general assembly, y do u now ask a statue of Mary to talk to God for u? A statue!!! An immovable object! Created by man, haba!

i hate to continously repeat myself!

I previously said and i repeat, i donot pray to an image!!! That would be a sin becos statues cannot hear! I like the Isrealites in scripture pray before an image, not to d statue but before d statue. There is a difference.

I hope you do not continously repeat an accusation that i have clearly denied.

U hv agreed to belittle ur calling and truncate the direct access u have with the Father.

eph3.17-21.kjv That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

The correct knowledge of the love of Christ will make u to be filled with the fulness of God. Dt way, u wont need Mary in ur prayer to God because he has filled u to the brim. Dts y he can do more than u ask according to his power that works in u.

this is a fallacy.

So when you came to know God you stop asking your brethren for prayers? Are you more rightous than st paul who even after envanGlisinG many cities still continue to request the prayers of others?


The use of intercession never truncates direct access to the father, it shows that God has given us an opportunity to participate in the wellbeiGn of our brethren.

Syncan:
Do which thing? I trust you are well prepared, am also looking to be nourished by Ubenedictus and all you brethren.

the feelin is mutual, I hope to take much from the brethrens here on nl.

Syncan:
From Today's reading... Gen 6:5
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that the thoughts in his heart fashioned nothing but wickedness all day long. The Lord regretted having made man on the earth, and his heart grieved

There's this book called the confessions, bro Jnrbayano have you read it? It's a compendium of the life of a great saint, in it he confessed to have lived with a mistress for seventeen(17) years, yet repented and he is a saint today, August 28 is his feast day. Okpururkata my Sister, do you know about St. Mary of egypt? This babe became a very skillful seductress, at a time she decided to go for a pilgrimage to Israel...nne make you hear story na...by the time the ship arrived it's destination, our sister had seduced the entire crew and all the pilgrims. Yet she didn't leave Jerusalem the way she came, for she repented there, Confessed her sins, and lived the life of a hermit. April 2 is her feast day, Praise God. Chukwudi44 nwanne m, you de see wetin Vladimir Putin dey do? Imakwa na Vladimir is the name of a saint from kiev, this saint killed his brother to become king, raped his sister in law and added her to his collection of concubines, then sacrificed a father and son to consecrate a pagan temple, but he got converted, tore down the temple and commenced evangelism of his people.Today he is a saint, feast day is July15. The mercies of our God is so great, let our past not hinder us from running to him. we fail, yes we fail, but our loving father with wide spread hands waits patiently, Oh he waits patiently for the lost sheep to come home, where is home, in the loving embrace of the Lord. This is the time for confessions, this is time for a u-turn, today is the day of grace, tomorrow we have no control over. Go for confessions, God is waiting there, with Love in His eyes.

From the Gospel Mk 8:14-21
...‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not yet understand? Have you no perception? Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear?...

Jesus was so hurt by the behavior of the pharisees earlier, such that even after leaving the place with his disciples, he still felt bad about them. However when he warned his disciples about the behavior of the pharisees, they by their lack of understanding, even provoked him more. Yes our God is offended by the sins of apostates, blasphemers, heretics, murderers, etc, but he doesn't feel any better by the lies, arrogance, malice, lust, rudeness, lack of charity, lukewarmness, etc of his own children. Papist dear, the fact that we can always forgive a loved one, does it make their misdemeanor any less painful? Actually, the more the love, the more the hurt, for just as the saying goes "You should have known better". *singing* "E jefula moooo n'uzo kasi njo, mana oge ugbua; a lotawo m ooo ewoo. Lee nu mu ooo, lee nu mu ooo, lee nu mu ooo, onye nwe m alotawo m muoooo". Let the cry be " Am back Lord, am back, Like the prodigal son am back, like the lost sheep am back, ready to listen, ready to obey, ready to love you Lord like you deserve...

... brethren let the 40 days Journey begin.

wow!

Coincidentally i actually listen to a talk yesterday mornin where the life of st Mary of Egypt was referenced.

Thanks for this dear.

Syncan:
Am viewing Woky and Jennydorris.

yay!!!

Woky is alive!

Bobbysworld28:
I am not a party to those saying Jesus had no mother.

then the thread is not directed to you.

Deep respect is good but praying to her? Bros, the catholic own is beyond respect, it is pure and unadulterated idolatry ( kindly see the definition of idolatry in my previous post).

sorry my dear friend,
the definition given never said asking people for prayers meant idolatry. Do you worship your brethren when you ask from intercession? Askin for mary's prayers is not idolatry. Idolatry would have been if we gave mary the honour due to God, (adoration).

Stick to the definition, it never said askin for prayers was idolatry.

When ppl asked Jesus to teach them how to pray he started by 'Our Father, who art in heaven....'. Jesus never deviated from this line, always addressing his prayer to God the Father. His disciples continued in like manner and passed the model of address prayer to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ....
But wht do we have now? The Catholic church has prayers to Mary, dead people and inanimate objects. And u dont agree that this is textbook idolatry?

Just for the sake of political correctednes I'll like to point out prayer may also be directed to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

It is from Jesus and the apostles that we learn that it is christian charity to pray for one another and that it isn't a shame to to ask for prayers. And lastly catholics do not and are forbidden to pray to inanimate object.

Askin for prayers my dear is not idolatry, check the definition again.

Mary gave birth to Jesus, no dispute but our fellowship is with the Father and with the Son by the Holy Spirit and not with Mary.
Therefore the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship (communion, communication, partnership) of the Holy Spirit be with u forever.

i remember i had this discussion with you some months back.

I remember i quoted a passage from the book of hebrew which says we are on mount Zion in Gods feast, with anGels and saints and with Christ Jesus, so my dear friend, i wish to repeat what i said then, we not only have communion with the father, son and spirit, but also thru them we have communion with all who belive in Christ Jesus, both angels and saints.
Its not my fault if you don't accept that part of scripture.

Bobbysworld28:
For example, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship. Man commits idolatry whenever he honours and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods, or demons (for example satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money etc."
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idolatry

If you had manage to read the Catechism futher you would have found where it talks about images, but it seems you didn't read futher.

And dear, I as a catholic believe that whenever one honours or reveres any creature in place of the creator then he commits idolatry. That is why from the get go all catholics are taught never to replace God with anything, never to give the honour due to God (i.e Adoration) to any creature, whether a human being, an animal, an angel, a saint or any statue. I just finished teaching a bunch of kids that the honour for God should never be given to a creature and surprisinG you are accusing of the very thing i condemned.

I consider such accusation unfair an misinformed.

Bobbysworld28:
SEE THIS GUY!!!!
So the temple where Jesus was baptised had images, therefore Jesus used images! I really used to think u were smarter than this o.
I hope u know dt an image is just an image until u idolise it, hence d admonition. This shows u dt some ppl were trying to smuggle falsehood into christianity.
So whenever u want to pray and instead of addressing your prayer to God, u address Mary, an image of Mary, an angel, an image of Jesus and any other image have u succeeded in idolising that image? Yes, u have!
Fyi, anything dt takes the place of God in ur life is an idol unto u, so I admonish u once again to keep away from idols.
Like Jesus said, the Father seeketh those who would worship Him (not anyone or anything else) in spirit and in truth

sorry my dear,

i do not worship images of mary or the angels or saints. As you just said a statue is just a statue until u make it an idol i.e giving it the worship due to the divine.

And yes the image of an angel, a cherubim to be precise was on the ark, the image was treated with respect, God never said treating an image with respect is a sin, infact all Isrealite who prayed in the temple prayed before the imaGe of an angel.

I don't pray to a statue of mary or micheal or angels, like the isrealites i only pray in front of a statue, i hope you can note the big difference, a statue doesn't hear prayers so i don't pray to statues.

Asking for prayer, i.e intercession doesn't distract from the worship of God, i hope you know that.


And the bolded is in a disrespectful tone, one i'll rather avoid and one i hope i won't be hearing again.

This is just too early

bluerange:
Turning in for the day, wishing you all a blessed week ahead.

Bobbysworld28:
SEE THIS CLOWN!!!!
So the temple where Jesus was baptised had images, therefore Jesus used images! I really used to think u were smarter than this o.
An image is just an image until u idolise it. So whenever u want to pray and instead of address it to God, u address Mary, an image of Mary, an angel, an image of Jesus and any other image u have idolised that thing. Fyi, anything dt takes the place of God in ur life is an idol unto u, so I admonish u once again to keep away from idols.
Like Jesus said, the Father seeketh those who would worship Him (not anyone or anything else) in spirit and in truth

my dear friend,

this is a new year, and frankly i do not have the strength for a cheap insult contest, i had a lot of arguement with insults throwers last year, i do not have the stomach for it this year.

You are the only person who claim not to know that all Jews including Jesus worship in the temple which had images. I am a clown, thanks for the title.

I wish you a goodnite.

vest:
why was it?

i could provide several reasons. Probably becos after d council an attempt was made to streamline the church's calender, probably for efficiency, expediency, to make it more simple, to provide space for new saint, to displace the old school saint who do not have an active cult, or simply for the sake of political correctedness.

Bobbysworld28:
Wow!
Ur point is upside down. It must be a figment of ur active imagination.
Every Christian believes Jesus came as a man (i.e. Born of a woman). Where u guys get it wrong is dt u make an idol out of her. Hence my question, since we now carry the Holy Spirit in us (as Mary carried Jesus), will now venerate spirit filled children of God? Or is the Holy Spirit no longer God?

the first issue i raised was the assertion raised by some brethren here on nl who claimed The Divine had no mother, you can read d op again.

I hope you are aware that d word "venerate" simply means profound respect?. First no catholic believe mary is an idol! And i venerate ie have profound respect for all Christians who are truly temples of the holy spirit.

Bobbysworld28:
If refusing to use images is a modern 'heresy', I wonder y Jesus never did it, his apostles never used it and none of them ever instructed u to. Guess y? It is out of place with the new covenant Jesus brought. We are CHRISTIANS and dt means Christ is the author and finisher of our faith (not a set of men teleguided to endorse idolatry at whatever time in history).
Even 1John 5:21 commands you to keep urself from idols. So y exactly will dt endorsement matter to me? U hv been instructed!

make no mistake, Jesus used images, the temple where he was circumcise and where he worshipped had images, the temple where the apostles worshiped even after penticost had images in it.

They all used religious images and the christian after them continued the practice when Christian started the have place of worship.

The bible say keep away from idols, it didn't say keep away from all images. Note the difference.

Bobbysworld28:
@uben,
I am getting to this thread late. But I am willing to be a participant.
From the little I can gather, u seem to be saying dt if we do not acknowledge Mary we cannot be saved, right?
Now let us look critically at this matter. Mary carried Jesus (who himself is God) and bore him, yet Jesus declared dt no man (or person) or person born of a woman was greater than John d baptist (Mary inclusive).
Jesus continually refused to venerate her evn when ppl (obviously like u) did, instead he kept directing such honour to those who obeyed God.
Another point is dt since we now have the Holy Spirit (who himself os God) does every spirit filled child of God deserve the same unconditional veneration dt the catholic church accords Mary (to extent of bowing to idols in her image)?

interestinly this is for now besides the point.

The point is that if you do not believe that Jesus Christ came as man to die for us, and to do so was born of a woman thus he had a mother then ur faith is worthless.

If Jesus had no mother then he couldn't die for you, only humans die! If Jesus has no mother then he didn't have a fully human body, didn't die nor resurrect.

The first basis for salvation is the the Word was made flesh and born of a woman. If your Jesus wasn't born of a woman, he has no human body, he thus can't save you.

A person who denies the incarnation of Jesus make the redemption of Christ worthless.

That is the point!

Papist:
Good afternoon. My understanding of the Protestant reluctance to fully embrace the Incarnation (this includes Mary being Mother of God) stems from one of their biggest heresies-iconoclasm. God by becoming Man became a visible image. The defence of images(icons, statues) is a defence of the incarnation. Interestingly the iconoclastic heresy emerges in the Byzantine Church in the 8th century as a result of the Islamic incursions on the Eastern Church. I'm sure we all know the iconoclasm of Islam. Thank God this dangerous heresy was defeated at the Ecumenical Council Nicaea II. Amen

my dear friend i believe iconoclasm plays a part, but i think it isn't all. They seem to be scared of identifyin with the humanity of Christ, they are scared of him havin a mother. They do not believe in a cooperation of man and the divine.

Kamsified:
Falls from my chair*

syncan see weytin ur answers dey cause?

Rich4god:
hahahahahaha....
I reallt cant help but laffffffffff

syncan don turn commedian

vest:
uncle ubenedictus i was thinkin u would open a thread today abt valatins day as u did for chrismas day

hehehe,

i am too lazy to write anythin, besides valentine has been removed from the church's calender.


I actually thouht syncan or kamsified will make a thread on valentines day.

Syncan:
Never far from you.

slimliness, seems to be a beautiful word to describe dis answer. I didnt ask abt ur proximity to me, my question is "where were u?"

Syncan:
Amen Amen. Thanks a lot. I have never been far from you in my heart.

syncan and escapism. My question is "where were u?".
I still await d response.

JahzaraAde:
Hi ladies and gents - a friend of mine has recently relocated to Nigeria, and would like to attend an authentic Reformed Church.

This is a church that strictly adheres to biblical Christianity and Reformed Theology (e.g. The doctrines of grace, the trinity, eternal salvation etc).

If anyone knows any, it would be really helpful. God bless ya

the presbyterian church, that is the only reformed church i know in the country.

Reqiescat in pace

Syncan:
From today's responsorial psalm: (Psalm 103)

Bless the Lord, my soul! Lord God, how great you are,clothed in majesty and glory, wrapped in light as in a robe!
Amen Amen, o my soul bless the Lord for He is exceedingly great. Who can compare with the Lord, Ubenedictus dear bro, who can stand His glory? Oh, When He rises to battle; who will stand before him in challenge, eh Kamsified, Adanne m ji eme onu na vatican, who can stand Him? Incomprehensible is His glory, yes, exceedingly great, He only said "I am He" and to the ground they fell (Jn18:6), those who came to arrest the Lord. Who will not be awed by His glory, my brother Vest, who wan try levels, did He not say "no man can see me and live"? We are all contents of the Heavens and the earth, but He alone contains all, O kwa eziokwu,Nwa ada peppyluv02?



All of these look to you to give them their food in due season.You give it, they gather it up: you open your hand, they have their fill.
Indeed O Lord, Indeed I say. Aunty debbie, nwanyi oma, like your baby look to you for food when hungry, don't we all look to God for our daily bread? We cultivate, yes we cultivate, and we sit and wait on Him, when He gives in due season and the quantity He gives, dearest italo, the fiery vincentian, don't we take? Who dictates to the Lord in these, when He feeds the raven and clothes the Lily, Francistony; double saint, who was there to direct Him? When the Lord opens His hands, Babestell; ada owerri m, who outdoes Him in generosity? Does His sun not shine on the good and the bad? Even in our goings and comings, in our toils and sweat, Oga Striktlymi, don't we look to Him for strength? Titoetal my bros, is He not the one that grants safety?

You take back your spirit, they die, returning to the dust from which they came.You send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth.
Who is like our God? Jnrbayano my brother, who is it that can send one to his grave and back? Abeg help me ask jennydoris if she knows who else apart from our God. Let songs of praise go to Him whose spirit sustains creature, bluerange; Ada Jesus, He by whose grace saints are made deserves our praise not so? Rich4god nwanne m, Isn't God worthy of all adoration? What is Man that he loves him, mortal man that he cares for him? Beloved sisters MariaGorreti,trendytessy, stunningjudy, Ify124, tell me if He that turns dust to beauty is not worthy of our praise.

Ada oma SalC, nne bring hurricanechris and Mr Aladin along biko, to join my soul in blessing the Lord, for He is worthy beyond measures to receive all honor adoration, praises, worship forever and ever, amen. Let everything that has breath bless the Lord.

Good morning brethren, a splendid day ahead to all.

who am i seein? May u never cease in proclaimin d lord's praises. Thanks b to d Lord, where were u?

Kamsified my prayers are with you, recieve peace, joy and comfort, God walks by your side,... always. He is concerned for your wellbeing.