Where are the Young Men?

Written by Albert Mohler

A visit to your local college or university campus is likely to reveal that a revolution has taken place. On many campuses, young women now outnumber young men, and a gender gap of momentous importance is staring us in the face.

This gender gap has been growing for some time now, as successive generations of young women have entered the world of higher education. Yet, no one seemed to see a gap of this magnitude coming -- until it had already happened.

The disparity of enrollment by gender varies by institution, but it is now estimated that almost 60% of all undergraduate students enrolled in American colleges and universities are women. This represents something altogether new in human experience since the rise of the university model as the dominant learning environment for young adults. For the first time, a generation of young women will be markedly more educated than their male generational cohort.

Is this a bad thing . . . a negative development? Yes -- and profoundly so. The problem is not the larger enrollment of young women in colleges and universities. The problem is the phenomenon of missing young men, whose absence spells big trouble for the future.

The numbers point to the problem, but do not explain it. Explanations for the phenomenon of missing young men point to the fact that girls outperform boys at every level in grades K-12, and are thus more ready for the college experience than the boys. Other factors include economic and cultural patterns. Among some ethnic groups, the disparity between men and women entering college is far greater than 60% to 40%. Many young men consider the educational environment to be frustrating, constricting, and overly feminized. Others have lost confidence that an undergraduate education will lead to a job with adequate income and stability. Whatever the reason, their absence makes a big difference on the college campus today -- and will make an even bigger difference in the larger society in years ahead.

The New York Times offered an unusually candid portrait of this gender disparity in "The New Math on Campus," published in its February 5, 2010 edition. Reporter Alex Williams described a radically transformed social scene on some of today's largest and most historic state universities.

The University of North Carolina, for example:

North Carolina, with a student body that is nearly 60 percent female, is just one of many large universities that at times feel eerily like women’s colleges. Women have represented about 57 percent of enrollments at American colleges since at least 2000, according to a recent report by the American Council on Education. Researchers there cite several reasons: women tend to have higher grades; men tend to drop out in disproportionate numbers; and female enrollment skews higher among older students, low-income students, and black and Hispanic students.

Williams described a campus filled with young women who socialize with each other out of necessity -- there are just not enough young men on campus. As Williams notes, this makes some college campuses resemble retirement communities, where women also generally outnumber men.

On the secular university campus, the gender imbalance has forced adjustments in the "hooking up" culture of sexual negotiation. As Williams reports:

“If a guy is not getting what he wants, he can quickly and abruptly go to the next one, because there are so many of us,” said Katie Deray, a senior at the University of Georgia, who said that it is common to see six provocatively clad women hovering around one or two guys at a party or a bar.

This is a portrait of demographic disaster, and the imbalance is not limited to secular campuses or students. Even as women now outnumber men in baccalaureate programs, they also indicate a desire to marry a man with equal or greater educational attainments. As the numbers now make clear, many of these young women will be disappointed.

Christian parents and all concerned with the coming generation should look closely at this phenomenon and ask the hard question -- why is it that so many young men are falling behind in educational attainment? What are we doing that allows or encourages boys to exit formal education at their earliest opportunity? Why do we accept at face value the fact that boys fall behind girls of the same age in maturity and educational level? Why is college now an aspiration for far more young women than young men?

These are hard questions, but the answers will be even harder. We have allowed the development of an elongated boyhood and delayed adulthood. We frustrate them in school and then wonder why they bolt at the first exit from the classroom. We allow boys and young men to forfeit their futures.

All this might be different if the missing young men on our college and university campuses were missing for some good reason -- such as military service or similar deployment. But, even as young men are more likely to join the military, the numbers do not explain the differential on campus.

Biblical manhood requires that young men grow up, assume adult responsibilities, and prepare for leadership and service in the home, in the church, and in the larger society.

This much is clear -- if this trend is not reversed, the college campus will not be the only place these young men are found missing.

http://www.albertmohler.com/

Can you believe the world cries?

Listen to the cries of the world
But does the world speak
The answer remains in the hands of the mystery
But does it exist
Can we find it in the earth’s creed?
Shall we begin
An exploration of your origin
It seems to be
The methods were never real
Full of deceit
Decapitated by my greed


What could it be
A momentary mind release
A crippled theme
Of loves decrees
In the pits I’ve seen
Death to the king
That’s what they screamed
Could you believe?
That the world cries
On my knees as my heart tried
Could you believe?
As I watch my niece die


k.oni

I'm loosing control

I’m loosing control
I’m loosing my mind
You’ve been gone too long
I’m struggling to survive

When will you be back?
When will I see your smile?
Cuz im soon to die
If you remain too far

I’m begging you now
Please come home tonight
My sickness avails
Until I see your sight

k.oni

The story of the bible

At my university, I was asked to do a presentation of what the bible is about. Two of us had to speak, and one of the lecturers spoke on the historicity of the bible and how we can have confidence that it is the word of God and I had the privilege to talk about what the message of the bible was. Here is my presentation in bullet points:

1. What is the purpose of the bible?

- 'From infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work'.

- A book of Salvation

2. The purpose of the bible is not:

- Scientific
- Literary
- Philosophical

- But the purpose of the bible is about salvation

3. Salvation

- Salvation is more than the forgiveness of sins.

- It includes the whole sweep of God’s purpose to redeem and restore mankind and indeed all of creation

4. Story of the bible

- It begins with creation
- Man made in the likeness of God
- Sin entered the world
- The bible emphasises the gravity of sin as a revolt against the authority of God our creator and Lord
- The relationship is broken

5.God loves the very rebels who deserve nothing but judgment
- God calls Abraham
- Israel is made into a Nation in which the messiah will come

6. The law is given with rituals for atonement but the law made nothing perfect.

'When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order'.

- All of this pointed to Christ

7. Jesus entered the world

‘It was fitting that God for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings’.

- Jesus took the sins of the world upon himself, of those who would belive.

8. The Cross

-Isaiah explains the cross

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,        yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

10. 'When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant'.

11. The cross reconciles man to God

- 'Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit'.

12. "God commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

13. Believe in Jesus

- For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

- This is the good news and it says come to Jesus, come and live. Put your faith in Him and trust Him for He is alive and is able to save those who come to him. He will give them life and life to the full.

k.oni

Bored... what to do?

Here are a few suggestions on what to do when you are bored and when your heart is feeling restless because you just want to do something.

1. Pray and praise - You may have never considered this before as a thing to do when you are bored, but ask yourself why not? Your flesh might resist it at first but when you start, believe me, you will get filled with the Holy Spirit. If you love worship and if you love prayer, if you enjoy it in church or among the community of believers, if it excites you, then how much of a reward will you receive when you do it in secret, though reward shouldn't be our primary motivation but God's glory, and He rewards those who seek him. Pray to God and what helps me is to stand and pray and have a bible in hand so that I'm praying over the verses.

2. Learn scripture - Psalm 119 explains the importance and the reward of meditating and learning scripture. It brings much joy to the soul, it prevents you from sinning, it renews your mind and rids away the world's pollution from your soul. It enriches your knowledge about God and believe me, joy will fill your heart.

3. Encourage your friends in the faith - You can think about who you may want to encourage in the faith, maybe send them a text message or email them with whatever is in your heart for them. This indeed will edify your brothers and sisters in the faith

4. Finish any immediate work that needs to be done or begin preparations for the future ones.

Well, those are my suggestions and I hope some of it may work for you. Remember that in all things God works all things together for our good.

A brief theology of anger

Is Gordon Brown a bully? That is a question that has received a great deal of media attention this week. Is he in the habit of grabbing staff by the collar, shoving them out of way or throwing things across the room? Does he shout, lose his temper and generally intimidate the staff at Number 10 - resulting in several employees phoning bullying help-lines?

It is unlikely that the truth behind these accusations will be easy to ascertain. This FNT article does not intend to explore the allegations to understand what’s true or false. Instead of considering whether or not Gordon Brown needs to book himself into an anger management course, this article introduces what the Bible has to say about anger.

Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount, said, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” (Matthew 5:22,22a) Challenging words! However, later in the book of Matthew (21:12,13) we read of Jesus, overturning the moneychangers tables in the temple – now if that’s not a display of anger I don’t know what is!!

So what are we to make of this? Was Jesus guilty of hypocrisy, saying one thing yet doing another? That would seem unlikely! Instead, it is common for commentators to use these two passages to distinguish between two types of anger - bad anger and good anger. It’s also a distinction that many anger management courses make.

Bad anger is anger that is unreasonable, hateful and often selfish in its origin. Its outcomes can be abusive, violent and usually uncontrolled. It’s the anger of road rage, someone in front of us makes a mistake, no one expects us to be happy about it, but surely it’s unreasonable to get so worked up about it and wrong to think hateful thoughts and shout unkind words. After all, what good does it do anyone? I suspect it was bad anger that Jesus was comparing to murder.

Good anger is the anger that Jesus displayed the day he overturned the tables of the moneychangers. It wasn’t selfish, he was angry because what they were doing was wrong. The motivation behind good anger is pure. It’s not unreasonable, selfish or hateful. However, it’s not simply motivation that is important, it’s also how the emotion of anger is outworked. I would suggest that Jesus’ actions were appropriate, controlled and achieved a positive outcome. Surely it’s OK to be angry when we discover that MPs have been abusing the expenses system. However, that doesn’t mean a hateful and abusive, even violent, response is appropriate – that wouldn’t lead to a positive outcome. When we learn that countless children are dying each day because they are living in abject poverty, anger would certainly seem to be an appropriate emotion. But, what does that anger motivate us to do?

The Bible doesn’t just talk about our anger; it reveals a God who gets angry. Many people seem to have a picture of God that resembles the behaviour that Gordon Brown is being accused of, a God who lashes out when he gets annoyed. That’s not the picture the Bible paints. God’s anger is not unreasonable and random, it’s reasonable and specific – God anger is directed at sin (Romans 2:5-8). We may struggle to understand the ins and outs of the outworking of God’s anger, but we have to trust him, acknowledging his perfection and goodness, accepting that his actions are more appropriate than we can imagine and are leading towards a positive outcome. The Bible certainly reveals a God who is able to control his anger (Psalm 103:8,9). We’d be in trouble if he couldn’t!

Phil Green, Public Theology Research Assistant

http://www.eauk.org/fnt/a-brief-theology-of-anger.cfm

Bitterly sweet

Something that was deeper than the deep blue sea

She whispered something in my ear

Something bitterly sweet

I stood as she held my arms, held it so soft

Her skin touched my skin

My heart melted and wondered could this be

Does she also think of me in her waking

Does her heart ache at me not being next to her

Those few words would set me free

Tears rolled down my eyes but I didn’t let her see

Before I could turn I wiped my face

I looked into her eyes hoping she could see

The sadness in my eyes

I opened my arms to embrace her

Wishing I could tell her how I feel- I love you I truly love you

I imagined for a sec

Then I whispered in her hears

I hope he makes you happy

But for now I must leave you here

k.oni

A clamour of words

It wasn’t as if I’m innocent, murdered me bloody and left me to bleed. My demise would be despised by many while my life glamorised in the media. The pain of death is deep, deeper than any wound. When your hope is placed upon a person and then their lives get cut short. Oh what injustice is done on the earth? And the murderer remains merry and cares nothing less for your pain. Oh how the heart just wants to rip that person to pieces that they may taste the grieve that you feel. But we know that all around people die and most of us are indifference to it unless the pain is closer to home. This is natural but we ought to care more for the grieving and those who have lost everything. For indeed I have noticed that man is quick to judge. Man is nothing but a hypocritical fool. Many get angry when a great injustice is done unto them, even if it’s a little but the reply against such is further injustice towards him who offended them. Who is the better? I’d say neither of them but this is the reward of revenge; more revenge until the dust settles and generations have passed and a treaty is made. All flesh is grass fading away, why should I work so hard only for me to leave it behind. Whoever went to war without counting his losses whether it would benefit him to go? Such a wise king will know when to wage war and when to buy time to his advantage. Surely life is like a flower of the field but the flower is rather more beautiful, more clothed and knows not of the cares of this world that ravishes the soul of man and drives him to despair. The fools laugh keeps him disillusioned and thus he spends his lifetime doing nothing. He makes pleasure out of everything and doesn’t consider the seriousness of life and does not realise that his breath is but futile. Yea, Futile as the wind that blows in the east. Nothing lasts and nothing ever will. Many great men have come and go and the glory that they left, they never enjoyed but rather they sit in sheol and it was as if they have never lived. And those upon the earth who considers these men as the epitome of greatness are but fools for their greatness could not save them from the grave, that grave in which all men must return in which my soul so loathed but yet has a strong desire to visit. What is the meaning of life? for when one considers the history of man, it is nothing but bloody, yes a bloody story full with all sorts of wickedness. Every good came at a price, no victory was won without a sacrifice. What is this place, this scene of darkness that lays beneath me. For my soul remains unsettled and this body has become a plague. A plague of unsatisfied desires that tarnishes the soul. I remain nothing but 80 years upon this passing city and then it ends, everything to me crumbles and I am no more. Then why is eternity placed upon my heart, why not just end it now and the truth shall soon reveal itself to me. For truly it is stupid to think that what happens after death will be different for each one according to their own imagination. What a stupid thought, for as the sun rises upon all so will death come upon all and the truth will reveal itself and will be unchangeable. As one as no other option but to submit to the sun, for surely one cannot say to the sun please do not rise today, you wasn’t a plan in my thinking. I did not believe you will rise. Tell me will the sun listen or will it not carry on in its course. So it will be for all men, after death you will meet the truth and it can not be altered. The old as well as the unborn meets such a such and thus it will be for all mankind. What then can I do with my futile life? what is there that will last forever and I can see its fruit for myself and reap the reward for all eternity, what is there to labour for that death will not destroy. Another thing of burdensome is the burden of bonds. Why is there such a connection among man that one cares for such a such and when that such a such is hurt one feels internal pain and wants to relive that such a such of the pain. Why does one feel obliged to help? For in the end a mans soul will only reap sorrow because death will separate them at last. Cruel is the voice of death for it gives one no warning but comes at will, death comes with his firery sword and cuts the chord of love and drives ones soul to deep misery. Man is truly cursed, cursed are you oh man, for truly it is better not to have lived, that ones soul could have died at birth. For truly the day of ones death is sweeter than the day of their birth. For one comes out crying and helpless, weak and knows nothing. The cold surround you and disease becomes your friend. You become hungry and you experience the eternal hatred of man. You become attached to those who will in the end perish. You experience joy and laughter which only leaves the soul in greater pain for it does not last. No it doesn’t, nothing last. This misery of life, for many say it is a gift, but its no gift at all. It is what they call hell, hell lived out. The poor; how contempt must fill their soul. For daily they labour with hard graft to feed their families, they toil and toil restlessly surely that which they toiled for soon will die and their labour will be but vain; yes vain indeed.

But rejoice O man, for Christ has won the victory. Death is swallowed up. Nothing done for Him will ever be in vain. For He is the light of men, the light of men indeed. Do you not see that it was for Him that I was made, it was all for Him. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for only if you will to receive him, He shall at once fill you with hope and purpose, joy and peace. For he takes delight in those who are weary and heavy laden for he loves to comfort their miserable souls. He gives fullness of life that even when the flaming arrows of death is set upon your soul, laughter will be the answer of your heart and a peace shall fill your face that even the worst devil will marvel and glorify the king. Be of good cheer my fellow man, for Christ has overcome the world.

k.oni

The Sick boy

There was a certain boy who loved a girl and this was the sort of girl his heart fell for. He was a victim to his emotions, for she was beautiful and he oft compared her to a summers day for her eternal summers never fades. Happily he would think of her and her sweet love remembered such love it brings to his soul like the rising of the sun. He would often wish for her to take all his love, yea, that she could take them all and use it for her wants. His love was like a fever for it made him ill, iller by the day as he would stare through the misty windows. His illness was past cure and his remedy laid in the bosom of the one he loved. How could he recover it when fear holds him tightly shackled from ever reaching her. Surely his love is strong enough for perfect love cast out fear.

k.oni

Why was He acting

One of my all time hero is George Whitfield. The man was simply amazing, I am so inspired by his attitude and the way he went about his master's business. God used him mightily and was a major instrument in the 18th century revival. I would recommend you to listen to the whole sermon.

Below is an extract from John Pipers message on George Whitfield titled 'I will not be a velvet mouthed preacher'.

Why Was He Acting?

But the question is: Why was Whitefield “acting”? Why was he so full of action and drama? Was he, as Stout claims, “plying a religious trade”?⁴¹ Pursuing “spiritual fame”?⁴² Craving “respect and power”?⁴³ Driven by “egotism”?⁴⁴ Putting on “performances”⁴⁵ and “integrating religious discourse into the emerging language of consumption”?46

I think the most penetrating answer comes from something Whitefield himself said about acting in a sermon in London. In fact, I think it’s a key to understand the power of his preaching—and all preaching. James Lockington was present at this sermon and recorded this verbatim. Whitefield is speaking.

“I’ll tell you a story. The Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 1675 was acquainted with Mr. Butterton the [actor]. One day the Archbishop . . . said to Butterton . . . ‘pray inform me Mr. Butterton, what is the reason you actors on stage can affect your congregations with speaking of things imaginary, as if they were real, while we in church speak of things real, which our congregations only receive as if they were imaginary?’ ‘Why my Lord,’ says Butterton, ‘the reason is very plain. We actors on stage speak of things imaginary, as if they were real and you in the pulpit speak of things real as if they were imaginary.’”

“Therefore,” added Whitefield, ‘I will bawl [shout loudly], I will not be a velvet-mouthed preacher.”⁴⁷

This means that there are three ways to speak. First, you can speak of an unreal, imaginary world as if it were real—that is what actors do in a play. Second, you can speak about a real world as if it were unreal—that is what half-hearted pastors do when they preach about glorious things in a way that says they are not as terrifying and wonderful as they are. And third is: You can speak about a real spiritual world as if it were wonderfully, terrifyingly, magnificently real (because it is).

Out-Acting the Actors

So if you ask Whitefield, “Why do you preach the way you do?” he would say: “I believe what I read in the Bible is real.” So let me venture this claim: George Whitefield is not a repressed actor, driven by egotistical love of attention. Rather, he is consciously committed to out-acting the actors because he has seen what is ultimately real.

He is acting with all his might not because it takes greater gimmicks and charades to convince people of the unreal, but because he had seen something more real than actors on the London stage had ever known. For him the truths of the gospel were so real—so wonderfully, terrifyingly, magnificently real—that he could not and would not preach them as though they were unreal or merely interesting.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/3573_I_Will_Not_Be_a_VelvetMouthed_Preacher/

God's righteousness imputed to us

One of the amazing news that the gospel offers us is that sinners are not just forgiven, that they are not just acquitted and then have to merit a righteousness good enough to please the Lord, it goes further than that. God demands that as creatures made in his image that we should be righteous, but what is this righteousness that we are to have? what does it mean for a human being to be righteous? and even more what is God's righteousness? John Piper helps us here with a clear definition of what God's righteousness is and what it would mean for us to be righteous.

'God's righteousness is his unwavering allegiance to do what is right, that is, most ultimately, to uphold the infinite worth of his glory. The same holds true in principle for our moral righteousness. We are created to have this same unwavering allegiance to uphold the infinite worth of God's glory in all we do. That is what it would mean for a human being to be righteous', J.piper, The future of justification pg 78.

This is the righteousness that God demands that we have, that is that we uphold the infinite worth of His glory. This is why its no surprise when the bible declares that there is no one righteous, no not even one... no one seeks for God. We have failed miserably and we have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images. We are all guilty of sin and deep unrighteousness. We do not have the righteousness that God demands so how does the gospel help? Remember I said earlier that the gospel is more than just the forgiveness of sins, its more than being acquitted, the amazing news is that in Christ Jesus God is favourable towards us and imputes the perfect righteousness of Christ unto us, so that when I stand in front of the Holy God, I stand with a perfect and true moral righteousness. God counts me righteous and this is not nonsense, but it is true and God justifies the ungodly.

So I beseech you to meditate on God's righteousness and at the same time knowing that this righteousness is also yours. You are righteous, stand in that truth and you can approach God at any time because you are no more ceremonially unclean but clean, without blemish, spotless because the Lamb is spotless. You are now a justified son or daughter of God. Therefore walk in holiness and be worthy of your calling. This should cause to to rejoice because you are free from the demands of the law but now you are in Christ Jesus.

k.oni

Love Kills

You are a song written by the hands of God
You are a melody that is only played in love
Men from afar have sought your beauty
Men from afar have sought your love

The dripping thirst of jealousy’s pain
Drove kings and ordinary men insane
In their misery they tore their clothes in rage
And day by day the pain took their lives to the grave

Love kills when love does not reply
It withers the soul like the autumn leaf
Men are but for a day but you are eternity
Why o cruel love, do you torture my soul!

k.oni

Ken Oni Wins the Fired Up! competition

Ken Oni, studying in Bristol, won the beautiful 'The Book' New Testament.
Here's his answer to the question Which words of Jesus have most fired up your faith?

One of the passages that most fired up my faith is when Jesus says in John 10:10 'The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.' This fires me up because I want that life to the full, I want to experience the fullness of life and it is only found in Jesus. This made me consider that many people are deceived, deceived by the evil one that the fullness of life is to be found in the world, in the pleasures of this world which are contrary to God. Many seek the fullness of life in different things I should say in broken cisterns. Many think it is found in the casinos, or fancy dress, or mini skirts, or indulging in sensual pleasures, to get rich, to travel, eat and being merry, going and making movies, religion, sitcoms and so forth- this is where they think its at, where the fullness of life is, its all broken cisterns. I came to realise that life can only be found where the fountain overflows and that is in Jesus. I thought to my self that most are in a dream world. They are deluded and I make it my aim to preach to people that fullness of life and happiness can only be found in Jesus for all eternity. When the glorious King comes back everything will be made new, and those things in which your soul delights in, those godless things are no more and the thing that remains is Christ and the pleasures of His kingdom. I must say that is why it angers me and truly does when I see my fellow Christians rejoicing in the things of this world that are contrary to God, for example sitcoms that mocks Christ. It just makes me wonder and my heart beats and thus come to this passage that fullness of life can only be found in Jesus.

Ken Oni

http://www.fireseeds.org.uk/home.php?s=8&np=5

Proverbs 27:5

Proverbs 27:5 states 'Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed', (NKJV).

I don't know whatever interpretation you may want to believe of what this verse is saying but when I read it, the first thing that came to my mind was that it was true. Yep, open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed, and the context in which I interpreted this passage was in the context of a person who loves someone namely a guy loves a girl or vice versa and he/she carefully conceals her love for that person in their heart because if they tell them, they may be rebuked and they don't want that and that could be for many reasons. So then, how is this passage true in this context. Surely it would be better to conceal the love and not face the humiliation of rejection? Well the truth is, that in you concealing your love for that person and having no intention in ever telling them will only in the long run ruin you and may even bring you regrets later on. For how do you know that the person doesn't feel the same way? and only if you risk the possibility of rejection then you might be together. What if he/she says no, what effect would that have on you? I guess in one sense it would free you and you can move on therefore the rebuke was to your benefit.

Any ways I don't have the final authority on what this passage means and here are some commentaries from some well known authors

Matthew henry: Plain and faithful rebukes are better, not only than secret hatred, but than love which compliments in sin, to the hurt of the soul.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown: Secret love-not manifested in acts is useless; and even, if its exhibition by rebukes wounds us, such love is preferable to the frequent (compare Margin), and hence deceitful, kisses of an enemy.

Wesley: Open - When it is needful, in which case, though it put a man to some shame yet it doth him good. Better - More desirable and beneficial. Secret love - Which does not shew itself by friendly actions, and particularly by free and faithful reproof.

Well, I hope from this passage that we may not fear to be rebuked by others but take courage knowing that the rebuke of a Wiseman will only chasten your soul. Ecclesiastes 7:5 says, “It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.” so if you see a brother sinning, rebuke him in love and do not conceal it under the banner of love and let live which is the cry of our modern world, and if the brother sinning has true humility then he will humble himself and accept correction. The Psalmist says in 141:5, “Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it.”

run with joy

To tell you the truth, I'm not a big fan of running, infact id rather avoid it. I would rather walk to my destination which would take me an hour in total to get there rather than trouble my feet. My default mentality when it comes to running is that it is troublesome and should only be done when it is necessary. Today wasn't one of those days and to my surprise I ran to uni. the motivation behind it also was unusual because there was no reason for me to arrive at uni at a certain time but rather I thought it good that it would be excellent of me to build up my fitness for football. I've been injured since before Christmas and today was my first day back. I was excited but also feared that i would drop due to my lack of fitness but amazingly we did hardly any running but played short games which was fun and managed to score a cheeky last goal. I did my usual celebration, the same as Drogba.

It was good to see the guys again and to my joy there were some amazing players. I can't wait to get back to full fitness and really give it my all. any ways, running to uni was pretty fun, again this is also unusual, but to make it exciting, I imagined that Christ was jogging with me and that He was spearing me on. the running was light, indeed I went at a very slow speed but I was glad I did it because it made training all the more easier. Indeed one can run to the glory of God and enjoy it with great delight. I pray that I may set my eyes on Jesus, the messiah and keep on running for him, not running aimlessly but as one running for a prize.

Lent

What to give up for lent?

if you are like me and every year you wonder what you could give up for lent and never seem to reach a conclusion why not take up something instead. I don't know if this defeats the whole objective but I guess its better than doing nothing at all. To tell you the truth, there's probably things I can give up but time and time again I reason myself out of it. So ill take up something instead, something challenging, something that should last the whole 40 days and what I've decided to take up (this again defeats the objective for it is meant to be secret) is to learn the book of James. Yep the whole epistle. hopefully this will improve my memory and prove to be helpful in exam time.

whatever you've decide to give up or take up, I hope you persevere

I found a friend online

This is a poem that me and a friend put together. this came about through our new found friendship via facebook and we both wrote three verses each. So I began and she follows.

i found a friend online
who is full of merry cheer
i hear her heart of love
as she types so clear

I have a friend in mind
Hears, and is sincere
With a heart of love
Sweets and sherbet and Shakespeare

She tells me she sings
She tells me and I believe
Perhaps one day
I will watch as she flies high
With her magical wings

He whispers a rhyme and tells a story
He speaks with his pen to paper
A voice to be heard
Perhaps one day
I'll hear it

For now I will wait
And dream of that day to be.
Steady my feet
For the train shall soon leave

For now I will wait
And gaze into the deep dark ocean above me.
He comes
               to Capture a star

Come believing

Before I could rise and follow Jesus,

I was dead and deeply blind
How could I heed to the call that was for me
How could I walk and take the forward steps
My ears were deaf, the filthy stench covered me
Dead men come to God through Jesus Christ
Or I couldn’t come at all
Walking according to the course of this world
Deviated from God’s way to mine
Happily I walked the path of death
Blinded from its truth I believed the lie
Steps after steps I fed the flesh
All the while the wrath of God was upon my head

It is trusting Christ that makes you safe
Not emotions not a choice
Love not the world but trust the Lord

Come believing and you shall Live

The rugged cross shamed the One

who bled and died for you

'I call you this day with my effective voice

drop all you have and follow me'

Counted Righteous

Three of my favourite verses in the bible is found in:

Romans 3:24-25 'For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus'

Romans 4:23-25 'But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification'.

Galatians 2:21 'I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose'.

Indeed, I have been counted righteous in Christ Jesus, and a right understanding of this doctrine (the doctrine of imputation) leads one to praise and rejoice in the Holy God of scripture. Guilt has no more hold of me and the devil has no more legitimate accusations. For indeed, my righteousness is in heaven, and while I dwell here below, far be it from me to have the heart that says 'let me sin so that grace may abound', may it never be. But each day it will be my delight to be transformed and renewed to the image of Him who loved me and gave himself for me. The work is complete, my righteousness is sealed and my soul is satisfied and content in Christ alone. I pray for those who are in Christ to understand this doctrine and cherish it with all their heart, no good work can justify you, and no sin can condemn you (for those who have been born again). Therefore, walk freely on the path of grace singing praise to the king of all kings and laying hold of Christ because he lays hold of you. For God has called us to freedom, therefore let us walk freely and throw off the sin that easily entangles. The Christian duty is simple- OBEY in love!