Constrained by a lower theme

Forgive me Lord for how I be


Currently constrained by a lower theme


Of love below the heights of Christ 


Which brings me down to own a frown.


But I must yet with all my strength


Take hold of that higher theme


Of Christ unending love for me


Which cannot fail nor death destroy. 

It's hard to party when my Brother’s and Sisters are suffering

 ‘In the last days the hearts of many will grow cold’ - these words in surveying my week has almost ringed to be true. Cold towards what? Towards Christ and his church. Much of it has been due to the overwhelming influence of worldliness and sins in my own soul. But it is not entirely frozen; praise be to God for his mercy and for putting his defibrillator to my chest to awaken in me a cry - that is, a heart felt passion and anguish for my suffering brothers and sisters in this Christ soon completely redeemed world.


Recently in my own country of Nigeria, multitudes of Christians have perished at the hands of terrorist, and the militant Islamist group Boko Haram has issued a warning to all Christians in Northern Nigeria to flee given them three days to leave otherwise they will further their attacks. The Nigerian government has sworn to act with the President Goodluck Jonathan vowing to crush the group. 


Many in the middle east are undergoing an exodus on a massive scale. In Tunisia, priest are being murdered, in Uganda acid was thrown on a bishop, in Natoo village four leaders of the church was warned that if they refuse to give up their faith they would be evicted. In Indonesia anti-Christian incidents nearly doubled in 2011. In Beijing Forty-eight members of the Beijing congregation were arrested because they met outside; in Saudi Arabia the newly crowned prince headed the religious police for many years. In Sudan persecution increases, in Somalia, Muhammad a convert to Christianity had his house burnt down by al-Shabaab militia. How many more persecutions are happening but never make the news?


Persecution is no new news to Christianity but what is is the lack of solidarity or heart felt sorrow towards those being persecuted. I cannot speak of statistics but I can speak of my own life. Although I do pray for many persecuted Christians it is often casual and are soon forgotten. At times my heart goes out towards them but it is not enough. My heart should be as that of the Apostle Paul who said ‘And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches’ 2cor 11:28. I pray that this too will weigh heavy upon our hearts.


I thank all of the organizations and people who are employed in this duty of helping and seeking the welfare of many persecuted Christians - I pray that this may be all of our concerns. Let us tarry in prayer for them and give as we are able to remembering that they are part of the same body and their master is the same as ours.


I pray for the governments of the west to act and take an active action in eliminating this threat. But we do not pray for their death but for their conversion, for their welfare to have an ideology of love and mercy. 


With a heart of deep compassion for my brothers and sisters in Christ, it becomes extremely difficult to party when so many of them are suffering. But I do remember those words of our Lord Jesus Christ Matthew 5:10-12 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” 


K.Oni

Book Review: Damned Nations: Greed Guns Armies and Aid

This book is a culmination of two decades of Samantha Nutt’s works in the field of war and human rights.  She wrote this book to challenge prevailing assumptions about the factors that lead to war, and what we might do differently. Being an infant in this field of war and humanitarian issues, this book has rapidly nourished my growth into a young man who now has a clear understanding of the factors that lead to war, methods which develops aid programs and the importance of social change through education especially the education of women.

Nutt, in her book shares with us her experience of her presence in some of the most hellish places on earth from Somalia and Congo to Iraq and Afghanistan. Combined with her experience, Nutt excellently analyses the problems of current policies in humanitarian aid and how rich countries are not doing enough to stop arms flowing into the war-torn areas around the world. Arms distribution argues Nutt is one of the main reasons why peace in this war-torn countries is far from being accomplished. She writes ‘Peace development and security will remain stubbornly out of reach for any civilian population choking on weapons fed to them by countries with eighty times their GDP.’ Her fight is not merely with government officials or CEO of multi-national companies, it includes us all. Speaking of her own country, Nutt writes ‘Canada, which is among the world's top 10 arms exporters, has had one of the lowest international arms transparency ratings.’ Because of this, we have all became a part of the problem as Nutt puts it  ‘When our national pension funds profit from this social malaise, and when our prevaricating governments — wittingly or not — would rather give a one-fingered salute than open the books on what, precisely, is being shipped to whom, we too have become part of a very sinister equation.’ The terrible truth affirmed by Nutt is that we are all consumers of war.

In dealing with issues concerning humanitarian aid, Nutt cuts right to the chase. She exposes the lack of distinction and clarity there is when Armies are the agents primarily responsible for carrying out aids. Nutt says emphatically concerning this issue that ‘The business of saving lives is no longer distinct from taking them’ and ‘Security interests trumped humanitarian and development concerns’.  This has led to the erosion of humanitarian space and the security forces taking up this role only breeds more hatred in the minds of the local citizens because some are deeply convinced that the occupiers are the enemy.

Nutt highlights the selfishness of aid organizations, large and small who serve their own fundraising objectives rather than serving those in need. She exposes the wasteful nature of volunteer tourism in which gawkers and do-gooders are unable to resist the urge to do something. Whilst their motives are good and commendable, it is better long-term if the local people could be employed to the working positions rather than short-term volunteers.  Also says Nutt ‘Ethical, responsible developments programs serve the needs of communities first, not the yearnings of students in their gap years.’

Nutt is not opposed to aid but speaks realistically that aid, ‘is an imperfect response to a violently imperfect world. She continues, ‘aid can be enormously beneficial in improving education and health, strengthening governance, and promoting social stability. Aid has the potential to be of tremendous value in tackling systemic injustices and inequities, and in curbing deaths from war, famine, and natural disasters. The challenge is in knowing which factors contribute to the various sides of this equation.’

There are much to be said of this book but to reduce its longevity I’ll conclude with some of the practical solutions Nutt presents to some of the issues she stresses. Nutt suggests that ‘When making decisions about who and what to give to, look for organizations and initiatives that directly improves woman’s lives through community based development’. Nutt is fully convinced that ‘Local women’s organizations are critical to the struggle against violence and injustice, and women and girls born into environments hostile to their full and equal participation as citizens have waited long enough.’ Also she appeals for Electronic companies to make more efforts in naming their suppliers, complete their chain supply audits, and improve transparency to minimize conflict minerals. For Nutt education is key, especially education of women as suggested by the moving story she documents. ‘Has any of this helped you? All this humanitarian effort (Nutt asks a woman who has had her share of the problems of war and have been enrolled into a development program). She stooped to the ground and wrote her name on the sand and then said next I will write my sons name.’

K.Oni



Purchase at: http://www.mcclelland.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780771051456#desc

Book Review: The next door boys

Leigh’s past year has been spent battling ovarian cancer; after defeating the disease she is determined to be independent by going to college. Leigh has been known as a lot of things - the girl who sings, Jaron’s little sister, the girl who sews and the girl with cancer. Leigh wants to live her life and college offers her that freedom but her parents would only let her go if she lives next door to her brother. 


This is the first Mormon fiction book I’ve ever read and I’m glad I read it because it introduced me to the experience of Mormon student life. This story follows the life of Leigh Tressman detailing her experience of college as she faces the normal pressures and demands that most girls encounter. Leigh, unlike most other girls had recently overcome ovarian cancer and the pressures and demands of college life is heightened. 


This book at its core is romantic as well as displaying the different dynamics of relationships. Leigh as a strong relationship with her brother, who is very protective of her and he is an example for how guys should care for their sisters. Leigh has a more evolving relationship with Brian who is the other boy next door. Seeing the friendship between Leigh and Brian evolve is one of the main attraction of the book. It is slow in developing and mixed emotionally.


Overall this is a good fiction to read; the story develops gradually sustaining the readers attention who is always intrigued to know of what will happen next in Leigh’s college experience.



purchase at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-next-door-boys-jolene-b-perry/1103696437

K.Oni

Book Review: At the throne of Grace

This book is a collection of Pastor John’s scripture readings and prayers that serves to edify, encourage and stir up Christians to have a deeper communion with God. Pastor John takes a passage of scripture, and then in prayer expounds upon it before his sermons. The depths of the prayers displays the heart of a man who has truly devoted his life to God and to knowing him. This book offers the reader an opportunity when lost for words in prayer to read these prayers as a way to express their feelings and desires. Each prayer begins with a brief scripture reading and a devotional and then comes the sample prayer. The reader has the freedom to begin wherever they like. Personally, the greatest benefit I received from this book was how it has directed me to other book on prayers such as the Puritan Prayers and also the book's clarity in revealing through prayer God's character.  

Purchase book: http://harvesthousepublishers.com/book/at-the-throne-of-grace-2012/

K.Oni

Happy new year

My friends, I hope that you are not among those numbers who think that by beginning the new year in church they will obtain and have the favour of God. Such nonsense belongs in a pigs field and not in the sanctuary of God’s counsel. Although I would rather have you found in the company of saints where sin cannot reign without being challenged and put down. But I know that some of you are of a better mind, you love the church of God and the company of the saints; so it is your souls delight to be found with them in the inauguration of the new year. Your will is good and throughout the year your feet will continually be found in the sanctuary where the redeemed gather. But for those of you who only attend to acquire God’s blessing and favour for the new year, fear; and be filled exceedingly for if God was to give you your proper wages it is death and hell. What you seek is good, for God delights in us seeking his blessings and favour but your approach is abominable to him. He knows your kind, knowing you have no real love towards him or affection but you are only there to abuse his gifts. You are better of not seeking him but I beg you to change your approach. Have a heart that truly wants Him for all that he is, love him and start by believing in his glorious gospel. That gospel which says For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

And some of you my friends have no inclination towards God whatsoever - many are found in my generation who call themselves agnostic when properly they should call themselves droopy, lethargic and unconcerned. God features not in their new year and some wishes him entirely gone because they have planted for themselves pleasures which are contrary to his ways. For you my friends I beg, to consider your ways in this new year. Life is a fading flower, here today and gone tomorrow. You read the news of daily occurrence of murder and deaths, how there are a million ways to depart from this world - would you not be so wise to make your eternity secure? My prayer for you as I have no confident in your will to repent that God will work so mightily in you as to open your eyes, so that you may see the flashing lights of the gigantic train which soon will crush you if you do not move out of its way.

This new year will bring with it many sorrows and many joys - God in his wisdom has hidden the future from our eyes. It is like walking in darkness wherein God has put out his arms for us to hold - his arms is outstretched and this year God is calling you to take his arm so as to be your guide. If you refuse, sooner or later death or something of its kind will swallow you up forever but with God, you are safe for all of eternity. He will at last bring you to that green pasture which is the end of all who by faith have taking hold of his arms. I wish you a happy new year and I pray that you live it day by day without fear or anxiety for he who is called Christ once said ‘fear not for I am with you’. Therefore tighten your belt and salute the new year with a solemn confidence that God who has marched the days before you will see you through every trials and joy, knowing that you are much loved by him because of that deed which he planned before time began and completed in the fullness of time namely the death his only begotten who is true God from true God and true light from true light.

Happy new year my friends!

K.Oni

Letters to Sybil

My Darling Sybil, its been my constant desire to hold you close once again - our last affectionate hug still lingers as vivid as this ink upon this paper. Your cherubic face is forever etched in my memory and although I brought that frame which sees you still, it is no replacement for your colourful reality. I miss you already, I am thirsty for you. I do not belong here but with you - were it not for this strange allegiance to honour and duty, I would walk through this desert, swim the sea, to be accompanied with your amiability once again. 


I fear my dear, that a terrible mistake I have made. I should have made you my wife before my departure, I was willing but there were struggles inside of me which would not allow me to make you a young widow. I do not wish to die anytime soon but war is blind, the bullet may strike at an unseen moment, bringing me a great misfortune, failing my jovial heart to beat no more. Such is the drum of war that the generals have instilled in us a hopeful courage that death, our death brings our nation to victory. There are no spoils without sacrifices; our deaths will be like that of the sacrificial lamb - a substitute for those we left at home. My sacrifice I offer firstly to you, but I know you and your disposition. You would have me first offer it to Christ. 


My dear Sybil, my night as almost come and I must stay awake. In a few weeks, I have been drafted to go and fight in the front lines but for now I am safe. Save your worry until the first of June when your beloved will partake in a mission he wishes he could flee. To see you again will keep me alive - I pray and bid you join me which I know concerns your daily thoughts that God and his Christ may spare me and grant me the joy to commune with you once again - to see you dress in white and I to finally take your hand completing that blessed sacrament bestowed to man by God. 


With All my Love and More
Sebastian 

K.Oni