Isaac Boluwatise

The displays of carnality are becoming increasingly severe and wholly uncalled for. While concerned, my heart aches more for the human worshippers who defend their heroes and idols while condemning those with differing opinions.

“You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.” (Luke 16:15)

We live in a time when judgments according to the flesh have taken precedence. We respond first to what we see and feel, often making stops at the first bus stop that the flesh and nature find useful instead of progressing to where the Spirit and the Word dictate. We claim to be discerning, but in the crises of the soul, the flesh holds the sway. If the words and analyses sound spiritual and appealing and are from someone with a recognized name, paralysis happens to the minds that should be renewed and discerning.

Does anyone pause amidst these fleshly manifestations to ask, “What Would Jesus Do?” or “But what does Scripture say?”

The act of correcting has become fleshly on the one hand, while fleshly arrogance flaunts itself on the other. Our concerns are misplaced. We fight more for human idols and earthly fathers than for taking a righteous stand for the Lord and the Father of our spirits. Visible results now shape our teachings or doctrines (many of us now resent the word doctrine even though we have it all over the New Testament writings), not the foundations from the scriptures.

We cannot crusade for Him in the flesh; neither can those standing before Him be justified by what appeals to the eyes. The way to go is now subject to the whims and caprices of human zeal.

Opinions have supplanted the true contending for the faith, and labels have overshadowed the emphasis on the integrity of Scripture.

How did we arrive at this juncture?

When I first read Nkem Nwakwo’s satirical novel, “My Mercedes is Bigger Than Yours,” before the mid-80s, I never imagined that such a syndrome would characterize the Church someday.

When I read Peter and James in their polemics, I never foresaw a time when contending for the faith would be overtaken by the fleshly lack of self-control of constant naming and labelling when we preach the word.

We need to pause now and then to conduct self-examination or a reality check. “If we judge ourselves, we shall not be judged.”

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; the corruptible cannot represent the incorruptible.

This syndrome is spiralling out of control. If any act of service is truly of the Spirit, we should recognize it by the fruit of the Spirit.

If our benchmark or touchstone comes from humans or the impressive things they have done, aren’t we already flawed?

If our eyes are on Jesus, we will walk in step with His Spirit.

The standard of Christ does not bend to the whims of humans.

May the good Lord help us as we serve on this side of eternity.

Suppose our yardstick is the human definition of success, and every opinion is valid because someone has pushed boundaries with it. In that case, our god might be the one we forged from the human doctrine of pragmatism or the “mammon” of human accomplishment rather than the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy. Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” (Revelation 22:11-12)

You criticize the wealthy and paradoxically desire their success, forgetting that you should direct your frustration at your own choices.

You blame them for being capitalists while ignoring that your reluctance or failure to take risks and boldly pursue your dreams is why just a few, the 5%, own most of the wealth on earth.

You gave the space over to them by your choice and limited their holdings to their percentage of the world’s population.

Reflect on your reservations and understand that overcoming them is the key to changing your financial reality.

At the crossroads of opportunity, be ready to always take a bold step towards new beginnings and the realization of your dream, and let others live.

As Nigeria prepares for the next presidential election scheduled for February 25th, 2023, there has been an assortment of predictive prophecies surrounding the election’s outcome. While it is normal for people to make predictions about such results, it is essential to approach these predictions cautiously, especially when they are specific and can potentially influence the electoral process.

In random order, the three leading contestants for the Nigerian presidential election are Peter Obi, Bola Tinubu, and Atiku Abubakar. There are varieties of predictions about who will win the election. Some prophecies suggest that Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, will win the election. In contrast, others predict that Bola Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos State, will be the next president. There have also been predictions that Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, will emerge as the presidential election winner.

One of the significant variations in these predictive prophecies is the level of specificity provided. Some predictions have been specific, stating the exact margin and geo-distribution of victory for a particular candidate. Some others have been more general, saying that a specific candidate will win without providing further details about how they will win or what events will transpire during the election. Some predictions have wavered significantly in a very confusing manner in the last two years, with the same prophet throwing up different shades almost weekly.

Another variation is the credibility of the sources of these prophecies. Some prophecies come from well-known religious leaders or respected political analysts, while others come from unknown individuals or groups with no established track record of accurate predictions.

Regardless of the variants in these predictive prophecies, it would be wise to approach them with restraint. Predictive prophecies can sway public opinion and produce a self-fulfilling prophecy, especially when influential religious leaders make them. People may act on these prophecies, believing based on the words of a particular pundit that a specific candidate will win, leading to a sense of certainty that can affect the election’s outcome.

Predictive prophecies can also create a false sense of assurance or anguish, depending on the prediction’s outcome. Prophecies that predict a particular candidate’s victory can lead supporters to become complacent, believing their candidate will win regardless of what they do. However, if a prophecy predicts a candidate’s defeat, their supporters may lose hope and hesitate to vote, believing their candidate will not win. Some of these prophecies can even prepare the ground for chaos with the supposition that the process rigged out a predicted winner.

While it is understandable that every preacher with a prominent platform has gone prophetic, particularly about the direction of the upcoming presidential election, it is essential to approach these predictions cautiously. Predictive prophecies can be influential and create a false sense of inevitability or hopelessness, negatively affecting the electoral process. Instead of looking around for pundits to suggest who you should vote for or expect to win prophetically, it is better to participate actively in the electoral process by knowing as much as possible about the candidates and making informed, unbiased decisions based on apparent issues or personal conviction or leading. Such an approach can ensure that the coming election is transparent and truly democratic and that the people elect the best candidate as Nigeria’s next president.