Points to Ponder on Beauty

POINTS TO PONDER ON BEAUTY

- Some ladies strive for the favor of the crowd, in order words; they become unnecessary volunteers to gain this favor.
- This kind of favor is deceitful because it is so short-lived.
Today you may have excelled and gained the crowd’s favor, tomorrow you are forgotten as they find new heroes or heroine. Then you begin to feel unsatisfied and resentful.
- Beauty is vain – when your life revolves around your ego, you become lonely and empty.
- Ladies, some day you discover the truth to the old Swedish proverb, which says, “Good looks don’t last, good looking does”.
- Remember, the grass withers, the flowers fades, and surface beauty wrinkles.
- True beauty is not in the outer adoring of our body. A woman should always dress according to the truth that when a man looks at you he doesn’t misunderstand what you are.
- “But a woman that fears the Lord will be praise”
- Above all, nothing more attractive than a sweet love of Jesus emerging forth from your life.

Akintola

By Order of Love

BY ORDER OF LOVE

Have you noticed that every time you enter a store these days, cute little teddy bears and conversation hearts bombard you? Well, to be candid, I think it is disheartening how this world has slandered the name of Love, not to mention its author. It makes me sick to my stomach to think of the many ways the words; “I love you” are used and abused. There’s no word in the human language that is more misrepresented and misused. “God is loved that He gave,” does that sound like the version of Love that the world so casually passes around to suit whatever fancy or whim pleases it? Read 1 Corinthians 13v4-8 and ask yourself, “Is this how my love is presented to the world? Do they look at me and see God’s love or the nicely wrapped serpent kind of love that selfishly seeks only what it can get out of the other person.
So many write-ups, opinions and line upon line perception on Valentine’s Day is not far ro reach anymore. That is for another day. But I recommend you read Dipo Tipede article on Valentine’s Day from his website, www.dipotipede.com.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world know us not, because it knew Him not” I John 3v1

Akintola

The World Needs Men

The World Needs Men

...Who cannot be bought;

...Whose word is their bond;

...Who put character above wealth;

...Who possess opinions and a will;

...Who are larger than their vocations;

...Who do not hesitate to take chances;

....Who will not lose their individuality in a crowd;

...Who will be as honest in small things as in great things;

...Who will make no compromise with wrong;

....Whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires;

...Who will not say they do it "because everybody else does it."

...Who are true to their friends through good reports and evil reports, in adversity as well as in prosperity

....Who do not believe that shrewdness, cunning, and hardheadness are the best qualities for winning success;

...Who are not ashamed to stand for the truth.

Akintola

BEAUTY - WHAT IS IT TO YOU?

"BEAUTY" - WHAT IS IT TO YOU?

Beauty is at the top of most women's priority list today in our society. When you walk into a room, do you left people speechless? please don't let or allow this take the place of God in your life - This is called "Barbie Bondage". You know what i mean... that 'oh, so perfect, perky, fashionably correct, irresistibly thin, radiantly beautiful doll:.
What is it about beauty that is so desirable to us that we are willing to give up who we are on the inside to perfect what we look like on the outside? Why is it when we look at beautiful girls and ladies we feel their image is always what we are not and just beyond our reach.
Many of us have paid a high price in pursuit of physical perfection (our health, happiness, friendships, even peace of mind). Even if we accomplish perfecting our outer image what did we really get? That beautiful outfit we thought we'd never fit into? The envy of all the girls or Ladies? The looks of lust from boys? - Is it really five more pounds and more money to shop that will make us feel good about ourselves? The truth is, how we feel about ourselves will affect every area of our life. The Bible tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, but many of us don't love ourselves. Even the most beautiful women in the world see themselves as "not good enough", "not pretty enough", "not thin enough", "not talented enough". Where are we getting these mixed up, messed up messages? Who are we trying so hard to impress?
There is nothing wrong with looking our best and striving to be the best we can be, but the problem comes when we feel that what God created us to be is not good enough.
We let what we are NOT, stop us from being who we ARE, and that leads to a miserable life. Many girls and women in our society today battled with “Barbie Bondage Syndrome” (BBS). Even Christians are affected. Some battle with in clandestine, feeling that if I tell so and so how will she or he feel or say about me. The Bible says “share your burden with one another” - No matter how much you try to perfect your outer image, you will never – not even in a moment felt it was enough. “outer beauty without inner beauty and external beauty equals a life of loneliness, discontentment and despair. I guarantee you will never hear anyone on their deathbed say, “I with I had thinner thighs and bluer eyes. The good news is that there’s hope but its not found on the pages of a magazine or within the sweet words of an adoring boy or guy. Its found in the One who created you and has an awesome plan for your life.

Sherin Rose Shepherd

Train up your child

"Train up a child the way he should go and when he grow up, he will not depart from it" - Proverb

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn
With ridicule, he learns to be shy
With hostility, he learns to fight
With shame, he learns to feel guilty
With tolerance, he learns to be patient
With encouragement, he learns to be confident
With praise, he learns to appreciate
With fairness, he learns justice
With security, he learns to have faith
With approval, he learns to like himself
With acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.

Parents, you are the first teacher your child would ever have before his/her teacher in school.

So, don't muff the ball with your children.

Akintola

LET'S PRAY FOR NIGERIA!

Oh God of Creation,
Direct our noble cause,
Guide our leaders’ right,
Help our youth the truth to know,
In love and honesty to grow
And living just and true,
Great lofty height attain,
To build a nation where peace, and
Justice reign.

Let reflect on this anthem everyday, and before one could say Jack Robinson you and i will be a prayer warrior for our dear Country, NIGERIA.

NOT TOO YOUNG

"By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned" (Hebrew 11:24-29)

If anyone thinks, today's young leaders can't make a difference today and tomorrow they need only look back at some history's handful of influencer's who girded the loins of their mind equivalently rolled up their sleeves without getting down for it, some even as teenagers, and made an historical difference. Let take a few lines to look at some instances:
-Einstein wrote his first paper on the theory of relativity when he was 16
-Mozart compose his first symphony at age6
-Joan of arc led 300 French Knights in the battle of Orleans when she was 17
-George Williams founded the YMCA when he was 23
-Lloyd Braille developed the Braille system for the blind at age 12
-George Whitefield drew thousands to the church he pastored at age 21
-J.Hudson Taylor started china inland mission when he was in his early thirties
-John Wesley birth Methodism at 17
-John Calvin started pastoring at age 17
-Josiah revitalized Israel at age 20
-Billy Graham started evangelizing in his early twenties

To mention but few, there are so many influencer's who changed the cause of their time in an early age, so you are nottoo young to start doing exploit for the kingdom. You know some of us we wantto be like so and so before starting. God did not use these two men (Peter an Moses) because of their great personalities. God use them in spite of their personalities, so you have no excuse of whatsoever.

In case you don't know you've got a job as a new generation of demostration. There is a lot of confusions (socio-economicconfusion, political confusion, churchiality confusion, religion confusion etc)in our society. Our job is to clear-up these confusions. Its about followingJesus lead and crossing boundaries. Its about our dire need for each other andfor God. So it doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, it doesn't matter ifyou're male or female, it doesn't matter what you're drawn to sexually, we deserve a life free from this confusions eating deep the fabric of our society.
We are the ones who will stand up, hold hands, look at that huge river of ignorance,of tribal and ethnic difference, offear of change and say to one another holding hands we can cross that river, wecan stop these confusions. We can help everyone live in a new Nigeria where thebasic neccessities and the minimum comfort for an average Nigerian are notdifficult to be provided.

Now back to our text, "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather then toenjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward".

The Wise Choice
When was the time of the choice? "When he had come to years". Actually he had come to the mature ageof 40 (Acts 7:22) where life proverbially begins. How do i know? The Bible says when he (Moses) was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone (Deut. 34:7). These choice is not immature, impulsive decision of youth. Not even a senile choice of satiated aged. Referring to our modernday, the youths would want to enjoy life first. we are told that life begins at 40. so we expect nothing but quest for joy which has produced over 30 million children out of school in Nigeria and over 10,000,000 addicts in the U.S. plus untold millions who live in the pseudo-realm of pharmacopoeia.
Moses' life was steeped in faith frombirth. I would like to ask our Youths, what actually do u steep your faith, your right, your kingdom authority in? Thousand upon Thousand to millions of yet unborn youths like us are depending on us base our we respond to theupsurge confusions set before us now. I am not writing to jute anybody, but to charge us to step out of the comfort zone and mundane of familiarity which hasmade us to totally snubbed our strength. The Bible says that "the glory of the youths is their strength" and in another passage it says,"the strength of the nation is the youths." Its high time we ask ourselvesmind-blowing and blogging questions, how and where are we chanelling our youth strength? Ous so-called Politicians has bought the conscience right of many ofyouths. I read recently in one of the dailies where a VC in one of our TertiaryInstitution quoting that excessive materialism is one of the source of violence and cultism in our Universities. He is right no doubt about it, but let look atthe case of a man like Moses who forfeited all the expensive cruisine, a lifeof luxury and ease and a life of indulgence to the flesh. It was obvious that Moses was the heir apparent to the throne. The scripture says, "he refusedto called the son of Pharoah's Daughter." Moses refused to be called orknown as a son of a king ( Omo Oba) and he forsake the land of riches and wealth, a place of lofty distinction as a member of a royal family, infact theking in making. can you imagine! Listen, refusing is a heart action; whileforsaking is a physical action. What do we forsake? what do we refuse?

Akinsanya Akintola
Stand-up youths Movement (A Generation of Demonstration)
Tola_faith20042000@hotmail.com, stand_upyouths2005@yahoo.com
08069730924

LIVING WITH TEENS & YOUTHS

LIVING WITH TEENS & YOUTHS
Something to talk about (Part One)

“A good man leaves an inheritance for his Children’s Children” – Proverbs 13:22

“A hundred times everyday I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving” Albert Einstein

Pay Attention
We are living in a rapidly changing, exhilarating, technology-driven age where both past and present generation has its own values, tastes, styles, preferences and paradigms.
Several alarming statistics and studies remind us that, as parents, teens/youths workers, we need to work hard to keep our teenagers/tweenagers and youths from making mistakes that can affect them for the rest of their lives. This is especially true regarding sexual issues, alliances they keep, and so on. Teens/youths are developing socially and that inevitably means interest in the opposite sex. We must equip our Teens/Youths to make godly choices, and thereby to resist the influences they constantly receive from the world around them.
The culture of our society in all ramifications as at now (far from the old) is very sexual – from music (Snoop Doggy Live Performance with Dr. Dre), to the Television shows (Big Brother Africa 1 & 2) they watch, to their hallway of conversations. It’s vital that you keep communication lines open so you recognize when issues need to be addressed otherwise……… If you’re reluctant to speak openly with your teens/youths about sex, the world is more then willing to speak on your behalf and you may not like the message they preach.
If you aren’t sure what messages your teens/youths have received, watch the television shows that capture their attention, read lyrics of their favorite songs, and check out the websites they surf. You may be stunned and totally flabbergasted.
There is a statement in teens/youths ministry known as “Teenagers/Youths Appearance.” This occurs in the process of growth. When this begin to occur there are some certain roles parents, teens/youths worker are to play, if snubbed the opposite dash in as fast as possible.
One of the role is known as ‘being an intrusive presence’ in their life which is not intended to be annoying or obtrusive, but a reliable, supportive, and caring presence in all areas. As an intrusive presence, we cannot then limit ourselves to only the spiritual aspects of their lives. We (parents, youth workers) cannot expect to be able to make a real difference if we see them only once or twice a week in Church, at home – that is busy parents. We need to let them know that we are ready to support them. This support does not always mean agreement with their views or decisions, but it does mean honesty and real , in-depth conversation to help improve decision-making and to help them change behaviors that are destructive to their lives.

Teens/youths need to be connected with a responsible adult that give them attention and direction. These influence helped prevent later problems such as depression, and substance abuse.
You know youth are capable of doing amazing things if they are encouraged and supported by caring adults.

Nigeria is a blessed black nation with abundant treasures of visionary youngsters who are graciously capable today to change the course of history both today and tomorrow. So, they need adult, who build ideas and encourages socially, politically, spiritually, psychologically, morally, academically, and business-wise-creativity.
Adults who has integrity, ethic and a sanguine or genuine respect for young people. Ideas are no good at all except in the minds of individuals. Causes have no emotion at all except in the emotion and passion of individuals. For Nigeria to alter human history we need to start building in the lives of our youths ideas that can bring real remedies to the unending maladies of different kind eating deep the fabric of our system.

Embracing the gift of Presence
I have being humanly forced-to-be-touched with the kind of life our teens and youths are living in this dispensation of knowledge. Some are influenced while some chose the life. I stumbled on a book sometime ago by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Mate. The message of the book came louder and vividly enough that rushing or busyness damages our relationship with our children, weakens the bond that must be strong for parenting to be effective.

The authors believe that discipline is about connection, and the way we discipline should have a positive bearing on the long-term relationship. They frown on bribes and pleading and any method that ultimately compromises the dignity of the parent or child.
Our relationships with our kids are not unlike our relationships with our spouses. When the connection is strong, both make concessions for closeness and peace. So too, when we’re intentional about being present and engaged with our children, they begin to value the relationship so much that they don’t want to compromise it through disobedience.

Parenting isn’t about creating perfect kids – or about being perfect ourselves. Parents are the memory-makers for the next generation, planting seeds in the fertile hearts of their children.
This is sacred and fearful work, because these seeds will grow in them in all kinds of imperceptible ways – they can become thorny weeds that must be tugged out later in life or verdant orchards that will continue to bear fruit long after we’ve left this world.

I didn’t experience the joy of family gathering like I see in other home. You know when you come from a home where things are not like it used to be, both husband and wife are living in “my own world” style of living instead of “our world”, this eventually dry the royal wine in the marriage relationship.

As Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote in “The Brother’s Karamazov,” “Nothing is nobler, stronger, more vital, or more useful in future life than some happy memory, especially on from your family home. A lot is said about upbringing, but perhaps the best upbringing is some lovely, holy memory preserved from one’s childhood. If a man carries many such memories with him, they will keep him safe throughout his life. And even if only one such memory stays in our hearts, it may prove to be our salvation one day.”

Remember, we came to this world to leave someday; it is like that with our kids, too. They are birthed into our lives and nurtured in our homes only so that they can be released into the world. We embrace then each day against a horizon of small and large leavings to come. And we hope that our care will inspire them to become healers in a broken and aching world. “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children.”

Remember, a generation of demonstration is emerging whose voices will be heard in the face of injustice, poverty, outlandish socio-economic polices, political instability, social deprivation, insecurity, political parties violence, garrison-godfatheristic electoral system.

Akintola Akinsanya

tola_faith20042000@hotmail.com, stand_upyouths2005@yahoo.com

Tel: 2348069730924

IT'S TIME TO BE REAL AND RELEVANT

AFRICANS STAND-UP! AFRICANS STAND-UP!! AFRICANS STAND-UP!!!
IT'S TIME TO BE REAL AND RELEVANT

"A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right, a man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice; a man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true"
Martin Luther King Jr.

Proudly to say: We are the most privileged black people on the planet. We've been millions of years in the making. Hundreds of years being fearfully and wonderfully made and uniquely shaped as we toiled in the forges of this world.
Wherever you are, whoever you are, whatever you are, we've got a big job to do. This is not a platform for me to start listing all the confusions and happenings in Africa as a continent once envied by the so-called first world countries. I read in one of the dailies (PUNCH NEWSPAPER) where a man from Zimbabwe said, 'we are all billionaires who cannot afford anything.' Pathetic! Recently, the selling of babies took over the face Lagos, Oyo, and many other states. In South Africa, Africans found it joyous and ecstatic killing their semblance (Xenophobic). Confusions everywhere in expense of lives and property. Our leaders remain myopic still. Youths of Africa we are the repairer of this continent, the shapers and wealth makers in the midst of a time more ripped with opportunities than anyone could have foretold. Let us not be disturbed or distracted by the gigantic confusions here and there, we are perfect children of God, we have the wisdom, strength and discipline to create life we want and help more of our people from Kenya, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Tanzania, Djibouti, Namibia, Senegal, Mozambique, etc. Frankly, our Future depends on our outlook in this hour of decision. There is an air of expectancy from the youths and i want you to know that we have the power to change anything - illness, habits, attitudes, outlandish socio-economic policies, total deprivation, insecurity, Violence, killings, kidnapping, and set new healthy models for political office holders, relationships, education, business. We can feed the hungry, cloth the naked, house the homeless and eliminate poverty. YOUTHS DON'T BE USED BY GARRISON COMMANDERS DISGUISING AS AGENT OF CHANGE. WAKE UP AND STAND UP! WHY WILL YOU BE FIGHTING FOR POLITICIANS WHOSE ASSETS ARE COMPREHENSIVELY INSURED! YOUTHS, STRIP YOUR SEAT BELT, GET YOUR HELMET ON AND BOLDLY TELL THEM YOU HAVE A FUTURE!
We must be defined by our dreams, vision and purpose because consciously or unconsciously one lives not only ones life, but the life of one's time. The way we response to the upsurge and unending-like confusions in Africa will determine hundred years of Africa significant in the chronicles of history.
I believe that when God want initiate a new movement in history He does not intervene directly, though He can chose to, but He sends dreams and visions that can/will, if attended to, initiate process. African Youths its time to unleash this movement without feeling secured in a monumental accomplishment. Its time we wake up from our sleep, move out from the mundane that has kept us victimized for years without any yielded remedy. Its time we eschew things that hold us in the system of familiarity. A generation is emerging from Africa that will be a voice in the face of Injustice, God is blowing His trumpet and dry bones are rattling.
An Ezekiel 37 generation who will build a wall and also stand in gap, pleading the blood of Jesus and holding silent sieges in every nook and cranny of our political and socio-economic system.
In 1962, prayer was removed from school by Engel V. Vitale and the Church quietly complied. In 1973 abortion was legalized by Roe V. Wade and the Church was silent for years until recently gay movement legalized same-sex marriage in Massachusset and California. Many states and country are joining same-sex legalization. For example Spain, South Africa Etc. Yet out of the silent bones of the Church, a Generation of Demonstration is emerging that will be a voice in the face of injustice.
This is the time we are to be passionate, insightful, equipped for battle, as young men and women who has been waiting in the wings of a cause, let take our stand, the divine convergence of event that would soon catapult the issue of life to the forefront of the nation's conscience.
We have no other option but to place a call to God on behalf of Africa through the right password (JESUS)
THE KINGDOM OF HELL MUST NOT PREVAIL. START WHEREVER YOU ARE. NOW!

GOD BLESSED NIGERIA.

Akintola Akinsanya

tola_faith20042000@hotmail.com, stand_upyouths2005@yahoo.com

Tel: 2348069730924