THE BEST GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS

THE BEST GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS

One of the things I admire about females is the way they adore celebration of birthdays, and of course weddings! However, unlike weddings, birthdays are formally celebrated yearly. It has been jokingly said that, “If you want to remember your wife’s birthday; forget it once!” Thus any real husband who always desire to maintain peace and harmony in his home will fix his wife’s birthday on his almanac. But irrespective of one’s belief, colour, ethnic origin, race, sex and station in life, no person can sidestep the waves of Christmas. Almost everyone celebrates it consciously or unconsciously. Christmas season always blow winds of beauty, calmness, fragrance, glory, peace, reflections, joy and unity across the globe. It is the most unique global festive season. The uniqueness of Christmas season calls for its special celebration. As a special celebration, special gifts need to be exchanged and presented. And the best of the gifts must be presented to the person in whose honour and joy Christmas is celebrated – Jesus!

Christmas is God’s idea. The centre of its special celebration is Jesus. Christmas helps us to appreciate one of the hackneyed attributes of God – Alpha and Omega. Christmas thus denotes the ending of one successful year and the beginning of another new special year. Christmas therefore reminds us that everything begins and ends with Jesus. He is the Author of life and ‘Landlord’ of time. As the ‘Landlord’ of time, Jesus deserves our appreciation in this special season. We must thus spend time in His presence.  And in His presence, there is fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore. Truly, “The best gift a person can give to another person is that person’s time”. We must also spend quality time with our families and neighbours. The Magi are credited as wise men because they chose to visit and present gifts such as gold, frankincense and myrrh to Jesus at His birth. The gold, frankincense and myrrh denote the acknowledgement of the kingship, priesthood and death of Jesus.

Evangelism is another great gift. Evangelism is taking the initiative to preach the good news about Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God. It is the heart beat of God. Thus evangelism is dear to Jesus. The Magi shared the good news of Jesus’s birth with King Herod and his officials. King Herod is a symbol of authorities, governors, principalities, rulers and wicked people. As you visit and spend quality time with others in this Christmas season, let your conversation centre on the good news of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Christmas is one of the best seasons to seek and share Christ with others. We need to discover more of Him and share our findings and testimonies with others during Christmas.

Richard Obeng Mensah, co-author of 37 Benefits of Reading. The writer is an award-winning author of 7 books and over 250 articles on legal and non-legal themes.  He is also a certified life and leadership coach, a lawyer, a law lecturer and a blogger.  Blog: www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com   Email: richardobengmensah@gmail.com © 24/12/2012.

THE THOUGHTS OF A GREAT PRESIDENT AND A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

THE THOUGHTS OF A GREAT PRESIDENT AND A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

Sow a thought, and you reap an action; sow an action, and you reap a habit; sow a habit, and you reap a character; sow a character, and you reap a destiny – Charles Reade.

A person’s thought is central to that person’s actions, habits, character, and destiny. Consequently, a great or failed destiny flows from a person’s thought. Thus the thought of a president or a potential president is a good basis for electorates to know the kind of a president that person would be. While admitting that good thoughts alone do not guarantee prudent and wise exercise of a political power; it can never be glossed over. In this article, we will review certain thoughts of Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Jimmy Carter of the USA to make out how their thoughts contributed to their great leadership exploits.

Firstly, great presidents acknowledge the truth that greatness is not in duration but in depth. This means that one’s affective attitude (such as passion, courage, confidence and a commitment to principles) towards the achievement of that person’s God-given purpose is more important than the amount of time it takes to accomplish that purpose. Studies have shown that many people select leaders who fight for what is right, often under very difficult circumstances and who also care for the needs of their people. This means that great leaders selflessly fight for right causes with the aim of securing the good welfare of their people. To such leaders, holding a political office is a means to ending the right causes they fought for. Ex-president Nelson Mandela’s name is usually published alongside true greats like Mother Teresa, Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jnr. and others because of his good thoughts. He once said, “When my ultimate aim was achieved, it was time to move on to a higher calling. Ironically, the day I was inaugurated into office as president, I knew my job was already done and therefore began preparing to leave. In that regard, you may say that my very first day in office was also my last day. In my mind, I had already begun packing out”. Unfortunately, this thought has eluded many so-called political leaders particularly in Africa. Consequently, they have believed the lie that spending many years in a political office is a guarantee that they will accomplish their purposes. On the contrary, they usually achieve the opposite!

Great presidential candidates on their part focus on their God-given visions, not criticisms. Although criticisms of all forms can be turned into political assets, a true potential president will primarily focus on her vision. This was so with candidate Jimmy Carter. Carter had good thoughts about criticisms when seeking the highest political office of USA. He acknowledged both the good and the bad twists of criticisms and determined to keep his eyes on his vision. At one breath, he saw some positivity in some criticisms marshaled against him: “I want to be tested in the most severe way. I want the American people to understand my character and weaknesses, the kind of person I am.” He was however quick to deduce the real motives of his destructive critics in the following words: “My critics don’t want to stop Carter. They want to stop the reforms I am committed to. They want to stop the people of this country from regaining control of their government. They want to preserve the status quo, to preserve politics as usual, to maintain at all costs their entrenched, unresponsive, bankrupt, irresponsible political power”. Therefore, a real presidential candidate sees criticisms as a test of one’s character and vision. Focusing on one’s vision in the midst of intense criticisms is central to greatness.

Secondly, great presidents continue to keep in mind that they are still human beings no matter the feats they attain or the great heights they reach. This trait enables them to acknowledge their weaknesses and yet be committed to their visions. Besides, it enables them to accept the truth that they cannot take the place of God in human affairs. That God, like governments, is the only person who can do for the people what they cannot do for themselves. Thus real presidents concentrate on what is humanly possible and trust God for the impossible things. Unfortunately, some so-called leaders bestow upon themselves titles such as “Messiah”, and “Saviour”. Nelson Mandela is among the few exception: ‘While it is nice to be appreciated, I shudder at the continuous reference to me as “living legend” or “Secular Saint” or any other such references and the near-worshipful adulation that invariably seems to creep in with it. That was one of the things that worried me – to be raised to the position of a semi-god – because then you are no longer a human being. I wanted to be known as Mandela, a man with weaknesses, some of which are fundamental, but a man who is committed’.

Great presidential candidates are not afraid of electoral ‘defeat’.  Common sense makes it obvious that only one person can be a president of any nation at a time. Regardless of their convictions and visions, real presidential candidates are more than willing to concede ‘defeat’ if they are not elected. They consider their “rejection” as a ‘de-feat’, never a defeat. ‘De-feat’ in the sense that they were not given the opportunity to attain some desired feats. In other words, electoral defeat only denotes a lost opportunity to magnify one’s influence. “I am running for president,” Carter said, “because I have a vision of a new America, a different America, a better America, and it is not shared by those who are trying so hard to stop my campaign…I see an America with a president who does not govern by vetoes and negativism, but with vigor and vision and positive, affirmative, aggressive leadership.” Despite his good thoughts for America, candidate Jimmy Carter was willing to accept the ‘de-feat’ of his vision for America: “…I feel like I’m doing the best I can, and if I get elected president, I’ll have a chance to magnify my own influence, maybe in a beneficial way. If I don’t get elected president, I’ll go back to Plains”. Mitt Romney is commended for conceding ‘defeat’ in one of the most aggressive electoral contests in living memory. For Kofi Annan, the “willingness of a loser to accept defeat gracefully, and the victor to show respect for the losing side, is one of the hallmarks of a stable democracy”.

A person’s thought is a replica of that person. This is because the thoughts of any person denote that person’s actions, habits, character and destiny! Messrs Nelson Mandela and Jimmy Carter are among the great presidents this world has ever witnessed. The secret to their great leadership heights is that they had good thoughts concerning the presidency of their respective nations. We must therefore scrutinize the thoughts of any person who is seeking to govern the affairs of Ghana. Remember, a person’s thought is imbedded in his actions, character and habits.

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of If You Think of Your Opposition You Lose Your Position .The writer is an award-winning author of 7 books and over 250 articles.  He is also a certified life and leadership coach, a lawyer, a legal academic and a blogger.  Blog: www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com   Email: richardobengmensah@gmail.com © 27 November 2012.

VOTE FOR HONESTY

VOTE FOR HONESTY

Election is a formal decision making. The decision is based on choosing one person or group of persons instead of other(s). The people to choose from may all appear capable and daring.  It is also about choosing between two good or two evils, but usually not between the obvious good and obvious bad. It is said that the good has some bad stuff and the bad also has some good stuff. Ella Wheeler Wilcox, a poet, wrote, “There are two kinds of people on earth today, just two kinds of people, no more, I say. Not the good and the bad, for ’tis well understood. That the good are half-bad and the bad are half-good…Not the sinner and saint, for it’s well understood…the two kinds of people on earth I mean are the people who lift, and the people who lean”. This means that it is better to choose people who can honestly add positive value to your personality and society as a whole. Lean people are energy suckers and unproductive, avoid them! Choose honest people who are lifters. But if you were to choose between a lifter and an honest person, go for the latter.

Nature abhors leadership vacuum so the electorates must make a decision. Certainly, there is no wisdom choosing from two obvious devils. Choosing from the two obvious good is also very difficult. However, as already pointed out, the choice is usually between the two less obvious good. One great guide to the electorates in making this decision is the issue of honesty. “Honesty,” so goes a good saying, “is the best policy”. Honesty truly is the chief of policies. This means personalities or policies on their own are not valuable if they are devoid of honesty.

Honesty is the quality of being fair, morally upright, and truthful. And a real partisan politician or political party must possess this quality. Governing a nation or representing a constituent demands more than political manifestoes, policies and a team to execute them. It is more about being honest in words and deeds. Without honesty, a team will loot or mismanage resources or both; political manifestoes are mere slogans; and policies remain theories. For ex-president Jimmy Carter, the people in any nation deserve to have government as good, honest and moral as they are. It is said that more than eighteen months before he won the presidential nomination, Carter travelled the fifty states, preaching the need for moral revival in high places. The basic issue of 1976, in the view of the Democratic nominee, was the decay of morality and decline of honesty in government. He said, “The people of the country feel they’ve been betrayed. They don’t understand why something is going on in our nation’s government that is a matter of embarrassment and shame. The competence of government is not an accepted characteristic any more. No matter what a person hopes to do ultimately in life, no matter what his top hope or aspiration might be, he feels, generally, that Washington is an obstacle to the realization of that hope, rather than an asset to be tapped in the future, in the consummation of that hope”.

Ghanaians indeed “deserve to have government as good, honest and moral as they are”. The political system of Ghana should no more be made to be viewed as a breeding ground for greed, oppression, corruption, political unrest and dishonesty! An election is more than infrastructure, access to education, free quality education, agriculture, health-care, industrialization or employment. We must address the decay of morality and honesty in our government and society in general. We need moral revival in both high and low places. The political system of Ghana must be an asset, not an obstacle. Dear reader, vote for honesty. You can know them by their fruits, not policies!

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of If You Think of Your Opposition You Lose Your Position .The writer is an award-winning author of 7 books and over 250 articles.  He is also a certified life and leadership coach, a lawyer, a legal academic and a blogger.  Blog: www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com   Email: richardobengmensah@gmail.com © 10 November 2012. Updated on 7 December 2020.

TOWARDS FAIR, FREE AND PEACEFUL GENERAL ELECTION

TOWARDS FAIR, FREE AND PEACEFUL GENERAL ELECTION

Ghana is a sovereign nation; not a political party!

Elections have been a principal means of selecting leaders in most nations. It follows that elections should generally raise the hopes and aspirations of the electorates. This is because they provide the means for the electorates to either retain the respective leaders representing them or vote such representatives out of office. Thus elections create the needed atmosphere for the electorates to judge the stewardship of their representatives. They mark the tenure of office of one regime and begin another. Therefore, election periods should enhance retrospective reflections. Besides, it should create an atmosphere of love and unity instead of fear!

Fairness is vital to every peaceful election. To achieve fairness, all stakeholders need to honestly demonstrate impartiality. Impartiality generates confidence and trust. We can demonstrate impartiality by seeking the best interests of Ghana, not any political party. Ghana is a sovereign nation; not a political party! All political parties exist because of Ghana. They exist to influence the electorates with their best policy alternatives and implementation machinery. Stakeholders such as state institutions and the media should, for example, impartially educate or inform the electorates on such policies and machinery. Voting decision, like choosing a life partner, must be based on adequate information, never on emotions, ‘love’ and sentiments towards a particular political party or candidate. Besides, voting decision should be devoid of ethnocentrism.

Freedom is another key factor to ensuring peaceful election. There should be an atmosphere of freedom before, during and after the elections. The days where security forces were used to intimidate electorates, especially those in the hinterlands, are over! It must be noted that security officers are neither electoral officers nor political party agents. Their presence in any electoral area should safeguard the freedom and safety of the electorates as well as the election machinery, and nothing else. Security officers should always operate in the consciousness that they only exist to protect lives and property. Besides, right information breeds freedom. Freedom is all about knowing the truth. The NCCE and all other stakeholders must disseminate the right information to the electorates to inform their decisions. Political parties should also desist from negatively influencing some electorates with money, ‘gifts’, and dirty propaganda machinery.

Love and unity are central to any peaceful election. Real peace is a product of love and unity among the populace. Praying for the peace of Ghana is good but prayer alone does not guarantee peace. If prayer alone holds the key to peace Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Rwanda would have escaped their unfortunate national wreckages. Prayer is most effectual where love and unity exist among the populace. All peace-making agents of Ghana should therefore emphasize on the need for all electorates to relate with one another as one people with a common destiny. Every real election should unite people towards a common aspiration, never to sow discord and disaffection among them. The best political party is not necessarily the party with juicy manifesto but the one whose actions and inactions enhances peace and prosperity of Ghana. Any real political party or partisan politician primarily focuses on free, fair and peaceful election; electoral victory is secondary. Any electoral victory outside these factors is a whitewash robbery. Remember that if you get to any position under qualified you survive there by cheating. What a shame!

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of If You Think of Your Opposition You Lose Your Position.

borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

CHRISTIANITY, CHIEFTAINCY AND POLITICS IN GHAN

CHRISTIANITY, CHIEFTAINCY AND POLITICS IN GHANA

Yaw Sarfo Kantanka is generally known as a person of good character in that he does not smoke, steal and that he is morally upright. The forty-year old graduate of a Ghanaian university is diligent both in all his private affairs and public engagements. Besides, Yaw is highly admired by both the young and old at his residential area. No wonder his constituents once impressed on him to vie for a parliamentary seat. But Yaw steadfastly rejected that idea because he felt that that is not a place for good people like him. Before then, he had in different occasions rejected a request from his extended family members to serve as the head of their family, and a sub chief in their traditional area. Surprisingly, Yaw had never prayed into any of these issues to know God’s will as it relates to him.

I recently had an opportunity to interact with Yaw at a leadership conference. He said among many other things that he detests chieftaincy and partisan politics because they are not for good people. Surprisingly, Yaw was convinced of electoral victory for his preferred parliamentary and presidential candidates. He destructively criticized certain political leaders. Besides, he appealed to me to pray for the peace of Ghana and all facets of leaders in the country.

Light glows best in gross darkness. A good soldier is usually known in the midst of an intense battle; a good lawyer is usually known by her advocacy and persuasive styles in a knotty dispute; a saviour of any people is only known after dying to save their lives; and a real servant of God maintains his beliefs and faith even in a burning furnace or lions’ den! John C. Maxwell believes that “the leaders who make the greatest impact are often those who lead well in the midst of uncertainty”. Andy Stanley, another excellent leader and communicator, explained, “Uncertainty is not an indication of poor leadership. The nature of leadership demands that there always be an element of uncertainty…” Therefore, a real Christian should be able to exercise any forms of authority and still remain incorruptible. Being a Christian is not a title; it is a character!

Christianity, chieftaincy and partisan politics are strong forces insofar as Ghana’s positive growth and development are concerned. A closer study of the Bible reveals that God is a family, and His key focus is Christ-centered nation building. God used the family of Abraham to raise the nation of Israel. Chieftaincy is also vital in raising and preserving kingdoms. God used kings such as David and Solomon to govern Israel. In addition, the British were wise enough to embrace the fact without Indirect Rule, their dominance on Gold Coast Ghana would be a naked dictatorship of which fierce resistance or apathy would have occasioned.

Moreover, partisan politics is a vehicle to wheedle ideological influence which is the main essence of leadership. Thus a true political leadership enhances nation building. God for instance used Joseph and Daniel to respectively shaped nations of Egypt and Babylon. Yet some self-professed Christians perceive chieftaincy as a reserve of idol worshippers and the uneducated. And partisan politics as a dirty game which should only be played by dishonest idiots! This sounds like setting up a committee comprising dogs to formulate and implement moral policies. Praying for such dogs will do little. Don’t get me wrong; it is good to pray for our leaders and nation. But it is highly hypocritical and contradictory to pray for the flourishing of something you think is evil. Is it not the case that all authorities are ordained by God?

“All that is necessary for the victory of the evil,” in the words of Edmund Burke, “is that the good men do nothing”. For Roland Mensah, “If Christianity is the motivating factor in our lives, then it should affect our societal relationships, our view of the political system and our commitment to redeem the society in which we live. We should become involved, concerned about, and dedicated to, the principle of orderly change within our governmental system”. Martin Luther says, “If our (Christians) speaking fails to address the precise point at which the world of our time aches, we are not really preaching the Word”.

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of If You Think of Your Opposition You Lose Your Position.

richardobengmensah@gmail.com

THE PATH OF LIFE

THE PATH OF LIFE

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death –Proverbs 14:12 (NIV).

RYWA is a youth-focused movement which seeks to raise real readers, right writers, and real leaders for an improved society. Professor Antobam was once invited to deliver a keynote address at its annual YES gathering at KNUST. He however could not honour the invitation on the ground that he could not get his favourite means of transport – by sea! Surprisingly, Professor Antobam had all along thought that he could travel to Kumasi by sea.

There is always the right way to every destination. You either use that way or you get lost! For instance, one can mainly travel from Accra to Kumasi either by air or land, never by sea! Similarly, there is only one path to real life. One cannot reach the destination of real life by merely travelling by air, land, or sea. Losing the track of this path is to walk on frustrated paths of life. The signposts on frustrated paths are death, deceptions, destructions, dissatisfaction, doubts, failures, frustrations, thievery and all manner of wickedness. On the other hand, the signposts on the path of real life are: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In sum, the path of real life is full of joy and real pleasure. Life valleys, mountains and crookedness cannot sabotage this kind of joy and pleasure.

The path of life can only be known at God’s presence. David prayed in Psalm 16:11(NIV), “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand”. Thus real joy and eternal pleasures of life are enveloped in God. The gates and courts of God’s presence are only accessible by thanksgiving and praises. And the path to these gates is owned by Jesus Christ. To walk on this path demands that we become the sheep of Jesus so that he can usher us to God’s presence.

The path of life is full of eternal pastures, peace and overflowing prosperity. Those who truly walk on it never want anything in life. David walked on this path and later testified in Psalm 23 as follows, “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever”.

The path of life can only be shown (Psalm 25:4) by Jesus because God has accredited its licence to him. No wonder he is the only person in history who has been bold enough to declare that, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him” - John 14:6-7. It is only through Jesus that we can enter the gates of God’s presence (John 10:7-10) because he is the good shepherd. As the good shepherd he only shepherds sheep, never goats. Goats unlike sheep walk on different paths of life with the aim of seeking God. But they never get to know Him. The only way to know God is to know Jesus; knowing Jesus is equal to knowing God. We can only know Jesus when we become his sheep (disciple). A real disciple of Jesus totally depends on him for everything. Do you depend on Jesus for everything?

Richard Obeng Mensah, co-author of 37 Benefits of Reading. borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

WHO IS A CHRISTIAN?

WHO IS A CHRISTIAN?

“…And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” – Acts 11:26(NIV).

The terms believer, Christian, and disciple have one thing in common; relationship. Despite this, they have some striking differences although each one leads to the other. For instance, believing births a person into a family; an intimate relationship with the head of that family makes that person a disciple of the head of the family; and that disciple while fulfilling his assignments as Jesus did is christened as a Christian by others. Thus a disciple of Jesus who executes her divine mandates is usually referred to as a Christian by other people. At what point then can a disciple be referred as a Christian? Till we see Christ in that disciple. A certain philosopher once said, “I will become a Christian the day I see one”. Thus a real Christian is Jesus in the flesh (visible Jesus). That person is like a written letter, the content of which is Jesus!

Christianity is all about relationships; it is never a religion. The relationships are two-fold:  absolute love for God, and qualified love for one’s neighbours. In other words, a person who desires to have a fruitful relationship with God must love Him with all of that person’s heart, might, and soul. Besides, that person must love his neighbour as himself. In Christianity, there are levels of relationships with God – believer (childhood), disciple (adulthood), and Christian (epistle of Christ). However, each level of the relationships must be founded on Jesus Christ.

God gives power to all persons who believe in the name of Jesus and receive him to become His sons (John 1:12). The power denotes the leadings of the Holy Spirit; become indicates a process and sons signifies maturity. Thus believing Jesus births a child of God. This child must grow in her faith in God through Jesus Christ in order to become a daughter of God. A real daughter or son of God must be lead by the Holy Spirit in every aspect of that person’s life. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” – Romans 8:14(KJV). All persons who are truly led by the Holy Spirit primarily seek to expand God’s kingdom on earth. They have also totally surrendered to the directions of the Holy Spirit by crucifying their personal desires. Thus a son of God becomes a disciple if that person takes up his cross (God-given assignment (purpose)) and follows Jesus Christ always. Following Jesus requires that that son must abide in God’s Word (John 15). The Word of God is thus the standard for everything that son does. This son then becomes a disciple of Jesus. Real disciples of Jesus are called Christians by others; but Jesus calls them friends! Besides, Jesus sees obedient disciples as his brothers and sisters.

A “born again” person is not necessarily a Christian! Similarly, a Law student is not a lawyer; he is only a potential lawyer. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote, ‘…Through Christ, a repentant humanity may yet receive God’s GIFT of His Holy Spirit. To Nicodemus Christ said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”…Jesus explained, “That which is born of the flesh IS FLESH, and that which is born of the Spirit IS SPIRIT” (John 3:6). Man came from the ground. He IS flesh. Jesus was not talking about another physical birth or experience of conversion in this life – but about a spiritual birth…This Spirit-begotten Christian now has, conditionally, the PRESENCE OF ETERNAL LIFE-GOD LIFE-within him(or her), but He is NOT YET born an immortal SPIRIT BEING-not yet composed wholly of SPIRIT. He is now an heir of God as the son of a wealthy man is the heir of his father-but NOT YET “born again” –NOT YET an inheritor or a possessor. But IF His Holy Spirit dwells in us, God will, at Christ’s coming back to Earth as King of kings, “quicken” to immortality our mortal bodies BY His Spirit that dwells in us (Rom. 8:11; 1Cor. 15:49-53).’

Truly, ‘Satan has managed to deceive most of fundamentalist Christianity into believing they are already “born again” on accepting Christ. But just as in human reproduction when the HUMAN characteristics of form and shape and the human body and brain gradually begin to form during the period of gestation, so now the RIGHTEOUS and HOLY CHARACTER of God begins to take form and GROW”. This means that becoming a real Christian is not a sprint but a marathon. A believer of Jesus Christ ought not to just end at conversion but must be nourished and fed on God’s Word always. Besides, there must be continual and earnest prayer. These enhance the growth and character development (the fruit of the Spirit) process of that believer. Armstrong added, “Yet much of this spiritual character development comes through the Christian fellowship with other spiritually begotten people in God’s Church. Further, just as the human physical embryo and fetus are given physical nourishment through the human mother, God’s Church is the spiritual MOTHER of its members”.

A believer does not become a Christian merely by a passage of time and experience in Christianity. Jimmy Carter, before he became the 39^th president of the USA, was caged in this deception. He once confessed, “…I was asked by my denominational leaders to go on a pioneer mission effort. On the telephone, I said, ‘What am I supposed to do? I don’t know anything about mission work’. They said, ‘You just have to be willing, for a one-week period, to give your life completely to God, with no strings attached.’ Carter paused, smiled, and then resumed a serious expression. “At first I said, ‘Well, that’s easy.’ And then I reflected that, although I had been a Christian for thirty years, I had probably never given my life to God with no strings attached for even fifteen minutes.” The pause was even longer. And there was no smile. “And I went off on this mission later on and got a new perspective for Christianity, what it meant, in a personal way.” This means that a real Christian is a disciple of Jesus Christ who has wholly given his life to God with no strings attached for even a second! Are you a real Christian?

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of Persecutions are Promotions.

borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

HOW TO DEFEAT YOUR ENEMIES

HOW TO DEFEAT YOUR ENEMIES

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation- Psalms 119:98-99 (KJV).

The words adversary, enemy, and foe have one thing in common; opposition! However, these three words are strikingly different in meaning. Your adversary competes or fights against you; your enemy usually hates and desires to harm you; and your foe may be your adversary or your enemy. However, unlike adversary or enemy one does not usually know his foe. In other words, your foe is your flourishing adversary or enemy; flourishing because you are not aware of that person’s opposing schemes. Nevertheless, the weapon to defeat any of them is the same – divine wisdom! Divine wisdom will make you wiser than your enemies.

Enemies are always with us; it does not matter whether we have done wrong or not. The truth is that adversities or animosities also afflict the innocent, although they cannot conquer that person. Thus innocence neither prevents nor cures opposition. In fact good and righteous deeds attract more deadly enemies than wickedness. No wonder Satan and his cohorts greatly hate God and any persons who delight to serve and worship Him. Studies have shown that there are four principalities; eight powers; and one trillion demons on the organizational structure of the Dark kingdom, and all these forces seek to attack God’s kingdom on earth. The more wickedness a demon is able to wreak on earth; the higher that demon’s promotion in the demonic realm. This means that wickedness is the hallmark of enemies. People who are both prayerful and  live holy are their worst enemies, and their main targets.

It is impossible to enjoy any forms of blessings or victories without the real involvement of God. By God, you can run through countless and fiercest troops and leap over walls, even skyscrapers! Of course a person can attain success or victory outside God; but we ought to remember that that kind of success or victory is just a shadow! Real enemies usually do not waste their efforts in contesting or fighting against shadow success because it is a vapourized package.  All that is needed to diffuse vapour is wind or heat, and almost everyday nature causes them to operate. Thus all that your real enemies need to do is to control the elemental forces of nature to operate against you. This explains why the devil and his cohorts always try to influence human affairs through the elements.

It therefore goes without saying that you need divine wisdom to defeat your enemies. Divine wisdom is the right application of the right knowledge. This kind of wisdom “is profitable,” in the words of Ecclesiastes 10:10, “to direct”. Thus the right knowledge profitably directs. The Bible contains the directions to deal with any kind of opposition. To understand these directions, you need to identify and meditate on a particular direction that deals with your opposition. You need however to pass God’s meekness test. “He guides the humble (meek) in what is right and teaches them his way” – Psalm 25:9(NIV). Humble people through Jesus Christ surrender their lives to God, the only wise Supreme Being. Besides, God is the only teacher of righteousness and holiness, both of which make a person invincible to all forms of opposition. Invincible persons meditate on God’s word always, and do them.

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of right your writing.

borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

PEOPLE TO AVOID

PEOPLE TO AVOID

Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people –

2 Timothy 3:5(NIV).

Godliness denotes righteousness, holiness, saintliness, goodness, piousness and devoutness, among others. It is thus great to be a godly person because godliness is a great virtue. Besides, godliness with content is a great gain. It may therefore appear that all godly people are assets. Consequently, a person may be tempted to desire a godly person as a friend, mentor, role model, wife, husband, leader, or business partner. However, a mere godly person can be dangerous!

Real godliness has both form and substance. The form denotes appearance and countenance of a godly person. This appearance is mostly deceptive. Persons who have only a form of godliness are beautiful on the outside but stinks on the inside. They glory in their appearance and are only known after the flesh. Besides, they are not integrated in that their words are miles apart from their actions. In fact, their words and deeds are two parallel rivers. Such people usually eloquently preach virtues but practice vices. Like, empty barrels, they make the most noise! Besides, they are usually people pleasers and yearn for societal acceptance by compromising on godly virtues. On the other hand, the substance of godliness is the inward make-up of a godly person. Persons having godly inward make-up may appear ordinary or ugly on the outside but glitters on the inside. Such persons simply harbour hidden gems. Their true worth is discernibly measured in gold. They potently possess both the real form and substance of godliness. They are usually known after the Spirit. It goes without saying that they are people of integrity (character).

People who have only the form of godliness are dangerous! They are dangerous because they consciously or unconsciously serve as agents and employees of the Devil. The Devil is no respecter of persons; he only respects divine power. However, persons with only the form of godliness by their attitudes deny the reality of divine power to deal with all situations. They are usually dominated by fear and easily succumb to devilish attacks and maneuvers. Therefore, meddling with such persons is to naively quench one’s faith and expose oneself to unnecessary spiritual attacks. It is more like an eagle flocking with chickens; it becomes a cheap prey to a chicken hawk. But real eagles soar heights. Besides, they keep the company of only eagles.

Today, many so-called Christians have clothed themselves with godliness but by their attitudes they deny God’s power in His word. They profess the power of God yet they deny its efficacy in all human endeavours. They thus believe more in hollow human philosophies such as economic, legal, medical and political theories than the word of God. In other words, they easily conform to the standards of this world than that of God. Their god and appetite are respectively what they should be ashamed of and their belly! Besides, they are carnally minded. Consequently, they refuse to totally surrender their lives to the leadings of the Holy Spirit and divine guidance. “…Have nothing to do with such people.” We are wrestling with powers, not flesh and blood. God has thus given us the Spirit of power. Therefore, to put on a form of godliness and deny its power is to surrender to the evil powers. Such persons are clearly enemies of God; wisely avoid them! To be equally yoked with such people is to commit spiritual suicide. Wise up!

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of right your writing.

borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

THE IDOLATRY OF LEARNING

Always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth - 2Timothy 3:7(NIV).

      Learning is central to the acquisition of any forms of knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Knowledge, wisdom and understanding are the sacred secret keys of any forms of prosperity. Knowledge enhances speedy and stability in any adventure; wisdom is fundamental to profiting from any forms of knowledge; and understanding makes knowledge both concrete and visible to an average person of ordinary intelligence. Certainly, “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold” – Proverbs 3:13-14(NIV). However, not every kind of learning guarantees acquisition of the knowledge of truth (Jesus Christ). The highest form of learning is knowing and abiding in the knowledge of the truth. Real learned persons know and abide in the knowledge of the truth. Without knowing and abiding in the knowledge of the truth, lengthy learning is lethal because its knowledge becomes a grievous nuisance, and its wisdom is reduced to a practical foolishness.

    

     We live in a deceptive world. Good success in this world is all about overcoming deceptions. The more deceptions a person overcomes; the greater the heights that person rises in life. One of such deceptions is that all forms of learning guarantees good success. But this is a fatal false! It has for example been said that there are three main learned professions on earth namely- Law, Medicine, and. Clergy. This is not wholly true. Perhaps, this deep-seated perception keeps on ranging because it takes a lot of learning to become a lawyer, a medical doctor, and clergy. Lawyers are, for example, mostly referred as the learned people because it requires both great discipline and industry to become and remain one! However, only real lawyers are learned lawyers. If mere learning were to be the sole criterion for measuring greatness professors might positively transform this world. Many so-called learned people and professors across the globe are at best living frustrated lives. They may overtly appear better in the eyes the public but only God knows what they are suffering within! Their belly and mind are full of turbulent tumors and turmoil! They are bereft of real peace and fulfillment.

    

      Real learners through Jesus Christ know God. Knowing God is the highest form of learning. People who know God through Jesus are real learned people. Real learned people always wax strong and do exploits. Thus uncommon strength and exploits are proofs of real learning. Their wisdom builds, their understanding establishes whatever they build and through their knowledge their establishments are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. Besides, by their wisdom and knowledge they, respectively, prevail through power, and muster strength always. This means that real learned persons are strong in all circumstances and situations. No wonder Apostle Paul soberly confessed, “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ. I want to know Christ--yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…” –Philippians 3:8, 10 (NIV). Garbage is a product of idol learning.

   

      Idolatry is anything that turns a person from the knowledge of the truth. For J.P. Timmons, “…We should be careful to define idolatry also. It is not just the worship of graven images, sticks and stones. It is these but much more. Anything can be idol. In America, most people’s idol is money, sex, entertainment or sports. Whatever you spend the most of time doing and thinking about, is your god”. True! Today, many people are preoccupied with acquiring all kinds of academic qualifications but have little or no delight in knowing their Creator. They worship garbage learning instead of God through Jesus! Academic logos and human wisdom are their greatest pursuit. But real learning does not come from certifications and award of academic degrees. Knowing Jesus is the key! The rests are offshoot. Do you really know Jesus? Is he the centre and the focus of your life? Judge yourself!

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of Persecutions are Promotions. borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

THE UNITED HEART

THE UNITED HEART

 The heart is a vital part of the human body. A body without an active heart is dead! Without it, human life is reduced to vanity; because the heart is the source of issues of life. No heart; no issues of life. Issues of life are general concerns of life. This means that concerns of life depends on conditions of human hearts. Thus whether or not mankind enjoys the goodies of life is solely dependent of the heart of mankind. A united heart for instance produces love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law! It goes without saying that keeping the heart with all diligence is the key to enjoying a prosperous life. King Solomon of immeasurable riches and wisdom aptly advised, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” – Proverbs 4:23(NIV).

  Heart guidance is life guidance; and good life is a product of a guided heart. The heart is a small part of the human body yet it determines its actions and inactions. Although the tongue controls human life, without the heart the tongue is voiceless. “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth (tongue) speaks.” A guided heart thus guarantees abundant life because it is able to unite all issues of life towards God. No wonder King David, the greatest king in history, in Psalm 86:11(KJV) prayed, “Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name”.  No wonder he is credited with leading his subjects “according to the integrity of his heart (character) and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands”.

A person with a divided heart may be right in the head (knowledge) and hands (skills) but wrong in the heart (character).  It has been observed that there are many people in society who are very competent but do not have character; and  there are many people in the church with character but are not competent. For General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, a retired United States Army General, “To lead in the 21^st century…you will be required to have both character and competence”. He however confesses that, “Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without strategy”. This means that character is superior to competence (strategy). Stephen Covey laments that “90% of leadership failures are character failures”.  Ken Blanchard’s useful guide is very instructive, “The journey of a leader starts with the heart, with motivation and intent. Then it must travel through the head, which is the leader’s belief system (values), to their habits (attributes) and finally to their skills (what they do). When your heart, head habits and skills are aligned, extraordinary levels of loyalty, trust and productivity will result. When these areas are out of alignment, frustration, mistrust and diminished long-term productivity will result”.

A united heart potently aligns a person’s heart with that person’s head and hands.                                                                                            This great feat takes a conscious effort. Charisma is truly a gift but one has to pay a price for character. Character building is costly; it is usually a long painful process. For instance, it calls for crucifying our past, pride, priorities, paradigms, pleasures, and our very persons. Therefore, left to oneself, character building will be unachievable. It takes something higher than self to build character. One needs Jesus Christ to achieve this great feat. Jesus freely gives the Holy Spirit to anyone who receives him as that person’s only Lord and Saviour. It is only through the help of the Holy Spirit that character building becomes a reality. Why don’t you invite Jesus into your life right now if you have not received him? On the other hand, if you have received Jesus but you are still struggling with character issues, it may mean that you have not totally yielded to the Holy Spirit. Repent now!

Richard Obeng Mensah, co-author of 37 Benefits of Reading. borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

CRITERIA FOR DERTERMINING A DEVELOPED NATION

CRITERIA FOR DERTERMINING A DEVELOPED NATION

We pride ourselves in the Western world on our scientific knowledge. Yet this knowledge is largely confined to the physical world…We know so very little about spiritual things-our spiritual acumen is quite low – J.P. Timmons.

It is great to be a developed nation. A developed nation is generally perceived as a nation which has overcome most of its developmental challenges. A challenge is said to be a call to confrontation. Thus a developed nation may be perceived as a nation which has successfully confronted most of its challenges.  Conversely, a nation which is still wrestling with most of its developmental challenges may be perceived as a developing nation or an underdeveloped nation, depending on the degree and extent of its challenges. However, a real developed nation is more than a perception! Real developed nations are nations that are mature in body (people), soul (mindset of her people), and spirit (love and unity among the people). Besides, whether or not a nation is developed must be determined in God’s perspective, never in humanistic perspective!

The planet Earth is the Lord’s; the people and all that is in it. The people on the earth comprise individuals, family units, communities, societies, nations and continents. The people in a particular community, nation or continent generally have a common body, soul and spirit. The body denotes their personality and idiosyncrasies; the soul is their mindset and paradigm; and the spirit connotes the degree and nature of their relationships. The relationship is two-fold: right relationship with their Owner (God), and among themselves. The supreme governing laws on earth emanates from God, the Manufacturer. The Manufacturer has a manual which details such laws. The manual is the Holy Bible; its precepts are timeless, universally applicable, unbiased and have determinable consequences!  For example, throwing real human moral principles to dogs is courting catastrophe and shipwreck. It is high time we took lessons from what caused the downfall of the erstwhile great nations like Babylon and Egypt. Today, many so-called developed nations are electrically crumpling and declining because they have exchanged real human moral principles with that of animals.

God is the creator and owner of the world; it goes without saying that the criteria for assessing whether or not any nation on earth is developed are His sole prerogative! In the beginning of time, God created Heaven and Earth. He evaluated His entire creation and concluded that they are good! However, sin corrupted God’s creation through the disobedience of mankind. God came down to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ and spiritually healed the earth. He however, left the physical healing in the hands of mankind. Thus mankind has been spiritually restored to its original glorious position which it lost at the beginning of time. It is now mandated to make the earth good by physically recreating this defiled world. The procedures and methods for mankind to complete this awesome task have been clearly and simply expressed in the Manufacturer’s manual-the Bible.

A developed nation is therefore a nation which has been able to recreate its part of the world in the way prescribed in the Bible. The main criterion is that its people must be reconnected to their Maker through Jesus Christ. Secondly, its people must be transformed by the renewal of their mind (mindset and paradigm) in order to be physically healed from the corrupt mindset of the defiled world, and also in order not to conform to its deceptive colourful and sugary appeals. Thirdly, its people must endeavour to live in love and unity.  

Is there any developed nation on earth? Definitely, the answer lies not in the mouth the UN, EU, AU, ECOWAS, or the West, but God! Fortunately for us, the answer is contained in the Bible. It is simply No! In case you have doubts, read the Bible for yourself.

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of Persecutions are Promotions. borncapy@yahoo.com/www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com

POLITICS WITHOUT PRINCIPLES

POLITICS WITHOUT PRINCIPLES

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (Emphasis is mine) - John15:5(KJV).

Real politics is a vital branch of human life. It is pivotal to modern developmental agenda of real civilized societies. Besides, politics epitomizes the real essence of real leadership-influence. Real “leadership”, it is said, “is influence, nothing more; nothing less”. And politics is one of the vehicles to wheedle this influence. Indeed politics is a wheedler of persuasion which is central to influence. Therefore, politics is one of the primary traits of mankind. In essence, every real human being, including even pastors and preachers, is a politician! However, not all persons are partisan politicians. Real politics hinges on real leadership principles. Politics becomes dirty if it is devoid of such principles. And anything devoid of real leadership principles is both polluted and poisonous. God is never against real politics; He only detests toxic politics because it defiles His creation. Creation is defiled whenever there is politics without principles.

Politics without principles breeds toxics. This means that politics without principles is dirty and poisonous, or, you may say, pollution, for the sake of cheap civility! Dirty politics is therefore the product of toxic politics. Poisonous politicians are the architects and agents of toxic politics. Dirty propaganda is their key political strategy. Poisonous politicians are carnally cantankerous, critically incorrect, increasingly indecorous, deeply dishonest, highly hypocritical, pompously prideful, morally bankrupt, insignificantly productive, uncivilized, self-centred, and wicked!

However, Albert and Comfort Ocran rightly argue that a real political aspirant must pursue a partisan politics that is “characterized by a sense of diligence, conscience, character, strong moral fibre, an awareness of our humanity and an unwavering commitment to a set of (real) principles”. Truly, “The failure to inculcate this balanced perspective into our approach (of leadership) has contributed to the increasing spate of emerging leaders in fields like politics, (Christianity), religion, and business who are so much in a hurry to attain wealth and power but unwilling to endure the process, investment and diligent effort required to get there. They love the fruits but despise the gradual, systematic processes required to get it”. No wonder “a society that struggles to cope with crumbling values seeks to conveniently rewrite the rules and suggest that one’s character and moral failings do not matter as long as there is competence and technical ability”. This growing deception underpins why morality in so-called civilized societies is relegated to the background. Hollow and cheap civility can never replace real principles of life. Without them, society breaks! Dr. Stephen R. Covey, a leadership expert, said it best when he wrote, “Purely intellectual development without commensurate internal character development makes as much sense as putting a high-powered sports car in the hands of a teenager who is high in drugs”. Europe and the Western world are painfully learning the truth that without morality, their development gains are only a shadow and shaky! No godly morals; no real civility and life!

Jesus is the vine of human life, and real politics is one of its branches. Life without the vine is vain; a branch without a vine bleeds; and politics without Jesus is a dirty joke! A branch cannot bear fruits of itself; it must be connected to the vine, lest it withers. A branch needs constant nourishment from the vine to flourish. Therefore, politics without Jesus is fruitless! Thus without Jesus, a politician cannot be fruitful. This means that Jesus is the epitome of real leadership principles. Without him, politics withers and catches fire! This explains why unhealthy conflicts and wailing wars blaze in societies devoid of real politics. Such societies eventually become fruitless because dirty politics set their resources ablaze. To Mahatma Gandhi, there are “seven deadly sins” that would destroy the world. They are wealth without work; pleasure without conscience; knowledge without character; commerce without morality; science without humanity; worship without sacrifice; and politics without principles”. True! Gandhi in essence hypothesizes that even in the most crucial areas of lives; there was no room to build anything without (real) principles and a sense of character. I therefore agree with Dr. Stephen R. Covey that “…At the root of societal declines are foolish practices that represent violations of correct principles”. Thus people and society experience real prosperity when they operate in harmony with real (correct) principles. Jesus is the core of real principles. He is the leader of leaders.

A real politician is a disciple of real principles. Such a politician follows procedures for achieving any result. There is a proper procedure for every matter. This means that there is a right way (to think or act) in every situation. Real principles are the right ways. They are absolute! It is a sad commentary that in today’s world many people would want us to believe that there are no absolutes in life. However, no matter your race, colour, creed or where on earth you find yourself there are always absolute (real) principles. Real principles are fundamental fixed laws, universal truths, timeless precepts, and are laws that have determinable consequences! They are not partial (have no favourites), values (preferences, societal, cultural and tribal norms), and practices (traditions). More importantly, real principles are fruitful if applied rightly.

     The fruit of real principles is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. This means that the effect of real principles is superior to the strength of humanistic laws. Without them, humanistic laws at best idolizes immorality, demonizes democracy, promotes lusts instead of love, manages and maintain crises instead of enhancing peace, and makes mockery of justice. For instances, most legal instruments and religious codes fruitlessly try to preach and promote peace and shadow justice instead of real justice. They thus place the cart before the horse. Certainly, it is ridiculous to pursue real peace outside real justice. It is worth noting that world peace is never God’s peace-real peace. While real peace transcends human understanding, world peace is based on human understanding. Real peace is the product of the godly balanced of justice and mercy anchored in the truth. It therefore goes without saying that it takes real love to achieve real justice, and subsequently real peace. Real peace thrives on the branches of love and unity.

A real politician is a politician who is deeply connected to Jesus and his real principles of life. Such a politician practices politics through the channels of real principles. He knows that without Jesus he is only a leader just in title and position. But leadership is not in titles but in towels, and positional leaders are insecure leaders. Insecure leaders rule by coercive power. “The flip side of this kind of exercise of power,” in the words of Albert and Comfort Ocran, “is that followers often resent the leader and quietly look for ways to subvert the system. Coercive power often breeds hypocritical followers whose loyalty is barely skin-deep. Relationships based on coercive power are transient and are characterized by suspicion, deception and dishonesty. When the leader’s controlling system is removed, everything disappears. (Nations) built on this basis are ultimately headed for disaster”. If you are a partisan politician, it is not too late to be a real politician. Get connected to Jesus!

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of If You Think of Your Opposition You Lose Your Position. The writer is an award-winning author of 7 books and over 250 articles. He is also a certified life and leadership coach, a lawyer, a legal academician and a blogger. Blog: richardobengmensah@gmail.com Email: www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com