THE PREGNANT VIRGIN

THE PREGNANT VIRGIN

Afia Noway was highly admired, liked and loved by both the young and old alike. She was a proud native of Dwakrom City. Dwakrom was well known for its fervent trading and religious activities. Noway was well known in her native land. Her electric fame was grounded on her unique beauty and character. As a true Christian, righteous and holy living was her most important pursuit in life. She was a staunch member of Looking unto Jesus Ministries. Noway was among others the leader of the singing group.  Pastor Hasty Carnal, her pastor, was proud of her and always mentioned her name during service and appeal especially to the young congregants to emulate her. Of course, Noway was a pure virgin. But one day she was found to be pregnant. Both her church and the entire Dwakrom community were not convinced of her explanation for the pregnancy. To her mind, she has never known any male person. The church expelled her in accordance with its Constitution, and the community banned her based on its custom. Was justice being done?

Justice is mostly never achieved by merely applying applicable laws to relevant facts. Application of applicable laws to relevant facts may definitely lead to judgment, not necessarily justice. Judgment is never justice. It has been variously said that justice emanates from the people. False! Justice emanates only from God. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Therefore, it is impossible to do justice outside God and His Word. People may easily accuse or judge a matter, not so with justice! While judgment is mainly based on the use of the senses justice is spiritually discerned.  Judgment mainly emanates from the seeing of the eyes and hearing of the ears. Justice on the other hand flows from righteousness judgment and equity. Justice is always surrounded by mercy, peace, righteousness and truth. For instance, through truth, justice dispenses freedom. Thus there is no freedom outside justice. 

Joseph, Daniel, Prophet Hosea and Virgin Mary once found themselves in complicated matters. Joseph was wrongly accused of rape and thrown into prison; Daniel was innocently cast into a lion’s den for praying to God; Prophet Hosea was commanded by God to marry a prostitute and he obeyed; and Virgin Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Perhaps, they were criticized, condemned, damned, and wrongly judged by many people. By human judgment, they were guilty but before God they were blameless. Their generations inflicted injustice against them but God decreed justice in their favour. People scorned and rejected them but God glorified them. 

Jesus Christ, God’s incarnate, was even judged and punished more severely. People questioned his birth and ministry. His power and authority were attributed to devilish powers. Jesus was also opposed and rejected by his own Jewish brethren because of wrong judgment. God never forbids us from accusing, criticizing, or judging people. He however forbids us from doing so falsely or wrongly. We accuse falsely or judge wrongly when we ignore God and His word and rely on our senses and physical facts to do so. How will you judge Afia Noway?

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

LEGALISTIC RIGHTEOUNESS

LEGALISTIC RIGHTEOUNESS

“…Touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” – Philippians 3:6 (KJV).

I like Right Your Writing Association (RYWA) for its unique greeting (RYWA!), and response (The Right Group). For RYWA, any human activities including right writing must be done in the right way, at the right time (now), and with the right-self (passion!). RYWA also seeks to right human wrongs by inculcating the habit of real reading and right writing in real people to raise real leaders. Doing things in the right way usually calls for obeying some principles and procedures relating to a particular action.

Real judges and lawyers are practitioners of both principles and procedures in all or relevant fields of Law. In addition, real persons are law-abiding. They endeavour to obey the laws (with their procedures) of any society they may find themselves. Besides, parents mostly love their obedient children. Obedience is a great virtue! It can make and unmake a person; ask King Saul. However, obedience does not always denote real righteousness. Besides, lawfulness does not always denote real righteousness.  For instance, right to sexual orientation (same-sex) as lawful as it may be, it can NEVER pass the real test of real righteousness (good morality and good conscience). It at best licenses naked demonstration of depravity of the human mind; ask God. God eventually rejects depraved minds. “All things are lawful but not all things are expedient…” Real lawyers like Apostle Paul know this. Law and order does not necessarily exalt a nation, real righteousness does! Constitutional governance is not a substitute for righteous governance. Real righteousness eliminates sin. Besides, it aims at promoting purity and integrity.

Real righteousness is being right with God. There are two types of righteousness-real righteousness and legalistic righteousness. Real righteousness is imputed upon human beings (born-again persons) by God based on His mercy. Thus such persons contribute nothing to acquire their righteous state. God favourably imputes it upon born-again persons and command them to live holy or pure lives towards their fellow human beings. Thus whilst real righteousness is towards God; purity (honesty) is towards human beings. Purity must be in the heart, at the hand, and in thought. It calls for integrity and honourable living. Besides, it demands living at peace with all persons. Thus real righteousness and holiness are one coin with two sides. Legalistic righteousness on the other hand is acquired through human efforts. It comes by knowing, practicing or obeying laws, even strictly. Whilst real righteousness is inward (towards God), legalistic righteousness is expressive or outward (towards human beings). The main product of legalistic righteousness is hypocrisy; ask the Pharisees and the Scribes. This means that legalistic righteousness is devoid of holiness. It is lawfulness divorced from integrity.

Apostle Paul was blameless or flawless in keeping the law. He obeyed it to the letter. Paul was admirably counted righteous for obeying the law. But his righteousness was legalistic. No wonder he later counted it as garbage for the sake of knowing Jesus Christ. Garbage life is life outside Jesus Christ. Obedience to laws without Jesus is rubbish! It is vanity of vanities. True!

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of right your writing.

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

DILIGENCE IS SUPERIOR TO HARDWORK

DILIGENCE IS SUPERIOR TO HARDWORK

Many people cling to tradition. The assumption is that if something is tradition, it must be a better way. But that’s not necessarily so – John C. Maxwell.

It is said in many cycles that in the world of dictionaries, hardwork always precede, speaking alphabetically, success. Human traditions also assume that hardwork is a condition precedent to a successful living. Unfortunately, however, the conclusions of both the world of dictionaries and human traditions are not true, although they convey some logical sense. Firstly, in a real world of dictionaries, diligence precedes real hardwork and real success. Thus real hardwork, speaking mathematically, is a subset of diligence (being the universal set). Secondly, mere hardwork never translates into a successful living; real hardwork does the job! Thus real successful living is a product of diligence, not necessarily hardwork. Hardwork may just be a ‘harsh-work’, or, say, slavery. It usually pains or brings sorrows, although it pays sometimes. Diligence on the other hand dignifies, rewards, and satisfies. Whilst hardwork is self-centred, diligence is God-centred. Besides, whilst God is the rewarder of diligence, humanbeings are the ‘rewarders’ of hardwork. In addition, diligence has eternal value but that of mere hardwork is both temporal and temporarily. Finally, whilst hardwork is job related, diligence is work related.

The true formula for real successful living is as simple as reciting ABCD. Where A denotes seeking first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness; B denotes discovery of a person’s God-given purpose, gifts and talents; C denotes developing the discovered gifts and talents; and D denotes the diligence pursue of the discovered purpose by voluntarily serving humanity with the developed gifts and talents. Doing ABCD gives a person a work. Not doing ABCD on the other hand gives a person a job. Work is different from a job. Whilst work is your God-given assignment on earth, job is what you are just paid to do. Thus whilst work is service-driven, job is money-driven. Work demands diligence but job demands a mere hardwork. Therefore, engaging oneself in an official or personal task from 8am to 5pm and so forth is not working but ‘jobbing’ (if it is outside doing ABCD). Similarly, real best students are diligent, not necessarily hardworking. Diligent students are ABCD-driven; ask Daniel, Paul, and Jesus!

God has expressly stated in a plain language that, “…Without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please (Him): for he that (come) to (Him) MUST believe that (He) is a REWARDER of them that DILIGENTLY seek (Him)”- Hebrew 11:6(KJV) (Emphasis is mine). God is ONLY pleased by faith. Faith simply means doing ABCD. God rewards ONLY those who do ABCD. Unfortunately, many people are living the deception that hardwork in any human-chosen endeavour or venture attracts blessings from God. Even thieves work hard to steal. Perhaps, those who think that way have forgotten that Satan once offered to give Jesus the whole world if he would just worship him (Satan). Jesus rejected the offer because he knew that without doing ABCD it is impossible to please God. God ONLY blesses what pleases Him. He greatly takes pleasure (is pleased with) in persons who DILIGENTLY seek to KNOW who He is! Are you doing ABCD or you are “jobbing”? Please be wise!

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of Persecution are Promotions.

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

WHERE IS YOUR TREASURE?

WHERE IS YOUR TREASURE?

“Many studies have revealed that the average person possesses 500 to 700 different skills and abilities - far more than you can realize” - Rick Warren.

How will you describe Prof. Dr. Dr. Kofi Antobam? Prof. Antobam is a product of Yale University. As a Law professor of 55 years good standing, the 85-year old Antobam has lectured in about 30 Law Faculties and 15 Law Schools in many countries across the globe. Five years ago, some public-spirited, non-partisan, and non-profit global Christian movements, among other things, awarded Prof. Antobam one billion Pounds Sterling for his service to humanity. Despite being conscious of his aging life, Prof. Antobam decided to use 50% of the money on his daily needs (until his death), and to hide the remaining amount in a treasure hole under an armchair in his living room for future eventualities. I met Prof. Antobam at a leadership conference in Accra, Ghana, a fortnight ago. The disappointed professor recounted how the house in which he was a tenant had been set ablaze by some unidentified mob while he was on a holiday trip to Israel. He was very frustrated and worried because he had already spent 45% of his global monetary award on things that make him happy.

The Holy Bible (See: Matthew 24:14-30) recounts a story of a certain man and his three servants. The man before travelling into a far country gave the three servants five talents, two talents and one talent, according to their abilities. The servant who received the five talents traded with them and gained five other talents. Likewise, the servant who had received the two talents gained two other talents. But the servant that had one talent went to dig up the earth, and hid his lord’s treasure (talent). After a long time the lord of those servants returned and called on them to render accounts. The lord commended the faithfulness of the first and second servants who received and worked with their five and two talents respectively, and set them rulers over many other things. The lord however described the servant who received the one talent as wicked and slothful. He further instructively took the one talent from him, and gave it to the servant who had the ten talents. Besides, the wicked servant was severely punished.

Like the wicked servant and Prof. Antobam, many people have hidden their God-given talents in the earth (ground). They have refused to trade with them.  Real laziness is refusing to work with your God-given talents. Some have not even made the attempt to discover them at all. Many more people do not even appreciate the purpose and value of their talents.

Real treasure is a product of wisely making good use of your discovered talents. Talents use the raw material of time to produce treasures. This means that serving humankind with your discovered God-given talents at every moment (time) of your life is the only secret to your great treasures. Any person who diligently uses his discovered God-given talents shall surely stand before great people. Certainly, with an ordinary talent and extra-ordinary perseverance nothing is impossible! We must therefore discover, develop (by voluntarily serving humankind with them) and trade with our talents. For Bishop Dag-Heward Mills, “If you are too busy to (discover and) develop your potential (talents), then you are too busy (for nothing)”. Parentheses are mine.

A wasted life is a product of not discovering, developing, or using one’s talents. The fact that you are seemingly being productive in what you are doing does not mean that you are or will be successful. Real success is permanent! Everything God does is forever! What have you been doing with your 24 hours? Do you spend your time on your job or work? Your job only gives you a salary or wage but your work is what you were created to do. Discovering, developing, and trading with your God-given talents (work) gives you “sweatless” treasures and satisfaction.

God has deposited 500 to 700 talents in your being! That is why it is wisely said that your future (greatness) is in you. Your education or job can never make you that great person God created you to be. Education at best will help you to rightly use your five senses to effectually make the most of your talents. Any form of education that is not integrated with one’s talents is a certified frustration. Many frustrated persons in life have been educated outside their talents. No wonder many balloon graduates continue to wrestle with unemployment.  Their so-called education never taught them that their real employers are within their bosom-talents. Your talents are naturally designed by God to cause you to appear before great people (employers). Your qualifications are your talents! Real employers employ the services of real employees for their gifts, talents and skills, nothing more; nothing else.

Real talents are God-given. However, they can only be discovered when a person has a right relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus through the Holy Spirit enables a person to spiritually discern that person’s talents. No real talent is discovered, developed nor profitably used by human efforts. Human efforts will at best help you to hide such talents in the ground under the guise of being productive in what you think are your talents and skills. Your job is not your work! Why are you slaving yourself for salary and wages which never bring you satisfaction? God has deposited your work in you to make you fruitful for His pleasure (purpose).

Real talents are God-centred. This means they are only used to promote God’s kingdom on earth. Only lazy, wicked, and foolish people use their so-called God-given treasures for any purpose outside God. Luke 12:16-21 recounts a story of a certain rich man whose land (talent) yielded plentifully. “And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? ...This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and goods. AND I WILL SAY TO MY SOUL, SOUL, THOU HAST MUCH GOODS LAID UP FOR MANY YEARS; TAKE THINE EASE, EAT, DRINK, AND MERRY. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God”.  People who are not rich towards God are real fools. The language of a real fool is “I, me, and myself”. They are rich only unto themselves. But real success is self-transcendent! ARE YOU A RICH FOOL?

Richard Obeng Mensah, author of right your writing.

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

WISDOM QUOTES OF RICHARD OBENG MENSAH - SERIES 9

WISDOM QUOTES OF RICHARD OBENG MENSAH

  SERIES 9

Some people say they will fight till their last blood. I disagree with them because there is no power in mine blood, likewise theirs. I will rather depend on the Blood of Jesus in all life battles. 
 
Mine life scars are mine stars in life. I will celebrate my scars while on earth because Heaven does not need them.

Faith does not make me to lose mine senses but it empowers me not to depend on them.

Self-deception is hearing God’s Word and not doing what the word says. 

The fact that somebody is in prison does not make that person a prisoner. 
 Many prisoners have never been to prison. Imprisonment is a state of mind. 

We can never be independent from God and still be significant to creation. 

 Being liked by people is never a condition precedent to real greatness and success.