This piece once again addresses the spirit kind of leadership. First of all, leadership is not about power, position, flowchart, titles or names. A leader is someone who constantly thinks about the day of accountability. As a leader, you must constantly be aware that one day you would be called to give account to the people that led you to power.
THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF FORGIVENESS FOR OUR SURVIVAL AND HEALTHY LIVING
Published: 05 September, 2008
It appears to me to be a divine coincidence that while I am running this series on the necessity of forgiveness, the issues of guilt, contrition, confession, forgiveness and reconciliation are being played out and tested and widely reported on national and private radio stations and newspapers (as well as on television stations) as some of the biggest players of the recent civil conflicts testify before The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The question of forgiveness is crucial to all human beings, especially to us Liberians as we set out consciously to face our ugly past as a necessary step in renewing our national life. We all agree that we should never again tread the path of war and of marginalizing any one group on the basis of tribal, class, social and economic categorization. Hence, it is vital that we take seriously and seek to understand what forgiveness is and entails. This third article of our six-part series focuses on God's own attribute of Forgiveness and how His forgiveness relates to our own human forgiveness.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 05 September, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
This piece once again addresses the spirit kind of leadership. First of all, leadership is not about power, position, flowchart, titles or names. A leader is someone who sees ahead and prepares for the future. A leader must try to see ahead of the future.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 29 August, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
The Absolute Necessity of Forgiveness for Our Survival and Healthy Living Part 2: Guilt and Forgiveness
Published: 29 August, 2008
The thrust of this second article on our six-part series on the necessity and benefits of forgiveness is on the connection between guilt and forgiveness. The feeling of guilt comes from the conscience which is a powerful barometer God Almighty in his infinite wisdom gives each one of us to monitor our spiritual and psychological health. It accuses us when we violate divine and human law. It is an internal arbiter that judges our thoughts and deeds as evil and consequently leads to a feeling of guilt or as good/right and thus makes us feel good about them. But theologians and psychologists have observed that a conscience can be trained to judge rightly or can be marred or even destroyed. For example, if you steal or commit adultery/fornication for the first time your conscience may prick you. But if you keep doing it all the time your conscience becomes defrayed or dead. It all depends on what kind of environment that nurtures the conscience. It can rightly or falsely accuse us. This article will explore how.
House of Transformation Revival Gets Underway
Published: 22 August, 2008
Prophet Manu: ‘Ours is to deliver the needy’
A five-day prophetic and breakthrough Revival at the House of Transformation Church in Sinkor Old Road has begun with many persons receiving spiritual blessings from the Minister of the Gospel in charge of the Church, Prophet Frank Manu. The House of Transformation Church is otherwise referred to as Victory Chapel. The revival which got underway on Wednesday August 20, 2008 is expected to end on Sunday August 24, 2008.
The Church and HIV and AIDS
Published: 22 August, 2008
In many African countries, the church has played a critical role in ensuring social justice. Beyond its traditional role and responsibility of preaching and instilling religious and moral values, the church has always served as an institution of correction against societal decadents. It also serves as the watch dog for civil society holding states and state institutions accountable to its citizenry. This role thus gives the church a legitimacy to participate in and influence the political and social spheres. The church has also played a significant role in the socialization of many and influencing the social construct of our respective societies and communities. During the colonial and post colonial eras of many African countries, the church served the educational needs, providing opportunities for all classes but most importantly for the most marginalized groups and communities.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 22 August, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF FORGIVENESS FOR OUR SURVIVAL AND HEALTHY LIVING (PART ONE): WHAT FORGIVENESS IS AND IS NOT
Published: 22 August, 2008
Our last series on the Joseph Story (Genesis 37-50) with its themes of the dangers of sibling rivalry (family and national), lessons that can be learned from hardships/difficulties, from rags to riches (change of fortunes for good), magnanimity (forgiving one's enemies when one has the right and power to revenge), dealing with the past creatively, God's wisdom and grace to bring good out of evil, and the benefits of forgiveness.
THE JOSEPH STORY AND ITS PERENNIAL RELEVANCE FOR ALL TIMES Part Seven
Published: 15 August, 2008
This is the last article of our seven-part series on the Joseph Story. It brings together most of the lessons we have learnt from the Joseph Story under the theme of forgiveness: the joy of being forgiven and learning and practicing the art of forgiving. What is forgiveness? Why is it necessary for any meaningful relationships (family, friendship, community, society and with God Almighty)?
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 15 August, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena
This piece once again addresses the spirit and kind of leadership. First of all, leadership is not about power, position, flowchart titles or names. A leader is someone who makes hard and difficult decisions. Whether you are a spiritual or secular leader, you must follow this great principle of leadership.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 08 August, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
THE JOSEPH STORY AND ITS PERENNIAL RELEVANCE FOR ALL TIMES Part Six ON RECONCILIATION
Published: 08 August, 2008
This sixth article of our seven-part series on the Joseph Story brings us to the question of reconciliation in the Joseph Story and the basis of Christian reconciliation in general. As we observed in the fourth article, Joseph completely forgives his brothers who deserve the opposite. In fact they are so frightened of his power that they are speechless initially. The question that is the focus of this article is “What does it take for reconciliation to take place and what lessons does the story teach us in general about the necessity and blessings of reconciliation”?
This piece once again addresses the spirit and kind of leadership. First of all, leadership is not about position, power, flowchart, titles or names. A leader is someone who helps those around him to accomplish great things with their lives. Whether you are a spiritual or secular leader, you must know this great principle of leadership. Any good leader would like to see the lives of his people or followers improved or their activities positively accomplished. This is because the good leader knows that this principle would boost the morale of his leadership, ministry or regime.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 01 August, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
THE JOSEPH STORY AND ITS PERENNIAL RELEVANCE FOR ALL TIMES (PART FIVE): GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD
Published: 01 August, 2008
The focus of this fifth article of our seven-part series on the Joseph Story is on God's providential way of bringing good out of evil, of turning the enemy's wicked intentions, plans and deeds in favor of his faithful servants, and of God's ability to turn bad situations around.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 25 July, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
THE JOSEPH STORY AND ITS PERENNIAL RELEVANCE FOR ALL TIMES, Part Four
Published: 25 July, 2008
In this fourth article of our seven-part series on the Joseph Story the thrust is on Joseph's role in dealing with the evil past. Liberia is a nation with a history of a recent ugly past and all Liberians have the challenge and responsibility to deal creatively with their national and individual past so as to bring healing, reconciliation and peace, the first major steps in nurturing our young democracy and in developing ourselves and country in all spheres. I suggest we have a lesson or two to learn from Joseph.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 18 July, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 11 July, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
THE JOSEPH STORY AND ITS PERENNIAL RELEVANCE FOR ALL TIMES Part II
Published: 11 July, 2008
The first article of our seven-part series on the Joseph Story looked at the family rivalry that tears apart the covenanted people. We observed that though Jacob and his family are the chosen people of God, yet they have internal problems that must be attended to before God can take them to the heights they are meant to reach. There are favoritism, sibling rivalry, jealousy, bigotry, and the seed for self-destruction is sown in the chosen family.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 04 July, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
THE JOSEPH STORY AND ITS PERENNIAL RELEVANCE FOR ALL TIMES (PART ONE): THE DANGERS OF FAMILY DISUNITY
Published: 04 July, 2008
One of the great appeals of the Bible is its ability to speak to all people at all times and in all places (at least so has been the experience in human history thus far). This is partly due to the fact that most of the Bible is written in narratives (stories) which are realistic in depicting their characters as ordinary human beings like us through whom God does extraordinary things. The Bible does not hide the faults and weaknesses of its characters. Take for example King David, one of the greatest figures of the Old Testament, (who the Bible says was after God's own heart) when he committed adultery it is recorded in black and white. Likewise Peter, the head of Jesus' apostles, when he denied his master at the crucifixion it is all reported in plain language. The Bible paints its characters in both their weaknesses and strengths as a way of showing their human side and the divine power at work in them.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 27 June, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
The Meaing and Significance of the Death/Resurrection of Jesus Christ for Mankind
Published: 27 June, 2008
This article brings to a close our series on the death of Jesus Christ and its significance for the human race and yea the world. Its main goal is to suggest how people can benefit from the finished work of the Christ. We shall proceed as follows: firstly, summarize the first three articles, and secondly, suggest ways everyone can take advantage of God's offer of salvation and the abundant life through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 20 June, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their footsteps. Ameena!
ON CHRISTIAN BAPTISM: WHAT IT DOES AND SIGNIFIES
Published: 20 June, 2008
This article focuses on the Christian Sacrament of Holy Baptism. What does it mean? What does it do and signify? Is it necessary for living the Christian life? What it does not mean and cannot do? Our last article and this one follows the birth and early years of Jesus, the reason for Christmas and what follows. The last article looked at the Epiphany of Jesus when he showed by his deeds, words and miracles his divinity and humanity to the Gentiles or the rest of the world.
Reconstruction Work for Seys UMC Begins Soon
Published: 16 June, 2008
MONROVIA, Seys United Methodist Church will shortly begin reconstruction work for a modern designed building in Careysburg City, Montserrado County, after the church had been gutted and destroyed by fire in February 2007 leaving all of its facilities destroyed.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 13 June, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 13 June, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
CAREER AND VOCATION: A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE (PART FOUR)
Published: 13 June, 2008
This is the fourth and final part of our series on career or vocation. The goal of this final article is to give a summary of the essentials of the previous articles, and to spend the rest of the article on how to assess career/vocation success and failure, and what is required to ensure and enhance career/vocation success and avoid its failure. What is career/vocation success? How can one evaluate one's career/vocation success and by what standard or criteria? What are the requirements for a successful career/vocation? These basic questions will guide this study.
The Meaning and Significance of the Death/Resurrection of Jesus Christ for Mankind, Part Three
Published: 06 June, 2008
In this third article on our series on the death of Jesus Christ and its significance for mankind, our focus is on his resurrection and its important role in his overall mission and its accomplishment. The second article considered the means by which he chose to accomplish his mission on earth. The following points were observed about how he fulfilled the reason for his coming into our world.
Though there are many definitions of who a leader is, we want, in this article to lay more emphasis on the spiritual kinds of leadership. First of all, leadership isn't about power, flowchart, position, titles or names. It is about one life influencing another.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 30 May, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
The Meaning and Significance of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ for Mankind, Part One
Published: 30 May, 2008
Last weekend (March 21-23, 2008), millions of Christians all over world commemorated and celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We think it might be helpful to share with a wider audience the meaning and significance of this epoch-making event in human history. Why did Jesus Christ suffer and die? Was his death necessary or just another religious myth? How does the death of one man benefit so many people? How can individuals take advantage of what his death has accrued?
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 23 May, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
“ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO, DO IT WELL”
Published: 23 May, 2008
Our Liberian society today is rife with incompetence, lack of capacity, dishonesty, half-hearted commitment, laziness, and impinging on other people's character. If we continue like this our nation is heading for trouble. In fact our country and people are already in trouble and it is likely that our tragedy will steadily get aggravated if we do not change for the better.
A visiting Israeli rabbi of the Gospel, Yisrael Avraham, is urging Liberians to have a change of mind and attitude to make Liberia a better place to live.
Rabbi Avraham said God had already blessed Liberia with very rich and fertile soil and people knowledgeable to lead the country. “I'm a simple person, a son of God, a servant sent by God to translate this message,” he stressed.
Speaking at the Soul Clinic Community in Paynesville city at a program marking the seventh thanksgiving service of the Diversify skills Training Academy on Wednesday, the Israeli Rabbi noted Liberia is a great country and its citizens must developed themselves into doing something then to reduced to mere beggars. He further stated that if a person does not have a word of sense for himself, he/she will not have a word of sense for other people. “Liberian should have a mind set from the grass root level”. He pointed out.
It can be recalled that few months ago in Liberia; our own Information Minister Dr. Laurence Bropleh introduced the Liberian Renaissance with a call on every Liberian to have a change in mind and attitudes. Rev. Bropleh efforts has been supported by many persons in Liberia including the Israeli teacher of the Gospel who is visiting Liberia for the very first time and do not know the Honorable Minister of Information.
Yisrael Avraham is a Jewish born residing in the United States. He is a humanitarian teacher of the Gospel working in Israel, India, and the United States of America. He went to a school of theology in Israel name Yeshival which has to do with Jewish study. “I'm Rabbi (Teacher), God teaches us how to live with people and we Jews are the light of the world”. He explained.
He mentioned that Liberians have enough to sustain them but no efforts have been exerted to take over their own economy that is gradually being taken over by foreigners.
Rabbi Avraham told a group of reporters that God took twelve people and made a nation (Israel) and that God can do the same for Liberians. God loves Liberians and he wants them to know that he has not forgotten them. “My work is spiritually oriented and I'm just one out of many persons God has sent to change people”. The Israeli rabbi emphasized.
He further said that much of the economic problems in Liberia are not economic meaning: He can give each Liberian hundred dollars, they will come back when the money is finished, but when you teach the person how to work for money, it is a change in the person's life. “A true philanthropist must be a humanitarian”. He pointed out.
When asked as to how he came to Liberia, Yisrael Avraham said he received invitation from his clergyman Rev. T.J. Spencer since seven years ago while in Philadelphia the United States of America. Rev T.J. Spencer is the founder and pastor in charged of the Diversify Christian Church and the Diversify Skills and Training Academy located in Paynesville.
JOBLESSNESS OR DREAMLESSNESS (PART XX)
Published: 16 May, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena!
WHAT IS THE ABIDING SOURCE OF YOUR STRENGTH, WISDOM AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS? A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE (PART THREE)
Published: 16 May, 2008
This article brings to a close our short series on the source or anchorage of one's life. Its thrust is on the advantages and benefits of having a secure and reliable Guide and Support for every situation and condition of life. For a reminder, the biblical text we are trying to unravel and dig out some lessons to enable us live better is: “Abide in me as I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:1-5).
The Spirit or the Law of Degeneration
Published: 09 May, 2008
The writer
To degenerate means to gradually become of a lower type. It is a gradual falling-off to a lower form of development. It can be defined as a sink below a former or normal condition or character. It means to deteriorate from a former standard. Whether you like it or not, there is a spirit of degeneration that is working on the earth. Everything we humans create begins to decay after the day it has been completed. But in this article, we want to lay more emphasis on the natural kind of degeneration.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL JOBLESSNESS OR DREAMLESSNESS (PART XIV)
Published: 09 May, 2008
Al-Qur'an - the Holy Scripture of Al-Islam reminds us of an adventurer by the name of Zul-qarnain, meaning 'Bi-horned'. He is one of those upon whom Allah bestowed His Mercy and 'imparted to him the knowledge of the ways and means which serve a purposeful end. And he (was someone who entertained the will which cannot but) purposefully lead the way' to successful achievement (18:83-85). The Scripture tells us that in one of his expeditions, “he reached a stretch territory by two barriers (probably mountains), one on each side beneath which he found a people who could hardly understand a foreign word or language. They said to him (through interpreters) “O you Zul-Qarnain, (the tribes) Gog and Magog are people who have both mischief and ill-will in the composition and they spread discord in the land. May we apportion to you a tribute in payment of raising a rampart between us and them, a rampart that would be invisible against all assaults!' He said (to them): “What Allah has bestowed on me of His bounty which made me manifest in wealth and power far excels your tribute. (What I am expected of you is that) You just help me with your laborious attempt and strenuous exertion of power and I will (by Allah's grace,) erect a barrier between you and them.” (I therefore urged you to) “Bring me blocks or sheets of iron which he (would cause it to be) filled up the space between the two natural barriers”, then he said to them: “Now you may subject it to the action of fire and use your bellows to make it red hot, and then after it has softened, he asked them for a molten brass which he poured on the iron to weld or join together in solid mass. And in consequence, they - the tribes - could not escalade it nor were they able to make their way through it by digging. At the end, (said Zul-Qarnain, in a thankful tone that): 'This is a mercy graciously vouchsafed by Allah, my Creator, and when Allah's predetermined point of time comes to pass, He shall turn it (the barrier) to dust. (For) The Promise of Allah, my Creator, has always been (and shall always be) the truth personified. And on the Day when the promise is fulfilled, We will leave them - the people - in an undulating conformation until the (second) trumpet is sounded and then We assemble them all together in throngs” (18:93-99).
WHAT IS THE ABIDING SOURCE OF YOUR STRENGTH, WISDOM AND
Published: 09 May, 2008
This second part of our series on the source or anchorage of one's life focuses on how one can benefit from a free offer of continuous source of support for every situation and condition of life. The first part sought to answer the question of what the source of one's strength and wisdom is. The observation was made that in declaring himself as the true vine and his followers as branches, Jesus offers what every man, woman and child needs in life; a reliable and sufficient source of help for all conditions and circumstances of life.
The Spirit of Degeneration
Published: 02 May, 2008
The Writer
To degenerate means to gradually become of a lower type. It means a gradual falling off to a lower form of development. It can also be defined as sinking below a former or normal condition or character. It also means to deteriorate from a former standard.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 02 May, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their footsteps. Ameena!
WHAT IS THE ABIDING SOURCE OF YOUR STRENGTH, WISDOM AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS? A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE
Published: 02 May, 2008
In John 15, Jesus gives a piece of advice to his disciples which I believe is of perennial relevance to all human beings. The subject Jesus addresses is one of the source of one's power and achievements in life. Each one of us has or should have an anchorage or a higher source to draw on for all circumstances and situations of life. What is that source for you and for me?
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 25 April, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their foot-steps. Ameena
The Meaing and Significance of the Death/Resurrection of Jesus Christ for Mankind
Published: 25 April, 2008
This article brings to a close our series on the death of Jesus Christ and its significance for the human race and yea the world. Its main goal is to suggest how people can benefit from the finished work of the Christ. We shall proceed as follows: firstly, summarize the first three articles, and secondly, suggest ways everyone can take advantage of God's offer of salvation and the abundant life through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Like Blind Bartimaeus, Have Faith and Hope
Published: 25 April, 2008
Rev. Trokon Langford
The message of the Gospel of Mark is captured in an entire verse. “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom for many”. (Mark 10:45).
Authorities at the Calvary Temple Assembly of God Mission (AGM) High School in Jacob Town, Paynesville City, in collaboration with the students' leadership over the weekend launched the third of a series of student scholarship fund drive of the school.
What does it mean to be grateful? The dictionary defines gratefulness as being thankful, appreciative, or being pleased with something that someone has given or done for you.
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL
Published: 18 April, 2008
All praise belongs to Allah; and may His peace and blessings be upon His Prophet, his household, his companions and all those who rightly follow their footsteps. Ameena
