ABUSING CHRISTIANITY "What went wrong?"

ABUSING CHRISTIANITY

A lady friend of mine shared with me an experience she had some few days ago. She told me of an appointment she had with someone and they scheduled to meet at a very popular garden in Wuse II, Abuja, FC T,  near the very popular Wuse market. She said as soon as she entered the garden and from the front gate, someone met her and asked her if she was looking for somebody, she then replied and said yes, then the person replied ‘if you are here to see any pastor, am also a pastor and I counsel and pray for people ”. To her amazement she could not believe this type of pastoral marketing.  She then went into the garden and realize, they where over 40+ canopies all erected by different individuals who claim to be pastors, all with chairs, public addressing systems, tables with different types of anointing oil, candles and all sorts of religious materials under their canopies. She was so shocked from what she saw and could not phantom what Christianity is turning to.

THE TESTING

After few days, I then decided to have a first hand assessment of what she said and also see things for me self. I made time out from my schedules and decided to go to that garden. As I entered the garden, many well dressed men and women where trying to draw my attention, by giving me signs and all sorts of demonstration to draw my attention. Finally one was bold enough to approach me and then asked me, sir; do u need spiritual counseling and prayers? I the replied “YES”  he said that he is representing a pastor who is in one of the canopies inside the garden, that he is a great man of God and the solution to all my problems has come. Firstly I looked at him and to me he looks like someone with millions of problems himself than I.

I then followed him to meet this great man of God. As we where walking through different canopies, I saw many so-called-pastors yelling on top of their voice with prayers, speaking in tongues and saying all sorts of things with their eyes open. The noise was so great that u could hardly answer a phone call there. Most of them where looking at me, trying to invite me into their canopy. Sincerely, I could not believe what am seeing, I though I was dreaming or I was hallucinating, but this is reality. I noticed a particular tent that the front was covered and with a cloth-like veil, I believe for privacy, but they where about 7 ladies waiting and cueing up for their turn to meet the man of God.

Finally I arrived at the particular tent I was being taken to and immediately the so called man of God saw me, he started speaking in tongues, the usher working with him and also attending to his guest then told me to kneel down, I then obliged and preferred to sit on a white plastic chair under his canopy. When the pastor finished speaking in tongues, he asked me for my names, I gave him a wrong name and he wrote it down. He then said that he saw me in his dream last night, that in fact, God told him I was coming to meet him today. I was quiet and I said thank you pastor. He then said that my life is in trouble, that there are some people in my village who is against my progress that in fact because of their deeds, my mother is sick in the village right now. He then asked me if he was saying the truth, I then said yes pastor. He told me a whole lot of things that I can not mention here, due to decency. After all the prophesying and speaking in tongues, he then said that the only thing that can save me is I need a special 7 days prayers that will liberate me from the attacks of my enemies and also to make my mother heal from all the infirmities she is having.  

I then asked him what I will do. He then said, I need to sow a covenant seed, ie; I need to donate money. I then asked him how much will be enough for the special prayers, because he made mention he need to buy some special items, like, a red anointing oil, red and green candles and other things he mentioned. He said N30,000.00 about $190 will be enough for a start and as the prayer progresses and I see the result, I can then give a free will offerings to thank God for what he has done for me. I then responded and said, pastor, I do not have money right now with me, but I will have to look for a near by ATM machine to withdraw money or come the next day. He then suggested that he send one of his usher to go with me so that I can withdraw the money from an ATM machine and give it to his usher, just in case I cant make it back again that same day. He stressed that the attack is great and he needs to get the items as soon as possible to start the prayers immediately. I insisted that I will come and there is no need to send someone with me. He made sure that I assured him that I was coming back, which I gladly did.

As I was leaving his tent I decided to look for another experience. A man waved me and I entered his canopy and he said to me that God told him to call me as I was passing and he said that there is a great blessing and promotion that is on my way, if only I will be willing and obedient to God, it shall come to pass. He opened his Bible and read Deu 28:1 and Isaiah 1:19. He then started telling me how I have suffered but God has decided to favor me this season… he said a whole lot of things and I was just quiet listening. At the end he also requested for me to sow a seed of opening doors to activate the blessing, I just laughed and walked out of his canopy.

THE LIES

There are so many gullible Christians who could have made away with their money, all in the name of prophecy. If you read my earlier postings on this blogs, I extensively talked about giving and receiving. For your information, my mother in the village is very sound and healthy and she is not ill as the so called man of God prophesied. I as well believe that there are no one in my village after my life, because my Bible tells me in 1 John 4:4 that greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world and also the Bible says that he that is born of God, overcomes the world, and that includes all things, both witches and wizards 1 John 5:4, so I have nothing to fear.

THE PROBLEM

It is a big shame that people who claim to be Christian pastors have turn that holy office and position in a mockery. This men and women has turn themselves into auctioneers, selling prayers to the highest bidders. They are now like bank marketers, canvassing for members and at the same time turing themselves into miracle peddlers. Am still asking, what is wrong with Christianity? Up till now, I still don’t have answers to this question. But I take solace at the bible verse in Matthew 24:12.

What happen to those days when up and coming pastors go through a church system? What happens to servant hood? These days, no one wants to serve. Everyone wants to be the master without serving. Every pastor wants to pastor a large congregation, drive big cars and live in big mansions at the shortest possible time. Because of this greed, they are forced to compromise and in the process do abominable things all in the quest for wealth. The Bible says you can not serve both God and mammon “money”, Matthew 6:24. The bible talked about great men of God like Elijah, who had so much anointing that he could call down fire from heaven and he could divide the rivers into two and make proclamations and the heavens will obey, yet the own no material possessions during hiss time and ministry on earth. Elijah was living in caves and a time came when a bird had to feed him miraculously, just because he had no where else to go, 1 kings 17.

Today our pastors and men of God are seen hand in hand with evil men in the society. Men of God are advisers to evil politicians and kings. They dine together and sit on the same table. Can someone tell me when Elijah and Ahab had banquet together; we all know that will never be possible because light and darkness has nothing in common, 2 Corinthians 6:14. I call them political pastors, because they have left the office of the temple that God has giving then and now compete with the world for worldly positions. Am not talking about political pastors today, but I will elaborate this extensively in my next publishing.

Finally, actions and deeds like this one I experienced makes Christianity to be a laughing stock. People no longer have faith in Christianity. This is one of the reason why many are leaving the Christian race, just because what they are seeing in it is not what they bargained. What happened to the faith of our fathers? I can imagine how many innocent believers who might have been deceived by false prophecy and false prophets in this same place. I really which this things are not happening, but the bible predicted all this before hand, this means the word of the lord can not be broken as its stated in Psalm 12:6 “And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in the furnace of clay, refined seven times” so it can not be broken, it must come to pass.

MY VERDICT

God is not an author of confusion 1 Corinthians 14:33  but he has directions and orderliness. Anything in this life without orderliness or being check will spill out of control and this is what is happening. I believe that CAN “Christian Association of Nigeria” should start reviewing the licenses process of becoming a pastor and check the rules on starting a ministry. Things can no longer be left as they are, but we need to sanitize the Christian community for the coming of Christ the savior. If things like what is happening in this place I visited are allowed to go on, we will be having crisis very soon that may be a big problem to the Christian race. God! Save your children.

The Gospel of Tithes and Offerings

In his book, “Breaking Financial Hardship” (1995, p.165), Bishop David Oyedepo says rats ate all the cables in the car of a woman in his church. When she had the car re-wired, rats ate the cables again. On investigation, it was discovered that the lady had not been paying her tithes, which was why the menacing rats had been unleashed on her. Once she started paying her tithes again, rats stopped eating the cables in her car.

Spiritual witchcraft

Stories like this are commonplace in the churches and they are pure balderdash. It is amazing how many lies pastors tell in the name of Jesus. Christians should be wary of such manipulative old-wives-tales. They are designed to frighten people into paying tithes.

Do bad things only happen to those who don’t pay their tithes? The answer is emphatically “No.” Indeed, do bad things only happen to unbelievers? Certainly not! The truth is that, in this world, worse things actually happen to believers than to unbelievers. Jesus does not sugar-coat the gospel. He says to his disciples: “In this world you will have trouble” (Jn 16:33).

But  pastors and evangelists of today preach a different gospel. This new gospel has the extraction of money from Christians as its main focal point, on the grounds that without money God’s work cannot be done. This is drummed into Christians through a litany of indoctrinating slogans and sound-bites, such as “vision without provision is television;” or “anointing without money is annoying.”

Oyedepo says: “If you are not a tither, you will be a struggler.” Creflo Dollar is also a wordsmith. He says: “God isn’t going to supply that need if you haven’t sown a seed.” Reverend Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II even turns Paulinism on its head, saying: “the lack of money is the root of all evil.” Says Prophet T.B. Joshua of the Synagogue Church for All Nations: “When God gets hold of your heart, he also gets hold of your wallet.”

In this new gospel, tithing is another word for righteousness. “Tithers” are granted pastoral exemptions from the travails of life. They are said to earn brownie-points from God, who ostensibly gives them a hundred-fold return for their investments.

The pastor proclaims: “Offering time!” while the congregation replies: “blessing time!” The inference is that God only blesses those who pay tithes and give offerings.

Casino Christianity

As a result, churches have been turned into casinos, where people come to gamble on Sundays in the vain hope that they would more than double whatever they give. Former faith healer, Hector Avalos, refers to this casino Christianity as “a spiritual version of Wall Street- give up some of your money in hopes of getting a lot more back.” Maria Alvarez notes that: “It’s not about the bible: it’s about the money.” “Get Jesus on that credit card,” a televangelist said, asking his viewers to send him money by going into debt.

A repentant Mario Justino of the Universal Church, Brazil said he told his church-members that God was not content with small change. If they want to prosper, they must give until it hurts: “We’d tell them, ‘You have to give something that you can’t afford, something that you will feel the next day, like the money for the rent, for the groceries, for your children’s schools.’”

Reversal of fortune

Let me tell you a parable. A major financier of a church, a multi-billionaire Christian, phoned his pastor in the dead of the night. “Pastor,” he said, “I apologise for phoning you at this ungodly hour but I have not been able to sleep for the past one week.” “What happens to be the matter?” asked the pastor. “I invested all my money in the stock market and I lost everything. You won’t believe it pastor, I lost everything. Everything!”

“Oh my God,” exclaimed the pastor. “But I am not even concerned about myself,” said the man. “My concern is about the church. I am afraid that under the circumstances, I won’t be able to give to the church the tithes and offerings I have been giving. I cannot even give the fifty million naira I pledged for the building fund. I hope the Lord would not mind. I have been worried sick about this I can’t even sleep.”

The pastor assured him God would understand. He should not worry but should try and get some sleep. He then prayed for the man and asked God to give him beauty for ashes.

The man was much relieved. He thanked the pastor profusely, dropped the phone and went to bed. For the first time in seven days, he finally slept like a baby.

The pastor, however, could not sleep again that night.

My Verdict

When Jesus wanted to pay his Tax , He got Peter to get it from the mouth of a Fish ! Paid his Tax and that of Peter ! Our Pastors Today get theirs from the pockets of the congregation ! "Give me your uncondtional tithe the kind of Offering Pastor deserves, the kind that will buy him jet !" gimme gimme churches! Fake Pastors go Get a job ! or feed me like Jesus fed 5000.

Wealthy Nigerians, Pastors Spend $225 Million On Private Jets

A few wealthy Nigerians spent at least $225 million acquiring private jets between March 2010 and March 2011, a Nigerian newspaper reported yesterday. According to the report published by the Punch Newspaper, a couple of the acquisitions were made by billionaires Aliko Dangote and Mike Adenuga.
Last year, Dangote acquired a US$45 million Bombardier jet as a gift to himself on his 53rd birthday, while Mike Adenuga purchased a Bombardier Global Express XRS. Both Dangote and Adenuga own at least two private planes each. Apart from wealthy business tycoons, Nigerian clergymen and spiritual leaders are also joining the very elite league of jet owners.
In March this year, David Oyedepo, a Nigerian cleric generally believed to be Africa’s wealthiest gospel preacher, acquired a Gulfstream V jet for US$30 million. Oyedepo, who presides over the Winners Chapel, one of Africa’s largest churches, now owns a private collection of four aircraft. In addition to his latest acquisition, he previously owned two Gulfstream planes and a Bombardier Challenger Aircraft.

He is also reportedly creating a private hanger to accommodate his flying toys. Oyedepo is not the only Nigerian clergyman to own a jet. Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the revered overseer of Nigeria’s largest congregation, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, is also a proud jet owner. In March 2009, the great man of God spent $30 million on a Gulfstream jet amidst widespread criticism. Pastor Sam Adeyemi, another cleric and founder of the Daystar Christian center, a flourishing Pentecostal congregation which repeatedly preaches financial prosperity, is also a jet owner.

It’s not cheap to own a private jet. On average, it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to maintain a personal plane. The majority of Nigerians frown at such flagrant displays of opulence, particularly on the path of their clergymen, given that 60% of Nigerians still live below the poverty line. Paradoxically, the same people who complain about the extravagant lifestyles of their spiritual leaders are the same ones who finance it. Every Sunday, swarms of worshipers rush to the church to give away their hard-earned money to the pastors’ coffers in the form of tithes, offerings and special gifts with the deluded hope of multiplied financial blessings in return. For many, this is but a pipe dream. Deep down, the pastors smile; they’ve got just the perfect suckers

MY POINT OF VIEW
Owing a private Jet may not be bad idea for business purposes, especially if the cost benefit far out-weighs the itinerary of the owner. Apart from the likes of Dangote & a few other big employers of labour (& i'm yet to think of another one in Nigeria) any other owners of private jets in Nigeria are on ego trips. Apart from Dangote all other persons mentioned in the text do not contribute to economy, or growth in any form, of the country. It is unfortunate that in the face of glaring poverty in the nations, their members inclusive, the pastors have demonstrated "baboon they work monkey they chop" attitude of the political class. The difference is while the political class has seized the common wealth, they rub the desperate citizens already impoverished by the political class. In addition many of them are remotely connected with rots in the banking system. It is a clear demonstration of vagabonds in business, oh business of God.

If those money were used to set up a company or an industry the number of our jobless youth will reduce. Remember do not judge so you will not be judged (says the Bible), but open your eyes, because by their fruit we shall know them. I think in some of these churches if not all, there are beggars that need some thing to eat or at least shelter. Can someone tell me how many bungalows could be built with US$30million.But someone has the guts to come to his church sees these beggars passes by and has the mind to purchase 4 jets. Well you can't blame anyone, no Pastor forced anyone to bring out his hard earn money to the church.

SHINE YOUR EYES

Talking of it, Why wouldn’t they buy jets when their God is not a poor One. These pastors are the real suckers, worse than the politicians who steal oil money. These pastors steal from the followers in God's Name.
You can now decipher why pastors get abducted. Maybe i have to attend a bible school, to enable me also own a private jet.

It will take Nigerians decades to realize that most of their revered "men of god" are fraudsters, 419ers and worst than the politicians we criticize each day. These is why, with all the mighty men of God that we claim to have in this nation, none of them can proclaim to the corrupt Government officials like Elijah did in his days (1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe^[a] in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”)
These pastors ride in private jets while their congregation wallow in abject poverty, and yet Nigerians still drops their hard earn money and other miscellaneous contributions to oil the lavishness of this men. They have used the "name of Jesus" to make themselves millionaires...God is watching

MY VERDICT

Real men of God won't do all that! If one pastor can own 4 Jets, he should ve founded an airline and employ jobless people among his followers! They r just thieves

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH FOR U.S.A, UNITED KINGDOM, ITALY & FRANCE (THE QUEST FOR LIBYAN OIL)

THE BEGINNING

A day will come when the world will wonder what they have gotten into. The quest by America, France, Italy and United Kingdom (NATO) to topple Muammar Gaddafi lead Government in Libya is totally unacceptable and should be rejected by all countries of the world, while NATO must be called to order. For over three months now, NATO has hidden under the disguise and umbrella of protecting innocent citizens in Libya to perpetrate all form of atrocities against Libyan people and it's Government.

SOVEREIGNTY OF LIBYA

Libya is a sovereign nation and the United Nation chatter law on sovereignty said and i quote "No sovereign nation has the right under any condition to interfere in the affairs of another sovereign nation". USA, UK, ITALY and France are doing all they can to topple Libya, just for their selfish reasons and gains. The world has witnessed many up-rising in the recent months, e.g, Egypt, Tunisia and currently Syria and Bahrain. One thing we understood and learnt from all this is, it was the power of the people that bring down the government of this nations, not America puppet "NATO".

MODERN FORM OF SLAVERY

This is a plain and planned conspiracy against few viable,strong and far more stable and non-subservient African nation, Libya. USA, Italy, France and UK are plotting to recommence another era of slavery in Africa, as these western leaders are worst than Ghadaffi. Iraq had been destroyed by the west and Libya is next in line.Western slave masters goal is destroy and set Africa backward by arming and equiping rebels in Libya to take power and remain surrogate-colonial-masters forever. African Union leaders are moron, fools and idiotic humans with very miniature brains and microscopic view on issues affecting Africa, and it is a shame that they are lending support to NATO for multi attacks against Libyan Ghadaffi. The West hate and can not stand any African nation that could stand on it's own without allowing them to middle in their affairs. Libya as a nation, has never collected aids or foerign loans from the like of USA,UK,France ITALY, Britain and co. Western nations are destructive to Africa and they are the reason Africa is so poor and under developed. They destroyed Africa through slavery and now they want to still be in charge.

In a few years the world will start regretting this, like they regretted Iraq. When will we learn to stand up for justice? Is Muammar Gaddafi the most daring problem facing France, USA, UK, Italy and Co?. In America, unemployment and job losses are the order of the day. Their health care is getting worse and majority of Americans can not afford a better health services. In Italy, Silvio Berlusconi is busy sleeping with under aged girls and Mafia is right now on the rise. In France and UK, they both have their peculiar national problems to solve. But we all can see that their own greed which has put them in a hole and Libyan oil is what they are tasty for.

EMPOWERING REBELS & MILITANTS

Last time i checked online, Libya had 107billion as foreign reserves and another 200billion USD as investment by its Sovereign Wealth Fund. These are the properties that that dwarf Sarkozy, Obama (Mrs Clinton) and Cameron are seizing to 'dash' out to rebels. The world is once again acquiescing to a great fraud, and we are hailing them on. Because most of us dont even have minds of our own anymore. We just regurgitate what we hear on CNN/BBC and even the great let down, Aljazeera! Libya has almost half of what the whole of EU has in savings and investments. USA has none at all. Overborrowed and lazy they are. This injustice must stop! Western nations has frozen these Libyan assets and investments abroad to dash them out to rebels providing them with ammunition to fight the Government of Libya, and these rebels will soon become American enemies. This is the greatest robbery of all times.

Allowing and encouraging rebels to form their own Government, nominate their own ministers and start a Parliament, This is a Coup d'état. The question is can they be two different Governments in a single nation? Why is UK, America, France & Italy so active to remove Muammar Gaddafi? How can any right thinking oranization support Militancy and Rebel Government? Your answers to this questions are as good as mine. What has the world turned into?

AFRICA'S SOLUTION

Nelson Mandela once asked, why do Europeans send foreign observers when ever an Africa country is having an election and when they have theirs, no African is called to be an observer.

Firstly, Africa is a blessed Continent with it's resources Poorly managed. If Africa can come together, shun corruption and focus on developmental issues that affect each African country, the sky will be it's limit. We need to harness all our potential diaspora and all our best brains, etc.

Secondly, Collecting of foreign loans must be stopped. Each country in Africa can run it's economy with it'S natural resources, if well managed. Foreign loans comes with many demands and at the ends and most of the times, nothing productive is done with the loan collected.

Finally USA, UK, FRANCE & ITALY must be called to order. Enough is enough and Muammar Gaddafi must be left alone. If the Libyan people don't want him, they know what to do. God Save Africa.

LOOT-LUCK DELIVER ON YOUR PROMISES + UGANDA FARCE

Firstly, Can someone please tell GEJ that the elections are over;

Am still wondering why GEJ is still campaigning and what he is contesting with BUhari. Everyday in the dailies, it is GEJ Fires Buhari, GEJ hits Buhari, Buhari fires back. The elections are over and it is time to deliver promises and not talk on the pages of news papers. More than 1000 people were killed in Jos last year, More than than 500 were killed in the JTF Niger delta Militant war. More than 500 were killed i the post election violence in the North and a few died in the east, West and South. why is GEJ advertising and playing politics with the death of 10 corps members? does it mean that the life of the other hundreds that died are not important? How will their families feel when GEJ is giving the families of just 10 corps members a chicken change of Naira 5 million.

Why is our president seeking for sympathy. Nigerians want to know what happened in the post election violence and who killed our people. The campaign is over. the case is in court. It is time for GEJ to deliver on his many campaign promises.

Secondly, What on earth is LOOT-LUCK doing in Uganda? Jonathan's trip was wrong and served no good purpose for Nigeria or for himself. Why celebrate Museveni who refuses to quit after 25 years, an indication that he wants to "die there"? Is that a role model for democratic governance? On the foreign policy level, Museveni went viscerally against the position of Nigeria, ECOWAS and AU on the Ivoirien crisis, supporting the political hooligan Gbagbo. How's that for a poltcal friend? Our foreign policy is shit since after the departure of Prof Akinyemi. To be sincere, i never expected anything from our foreign policy, when we the people sitting at the corridors of power in Aso Rock Villa, are men and women of bad repute and little and no knowledge of International diplomacy. If I had my way, I'd sack all of Jonathan's poitical and foreign policy advisers,NOW! Therefor GEJ has thus aligned himself with these despots and unrepentant rulers that has malaised the visions of a developed and more civilized Africa and as such deserved the angst of Ugandans.. Jonathan should learn to paddle his own canoe(Nigeria has lots of Problems yet untouched). I think insecurity of lifes remains the major undoings of African leaders who cannot even have adequate security.

Looking from the list of African Leaders who attended Museveni Inauguration, how many DIDNT steal their mandate/power? Sometime i'm led to say that God really cursed black Africa, we must have so offended our Creator in our previous incarnation to the effect that we inherited the ETERNAL curse of abject STUPIDITY/DOCILITY. MISERY & LAMENTATION,get used to these 2 words, they shall be all Nigerians best friends for a while. oh and I forgot the biggest three word of them all....CLUELESS/NAIVETY/CONFUSED , this is the name we should rename Nigeria.

Finally, the pressing issues facing this country needs to be addressed and not globe trotting all over Africa or playing politics with the life's of Nigerians or fighting Buhari on the pages of the news paper. God save Nigeria.

Is God a Vampire that requires Blood to Quench his taste? (Sacrificial Lie's)

God does not desire a sacrifice for sins (Sacrificial Lie's)

God rejects the sacrificial system insistently. He asks: "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats. When you come to appear before me, who has required this from your hand?" (Isa 1:11-12).

Who, indeed, required it? It was Moses and not God. Jeremiah writes: "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices'" (Jer 7:21-22).

Worthless sacrifices

God states categorically through Hosea: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hos 6:6). But most Christians just ignore such declarations.

God is not a blood-guzzling vampire. He asks: "Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?" (Ps 50:13). Sacrifices mean nothing to God. He says this unequivocally: "I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens" (Ps 50:9). "Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me" (Jer 6:20).

God forgave David's murder of Uriah without any sacrifices. David declares: "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings" (Ps 51:16). He repeats this in his messianic psalm: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have opened; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require" (Ps 40:6).

However, the ears of many Christians have yet to be opened. We are adamant God requires Jesus' sacrificial death as atonement for sins.

Pagan sacrifices

God even uses very strong language to reject sacrifices. He says: "He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck; he who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine's blood; he who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol" (Isa 66:3). This shows the sacrificial system is totally objectionable to God.

Sacrifices are ritualistic. When a man sins, he gives a sacrifice and assumes this takes care of his sin-problem. In effect, sacrifices are "bribes" given every-so-often to placate a demanding deity; without the burden of repentance for sins. Therefore, God declares to Israel: "Bring no more futile sacrifices" (Isa 1:13).

Sacrifices come from the perversion of those who claim the gods need to be appeased with violent and bloody death. It is the way of the idol-worshipper; therefore, according to kingdom dynamics, it cannot be of God.

What does the one true God require instead? David provides the answer: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart- these, O God, you will not despise" (Ps 51:17). Solomon concurs: "To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice" (Prov 21:3).

Human sacrifices

Of all Israel's sins, none was more abominable than the sacrifice of the first-born. God said in admonishment: "You took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough?" (Eze 16:20).

This heinous ritual is lambasted by Micah who asks sardonically: "Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" (Mic 6:7). The abomination of human sacrifice was one of the reasons why God sent the Israelites into Babylonian captivity: "They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence" (2 Kg 17:17/18).

Why then would God himself turn around only to offer his Son Jesus as a human sacrifice to himself?

Testimony of Jesus

Jesus demonstrated his disdain for sacrifices by smashing the sacrificial implements in the temple. He maintains the kingdom imperative is to love God and our neighbour instead of giving burnt-offerings and sacrifices (Mk 12:28-34).

As a matter of fact, Jesus blames his crucifixion on the diabolical sacrificial mindset. He said to the Pharisees: "If you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless" (Mt 12:7). Since he was the guiltless who would be wrongfully condemned, he thereby foretold Caiaphas' devious counsel to sacrifice him for the nation of Israel (Jn 11:49-53).

Furthermore, Jesus gives this directive to all God-seekers: "Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice'" (Mt 9:13). However, most Christians refuse to learn. Worse still, we continue to insist Jesus himself was a sacrifice.

LOOT-LUCK & FUEL SCARCITY RETURNS

LOOT- LUCK is Delivering Evidence of Demo-Crazy as he promised. Where are all the people who said " no more fuel scarcity in Nigeria" For your information fuel scarcity has come to stay and the earlier we believe that, then the better. The government said Nigeria Looses over N15 Billion naira daily from fuel subsidy. They claimed we have been enjoying. Do they said enjoying? yes. Fuel subsidy will be removed as soon as the soon going senate approves it, and we all can bet that the usual "my pocket first syndrome" by our senators will surface.

A price of Kerosene is N180 per liter in Lagos and N165 per liter in Port Harcourt. Diesel is N220 in some states. The past has come back to hunt us. We have gone back to the period and times when every filling station determine the price they sale their product "chop I chop" The most annoying thing is; price of fuel and kerosene in Ghana and non oil producing countries are cheaper than what we sale in Nigeria. Countries that import Crude oil from us, sale fuel, kerosene and Diesel, cheaper than Nigeria, who God out of his mercy and love for Nigeria, has blessed with crude oil. What an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians, What an insult to the people who fought for democracy, what an insult to the men and women who lost their lives in the fight for democracy, what an insult to the great King Saro Wiwa.

The Government is telling us that we have to sacrifice now and enjoy later. I want to ask them; are they also sacrificing? currently, a senator in this country takes home a monthly salary of N26 million per month and a House of Rep member take home over N19 million per month, all but excluding travel bonuses, house allowance, sitting allowance, committee allowance, medical allowance, extra codes, constituency allowances and yearly furniture allowances, Yet they have the guts to tell us to sacrifice.

The Nigerian workers, through organized labour and Government agreed a new minimum wage of N18,000 and up till now, most states Governors ad state houses have not yet passed it into law or implemented it and at list allow the common Nigerian to be able to eat three square meal a day, not even pay house rent. N18,000 a month is not even enough, looking at the price of goods and service which has skyrocketed. Do Our senators and House of Rep members want to tell us that the market they go to buy their Garri, Rice, Beans, etc is different from the one we buy ours. PDP "People Deceiving People"

LOOT- LUCK has successfully started paying back all the financiers of his multi billion naira election campaigns. Most of us saw these coming and we advocated for a change of Governance, but now I can boldly say Nigerians deserve the kind of leaders we have. Do not expect miracles, the people who invested their millions for the election of LOOT - LUCK will have to reap their return. Example is Alhaji Alinko Dangote, who invested in the election of Obasanjo and later the late President Yaradua "may his soul rest in peace". Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is today rated by forbes as the richest black man on earth and also the richest person in Africa. His current Net worth is $13 Billion. The then administration banned the importation of Cements, Sugar and Poultry products and allowed only DANGOTE GROUP to feed Nigerians with Cements, Sugar and Flour, which they imported. This was done to allow him recoup his investment's in Obasanjo/Yaradua 2003,2007 Presidential elections campaigns. In-fact the then in-coming President Yaradua stayed in Dangote private resident at 15 Julius Yereye Street, Asokoro, Abuja, during his election campaigns and he flew with Alhaji Dangote private owned helicopter to the campaign rallies and venues.

Finally, let us brace what is ahead of us. For we all know that when the price of fuel is increased, it affects all sectors of the economy, most importantly the common man. But right now we have no choice, the investors must reap their investments and the populace will suffer the consequences. God save Nigeria.