God's Word For Today: Is it You?

‘Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”' - Matthew 26:25

In a sermon about commitment to Christ, the great preacher Charles Spurgeon said: ‘I’ve known some who preached the gospel with power, but lived to depart from it altogether. I’ve known others who discharged the duties of deaconship and eldership with considerable diligence, who have afterwards given way to their evil passions. I’ve thought some of them to be the holiest of men. While they’ve been praying I’ve been lifted up to the very gates of heaven; if anyone had said these would one day fall into gross sin, I wouldn’t have believed it. I’d sooner have believed it of myself. Those who seemed stronger than we have fallen, so why not we? Our Lord’s disciples who sat at the table with Him, when they were told that one of them would betray their master, each enquired: “Lord, is it I?” That was a very proper question. There wasn’t one who asked, “Lord, is it Judas?” Probably not one of them suspected him. And it may be that the worst hypocrite in this assembly is the one upon whom there doesn’t rest at this moment a single shade of suspicion. He has learned to play his part so well that his true character hasn’t yet been discovered.’

If those words hit too close for comfort, don’t walk - run to the foot of the cross today! Run to the One who, with full knowledge of your struggles and temptations, loves you unconditionally; the One whose blood cleanses you from sin, whose grace can lift and sustain you, and whose power can help you live an overcoming life.


"This devotional is taken from the UCB Word for Today and you can sign up to receive free copies at www.ucb.co.uk/wft.  © United Christian Broadcasters." 

God's Word For Today: How to Improve Your Relationships

‘Let us not love with words … but with actions.’ - 1 John 3:18

Here are five scriptural ways to improve the quality of your relationships:

1) Always show appreciation. Who are the people that really matter in your life? Let them know you love them, and do it often. Practise the ten-to-one rule: ten compliments to every one criticism! Many of us think the best way to help people is to ‘straighten them out’. No, the best way to help others is to look for the best in them. Dr John Maxwell calls this ‘the 101 Percent Principle’. Look for one thing you admire in somebody, then give them 100 percent encouragement for it. That’ll help you to like them and vice versa.

2) Put others first. ‘Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men’ (Ephesians 6:7 NIV 1984 Edition). If you adopt that mindset in your dealings with others, you will go far in life.

3) Serve others gladly. Talking about how difficult it is to hire and train people, an airline executive said, ‘Service is the only thing we have to sell, but it’s the toughest thing to teach because nobody wants to be thought of as a servant.’

4) Forgive it, resolve it, and move beyond it. If someone has hurt you and you need to address it, do it immediately. Then forgive it, resolve it, and move beyond it. And if it’s not worth bringing up, forget it and move on.

5) Make time for the people who matter. Don’t give away your time on a first-come-first-served basis. Don’t devote so much energy to ‘the squeaky wheel’ that you short-change the people in your life who matter most.


"This devotional is taken from the UCB Word for Today and you can sign up to receive free copies at www.ucb.co.uk/wft.  © United Christian Broadcasters." 

God's Word For Today: Staying Power (3)

‘Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses.’ - Numbers 12:1

Staying power overcomes family opposition.

When Moses’ sister Miriam and his brother Aaron complained about his relationship with God, Moses remained gentle and humble in the face of their opposition.

When faced with the challenge to ‘fold up or hold up’, David Livingstone demonstrated staying power. His wife, Mary, gave him so much trouble, always complaining and criticising, that she made his life’s work almost impossible. The tension between them became so great that Livingstone sent her home to England for a period of more than twelve years while he suffered, bled, and ultimately died in Africa for the cause of Christ.

When Jesus went home to Nazareth to minister to the people He grew up around, some of them tried to throw Him off a cliff. And in spite of His teachings and miracles, His family thought He was mad. Did that hurt Him? Of course. But He didn’t let it stop Him. He said: ‘Anyone who wants to be my follower must love me far more than he does his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters - yes, more than his own life - otherwise, he cannot be my disciple. And no one can be my disciple who does not carry his own cross and follow me…don’t begin until you [first] count the cost’ (Luke 14:26-28 TLB).

When your family opposes you, love them and pray for them because God can change their hearts. And until He does, keep serving Him.


"This devotional is taken from the UCB Word for Today and you can sign up to receive free copies at www.ucb.co.uk/wft.  © United Christian Broadcasters." 

Smartphones killing cybercafe business – Operators

Cybercafe operators in Abuja have complained that since the advent of smart phones, the level of patronage has reduced drastically. The operators said that the use of smart phones by majority of the populace had negatively affected patronage resulting to many closing shop.

A cybercafe operator, Mr Hector Ajero in Area 10 Shopping Complex, Abuja said that since smart phones entered the market “business is no longer the way it used to be”. He said that before the advent of smart phones, business was a lot better and interesting “unlike now that everyone has the facility to access the internet conveniently’’. He said, “Before, when there were no smart phones, business was a lot better, now business is really going down.”

He said that what many customers now come to cybercafes to do was just to print and sometimes type documents. He said, “But we spend money to buy fuel to carry out these services because of poor electricity and this has been affecting our businesses negatively. “These days people do their jobs with their phones, save it on their flash drives then come to print, unlike before when they come to do their entire internet work and printing here.”

Mr Christian Okpara, another cybercafe operator said, “the business is really tough now as sales are no more like there were.” He said, “People no longer come for our internet services, we recharge the internet just for recharging sake because people rarely come to browse.

For Mrs Faith Deke, another cybercafe operator, the competition between cybercafes was high now because people do their works on their phones.

She said that her challenge was the charging rate by telecommunications operators, adding that “the good thing is the rollover process that has been put in place to help internet users’’.

She said, “There is a lot of competition; we are just trying to get by because most people do their work on their phones. “Charging rates are high compared to before but the good thing now is that there is rollover unlike before when there was no such thing.

“Roll over is a process whereby the unfinished data balance is transferred to the next month when another data is purchased.”

She therefore appealed to the government to put in more efforts in making sure that they improved on electricity, saying “that is one major tool for running our business. When there is constant supply of electricity, the business will move well,’’ she said.

Real Estate: Lands for sale

My dad bought 2plots of land in Badore, Ajah area of Lagos, back in the 90s for N80k/plot. In 2014, even with "omonile" problems and some portion of his land being sold to somebody else, he sold the remaining about 1000sqm for N15m. WOW! right?. Yeah, true story. Today, you can't find a plot of land less than N7m/plot in the same Badore. 

Real estate investment is one of the most lucrative investments you can ever make. Buying a property, whether land, house, etc, is a long term investment that will keep appreciating as time goes by. Say for example, you buy a plot of land for N1m, in 2 to 3 to 5 years, the value of that land will be multiplied giving you profit should you choose to resell. 

Make a choice, a wise choice, to invest in real estate today. For the first time in Nigeria, real estate has been advertised in a never-before-seen medium. Instead of the usual pictures, you get to see an actual video of the property being described to you. Find below a list of lands and houses/duplexes for sale: 

LANDS: 

1.      5200 Square Metres Waterfront Land [Suitable for Residential High-Rise] at Banana Island Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Title:               Federal Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N2,000,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/D8qqaC1g6ew

 

2.      5100 Square Metres Waterfront Land at Queens Drive, Old Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Title:               Federal Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N2,500,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/Tw0rmU_PvPs

 

3.      A large expanse of dry and sand-filled Land measuring 4200 Square Metres beside Pinnock Beach Estate, Lekki, Lagos State.

Title:               Governor’s Consent

Price:              N380,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/bYwraJCSC7w

 

4.      A Plot of Land measuring 660 Square Metres at Farmville Estate Ajah, Lagos State.

Title:               Deed of Assignment & Receipt

Price:              N8,500,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/9JJOlUwFx8g

                                   

5.      A Plot of Land measuring 660 Square Metres at Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos State.

Title:               Lagos State Government Gazette

Price:              N3,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/0hHfbjsqQxU

 

6.       A Plot of Land measuring approximately 660 Square Metres at Abijo GRA, Lekki Peninsular, Lagos State.

Title:               Lagos State Government Gazette

Price:              N6,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/DFGuCfySuIU

 

7.  A large expanse of Land measuring 9.458 Hectares along Lekki Free Trade Zone Expressway, Lagos State.

Title:               Governor’s Consent

Price:              N568,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/EZFPN63inuE

 

8.  A Plot of Land measuring approximately 900 Square Metres at Lekki Scheme 2, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N27,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/4Aq1rzQfUYE

 

9.  A Plot of Corner-piece Land measuring approximately 1256 Square Metres at Lekki Scheme 2, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N30,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/VyZ9PkxZgcg

 

10.  A Plot of Land measuring approximately 1125 Square Metres at Lekki Scheme 2, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N22,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/N1JgYN_uW8I

 

11.  A Plot of Land measuring approximately 905 Square Metres at Lekki Scheme 2, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N27,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/_MvXHVwQy4c

 

12.  A Plot of Land measuring approximately 935 Square Metres at Lekki Scheme 2, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N24,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/68wFlnzpvgw

 

13.  A Plot of Land measuring approximately 854 Square Metres at Lekki Scheme 2, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N22,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/g4VoUJge_6o

 

14.  A Plot of Land measuring approximately 850 Square Metres at Lekki Scheme 2, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N15,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/hJvh9eJ-dcI

 

15.  A Plot of Land measuring approximately 961 Square Metres at Lekki Scheme 2, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N15,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/Re-jXyakGZ0

 

HOUSES/DUPLEXES: 

1.      4 Bedroom Terrace Duplex with BQ, Gymnasium and Swimming Pool at Old Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N145,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/4wV7fMqED14

 

2.      4 Bedroom Terrace Duplex with BQ and Swimming Pool off Banana Island Estate Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N180,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/tE68sieH4Xw

 

3.      5 Bedroom Detached Duplex on 900 Square Metres Land with Swimming Pool, etc. at Victoria Garden City “VGC”, Lekki, Lagos State.

Title:               Certificate of Occupancy

Price:              N180,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/BHRDeaYY8mc

4.      4 Bedroom Detached Duplex in Chevy View Estate, Lekki, Lagos State.

Title:               Governor’s Consent

Price:              N75,000,000.00

Video Link:   https://youtu.be/BHJo8KtyyM0

 

Click on the video links to take you to YouTube videos of each property. To purchase, make enquiries, get more information or to arrange an inspection, pls call June on 08096064725. 

Marketed by June Ndukwe 

For Auction Basic Company Ltd. 

No 12 Utomi Aire Street, 

Off Emmanuel Abimbola Co, 

Eti-Osa LGA, 

Lagos, Nigeria. 

God's Word For Today: Staying Power (2)

‘Here on earth you will have many trials.’ - John 16:33


Two more reasons you need to develop staying power are:

1) It overcomes prolonged illness. When sickness saps your physical, emotional, and mental strength - that’s when you need staying power. The Bible says, ‘The strong spirit of a man [or woman] sustains him in bodily pain or trouble, but a weak and broken spirit who can raise up or bear?’ (Proverbs 18:14 AMP Classic Edition). Charles Spurgeon was known to multitudes as ‘the prince of preachers’. His ministry impacted London and much of the British Isles. Yet he was so sick that he had to spend a lot of his time resting in Southern France. His wife, who became an invalid after the birth of their twin sons, transcended her physical limitations with staying power. Though paralysed, she directed from her bed an unprecedented book distribution effort. And it’s largely because of her staying power that Spurgeon’s books are on the shelves of more people around the world than the books of most other ministers.

2) It overcomes financial limitations. George Müller, who founded homes for orphans in Bristol, is a prime example of staying power. He saved the lives of thousands of children, and he did it by faith. Many times he didn’t have the money to buy food for their next meal, but he never complained. Instead he prayed. And in response to his faith, money poured in from all over the world, much of it from people he never knew. Müller lived by the scriptural principle: ‘Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer’ (Romans 12:11-12 NIVUK 2011 Edition).


"This devotional is taken from the UCB Word for Today and you can sign up to receive free copies at www.ucb.co.uk/wft.  © United Christian Broadcasters."  

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are divorcing???

Noooooooooooooooooooooo!

I wish this wasn't true but it is!. We hear of celebrity splits but it's not everyday power couples call it quits.

Turns out after a whirlwind romance, 2year marriage, 12years together and 6 beautiful kids, Angelina and Jolie are calling it quits. Yes! Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are getting a divorce. This was after Jolie filed for a divorce citing "irreconcilable differences".

CNN reports that Jolie is also seeking custody of the kids with visitation rights to Pitt.

Jennifer Aniston when she hears this news:

😁😁😁

God's Word For Today: Staying Power (1)

‘We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed.’ - 2 Corinthians 4:8


Here’s a saying that has proven to be true: ‘What doesn’t destroy us makes us stronger.’ And here are four sayings that have proved to be false:

1) ‘When you become a Christian all your problems are over.’ Whoever told you that didn’t get it from Scripture. Paul said, ‘We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed’ (vv. 8-9).

2) ‘All the problems you’ll ever encounter are addressed in the Bible.’ God tells us many things in His Word, but He still requires us to ‘walk by faith, not by sight’ (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV). That means receiving guidance from His Word, from the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and from the counsel of godly friends.

3) ‘If you’re having problems you must be unspiritual.’ The opposite is true. Satan’s attack is proof that you haven’t been conquered, that you represent a threat to the kingdom of darkness, and that you’re doing the will of God. And the greater the attack, the greater the level of blessing that awaits you beyond it, so keep going.

4) ‘Being exposed to sound Bible teaching automatically solves every problem.’ It will certainly help you solve your problems, but it won’t solve them for you. You must be a ‘doer’ of the Word and not a ‘hearer only’ (see James 1:23). Paul writes, ‘Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies [and tricks] of the devil’ (Ephesians 6:10-11 NLT).

In other words, you need ‘staying power’. (to be continued)

"This devotional is taken from the UCB Word for Today and you can sign up to receive free copies at www.ucb.co.uk/wft.  © United Christian Broadcasters." 

Shit Happens…Flush it and Move On

Hey guys, its been a minute. Yes, I haven’t done a post in what seems to be ages.

I sincerely apologize 🙏

Life always happens no matter what. Nature seems to always to have its way and sometimes takes you unawares and almost throws off balance, but as a Baddo, LOL!, when life throws me lemons, I extract the juice, make the baddest lemonade, refrigerate it and then sit, relax and enjoy a tall glass of chilled lemonade. If life throws me coffee, I make me a cup, black, just the way I like it. And if life throws me stones, well, I dodge 😀

Ok so, enough with the theatrics.

Everybody at one time or the other has had shit happen in their life. Basically, sometimes, you need that shit to learn to be prepared for the things ahead. Take for example a failed marriage, a lost job, a suddenly ended relationship, etc. Of course, nobody wishes for these things. Sometimes they even happen to people who do not in any way deserve it, but this is life. The best and, at the same time, worst part about shit happening is moving on. When you hold on to that shit, you miss out on whats ahead or whats even right around the corner. Its not always easy, especially when you invested a lot of time and energy into it. What you need to know is, when something or someone or a situation is not for you, it never works out. No matter how long you try to manage it or deal with it, it never works out. The sooner you realize that, the better. Sometimes, the signs are there, very obvious and in your face, but you ignore them. Some are lucky to have these signs shown to them very early in the situation, but still ignore, mostly because of the fear of starting over. If this is your story, find the courage and strength to walk away. Walking away would definitely not be easy especially if you’ve invested a lot, but later in the future you will be glad you did. Some people are very lucky to have these situations make their own exit, on their own. Still doesn’t change the fact that it’ll hurt like crazy. In the future, after you’ve moved on, worked on yourself, become a better and upgraded YOU and are at a better place, you’ll definitely be glad that shit happened when it did.

So, after all that’s been said and done, personally, I have been working on a few things which are already in motion. You are going to be in the know as time goes on. We have to make and get and have this money and we gotta work work work work work LOL. Giving up is not an option, certainly not in my books.

Till next post, stay tuned ✌

God's Word For Today: What it Means to Really Love

‘Love cares more for others than for self.’ - 1 Corinthians 13:4

Some of the greatest insights on what it means to love someone come from the pen of the apostle Paul: ‘No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. Love never dies’ (vv. 3-8 MSG).

John had been married to Mary for fifty years. One night in bed she said, ‘When we were young you used to hold my hand.’ A little irritated, he slowly reaches out his hand. ‘When we were young you used to snuggle up to me,’ Mary said. Even more slowly, John’s body creaks and turns, nestling against hers. ‘When we were young you used to nibble on my ear,’ she whispered. Abruptly he throws back the covers and jumps out of bed. Bewildered, Mary asks, ‘Where are you going?’ ‘To get my teeth!’ he grumbles.

To nibble on an ear when you’re full of romance and bubbling hormones is one thing. To nibble on that same ear years later when it holds a hearing aid, when the scent in the air is vapour rub, and when you have to get up to get your teeth - that’s love! :)

This devotional is taken from the UCB Word for Today and you can sign up to receive free copies at www.ucb.co.uk/wft.  © United Christian Broadcasters.

Eid el-Fitr: Turkish President calls Buhari, congratulates Nigerians

President Recep Erdogan of Turkey today felicitated with Muslims in Nigeria on the occasion of this year’s Eid el-Fitr.

Erdogan conveyed his goodwill message in a telephone conversation he had with President Muhammadu Buhari earlier on Tuesday, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina.

Adesina quoted Erdogan, whose country recently suffered terror attack at the Atartuk Airport, as rejoicing with Nigerians on the successful completion of this year’s Ramadan fast despite whatever distractions.

Buhari had, last week, in a letter written to the Turkish President, commiserated with him and the people of Turkey in the wake of the bombings at the Ataturk airport in Turkey.

The President had described the incident as a “horrific attack on their soil by evil forces who have nothing to do with Islam despite their warped beliefs.”

Ramadan: Suicide bombings hit three Saudi Arabian cities in 24 hours

A wave of suicide bombings hit three Saudi Arabian cities over a 24-hour period yesterday. The attacks came on the heels of massive jihadi assaults in the Muslim world last week. The deadliest occurred in Medina, where four people were killed and another person was wounded. The city is a major spot in Islam because that’s where Prophet Mohammed is buried.

The bomber, who died in the explosion, targeted security officers, but it is unknown precisely who was killed as at press time.

In Qatif in eastern Saudi Arabia, a suicide bomber attempted to launch an attack at a Shiite mosque but failed, killing himself in the process, according to an official with knowledge of the event. There were no injuries.

Near the United States Consulate in Jeddah, a suicide bomber killed only himself after detonating an explosive according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Policemen were injured in the attack.
There were no claims of responsibility at press time. Attackers launched strikes last week in Turkey, Bangladesh, Yemen and Iraq,  killing scores of people. They are claimed or thought to be carried out by Islamic States. The strikes came as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan ends and Americans celebrate the Fourth of July, their independence day.

Reports said, early yesterday, the Saudi police became suspicious of a man who appeared to be roaming around a parking lot of a major hospital. When officers approached him, the man detonated what appeared to be an explosive belt,. The explosion happened roughly 33 feet (10 meters) from the consulate’s wall. The blast occurred about 3 a.m. local time and that it appeared that at least two police officers were slightly injured in the attack. The report did not specify how many were hurt. None of the bystanders in the parking lot were injured in the attack.

Police found three devices inside the bomber’s car. A bomb disposal unit used a robot to detonate them, said a journalist who was on the scene.

The Saudi Interior Ministry is investigating the case.

Twitter suspends account of Nigerian militant group Niger Delta Avengers

Twitter on Monday suspended the account of Niger Delta Avengers, a militant group that has carried out a series of attacks on oil facilities in Nigeria in the last few months which pushed the country's crude production to 30-year lows.

The Avengers have used a Twitter account as its main form of communication, using it to publicise claims of attacks and as a platform to criticise Nigeria's government.

The group - which says it wants a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth to be passed on to communities in the impoverished Niger Delta region – posted messages on Sunday saying it had carried out five attacks in the last few days.

"This account has been suspended," said a statement on the account. "We do not comment on individual accounts for privacy and security reasons," said a spokesman for the social media site when asked about the reasons for the suspension.

However, the spokesman said the company's policies included a "specific rule pertaining to violent threats" which states that "you may not make threats of violence or promote violence, including threatening or promoting terrorism".

In February, Twitter said it had shut down more than 125,000 terrorism-related accounts since the middle of 2015, most of which were linked to the Islamic State group.

Kuje jail break: 14 prison officers suspended

The Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) has suspended 14 officers in connection with the recent Kuje Prison break. This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by Mr Francis Enobore, the NPS spokesperson. The affected officers and men are:

DCP Musa Tanko
SIP Buhari Dogo
PIP Stephen Edogbanya
PIP Patrick Teru
IP Usman Peter
IP Dennis Makum.

Others are:

IP Fassan Akin
SPA Daka James
SPA Adamu Luka
SPA Zakari Yunasa
PA Asnamal Samuel
PA Ejegwa Patrick
PA 11 Isah Ibrahim
PA 11 Ngede Salifu.

The statement said the two inmates, Solomon Amodu and Maxwell Ajukwu were standing trial for culpable homicide.

“The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board (CDFIPB) have approved the suspension of four senior officers.

“The suspension is sequel to the outcome of the preliminary investigation into the incident and in consonance with PSR 030406 (2008) Revised Version; the officers were suspended from duty to allow for unhindered trial process.

“The commissioned officers among them are to be served with letters of query, while the junior staff will be given Form 96 (Charge Sheet) to explain their role in the unfortunate saga,’’ it said.

The statement also noted that efforts to recapture the fleeing prisoners in collaboration with sister security agencies were on-going.

“This is in addition to tightening security measures in and around prison formations nationwide to forestall a repeat of such incident.

“The controller general wishes to solicit the cooperation of members of the public to volunteer useful information that will assist in the recapture of the fugitives,’’ it said.

God's Word For Today: The Power of Praise

‘All the prison doors flew open.’ - Acts 16:26

The Bible says: ‘About midnight Paul and Silas were … singing hymns to God … Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken … all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose’ (vv. 25-26 NIV 2011 Edition).

Praise opens doors. Praise breaks chains. Any time you praise God in spite of the circumstances, the forces of heaven come to your aid. You say, ‘But sometimes I don’t feel like praising God.’ The psalmist wrote, ‘I will bless the Lord at all times’ (Psalm 34:1 NKJV).

Sometimes praise is an emotional response to God’s goodness; other times it’s an act of your will. Anybody can praise God in the good times. But when you have to rise above your feelings and your circumstances, that’s when it really counts. The battle of Jericho teaches us that sometimes you have to shout God’s praise when:

1) You are up against a brick wall.

2) It feels like you’re going in circles.

3) Your circumstances seem to mock you.

4) Your rational mind thinks, ‘This plan doesn’t make any sense.’

5) It’s the last thing you feel like doing. But when you praise God anyway, you discover the truth of Nehemiah’s words: ‘The joy of the Lord [the joy that comes from knowing He is present with you and has gone before you to work things out in your favor is your strength’ (Nehemiah 8:10 AMP).

When you’re ruled by circumstances and emotions you live on a rollercoaster. But if you look to the Lord of your circumstances and praise Him, you move from weakness to strength.

Ex minister who allegedly hid N2.5b housemaid’s bank account speaks up

Apparently, Senator Stella Oduah is the ex minister who the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged hid N2.5b in her house maid’s bank account.

Daily Post reports that Oduah denied the reports, saying such bank account does not exist.

The former minister also said the report, which emanated from an online media is baseless, adding that it is aimed at tarnishing her image.

She also said the reports are a calculated attempt to break the ranks of the united members of the eight Senate.

Sahara Reporters reported sometime in April 2016, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) uncovered N3.6b which was allegedly stolen by former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.

Kylie Jenner's face transformation over the years

😯

Hungarian woman hawks in Lagos traffic

Hungarian lady Emese Doktor says she made N2,000/ N3000 in 20 minutes from selling pure water

She hawked to feel the pains of Nigeria and to raise awareness

Check out some photos:

She's happily married to a Nigerian. They have a child together.

11 Indians released from Nigerian prison

11 Indians who had been languishing in a Nigerian prison for two years have been released, confirmed External Affairs Sushma Swaraj.

Employees of a Merchant Navy firm, the crew's ship got stranded in Nigeria and the entire crew was arrested for violating laws of international waters in 2014.

In a tweet, Swaraj also appreciated the efforts of High Commissioner in Nigeria B N Reddy for expediting their repatriation.

Meanwhile, Swaraj has said that the Government is making all efforts to secure the release of two Indians abducted from Gboko, a town in the Benue state of north-central Nigeria.

One of the captive is Anish Sharma from Karnataka and another is Mangipudi Sai Srinivas from Andhara Pradesh.

Both were travelling to Dangote Cement Plant in a car from their residential quarters last Wednesday, when a group of armed men kidnapped them at a traffic signal.

Swaraj said that she spoke to Anish Sharma's wife and assured her that the Government is doing its best to secure their release from abductors.

In a tweet she said she has deputed a senior officer to update the family regularly.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup had on Friday described the abduction as "nothing surprising or new in that area", saying such incidents keep happening there.

Would you get a Brexit tattoo?

What do a tattoo and the EU referendum have in common? They're both permanent. That's what message this pop-up tattoo parlor in London has for British voters.

"Brexit Tattoos" were offering a variety of free satirical referendum-themed tattoos to highlight the importance of the vote.

"We want to tell them that this is such an important decision to not take lightly," said Rosie Warin from We Are Europe -- a campaign aimed at encouraging young people to vote in favor of Britain remaining in the European Union.

"Much like a bad tattoo, if you make the wrong decision, you're going to wake up on Friday morning and really regret it for the rest of your life," she told CNN.

Designs included depictions of UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage and former London mayor Boris Johnson, as well as several ironic messages such as "bye-bye Britain" and "seas of doubt."

"Two people have got these tattoos and it's been quite amazing to see and hear their stories," Warin said.

"Even though they're doing it in irony, they're also getting this to recognize the significance of the vote."

Photos: Hilarious images of Dads stacking Cheerios on babies

LOL! This is what happens when you leave babies with their dads!. Dads always come up with something hilarious to do to their babies all in the name of fun. Check out more photos below

And this is the most hilarious!.

Pancakes??? Hahaha!

Albino killers may face death sentence in Malawi

Malawi President, Peter Mutharika, says he will introduce a new law to deal with “evil-minded” people involved in the killings of persons with albinism in the country.

Muntharika announced this at a development rally held in the former Malawi capital, Zomba.

The president’s announcement follows a series of abductions and killings of people with albinism in the country for ritual practices.

The Malawi leader denounced the trend and described as “total nonsense” the notion of hoping to get rich by killing persons with albinism for their body parts.

Malawi’s laws stipulate death sentence as a maximum penalty to those convicted of murder but no president has ever endorsed one before.

In the wake of the albino killings in Malawi, some sectors of the society have been pushing the authorities to put the death penalty into effect.

With President Mutharika’s announcement of the introduction of a new stiffer law on the matter, it remains to be seen what the Malawi leader has in store for the perpetrators of the infamous killings of people with albinism.

Meanwhile, close to 20 cases of cold-blood killings of people with albinism have been reported since 2015.

Arrested Boko Haram Suspect is Brother of a Presidential Body Guard

Indications have emerged that one of the suspected Boko Haram members arrested in Kogi State around April this year is related to one of the presidential body guards.

Meanwhile a presidency source has confirmed that the allegations have sparked further background checks and minor reshuffle of security around the State House.

The source informed THISDAY at the weekend that contrary to some reports, none of the presidential body guards who are mostly from the Nigerian Army, including the one whose brother was apprehended, is a member of any terrorist organisation.

“Yes, a suspected Boko Haram member was arrested in Kogi State but he is not one of the BGs (Body Guards) in the villa,” the intelligence source said.

You would recall that it was reported that a member of President Muhammadu Buhari’s security guard linked to the terror group Boko Haram was arrested.

Interrogations and investigations are still ongoing.

Culled from Thisday

Happy 4th of July!!!

On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States.

Each year on July 4th, also known as Independence Day, Americans celebrate this historic event.

Happy Independence Day!, America!

God's Word For Today: Love Your Neighbour

Love your neighbour as yourself.’ - Matthew 22:39

In The Fine Art of Friendship Ted Engstrom outlines ten ways to love others:

1) Love is unconditional. If it’s not…it’s manipulation.

2) Our natural tendency is toward self-centeredness (which isn’t related to a healthy self-esteem); that’s why it takes a conscious effort to love.

3) Each of us is a one-of-a-kind creation. Therefore it takes time - often a long time - to understand one another.

4) Do you really listen and try to understand what people are saying? Or do you listen in order to give an answer; in other words, by letting the other person talk while you mentally formulate your response? One who loves, listens with understanding.

5) Simply being there to care, whether or not you know exactly what to do. Loving your neighbour involves fulfilling, in a visible way, Christ’s promise, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV).

6) Just because God put you in a leadership position doesn’t mean He made you ‘better’ than others. Paul warns the leader ‘not to think of himself more highly than he ought to’ (Romans 12:3 NKJV).

7) Be generous with your praise and encouragement. Inspiring words build up the self-esteem of others, whereas critical comments kill enthusiasm and love.

8) Make your friends number one: ‘In honour preferring one another’ (Romans 12:10 KJV). This is another point where we see a clear difference between the leader who loves, and a power-holder who ‘looks out for number one’.

9) Learn to love God with all your heart. Then love your neighbour as yourself.

10) Emphasise other people’s strengths and virtues, not their sins and weaknesses. Why? Because you’ll be needing grace and love yourself before the day’s done!

The world's safest airlines for 2016

This year the aviation analysts have named 20 leading carriers as the world's best at ensuring passenger protection.

And, for the third year in succession, it says Qantas leads the 407 airlines it monitors when it comes to aviation safety.

AirlineRatings.com, which launched its annual listing in 2013, says the Australian carrier has an "extraordinary record" with no recorded fatalities since the advent of jet travel.

Completing the top 20 in alphabetical order are: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Air New Zealand; Cathay Pacific Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, KLM, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airline System, Singapore Airlines, Swiss, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia.

The organization also named its top 10 low-cost airlines for 2016.

These are, in alphabetical order: Aer Lingus, Flybe, HK Express, Jetblue, Jetstar Australia, Thomas Cook, TUI Fly, Virgin America, Volaris and Westjet.

No Nigerian airline made it to any of the lists 😀

UBA security guard returns $10,000 to bank

Mohammed Ibrahim Ogbanago, a security guard who works at Nigeria’s top financial company, United Bank for Africa (UBA), has received recognition for returning a sum of $10,000 to the bank.

Ogbanago, who works at the bank’s branch located at Oba Akran, Ikeja, Lagos, reportedly found the money in the premises of the company.

Surprisingly, he decided to return it to the bank management. This has earned him the attention of UBA boss,Tony Elumelu, who took to his Instagram to say nice things about him.

The UBA boss, Tony Elumelu, expressed his admiration for the security guard, whose behaviour offers encouragement that there are still some who value honesty.

FG stays silent as LPG, kerosene, diesel prices soar

The economic hardship faced by Nigerians heightened over the last couple of weeks, as the prices of some petroleum products, such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas; kerosene and Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) also known as diesel, recorded significant increases, forcing Nigerians to spend a huge chunk of their earnings on the essential commodities, Vanguard reports.

In spite of several complaints and cries, the Federal Government and its agencies in charge of the sector such as the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), have refused to provide any explanation for the rise in the prices of the commodity, especially in the face of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s new foreign exchange policy which had helped narrow down the official and the parallel markets exchange rates.

Only kerosene and sometimes, diesel, are imported into the country, while LPG is produced locally and to a large extent, not traded in foreign currency. The price of diesel rose from about N130 per litre, a price it had been selling for about three years, to over N200 this week, while the price of cooking gas and kerosene, two important commodities used by almost every home in Nigeria, rose from about N2,500 for a 12.5 kilogramme cylinder and N83 per litre to N4,000 and N230 per litre respectively.

Oritsefemi confesses: ‘Arresting my ex-manager was publicity-stunt’

Double Wahala crooner, Oritsefemi Majemite, has made shocking revelations over the feud between him and his former manager, Yusuf Adepitan, aka Danku.

The talented artiste who made the revelation at a press parley in Lagos on Sunday announced his reunion with his Ex-Manager, Mr. Yusuf Adebola Adepitan.

His words, “Our rifts have been in the news for the wrong reasons and lots of allegations we indicted on ourselves have cost us lots of damage to our careers. All the things that has been mentioned about about me and my manager throughout the scenario are all promotional strategies A.K.A publicity stunts. We apologize for the inconveniences we might have caused the fans. We are back for real business. My friends in the media, I thank you a lot for finding out time to grace this important parley. May God bless you”, he said.

It will be recalled that the singer reportedly got Danku arrested over theft and conspiracy issues.

Photo: Award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a mom!

Celebrated Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has had a baby. There was no press statement, no Instagram announcement, not even a tweet. Instead, the news came via an interview with the Financial Times’ “Lunch with the FT” series (paywall), during which the author orders a syrupy sweet mocktail because she is breastfeeding.

It takes journalist David Pilling a second or two to realize that he’s been handed a scoop. Adichie admits that perhaps she has some friends who don’t even know she has become a mother. The 38-year-old has become one of the most prominent voices on feminism today, and her journey into parenthood is likely to become a topic of debate, just as it didfor prize-winning authors Zadie Smithand Jane Smiley (but hardly ever for male authors). But it’s her business, and Adichie reminds us of that.

“I just feel like we live in an age when women are supposed to perform pregnancy,” Adichie tells Pilling. “We don’t expect fathers to perform fatherhood. I went into hiding. I wanted it to be as personal as possible.”

“Can I ask the baby’s name?” ventures Pilling. “‘No, I won’t say,’ she says with a disarming smile,” he describers her response. And with that there is no more baby talk.

Adichie is known to fiercely protect her privacy, shielding her husband and now her daughter from public view. Still, she did not hide her baby bump and has written about living with depression.

Adichie is a wife, a self-confessed daddy’s girl and now mother to a baby girl.

Congratulations to her!

Police alert Lagos residents of robbers' new trick

The Lagos State Police Command has alerted residents on the new antics of criminals, particularly at night, before carrying out their nefarious activities.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, issued the alert in an interview on Sunday in Lagos, against the backdrop of recent robbery attacks on residents.

She said the criminals, in an attempt to rob or kidnap their victims, now engaged in switching off running power generating sets or turned on tap water, to lure them out.

Badmos, therefore, advised residents not to come out at night, if they noticed that taps within their compounds were opened or when their generators suddenly stopped working.

“Residents should be careful when they discover that their generators stop working or notice water gushing out from their taps, at night.

“They should watch carefully before going out. If they notice strange movements, they should call the nearest police station.

“This is why residents are advised to know the telephone numbers of the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) or station phone numbers close to them,’’ she said.

Speaking to some residents in Ikorodu, Egbeda, Iyana-Ipaja, Agbado Oke-Odo and Ikeja areas of the state, they shared their experiences of how criminals used the tricks to attack their homes.

Mr Tunji Ajayi, a victim and resident of Agbado/Oke-Odo LCDA, who narrated his experience, said the criminals made away with his generator set, after switching it off.

“When they could not gain access into my house, they became frustrated, they then decided to take away my generator.

“I left my generator on at night as usual, but at about 2 a.m, the generator suddenly went off.

“I took my time to observe what must have happened through the window before stepping out, but suddenly, I heard footsteps, so I decided to stay back.

“When the criminals realised that I was not coming out immediately, they decided to take away my generator,’’ he said.

Another victim, Mrs Adenike Okubanjo, a resident of Egbeda area, said she left her generator on with the intention of putting it off at about 10 p.m, but slept off.

“I later woke up at midnight after the generator had gone off, although I knew there was enough fuel to last till the morning.

“Even at that, I decided not to go out until morning, but only to be woken by a neighbor and informed that some armed robbers came into the compound.

“The neighbour told me how the robbers followed him into his house when he came out to check his generator, after it suddenly went off,’’ she said.

A resident of Iyana-Ipaja, who simply identified himself as Michael, also disclosed how he almost fell victim to the criminals’ tricks, but God saved him.

“Usually, I put on my generator set from 7.30 p.m to 11 p.m. on daily basis. I guess, these suspected criminals had been watching me.

“On this particular day, I was about going to put it off, when I heard footsteps.

“I decided to stay back, after which, the hoodlums started threatening me to open the door, but I refused and started to scream and they fled,’’ he said.

For Mr Pius Bamidele, a school teacher in Ikorodu, he said the criminals, after taking some of his valuables, also beat him up for not having enough cash on him.

Bamidele said the hoodlums gained entrance into his home after opening the tap in his compound.

“When I heard water coming out of the tap at about 1.30a.m, I wondered who could be fetching water and would have left the tap open at that time of the day.

“As soon as I came out, one the robbers pointed a gun at me and walked me into my apartment, where they made away with some of my property,’’ he added.