Kathy and Ross Petras

We all want people to take us seriously. But so many of us, in trying to earn that respect from others, say things that we think will make us sound smart — only to fall on our faces.

As psychologist Paul Penn put it, “Trying to sound clever is a good way of sounding stupid.” 

But there’s a way around this. Want to sound smart and well-spoken? As language and communication experts, we’ve come across some simple and effective strategies that actually work.

1. Be intentional about your word choice

Behavioral studies have found that theoretically “smart” language winds up turning people off instead of impressing them. You want to sound natural and not clinical.

So while it’s tempting to want to dazzle people with complicated or multisyllabic words, you’re better off sticking with simpler choices.

For example, use “begin” instead of “commence,” “method” instead of “methodology,” “use” instead of “utilize,” and “help” or “assist” instead of “facilitate.” 

2. Don’t try to be someone you’re not

Adding new words or phrases to your vocabulary just to sound more intelligent for a specific situation is a bad idea. If it’s not natural to you, it comes off as artificial and unconvincing.

Also, make sure that you know what a word means before you use it. For example, people often use the word “simplistic” thinking it’s a more upscale way of saying “simple.” But it isn’t. It has a completely different, and negative, meaning. When you describe something as simplistic, you’re saying that someone took a complex concept and oversimplified it. In effect, they dumbed it down. 

So if you call someone’s idea simplistic, it’s not a compliment at all.

3. Use an active voice

You might think you are adding a flourish to your speech by using complicated sentence structures in the passive voice, but it only alienates people. So opt for active phrases.

For example, instead of saying: “Sales have continued to maintain their upward trajectory in the current quarter,” say, “Sales increased this quarter.”

4. Get straight to the point

Be clear about your topic. Focus on what you’re trying to get across and make it easy for others to really understand your points. 

Research shows that when people can easily understand what you’re talking about and can process it without trouble, they tend to think of you as more capable and intelligent.

5. When possible, say it, don’t write it

We often think that the written word can make us seem more intelligent than the spoken. After all, there are no “ums” or other filler words when you write, and you can choose more complicated ways of expressing yourself.

But that’s not the case. People often react more positively to someone’s voice and assess the speaker as smarter.

6. Steer clear of jargon

Managers repeatedly say that overuse of jargon is an immediate turn-off. In many cases, it can be the difference between landing that job or not or getting that promotion you want or not.

Along these lines, it’s a good idea to avoid throwing in popular but tired jargon words like “leverage,” “synergy,” “transformative” and the like. They’re vague, they’re cliched, and they’re usually unnecessary. 

7. Say nothing

That’s right. Staying silent for a few seconds can make people think of you as smart. Studies have found that if you pause between words while you’re speaking, people often think you’re more articulate and educated. 

That break in your speech when there’s no punctuation reason for it, like a period, is technically called an “unfilled pause,” but we like to call it “smart silence.”

CNBC

Nigeria's total public debt reached N144.67 trillion ($94.23 billion) by December 31, 2024, marking a dramatic 48.58% increase from the N97.34 trillion ($108.23 billion) recorded at the end of 2023, according to the latest report from the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The debt burden continued its upward trajectory with a 1.65% quarter-on-quarter increase from N142.32 trillion in September 2024, reflecting persistent fiscal pressures in the final months of the year.

External and Domestic Debt Components

The substantial rise was driven by increases in both external and domestic borrowings:

- External debt surged by 83.89% to N70.29 trillion ($45.78 billion) from N38.22 trillion a year earlier, influenced by new foreign loans and naira depreciation that inflated the local currency value of dollar-denominated obligations.

- Domestic debt grew by 25.77% to N74.38 trillion ($48.44 billion), with the Federal Government's portion increasing by 32.19% to N70.41 trillion.

Interestingly, states and the Federal Capital Territory reduced their domestic debt burden by 32.27%, from N5.86 trillion to N3.97 trillion, suggesting a more conservative approach to borrowing at the subnational level.

Debt Structure and Future Projections

As of December 2024, Nigeria's debt profile shows a relatively balanced structure with external debt comprising 48.59% and domestic debt accounting for 51.41% of the total.

The country's debt is projected to exceed N157 trillion by the end of 2025, as the government plans to borrow an additional N13 trillion to finance the 2025 budget deficit.

A detailed breakdown reveals that the Federal Government holds N62.92 trillion in external debt and N70.41 trillion in domestic obligations, while states and the FCT account for N7.37 trillion in external and N3.97 trillion in domestic debt.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Gunmen have killed two Chinese nationals and a police inspector in Uturu, a community in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria’s violence-plagued South-east region.

The attack, which occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Friday, saw the assailants ambush a convoy transporting the Chinese expatriates, killing Inspector Audu Saidu and abducting two other police officers along with four Chinese workers.

Sources confirmed that the victims were en route to a company owned by the Chinese nationals in Agukwu-Amaya, Ndundu Community, when they were attacked.

Abia State Police spokesperson Maureen Chinaka, a deputy superintendent of police, identified the slain Chinese nationals as Mr. Quan and Mr. Cai. She stated that the attackers also seized the inspector’s rifle before fleeing.

Following a distress call, a joint security team—comprising police, military, and other agencies—engaged the gunmen in a shootout, leading to the deaths of the victims. However, the abducted officers and four Chinese nationals were later rescued.

“Three Chinese expatriates were rescued unhurt, while one sustained injuries,” Chinaka said. “Inspector Uba Ahmed was rescued with a gunshot wound to his leg, and Inspector Ijeagwa Friday was later found unharmed through collaborative efforts with the military and local community.”

The injured are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

Abia’s Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, vowed that the perpetrators would be apprehended and urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.

Deteriorating Security in Nigeria’s South-East

The attack highlights the deepening insecurity in Nigeria’s South-east, where armed groups frequently target security personnel, government facilities, and foreign workers. While no group has claimed responsibility for the latest violence, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)—a secessionist movement—has been accused of involvement in past attacks, though it denies these allegations.

This incident adds to growing concerns over Nigeria’s security crisis, with rising kidnappings, armed assaults, and communal clashes undermining stability across multiple regions. The government faces mounting pressure to curb the violence, particularly as attacks on foreign nationals threaten economic partnerships and investor confidence.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday announced the U.S. will revoke visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and no others will be issued, effective immediately.

Rubio attributed the change to "the failure of South Sudan's transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner," according to a statement posted on X.

The U.S. Department of State on Saturday wrote in a statement that it is time for the transitional government of South Sudan to "stop taking advantage" of the U.S.

"Enforcing our nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States," according to the statement. "Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them. "

The department said it "will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation."

The East African country is on the verge of civil war, with escalating armed conflict, mass displacement and severe food insecurity.

Previously, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum,Sudan, suspended its operations to include visa, passport and other routine consular services on April 22, 2023.

The Trump administration has deported more than 100,000 illegal migrants since taking office, according to a New York Post report citing a DHS official.

Fox News

The mobile payment app Zelle no longer allows users to send and receive money transfers. However, the platform's services remain available.

The ability to transfer money through the Zelle mobile app became unavailable on Tuesday, as announced by the company in October 2024. Now, Zelle is only available through "more than 2,200 banks and credit unions" in the U.S. that offer the platform through their websites or mobile apps, according to the Zelle website.

The decision came as only about 2% of Zelle transactions were made through the standalone Zelle app, the company reported last year.

In December 2024, the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo for failing to protect consumers from alleged "widespread fraud" through Zelle. Customers named in the lawsuit reported losing more than $870 million over a seven-year period.

The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau claimed that the banks violated federal law by allowing scammers and repeat offenders to hop between banks, ignoring the red flags that could have prevented fraud.

In response, Zelle claimed that the "attacks" on the company were "legally and factually flawed," and would strengthen criminals, cost consumers more in fees, stifle small businesses and make it harder for thousands of community banks and credit unions to compete." The lawsuit was dropped in early March.

Here's what to know about the Zelle change and how it affects users.

What is Zelle?

Founded in 2017, Zelle is a digital payment network that allows users to send and receive money from their bank accounts, even if the two users don't use the same bank.

How can you continue to use Zelle, without the app?

To use Zelle, users must now enroll in one of the more than 2,200 banks or credit unions that offer Zelle through their mobile apps or websites. If already using Zelle through a partnering financial institution, the user doesn't need to do anything different.

Users of the Zelle app had been receiving emails and in-app notifications about the change to ensure all money inside the app was properly transferred.

What banks and credit unions offer Zelle?

The Zelle app is still available to download. What does it do now?

The Zelle app is still accessible to users who have already downloaded it and the app remains available to download from app stores. However, its function has changed, as money can no longer be transferred through the standalone app.

The app is now "dedicated to consumer education about scams and fraud," a news release states. The list of financial institutions that offer Zelle is also available on the app.

USA Today

Yesterday, I was summoned to the multi-billion Naira construction site of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue House by the contractor, who breathlessly informed me that VIPs were en route to inspect the project. After reviewing the progress, we stood like sentinels at Jesus' tomb, waiting for the VIPs.  Time ticked on, and as our legs grew weary, the site supervisor — a man pushing 70 — politely asked a young artisan, likely in his late twenties, to fetch three chairs for us to rest.

What followed left us stunned like an immaculately dressed party who had just been baptised with sprinkles of red oil.

“I am busy,” came the curt reply. The words hung in the air like a dirty slap. We all turned like a swivel chair in the hand of a hairdresser, wide-eyed, in disbelief. We were well dressed and didn’t expect to be so addressed. Anyone with eyes could tell we were not people of mean means. More than that, each of us standing could have easily been this young man’s father.

I asked him, “Do you know who is asking you to bring the chairs?” He replied again, even more defiantly, “But I told you I’m busy! Can’t you see I’m working?”

Sincerely, if my police escorts had not been a bit far from the scene, they would have needed some caution to resist the temptation to lay hands on him — not for prayer but to teach him the lessons Rehoboam missed in 1 Kings 12:13-14. But the elderly man, who engaged the mason the young man was working for, simply called a senior artisan. That one bolted downstairs and returned in less than three minutes with the chairs.

Like a fully loaded and working washing machine, I kept turning the scene over in my mind. What could breed such insolence in someone so young? Even if he didn’t know who we were, why could he not take cognizance of the fact that the site engineers paid obeisance duly on our arrival? Must respect be earned only by familiarity, not reverence for age? This was a case of the piper insisting on the tune he’d dictated to the employer.

Later, when my junior colleagues arrived and I recounted the tale, the ladies sank to their knees, and the young man among them prostrated, pleading mercy for the boy, who stood unmoved—a statue of apathy. I blinked, half-expecting the scene to dissolve like a mirage. I had to blink to be sure I wasn’t in a Nollywood production.

The contractor simply sighed and advised, “Leave him. He probably took something... some substance.” When a man feels a dozen feet tall, everyone else becomes a dwarf. Effects of the mockers called substance (be it alcohol or drugs) in our days are confirmations of Proverbs 20:1.

This morning, as I rose, the thought still clung to me like a stubborn Arabic perfume on cloth. And then came a divine whisper that shook me to my bones:

“When I, the Almighty, make a request — how many of you who call yourselves My people respond? Must you see Me physically before you honour Me as your Creator?”

“You ask for platforms, for promotions, for power. And when I give them, you become intoxicated with the blessings — so much so that I, the Giver, fade into insignificance. Don’t you swell like Jeshurun, forgetting your source (Deut 32:15) boasting, ‘I am self-made,’ forgetting that without me, you’re not better than a worm?

“When I anoint young men and women with evangelistic fire, they often settle for comfort. They trade the call for a career and pretend deaf to the dying crying for help.  Instead of reaching the perishing world by obeying Jer 6:16, they build empires and congregations — content to fish in aquariums while the ocean teems with souls. When they neglect the call, I send my ageing, faithful labourers again — the ones who still know My voice. Ironically, these elders are often criticised for not 'handing over.’”

“The ones who truly know Me don’t chase after what I hold in my hands but seek My face (Psalm 27:8). They can read my expressions and obey my instructions without argument even when they don’t fully understand what the outcome would be. They walk the narrow path of holiness and faith, even when it hurts. They understand My ways, not just My acts (Psalm 103:7). Therefore, I anoint the aged sage for greater exploits while the virile younger folks gerrymander for functions without unction!

The tech age is very transactional. If I delay in answering them — that they might learn patience — they grumble. If I answer too quickly, they squander the capital of grace and run bankrupt before remembering their Source. They trade My presence for pennies, feasting on blessings until their souls starve (Malachi 3:14).”

“Olaniran, I allowed you to witness that moment — not just for indignation, but for introspection. The scene was your mirror. Look closely at your own life. Are there no areas of delayed obedience? What of disobedience masked as ‘busyness’? Do you realise it is the intercession of Jesus and a few faithful saints that have stayed My judgement over you? If people like you have done enough evangelism and outreach towards many of these young folks and influenced them positively, would they still be wearing diapers as adults?”

“I need you to sound the alarm. Warn the young not to be carried away by appearance, ambition, or applause. Let them hunger for depth — not just display. And while you’re at it, intercede for them. They need it.”

And so, here I am — in His presence still. Before I can remove the specks in others’ eyes, I must first deal with the logs in mine (Matthew 7:5). I have been sober since, reflecting on how to be a better example. Even if your log is smaller than mine, you still need to pluck it out to see better. I pray you allow this testimony to be a refiner fire and draw you back to your first love. If you’re fired by this, can you let the fire ignite others to respect and obey the Creator before they conclude that Gen Z is rude and crude?

Let others hear. Let others see.

US sending Israel 20,000 assault rifles that Biden had delayed, say sources

The Trump administration moved forward with the sale of more than 20,000 U.S.-made assault rifles to Israel last month, according to a document seen by Reuters and a source familiar with the matter, pushing ahead with a sale that the administration of former president Joe Biden delayed over concerns they could be used by extremist Israeli settlers.

The State Department sent a notification to Congress on March 6 of the $24 million sale of the Colt Carbine 5.56 mm caliber fully automatic rifles, saying the end user would be the Israeli National Police, according to the document.

The rifle sale is a small transaction next to the billions of dollars worth of weapons that Washington supplies to Israel. But it drew attention when the Biden administration delayedthe sale over concerns that the weapons could end up in the hands of Israeli settlers, some of whom have attacked Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The Biden administration had imposed sanctions on individuals and entities accused of committing violence in the West Bank, which has seen a rise in settler attacks on Palestinians.

On his first day in office on January 20, Trump issued an executive order rescinding the sanctions on the settlers in a reversal of U.S. policy. Since then, his administration has approved the sale of billions of dollars worth of weapons to Israel.

The March 6 congressional notification said the U.S. government had taken into account "political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations."

The State Department did not provide comment when asked whether the administration sought assurances from Israel on the use of the weapons.

CLOSE TIES

Since a 1967 Middle East war, Israel has occupied the West Bank, which Palestinians want as the core of an independent state, and has built settlements that most countries deem illegal. Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the land.

Settler violence had been on the rise prior to the eruption of the Gaza war, and has worsened since the conflict began over a year ago.

Trump has forged close ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pledging to back Israel in its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. His administration has in some cases pushed ahead with Israel arms sales despite requests from Democratic U.S. lawmakers that the sales be paused until they received more information.

The U.S. Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected a bid to block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel over human rights concerns, voting 82-15 and 83-15 to reject two resolutions of disapproval over sales of massive bombs and other offensive military equipment.

The resolutions were offered by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.

The rifle sale had been put on hold after Democratic lawmakers objected and sought information on how Israel planned to use them. The congressional committees eventually cleared the sale but the Biden administration kept the hold in place.

The latest episode in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict began with a Hamas attack on Israeli communities on October 7, 2023 with gunmen killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's campaign has so far killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, Gaza health authorities say.

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, oversees the Israeli police force. The Times of Israel newspaper reported in November 2023 that his ministry put "a heavy emphasis on arming civilian security squads" in the aftermath of October 7 attacks.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russia launches air attack on Kyiv, Ukraine's military says

Russia launched an overnight air strike on Kyiv, with the city's air defence forces trying to repel the attack, the military administration and the mayor of the Ukrainian capital said on Sunday.

"Explosions in the capital. Air defences are working. Stay in shelters!" Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a post on the Telegram messaging app.

Reuters' witnesses heard blasts in what sounded like air defence units in operation.

** Three injured in Russia's overnight attack on Mykolaiv, Ukraine says

Three women were injured and several fires broke out in a Russian air attack on the southern Ukrainian region of Mykolaiv late on Saturday, Ukraine's officials said.

The attack - a day after least 19 people, including nine children, were killedin strikes on the city of Kryvyi Rih - also damaged several houses, Mykolaiv Governor Vitaly Kim posted on the Telegram messaging app.

One of the women was hospitalised, and the other two were treated on outpatient basis, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said. It posted photos and videos of firefighters battling flames in a house at night.

There was no immediate comment from Russia. Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war that Russia started with a full-scale invasion on its smaller neighbour three years ago. Thousands of civilians have died in the conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office in January after pledging he would end the war in 24 hours, has sought to broker an end to the conflict. The U.S. last week late last month it had agreed with Russia and Ukraine two ceasefire accords, including one that would on each other's energy infrastructure.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Kiev forces lost up to 430 personnel in Battlegroup Center’s zone of responsibility

Ukrainian forces lost up to 430 personnel in the Battlegroup Center’s responsibility area in a day, the group's press center chief, Alexander Savchuk, told reporters.

"The losses of Ukrainian armed formations totaled 430 servicemen, a Leopard tank, seven vehicles and six artillery pieces, including two Western-made ones. An electronic warfare station was destroyed," he said.

According to him, the Battlegroup Center continues to advance deep into the enemy's defenses and liberated the settlement of Uspenovka of the Donetsk People's Republic.

"We inflicted damage on the manpower and equipment of two mechanized, ranger, airborne assault brigades, and an unmanned systems brigade of the assault regiment of the Ukrainian armed forces in the areas of Zverevo, Novy Ekonomichesky, Bogdanovka, Yelizavetovka, Krasnoarmeysk, Kotlino, Lenino, Udachny and Alekseyevka," he said.

Reuters/RT

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor …. and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised ~ Luke 4:18.

Introduction:

Touching lives with the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ sometimes looks very easy, but it is not always so. You definitely need Someone bigger than you — the Holy Spirit Himself — to excel in the spiritual arts of doing good and touching other lives for God on earth!

Quite unfortunately, many people remain oblivious of this fact until reality teaches them. See, reality can be very innovative; it always finds a way to humble people, particularly the top-notch armchair critics.

We can have fulfillment in doing good and making our world better only with the power of the Holy Spirit working through us. However, the degree to which we operate in this power is completely left to us.

We can choose to be walking spiritual dynamos, full of power, performing miracles and operating in the manifestations of Holy Ghost wherever we go, or choose to be spiritual weaklings, failing to utilize the enormous gifts we have received (Ephesians 3:7, 20).

God the Father is the Anointer, Jesus Christ is the Miracle Worker and the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, Who binds us to God and His acts of goodwill on earth (Acts 10:38).

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is the supernatural potion that signalizes God’s presence on human flesh to accomplish what man cannot do for himself. It is the outpouring of God’s marvelous grace and glory.

We must note that God's grace is not only in His willingness to forgive us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, but also in His resources for shaping and using our lives as believers. Hence, the anointed man is the man relevant to God’s agenda in any generation.

Oil, as an emblem of the Holy Spirit, was often poured upon prophets, priests and kings in the Old Testament to denote the outpouring of gifts, wisdom and grace from God upon them to qualify them for their respective offices.

Today, when a believer is remarkably anointed by the Holy Spirit, God’s presence becomes manifest, and real spiritual power is experienced in strange victories round about (Acts 1:8). Those who receive this anointing are made alive unto God, and are expressly referred to by Apostle Peter as living stones (1 Peter 4-5).

We Are Anointed to Terminate Satanic Oppressions

Unknown to many people, all Christians are authorized to defeat the enemy, to enjoy total victory in Christ and to touch the world for good (1 John 2:20). Notwithstanding, the Word of God clearly states that those who are born-again of the Spirit have the authority to overrule Satan (John 3:5-8; Luke 10:19).

Of a truth, many spirit beings, good and bad, inhabit the unseen realm. The good ones are agents of goodwill, but the bad ones are structured to do maximum damage to the Kingdom of God and to God’s people in general (Ephesians 6:12-13).

However, we need not fear because Christ already disarmed the evil spirits when He triumphed over them on the Cross (Colossians 2:15). Moreover, we believers are mightily weaponized in the spirit realm, and our weapons have divine capabilities to demolish every fortress of the enemy (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Yes indeed, God freely delegated His authority and divine privileges to us as His favorite children (John 1:12). But, sometimes, we treat them with carelessness and levity, just like we often do with other free things in life, forgetting that, in the real sense of it, there is nothing actually free, only what is paid for by someone else.

God paid the supreme price for our empowerment. He did! Jesus Christ had to die for the Holy Spirit to find fitting spaces in the believers today (John 16:7).

God is the Original Owner of every good thing — greatness, power, glory, victory, majesty, riches, honour, strength, might, and all that is in the heaven and in the earth, etc — but, He has chosen to give portions of these to His children (1 Chronicles 29:11-12; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 John 5:4).

Furthermore, with respect to the believers in Christ Jesus, the Bible also says: “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The important question is: “who is this Person in us”?

Christ Jesus is He! He took up residence in our hearts by the Holy Ghost when we received His gift of eternal life (Colossians 1:27). He also gave us both authority and power in the Holy Spirit to frustrate the plans of the devil, to defeat persistent difficulties in life and to guide us through all our Christian journeys.

What Happens When We Are Truly Anointed

Basically, we are anointed to touch lives in our generation, and to make our world a better place to live in. To accomplish these, the Holy Ghost installed in us incredible capacities for genuine love (Romans 5:5). It is the anointing of the Holy Spirit that makes God’s covenant speak out very effectively in the believer’s life (Psalm 89:28).

Ideally, the greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. Yes, the value of life is computed not by its duration but by its donation. It is not how long we live that matters, but how full and how well. Notwithstanding, it takes the anointing to generate true and lasting impacts.

Without impacts, you cannot be significant, and nobody will be interested in you. But, when you get connected to the Holy Spirit, and you utterly depend on His power, supernatural things begin to happen, and you are bound to make great impacts in the lives of other people.

To do or to see good things on earth requires the workings of the Holy Ghost. Yes, healing is peculiar bread for God’s children; even then, it takes the Holy Spirit to bake it.

Cultivating the Holy Ghost Power Within

Many Christians today are not utilizing the opportunities and the power that are so freely given us; consequently they lead lives beneath the believers’ privileges. Albeit, by divine mercy, they still retain the distinct honor and the awesome responsibility of cultivating this power that is latent within.

This we can do by our sensitive and implicit reliance on the Holy Spirit, trusting God all the way through in our Christian journeys, and releasing confidence in His unfailing power by faith and by our right confessions.

When we trust the Holy Spirit, He makes our inner man stronger so that we can stand equipped to carry on with His purpose on earth. This magnificent "treasure"of strength in our "earthen vessels" is the power of the Holy Spirit from on high (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Moreover, with the Holy Spirit presence in our lives, wisdom is automatically made available to us regarding every situation we face in life (Ephesians 1:17-19). The Holy Spirit is our Present Help, making ways for our profit in all aspects of life (Romans 8: 24-28; 1 Corinthians 1:7).

Friends and brethren, the glorious assignment of influencing people for good will always require the assistance of the Holy Spirit (Psalm 89:25). We must go, therefore, for whatever it takes to get the power of His anointing (Hebrews 1:9; Psalms 89:20). In this essential power encounter, may you never miss out, in Jesus name. Amen. Happy Sunday!

____________________

Archbishop Taiwo Akinola,

Rhema Christian Church,

Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Connect with Bishop Akinola via these channels:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bishopakinola

SMS/WhatsApp: +234 802 318 4987

Churches now do telemarketing surveys, asking: “What would you like in a church?” In effect, many churches are made to measure, according to the greatest demand and not according to God’s prescriptions.

Some pastors even go further and play it safe. They have surveys asking our members what kind of messages they would like to hear. This is a standard operating procedure in the world of business marketing. You find out what your potential customers want, and you give it to them. But it is inappropriate for the kingdom of God, which is based on the will of our Father in heaven.

The modern-day pastor is determined to change man’s perception of God and to make Him more desirable and appealing to the flesh, all in the interest of expeditious church growth. The flesh hates holiness, so, many pastors do all they can to make the church more like the world. Frankly, holiness is hard on the numbers and has a way of annoying the ambitious and offending the profane.

Instead of hating evil, as scripture commands (Psalm 97:10), today’s Christians are being taught just the opposite: to hate holiness. This is achieved by zealously removing from churches anything that encourages fear, respect, reverence, and awe toward the Almighty.

The trend is now towards promoting a casual, even cavalier attitude and atmosphere in and around churches to make people feel more comfortable and relaxed. The truth, however, is that we cannot entertain men into the kingdom: but we can convict them.

Churches are now the jack of all trades. They use such non-spiritual activities as gymnastics, rock ‘n’ roll, comedians, and a host of other gimmicks to entertain their congregation. The church service is often a carefully crafted and choreographed production designed to please and impress men and not God. Many churches put on shows with worldly celebrities to increase their numbers.

Now we see the next logical step in the process of marketing the church to the world, offer a free inducement to get them into your establishment. Put on a show, offer a free trial, give away something of value, and entice them with things to get them in the door.

Today it is a regular practice for churches to offer some sort of inducement for newcomers. In one American church, they offered to pay for a portion of the visitor’s petrol in exchange for visiting the church. Another preacher offered non-members a certain amount of money for just sitting through a Sunday morning service.

I suppose you might call this “avant-garde evangelism.”

That Is Entertainment

I walked into the parish of a major Lagos church for the very first time and was surprised to hear the choir playing the theme song from the blockbuster movie “Mission Impossible III.” Do not get me wrong; the choir was excellent. But you start to wonder if you are not actually at a pop concert as opposed to a church. 

Another church in Anderson, South Carolina (U.S.A.) even upped the ante. It was reported that they started a church service with the song “Brick House” by the Commodores. Who could blame them? After all, they were purpose-driven, determined to attract the world.

Just take a look at some of the words of the song and judge for yourself whether it agrees with the virtues of Jesus Christ: 

She knows she got everything
a woman needs to get a man, yeah.
How can she use, the things she use
36-24-36, what a winning hand!

The clothes she wears, the sexy ways,
make an old man wish for younger days
She knows she’s built and knows how to please
Sure enough to knock a man to his knees

How in heaven’s name can anyone think such a song is appropriate in a church of all places? But then churches are no longer what they used to be.

According to The Telegraph, the pastor of a big church in Kyiv, Ukraine encourages his congregants to “shake their booty and praise the Lord.” Reporting on one of his services, the newspaper observes that:

“As he prepared to make a grand entrance, the choirgirls shook their pompoms, the disco lights started to flash, and a fanfare sounded. The lights cut out, and (he) emerged from a shroud of dry ice. Children holding flags of the world wafted around him and the choir bellowed ‘Sanctus!’”

What exactly is happening here? Is it a worship service or a rock concert? Is Christ the bright morning star or is the pastor the superstar? I dare say some churches have gone astray because of their preoccupation with attracting and retaining new members.  

Babylonian Songs

In the single-minded pursuit of size and numerical growth, new-generation churches have reconfigured the church service into a show business where men come to be entertained on Sundays for the “gate fee” of an offering. The thinking is that by spiritualising popular music, the church becomes more attractive to unbelievers.

The danger in this approach is that the modern church becomes increasingly worldly.

The playing of secular music in churches does not facilitate the conversion of the lost. Indeed, music is never used in scripture as a means of reaching the lost. Instead, music is primarily used as a means of reaching God, because the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. (Psalm 22:3).

God is not likely to be reached through the “urban contemporary gospel music.” Jesus said to the Samaritan woman: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24).

God’s mechanism for reaching the lost is through preaching. Jesus directs His disciples to: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15). He does not say we should go into the world and organise beautiful concerts.

But while the gospel may no longer be preached in many churches today, they certainly strive to play good popular music that is very attractive to the people.

“Give Jesus a wiper!”

Christian Pop and Rap

Is it appropriate to recast popular secular songs into Christian ones by changing the lyrics?

I do not think so.

Worldly music is inappropriate for conversion into “gospel” music. Jesus says: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6).

James asks rhetorically: “Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus, no spring yields both salt water and fresh.” (James 3:12).

There is a spirit that holds the copyright to every song we sing. Changing the lyrics does not change the copyright. This means a worldly song cannot be converted into a godly song. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to bow down to a god worshipped “in symphony with all kinds of music.” (Daniel 3:14-18).

Rock music, for example, is naturally wild; designed to stimulate the flesh. This makes it inappropriate for worship. Indeed, the rock of the rockstar is not the Rock of Ages. Moses says: “Their rock is not like our Rock.” (Deuteronomy 32:31).

Rap music is also vulgar and fleshly. At its most fundamental, it is characterised by foul language, and videos glorifying pimps and “bitches.” These types of music cannot be converted into spiritual music because of what Jesus calls the “good fruit” principle: “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.” (Matthew 7:17-18).

Rap music emphasises the drums. Spiritual songs, on the other hand, emphasise the melody as opposed to the beat. (Psalm 33:2; Isaiah 51:3). Indeed, the Bible makes no mention anywhere of drums.

New Songs

Christian songs should be “new songs;” not reworked popular songs. New creatures should sing new songs, not the same old songs we were singing when we were still in the world.

The psalmist says: “He has put a new song in my mouth- praise to our God.” (Psalm 40:3). He enjoins believers repeatedly to: “Sing unto the LORD a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints.” (Psalm 149:1). “Sing to Him a new song; play skilfully with a shout of joy.” (Psalm 33:3).

If church music appeals to the world, then it must be unacceptable to God. Jesus says: “What is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15). The world is not interested in music that genuinely glorifies the Lord. Therefore, many so-called Christian artists end up laundering their lyrics to give them a “cross-over” appeal.

After the children of Israel were carried into captivity, the Babylonians requested them to sing for sport. But they refused to sing the Lord’s song in a strange land. (Psalm 137:4). Observe that it is the Lord’s song and not the world’s song. It is not even Israel’s song.

Christian songs are supposed to be unto the Lord and not unto men. Christian music should be Godward and not manward. The psalmist says we are to sing praises “to the Lord.” (Psalm 9:11). Christian music should glorify God, as opposed to entertaining men.

Saturday Night Fever

Pastors play church a lot. They fill their choirs with gifted musicians who are singularly unspiritual. They hire them for a fee. As long as they play good music, they are acceptable in the beloved. These musicians play in discos on Saturday night and then in church on Sunday morning. Pastors are particular about how well they play: they are not concerned about their anointing.

But God is not impressed, and He would not be mocked. He says through the mouth of Amos:

“Away with your hymns of praise- they are mere noise to My ears. I will not listen to your music, no matter how lovely it is. I want to see a mighty flood of justice- a torrent of doing good.” (Amos 5:23-24).

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