In Christ Alone
It was December 2019, a new novel coronavirus had broken out in Wuhan, a region of China. It spread so rapidly, like nothing ever seen before. The strain was new; it had no cure. So, the disease continued to spread; and easily too. From a handshake to a simple hug, to standing next to an infected person, to being sneezed upon. One innocent touch and a person was infected. Within a few months, it ravaged every country like wildfire. The world stood still. Every resource, idea, strategy, plan, you name it, was channeled to one mission – to stop the spread of this virus. The instructions were simple; to keep safe, wash your hands, do not touch your face or nose, keep at least a 6m distance from the next person, and boost your immune system. But mistakes were made, and stubborn humans would not listen. So, from one country to another, one city to the next, the virus kept spreading. And for the first time in centuries, we were witnessing the breakout of a deadly pandemic. The world was on lockdown to prevent it further and flatten the curve. World powers started to tremble. Economies broke down. Citizens lost faith in their government. Anxiety, fear, panic, and uncertainty became the order of the day. It became evident that there was only one direction the entire world could turn to. One unifying hope. One possible way out. Thus, there was an outcry; Oh Lord, save the world. And this was where I asked, âhasnât He already done that?â I began to analyze the situation, from the confines of my own home, of course. In the midst of all the negative press flying around, I chose to only dwell on the positives. This is the first time in a long time where the people of the world would speak the same language. Just like the men at the tower of Babel who intended to touch the heavens and so decided to build a tower. This is the first time in many years that parents paid attention to their own children by themselves, because there was no caregiver or nanny. Employers have had to find new, safe and secure ways to engage their employees in a bid to keep their systems running. It is the first time we are really thankful for technology and witty invention. It also got me thinking, this is the first time in many years that we celebrated Easter and it wasnât so much about hanging out and making merry alone or with friends and family. Instead, we were compelled to sit back and reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made and the true meaning of it. And so, in this season of turmoil and great uncertainty in the world, the words of this song âIn Christ alone my hope is foundâ comes to mind. A song composed by two songwriters whose meeting was pure coincidence but the result has transcended demography, religion, and culture. One song that emphasizes the hope we can anchor onto at such a time as this. The lyrics say: In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song This Cornerstone, this solid Ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease My Comforter, my All in All, Here in the love of Christ I stand  In Christ alone! Who took on flesh? Fullness of God in helpless babe This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save Till on that cross, as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid, Here in the death of Christ I live  There in the ground, His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain Then bursting forth in glorious Day, Up from the grave He rose again And as He stands in victory, Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me For I am His and He is mine, Bought with the precious blood of Christ  No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand This is the hope we can trust in, that; Even though there is darkness, He is our light and even though we are weak, we are assured of His strength. Even though the ground beneath proves fragile, He is our solid ground; a firm foundation through the fiercest storm and drought. Even though we are afraid, his perfect love casts out all our fears and we are comforted, because in him we stand. For one reason was He born, that He might save a generation that did not know him and a new generation that will come to know Him. He knew that going to the cross would open up the door for us to come in and so he did. This single sacrifice paid it all and gave us access. He died that we may boast of a full life. Even though systems may fail, we know of a system that stands sure and solid. He endured the cross, the pain, and ache. He took on death and went to the grave. And when hope seemed lost, He rose again that his death might usher us into overwhelming victory. And because of this, we can stand before him blameless and without fault, because of this we can hope again being justified by His power in us through the Holy Spirit. So, we can hold unto an assurance that even though we donât know what the end of this age will mean, we can dare to hope in him who holds us in His
We Wrestle not Against 5G
In Nigeria, we like gist – the juicier the story, the better and we have an opinion on everything.  We fuel our gist obsession through social media whether itâs tweets, blogs or other e-info sources. And now, we are spending more and more time on social media to stay informed, as we practice social distancing and remain under state-wide and nationwide lockdown to control and prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19). (Shout-out to all the front-liners for their efforts â God bless, protect and empower you as you continue to fight for us and support those hardest hit) This should be a good thing, right? But unfortunately, there is a flip side. In the midst of âstaying informedâ, we are exposed to a lot of fake stories and conspiracy theories. In particular, the fact that we are being held to ransom by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) has helped those conspiracy theorists circulate a lot of baseless propaganda on the cause of the virus. The most recent theory is that electromagnetic radiation emitted from 5G antennas is the root cause of Covid-19. For the benefit of those who do not know what 5G means â it is the latest innovation in mobile network technology designed to increase data transmission speeds and enable âsmartâ living. 5G has now become the scapegoat for Covid-19. China was the earliest country to advocate for and launch 5G. However, the Covid-19 pandemic also started in China. So, conspiracy theorists and online trolls have seized these two facts to create fake facts and spread wrong information. But people donât really believe this right? Well you would think so, but in actual fact, the pandemic has caused so much anxiety, panic and fear, that Christians and intelligent people have started to buy into all the misinformation that is being propagated. Theyâve become gullible to the point that they are actually helping the conspiracy theorists by circulating the fake content (WhatsApp forwards etc.). In Nigeria, some authorities have even insinuated that the lockdown was put in place to allow for the installation of the 5G infrastructure to enable the coming of the anti-Christ and that the Covid-19 pandemic is the corresponding end times sign â essentially the tribulation before rapture. Globally, the backlash on 5G has reached a crescendo resulting in attacks on telecoms engineers and vandalizing of 5G network equipment. On the surface, it may seem like these fake stories are just a coordinated effort to protest against 5G. However, when they start to cause irrational responses from Christians, playing on their vulnerability, birthing conflicting messaging in the church, and inducing paralyzing levels of fear and anxiety, it becomes clear that there are other powers at work. Paul reminds us of this in Ephesians 6:12, âFor we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers and rulers of the darkness of this worldâŠâ Sounds far-fetched? If you being a Christian, someone chosen specifically by God (John 6:37), is exacerbating fear, then what chance does everybody else have? When you feed your mind with half-truths and doomsday theories, how can you be a light to the world (Matt 5:15), especially during this trying time. People are afraid and very vulnerable right now and God needs you to be the conduit for His light to pierce through their darkness. The enemy knows this and will try to prevent you from having that impact by also keeping you distracted and paralyzed. Fortunately, our God always has the measure of the enemy and has left a strategy for us in Ephesians 6:13-18 which we can use to navigate all these half-truths without acceding to the schemes of the enemy. This winning strategy is anchored on us wielding all the Armor of God (v13) on a daily basis. He told us to ââŠStand firm and put on the Belt of TruthâŠâ (v14). This will help you maintain right thinking. There are three truths you should fill your mind with and propagate during this season. First, God protects His people. He did it by marking them so that the angel of death would pass over their homes and âvisitâ all the Egyptian homes (Exodus 12:13), and He is protecting you today with the seal of the Holy Spirit which you received when you were saved, so that Covid-19 will pass over you too. Secondly, only God knows when rapture will happen (1 Thess 5:1-2). No one else knows and no one else ever will. So, stop allowing half-truths derail you from the truth. And finally, the World Health Organization(WHO) has stated very clearly, following extensive research, that Covid-19 cannot be spread through radio waves or mobile networks. The virus is purely a respiratory disease. So, BOOMâŠthere you have itâŠthe 5G link to Covid-19 debunked!!! âŠand the breastplate of Righteousness (v.14b): Focus on getting right standing with GOD, spending time in His presence when you are most vulnerable (Proverbs 4:7), being conscious of Satanâs ways and guarding your heart (Proverbs 4:23) and avoiding those things that we know can cause us to err (Matthew 5:30) – this could be in the form of âsanitizingâ our social media contacts for example. Doing this will starve all those powers and principalities of the ability to attack your hearts and minds successfully. âŠfor shoes, strap on the Gospel of Peace (v.15): Weâve been called to know HIM and make HIM known and he has equipped us to do this (John 14:27). So wearing the Gospel of Peace as shoes keeps us ready to be the light in peopleâs darkness by sharing God and the truth no matter how challenging the times and seasons are (John 14:33). …take up the shield of Faith (v.16): Instead of fuelling your fears with the flaming arrows (fear mongering, misinformation, conspiracy theories) on Covid-19 and 5G, block them by feeding your faith with Godâs promises and precepts. Arming yourself with the knowledge that God has amazing plans for you (Jer 29:11) and that no matter the challenge, it
Lockdown is not Lockup
Itâs no longer news that the Covid-19 pandemic and its spread across the globe has killed thousands of people, crashed the global economy and plunged ânormalâ life into turbulence and disorder. Various aspects of life have not been and will not be the same due to this. Experts have tried to unravel how to harness the crisis for higher level of productivity and profitability. Cities and nations have been on a lockdown; businesses, religious centers, schools are all shut down; workers now have to stay at home and/or work from home. This has also unexpectedly increased unemployment, plunged businesses into bankruptcy and crippled economies. In the wake of this pandemic, normal life may look like a distant dream but victorious and profitable life will not be farfetched for those who have prepared and positioned themselves for the best. As a poet and songwriter, I have written a lot of poems and lyrics during this lockdown, but here is my favourite: Lockdown is not lockup Donât shutdown and donât shut up Get up and show up behind closed doors Stay safe, strong and smart indoors Not every closed door is a prison Storms only come for a season Wake up and put on your creative cap Donât get tamed by anxietyâs trap Donât look for light at the end of the tunnel When there is a light walking in the tunnel Youâre the light my friend This darkness will come to an end Keep on shining and showing up This lockdown is not a lockup Life, they say, is different strokes for different folks, people process seasons and situations differently but it is important to understand how to navigate this stormy season in order to gain from pain. Every loss is a lesson, only if we focus on learning and not just yearning. Here are few tips to living the best life during lockdown: Connect and commune with creative people: the kind of people you connect with during a downtime will determine how fast you will rise again. Social distance is not a barrier to creativity and productivity. There is no limit in the move of the âspiritâ, thanks to the internet and technology. There are a lot of free webinars and courses online that can fuel fortune and faith, engage the ones that speak to your interests and prospects. Defy reasoning and reach for new realities: In times of crises, reasoning and logic seem to be the last resort but they often put a cap on creativity and productivity. Seasons like this provides opportunity not only to think outside the box but to live, work and earn outside the box. Explore every idea, even the unreasonable and insignificant ones. Relax and retreat to relaunch: anxiety attacks become prevalent due to uncertainties and harsh realities faced during this period. Be intentional about building metal agility, seek counselling and mentoring if you must. This is not a time to be emotionally and socially isolated even if you are physically isolated. Be intentional about building mental agility. See the bright side of the âbendâ because this is certainly not the end. Create opportunities: a lot of times, people wait for doors of opportunities to open instead of breaking walls and building their own doors. Donât dwell on the crises and losses that may be ravaging the world. The truth is, there will not always be jobs openings, but you can employ yourself. May be this is the right time to keep your credentials and dust your potentials. There is always a way to start – start with what you have and start from where you are. Make research, reach out for help from veteran entrepreneurs. Dare to be different: there is the temptation to join the bandwagon of people who engage in random activities, especially online games and challenges â which is not so bad. According to Devon Franklin, âyour destiny is your difference.â If you want to achieve a different result in this lockdown period, you must act differently and apply a different strategy to your activities. As much as it is good to have fun, donât lose your focus. Above all, stay safe! See this lockdown as a season of relaxation, reflection and redirection. I believe that God is using this season to protect, direct, connect, inspect and correct His people. A lot of disruptions will take place during and after this pandemic but the people who will get the best from the disruptions are those who prepare for the best and plan to overcome the worst. Allow God to have His way while you play your part. Donât fret, the One who holds the whole world in His hands is the one who holds your future; therefore, your future is secured and assured. Written by Adeleke Adeite