THE PASSING OF CHIEF SMART OWONIKOKO-DECENCY.

He was a formidable business tycoon, a London-trained accountant hailing from a prominent Lagos family. Known for his blunt demeanor and fierce ambition, he was nonetheless meticulous in his dealings, achieving great success in business without compromising fairness. Inheriting the family company from his late father, Chief Smart Owonikoko-Decency (Chief Smart) propelled it to unprecedented heights, with the business's value soaring to over N120 billion ($80 million) during his tenure as Chief Executive of the Owonifaari Group. Seizing opportunities in supporting services for Nigeria's burgeoning telecommunications industry following the country's return to democracy, he further expanded his enterprise's scope.

Chief Smart's passing at the age of 86, attributed to renal failure by his wife, Mrs. Jelenke Owonikoko-Decency (Jelenke), marked the end of an era for the business community.

To Chief Smart's utter surprise and confusion, as he departed from his physical body, he found himself observing his discarded form lying on the hospital bed, while simultaneously perceiving himself in a different, more refined body. It was a surreal experience, witnessing his wife Jelenke's tears and lamentations over his passing, as she knelt by the bedside. Two devoted nurses and the lead doctor/consultant, who had tirelessly strived to keep him alive, offered her solace.

In the corner of the exclusive private room in the highbrow hospital where he had spent the last month battling his ailment, Chief Smart's son, Ariwo-ola, stood calmly. Despite the gravity of the situation, Ariwo-ola appeared contemplative, his thoughts evidently drifting toward the future of the Owonifaari Group business, which he envisaged continuing from where his father left off. Chief Smart couldn't help but feel a pang of shock and disappointment as he realised that his son, unlike the others in the room, seemed more preoccupied with the business than with his father's passing.

In this transcendent state, Chief Smart found himself endowed with a newfound ability to perceive people's thoughts clearly, offering him some insight into their innermost feelings and intentions.

Meanwhile, Jelenke remained inconsolable despite Chief Smart's attempts. Drawing closer to her, he reiterated that he was still alive, urging her to cease her weeping. However, Jelenke remained unresponsive, her sobs unabated. Placing his arms around her shoulders in a gesture of solace, Chief Smart repeated his reassurance. Yet, Jelenke's demeanor remained unchanged.

Chief Smart was yet to fully come to terms with the fact that he was no longer working through his discarded physical body but that his finer body was the one making contact with his wife's finer form, rather than her physical body. Moreover, he remained oblivious to the fact that Jelenke, still in the flesh could not perceive his touch on her finer body. Frustrated and distressed, Chief Smart cried out to the others in the room, proclaiming his continued existence. Despite hearing his own voice and the voices of others, they remained oblivious to his presence, adding to his bewilderment.

In a state of utter despondency, Chief Smart collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness. Days later, he witnessed his own lavish funeral, astonished by the lack of compassion and the envy evident in the expressions of some attendees. Moreover, he observed with surprise how individuals he had once despised now extended well-wishes towards him in his transition.

Exhausted by the ordeal, Chief Smart drifted into sleep, only to awaken to a suffocating darkness. His attempts to call out were met with a chilling silence, devoid of the sound of his own voice. Bereft of sensation in his limbs, Chief Smart grappled with a sense of profound loneliness and hopelessness, signaling the onset of a long and arduous journey into the unknown realms beyond.

During his time on earth, Chief Smart rarely entertained matters of spiritual significance. When his son, from a tender age of seven, questioned him about life after death, Chief Smart dismissively asserted that upon his demise, his body would simply turn to dust, discouraging further inquiry into the topic. To him, such inquiries were deemed trivial and unworthy of attention, as he urged his son to focus on weightier matters.

In discussions among peers regarding the spiritual essence of life, Chief Smart's response was often laced with mocking laughter. He regarded such conversations as juvenile, asserting that his role as a businessman was solely to amass wealth for himself and his family, while also creating opportunities for the less fortunate. With an air of ambition, he expressed his desire to leave a lasting legacy as a successful entrepreneur and a benefactor to humanity.

The narrative of Chief Smart's departure unfolds as a tale of hardship and bewilderment in its initial hours. Yet, this narrative merely scratches the surface of a much deeper reality. The choices he made throughout his life on earth have led him to confront the stark consequences that now unfold before him. Despite his refusal to acknowledge the existence of an afterlife and his dismissal of spiritual matters as inconsequential, Chief Smart has no power to annul the continuation of life after his physical demise. Consequently, he now faces the daunting prospect of navigating a desolate and solitary existence in the realms beyond.

However, for those who have devoted their time on earth to acquiring knowledge about God and eternity, their awakening in the realms beyond shall be one of profound joy. The Hand of the Lord extends to us through His Word, readily available on earth today. This divine revelation illuminates the operation of God's laws in creation and offers a path to redemption from the entanglements of guilt. With a genuine comprehension of these divine laws, we can sidestep experiences akin to those endured by Chief Smart Owonikoko-Decency.

Now therefore is the time to concern ourselves solely with the Word of Truth and a clear understanding of the laws of God!

WHY ARE WE IN THIS WORLD?

Life on Earth can often seem perplexing, especially when we witness the sudden passing of someone who seemed to have it all - education, wealth, fame, and position. We question the meaning of achieving material success only to leave it all behind without fully experiencing its benefits.

Perhaps our confusion stems from our narrow pe
rspective, limited to earthly matters. Yet, there is a broader picture that offers clarity and understanding.

Consider these five points:

1. The earth represents the lowest realm within the broader Creation. Beyond our earthly existence, there exist higher planes offering humans elevated levels of joy and peace. Hence, transitioning from this earthly life to a higher sphere of existence is not abnormal, is not necessarily a punishment or a tragedy no matter how sudden or the forms the exit takes. Being human, the occurrence itself may be shocking to us, may make us sad but this does not negate the fact that life continues for the departed and they are not consigned into oblivion. It may well be that the living soul of the departed is already abiding and experiencing life in sunny meadows of this wonderful Creation! Of course, a departed one will be attracted and held fast to the area in the beyond which is similar to how his life on earth was lived.

2. The purpose of life extends beyond material success; it is about aligning with the Will of God. Without a clear understanding of our purpose in life, then life loses meaning. Recognising our path beyond this life is crucial for understanding our purpose here.

3. Our experiences on Earth are meant to lead us to spiritual maturity and a deeper understanding of God's Laws. Through these experiences, it becomes natural for individuals to serve God by adhering to His Laws. Please note this point well as it already discloses the purpose of life on earth!

4. The Laws of God orchestrate our circumstances to provide the experiences necessary for us to attain spiritual maturity and truly recognize God. Keeping this in mind, we understand that our current conditions - be it wealth or poverty, health or illness, peace or conflict, joy or sorrow - are all avenues guiding us towards a deeper understanding of God, which is the ultimate purpose of life.

5. Understanding the purpose of our lives fills us with gratitude for every moment and experience. With this understanding, we will naturally gain profound insights and eschew the pursuit of material possessions solely for personal gain. Instead, we will dedicate each moment of our lives to spiritual growth, leading to a joyful existence and the purest form of happiness.

May we all attain clarity and understanding of these matters, and may we be strengthened to gain valuable insights from the numerous experiences we encounter throughout our lives on earth daily and hourly!

HOW CAN WE USE THE POWER OF SILENCE?

 

Do you know that if we are truly desirous of saying only what is useful, we will hardly spend 33% of the time we spend talking presently? Instead of noble silence, we indulge in talking about all things under the sun, what we understand, and what we know nothing about. We have an opinion ready on any topic. This talking epidemic suppresses our ability to perceive intuitively and observe things naturally. It does not promote clarity of thought; it causes inner turmoil instead of promoting inner peace. No wonder we have the saying: Silence is golden! We, therefore, need to cultivate silence. When we do this, then we can also benefit from the power of silence.

We will touch on three ways in which we can use the power of silence for our benefit. 

1. To nourish our thoughts and bring them to fruition:

When we think about something and retain the thought in silence, it begins to grow, it expands and other similar thoughts from the countless thoughts floating all around us are added to our initial thought. As we continue to stay in silence on the matter, we get more clarity and the thought is able to become deed with time having gained strength through silence. Everything we do starts from a seed; the seed of that first thought. It is this thought that grows into a visible manifestation when nourished. Silence is the nourishment our thoughts need in order to grow and mature into deeds.

2.   To attract what we need:

As mentioned earlier, the thought retained in silence will attract similar thoughts to itself, change and evolve into a new and stronger form. It will get to the point where this reinforced thought begins to break through your personal aura so that others notice it. They may say you have changed or that they are seeing a new you! This development then draws to you like a magnet, all the people and resources you need to bring into fruition that which you seek in your thought. This attraction is what people describe as good luck or being at the right place at the right time. But your nourished thoughts are really the cause of your attracting what comes to you! Please note that this works for good and for bad thoughts; hence the need to always think about that which is good so that we will attract only goodness into our lives. Furthermore, this thought which has matured can rise above the ordinary and go further into spheres of higher thoughts from where it can draw inspiration which then guides you into bringing the thought to reality in a much more advanced form.      

 3. To aid our earnestness when we pray and to foster our desire to do only what is good.

Prayer time is a time dedicated to God. If we are to pray at all then it must be sincere, serious, and solemn. When we pray in quietness, the power to express ourselves intuitively is increased through silence and our prayers can rise to the Luminous Heights and our petitions can rise to the spheres of grace. When in our life’s journey we have come to the point of making the firm decision to do only that which is good and turn our back to sin forever, the power of silence helps us to stay the course. This good volition mentioned here has the power to protect us from the repercussions of our former evil deeds. It is tantamount to the forgiveness of our past sins. This power of good volition, this great protection Is also nourished by the power of silence!

Clearly, the Lord our God in His mercy has endowed us with the strength for everything! May we have the courage to use it only for the good!

 

 

TIME AND TRUTH

 

Sometimes, profound discussions happen on buses. Years ago, a bus conductor in Lagos, Nigeria told his passengers that he does not buy the idea conveyed by the words: “olden days”. There is nothing like the olden days he said. The olden days are what have extended to this very day he affirmed. The young man spoke with courage. What he said is not in line with the popular view. The majority believe that time passes and that time changes.

 

But does time change? Does it pass? New knowledge available on earth today makes it clear to us that Time stands still! We are the ones that go through time to learn from it. Time never changes. It records all things and it is eternal. We, therefore, are the ones who go through time to learn from what has been recorded in it. We learn from this and we grow, we mature. It is just the forms of time that change and this is what we as men can relate to and which makes us conclude that time changes. Only the forms change but not time itself.

 

Again, when we observe ourselves we notice that we too remain the same inwardly. Our inner core the spirit remains what it is even when our body is manifesting outward changes. Our body can be young, it can be old, but our inner core remains forever the same. I am sure you too have noticed this.

 

Truth! This is the eternal unchangeable! It is Eternal. Again, as we reflect on this we see that what we consider as truth today we see later as error and yet again in this, we yet find grains of truth. Even then the Truth remains forever the same, it does not change. We are the ones who are getting to know more and more and growing and maturing in the process.

 

As we contemplate Truth we realise that it is Divine. It is well above our own origin. Closely linked to Truth are Love, Purity, and Justice. All are Divine. To be pleasing to our Creator, we as of necessity need to embrace and immerse ourselves in the spiritual forms of the Divine concepts mentioned here.

 

To live by Truth and Justice let us resolve to think, speak and act such that the Laws of Creation will bring back to us in reciprocity only peace, happiness, and the abundance of this Universe. When we align our thoughts words and deeds to their working, the Laws will also bear us aloft to the Luminous Gardens of our Creator eventually.

 

To serve Purity, let us embrace childlikeness, chastity in daily activity, a sense of beauty in all our actions, faithfulness, and acting with grace.

 

To live by Love, let us voluntarily respect and show understanding for our neighbours, help where help is needed and contribute only to healing and reconciliation.  We should also strive to live up to the high standards and pedestal on which our loved ones have placed us and not betray their trust.  

 

Above all, let us think of God at all times. That is our source of redemption, that is our salvation!

 

THE STORY OF SOYOYO AND OJURI

In her mid-twenties, Soyoyo is fun-loving, charming, and attractive. She can be described as decent, does not keep late nights, and is considered a reliable staff in the pharmacy retail chain where she serves as pharmacist and store manager. To unwind, she goes to the beach at weekends to relax with her colleagues, male and female.

 

At the beach, the ladies put on their skimpy bikinis and the gentlemen their swimming shorts. They swim, have their picnics, and party for hours. A female colleague once voiced her concern about this coming together of male and female in such a state of near nakedness. She was advised by the others that swimming with friends is totally harmless and that she must be the one with a corrupt mind to have a problem with the “clean fun” they were all enjoying. They told her: to the clean mind, all is clean!

 

On one occasion, a male colleague invited his friend Ojuri to join in the beachside fun. As it would turn out, Ojuri was not a man with a clean mind as envisaged by our group of friends and colleagues. Ojuri found Soyoyo appealing and kept looking at her as she swam and danced to the scintillating music. However, instead of thoughts of love, what arose in the mind of Ojuri was a lustful desire for Soyoyo! He said and did nothing outwardly. Throughout the get-together, Ojuri did not say one word to Soyoyo nor did he express his desires to the person who invited him to the party.

 

Now, thoughts are realities, and they have forms! The lustful thoughts of Ojuri took on form and moved towards Soyoyo. The effect is that these lustful forms defiled Soyoyo who continued to carry the forms with her even as she left the party. These forms are harmful and will most likely poison and confuse Soyoyo. Such a victim may start having desires of a lustful nature even if ordinarily such was not intended before the contamination aforementioned. No wonder then that we are told in the New Testament that whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. These are the physically unseen happenings associated with swimming between the sexes, erotic dance shows, and wild parties.

 

All who do not wish to be defiled need to be wary of such outings. There are certainly better ways to enjoy our time for recreation. It is time to discourage such gatherings which only promote immorality. In addition, let us respect and honour women. Let us from now begin to see in women what we really expect: noble womanhood. This will help womanhood to change for the better and we thereby uplift ourselves.

 

We shall succeed if we are focused on only what is good!

ANOTHER KIND OF LOVE

Love is a great ideal! It is extolled in books, in songs, and in our hearts. We seek love, we seek to give love. We believe that we can express love by giving to others, in helping them, and doing things that will bring them joy. We strive to protect them from care and dangers, we provide for their material needs.

Many sacrifice a lot for family and all those that are considered as loved ones. This is great. Material care cannot be ignored without dire consequences. However, as in everything, there has to be a balance here as well. The material must not be our principal aim. We must add a striving for that which is noble, high, and ideal.  

And, indeed, there is another kind of love! This love respects the beloved, it helps where help is needed and does what is of real and deeper spiritual benefit to the beloved. This love makes no demands, nor is it traded for the love and loyalty of the loved ones. It is given without calculations of the expected benefits or of trapping the loved ones into obeying all the unreasonable demands of the giver. This love under consideration actually gives strength to the loved ones to the extent that these ones will also begin to desire to become better human beings! Just imagine! 

This kind of love most importantly leads the giver upwards! How? Genuine love engenders in us the longing to attain to what we are considered to be in the eyes of those who love us. This longing can only make us do that which is good always and with such a desire for the good we have found the right path upward spiritually! We have found the path of chastity, the path of grace, the path of faithfulness, the path of beauty,  the path of childlikeness, and the path of love which leads to God Who is LOVE!

 

THE STORY OF MADAM ABARA

This is about a lady of great influence and power. She lived in wealth and had many servants in her mansion with well-manicured lawns and marble floors.

 

One remarkable part of her life is that whenever a servant did anything wrong in Madam Abara’s view they will get a devastating slap from her. Her slaps are not to the face, but to the upper back of the servant concerned.

 

If a servant slouched, did not carry a plate well, did not speak up, stammers, asked for clarity regarding some instruction, spoke too loudly, spoke too softly, had an expression Madam Abara viewed as disrespectful, a hard slap to the back will be the sure reward. Most of the time this reward comes like lightening and can have the effect of hurling down the servant concerned! They get thrown to the ground from the devastating effect of Madam Abara’s well-practiced, hot and powerful hits.

 

Now, our activities which include our thoughts, words and deeds form our destiny. These deeds are seeds that we plant every moment, and they are nurtured through the workings of the Laws of Creation such that at a definite time we will have to reap what we have sown earlier on as seeds. We can only expect results that are like our earlier activities. The Law that brings these about is the unchangeable Law of Sowing and Reaping, the Law of Reciprocal Action. This Law speaks of the Justice and Love of the Creator and makes man the architect of his own fate or destiny.

 

One day, Madam Abara heard words to this effect and promptly made a firm volition to change. She also decided to do only what is good from that day on. That inner change had the effect of putting a stop to the unwholesome habit of acquiring further debts by Madam Abara.  She did not stop at that. With the same relentlessness of her former ways, she now engaged in doing only what is good in thought word and deed and showed nothing but kindness and understanding to her servants. She even offered to help them whenever she perceived that help was needed by them, to the surprise of the servants. The servants were now living with a brand-new Gentlewoman!

 

Meanwhile, the Law of Sowing and Reaping continued working on Madam Abara. The result or harvest of her past activities must come back to her and influence her environment, her circumstances and on her physical body! What was due for Madam Abara was that she will go into slavery! The time for this to happen came indeed. On one fateful day, she instructed one of her servants to sweep the purple marble floor of her living room. The young woman was doing the work in a sluggish manner. In former times Madam Abara would have landed a crushing slap on her back. On this day however, Madam Abara seeing the servant’s struggle, asked her to give her the broom so that she can show the servant how to sweep properly. In a few movements, she showed her this in all kindness and handed back the broom to the servant to continue. In view of Madam Abara’s inner change, the full repercussions of her former deeds could no longer have a full effect but the symbolic service she performed for her servant was enough to wipe away the need for the heavy penance she would have suffered if she had remained immersed in her former tyrannical attitude.

 

For Madam Abara the sustained resolve to be good formed a formidable covering and protection that prevented the onrushing reciprocal action from having a full effect or any effect at all.

 

The same Laws of Creation that judge us also redeem and forgive us! Forgiveness comes about by true repentance, authentic inner change for the better, heartfelt prayer for help, and persistence in doing only what is good in thought, word and deed.  May we be strengthened in our resolve to change our ways. May we be open and receptive to the power which enables us to continuously live aright! Amen.