The NEW BIRTH by Chris Ekwedam. pdf for Free Download.

 Is it possible to preach on "born again" without even mentioning the word "born again" and yet the message of new birth is communicated and lives are transformed?  Is it possible to  jump up and down, shout "born again", use the word "born again" most frequently in our preaching, yet without  communicating what "born again" really means and lives are not transformed? YES.

Download my book on the NEW BIRTH here where I made a case for "born again" as a prerequisite for sonship. No matter what your view may be now, you will not regret you read it.

Remain blessed.

Celebration of a life well lived...

When someone dies, it is the end of an existence on earth. The person has finished his or her sojourn. The earth suffers a loss. For Christians, we believe that the person goes to give account. Whether old or young, believer or non-believer, pastor or parishioner, christian leader or the led, it doesn't change the facts. It is a sober moment because it is a loss to our common humanity and no matter what we claim, we CANNOT tell how the person's account is before God. There are many secrets about people we don't know. We can only assume and believe and hope because of what we have observed in the person's life while here on earth but real certainty belongs to God alone. 

The Bible says that he that believes will have eternal life. If someone believes and dies, he or she has eternal life. Now the same Bible says that many who are first shall be last and the last shall be the first. He who endures till the end SHALL be saved. Hence, how a person finishes is as important as how he or she started. In specific terms, only God actually knows how someone finished. Only on rare occasions does He give a glimpse to the living. It calls for soberness.

What I see in the scripture is that the dead is mourned, old and young, and it's a time for the living to reflect, because we shall also all lie in state one day and stand to give accounts too. Burials are not supposed to be a celebration. If you want celebration, go to a feast but not in a burial. To buttress the point, we are admonished not to mourn like those who have no hope, hence depicting what the atmosphere should be like when one dies. When reflection has gone, soberness is relegated and not encouraged, and funfair and pump are embraced, then it presents us as worldly and an evil generation.

My thoughts 🙏

#justthinking #justthinkingoutloud

My Testimony - Deliverance from Unknown Gunmen at Orsumoghu - Azia Junction, Anambra State

I considered sharing this testimony after reading other similar encounters of different people with the *Unknown Gunmen (UGM)* same weekend of 18th - 20th February 2022.  Unfortunately, a man in one of the encounters lost his life. Peradventure this may help to save more lives and stir up the governments, both states and federal, to do the needful.

On the 18th of February 2022, I travelled from Port Harcourt to *Akwaihedi,* a town after Amichi  for the burial of my late cousin who stood as my mother during my wedding. My own mother died two years before my wedding. I was advised by the husband to avoid Orlu - Ihiala axis. In his own words "there's war there between the UGM and the Security Agencies".

I got to Okija along the express way and encountered a heavy traffic jam. Vehicles were turning and following Ezego Road inside Okija. We were told that a trailer fell and blocked the two lanes of the highway. We came out of Ezego Road and branched off to Nnewi road through Ihembosi. From Nnewi, we entered Akwaihedi through Utu, Orsumenyi, Amichi.

On our way back after the burial, we were advised not to follow Orsumoghu - Azia road because of the Unknown Gunmen but to follow Utu, Ukpor, Orsumoghu, Mbosi, Ihiala. As we were climbing, approaching Orsumoghu - Azia Junction, it's hilly with two big road bumps on either side. I noticed two men from afar. I assumed them to be Policemen. Though the one with gun was wearing what looked like army camouflage trousers with sweater tied to his waist, nothing alerted my suspicion because most of our Policemen often dress that way. 

But something remarkable happened. As we approached, he seemed to be distracted toward what was happening on the other side of the road. He left to that side. When we arrived, I climbed the first bump, still slowing down in case "the policeman" would want to come over to check me. But my wife said, "continue moving since they're paying attention to the other vehicle the other side of the road" But I noticed that he threatened to pull the trigger two times towards the driver of the other car. The gun is a locally made type the vigilante use. I just continued to move slowly without any suspicion. When I climbed the second bump, through my rear mirror, I noticed that he began to pursue me with the gun. It was when a trailer coming from the opposite direction and two other cars suddenly began to turn and reverse with speed, it dawned on me that these guys must be armed robbers. The turning vehicles delayed me a bit while the gun man increased his speed in pursuing us. Thank God I was able to find a way to bypass the trailer, a Sequoia SUV and a Corolla and escaped. I literally jumped the two bumps across the other side.

It became obvious to me and my wife that God sent His angels ahead of us to distract the gunmen to enable us to pass. By the time they paid attention to us, like a bird, we had escaped from their net. Glorify God with me🙏🏿.

*My advice is that people should stop using this Ihiala, Azia, Orsumoghu Ukpor, Utu road until further notice.*

Thank you🙏🏿. Pls share let more people be alerted. It may help to save more lives.