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MESSAGE Delivered BY PASTOR (DR) L.O. OLADELE- ABUJA FCT AREA SUPERINTENDENT- Sunday message

Published

5 years ago

May 24, 2020

The Gleamer

TOPIC: EVILS IN MURMURING

TEXT: 1 Cor 10:10“Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer”.

BIBLE REFS: Phil 2:14; Jude 16

INTRODUCTION

Murmuring in literal sense is a soft low sound, a quiet voice made by heart which may show illness or Private complaint. A continuous indistinct sound, often accompanied by movement of the upper lip without the production of articulate speech. It is a condition which leads to noisy or turbulent reaction of complaint, discontentment and protest.

Scripturally the Greek word with the root ‘goguzo’ means to grumble or mutter sound in subdued or Resentment. The attitudes and actions of murmurers are regarded as unbecoming of the children of God as it portrays unbelief, rejection and condemning the Almighty. This common but despicable attitude carries dreadful dangers, from which God is warning us to desist especially during these hard times, when the whole world is crying under the yoke of Corona pandemic and where the life order of Humanity is in disarray.

HOW GOD VIEWS MURMURING

God views murmuring as sin unto Himself which is very abhorring: Exod 16:8, Num 14:27-29,

Deut 1:27. To God, murmuring is:

1. Disbelieving Him – which is idolatry

2. Discontentment / Dissatisfaction with God

3. Allotting blame or guilt to God.

4. Disagreement with God

5. Anger against God

6. Opposition to God

7. Rebellion to God

Jeremiah Borroughs, a great old theologian wrote that God sees the murmurers today in the Church as (i) Corrupt souls(ii) Wicked men (iii) Rebels (iv) Enemies of Grace(v)Infidels (vi) People that God cannot answer their prayers (vii) Fools.

MURMURING IN THE WILDERNESS

In the journey of the Jews from Egypt to Canaan, one great sin committed by the Israelites against God most is sin of murmuring. They were not spared from the punishment of it.

i. At Marah Exod 15:23-25- Lack of water- God answered their murmuring with ordinance and

warning Vs 25-26.

ii. Between Elim and Sinai Exod 16:2-3- Lack of food- God answered, murmuring Vs 7-9,35.

iii. Wilderness of Sin Exod 17:2-3- Lack of water- God answered but regarded it as temptation V 7

iv. After Sinai Num 11:1-3- Complaints about food (manna)- God answered by giving quails after sending fire to burn them

v. Miriam and Aaron murmured against Moses Num 12:1-16 – Aaron & Moses became leprous.

vi. Wilderness of Paran at the spying of Canaan Land Num 13 & 14:1- Disbelieved & doubted God- God decided that none of them will enter the land of Canaan. He turned 40 days became 40 years

of journey to Canaan.

vii. Korah, Dathan, Abiram & On murmured against Moses Num 16:1-33 – The ground swallowed them

& their family Vs 31-33; Fire consumed 250 men V 35 and plague killed 14,700 men V49.

What are you passing through now? What is that unpleasant situation that is causing bitterness of mind and murmuring in your heart?

MURMURING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

In the New Testament, the Pharisees and the Scribes were perennial murmurers against Jesus and His Ministry Lk 5:30; 15:2; 19:7 because of their unbelief. They received damnation for this purpose. Matt 23:13-29.

Apostle PAUL warned the Church of his time very sternly on this 1 Cor 10:10 “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer”. In the New Testamentthe Apostles warned against the evils in murmuring unequivocally. Apostle Paul grouped murmuringwith sins of Idolatry, Fornication, Tempting God and rebellion 1 Cor. 10:7-10. Hence, he warnedagainst falling into this easily besetting and consuming sin V 11-12.

Also, Apostle JUDE presented the analogy of what murmuring entails.Jude1: 16 “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage”

i. Who are the Murmurers? Jude V10 “But these speak evil of those things which they know not : but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves”

ii. What are they like? Jude V12,13 “These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you , feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame ; wandering stars , to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever”

iii. What is their end? Jude V11,15 “Woe unto them !for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

THE INHERENT DANGERS

To sum up the dangers of murmuring as afore mentioned, murmuring provokes the wrath of God with all its attendant perditions of Body, spirit and soul. Spirit of murmuring is satanic and ends in hell fire, in addition to unrepairable damages on earth. It breeds hatred, negates love and forgiveness and provides ground for Satan to let lose all his hellish attributes. It endangers health of its victims, leads to error and eventual death of the body and spirit.

Instead of murmuring, why not speak out, seek knowledge and enlightenment, pray, have strong faith. Ask for meek, enduring and persevering spirit. Have bold and courageous spirit to overcome even the greatest problems and the highest mountains. Do not see or attribute any problem to any Human/authority/institution/Leaders even your partners but take problems as challenges to rise and be joyful always Phil 4:4.

CONCLUSION

During this trying period of global pandemic almost everything calls for anger, resentment to serious murmuring in all facets of life. However, let all believers in Christ avoid apportioning blames, acrimony, that can promote tension. At homestead, at working place and business place, in the church, with friends and relatives, with leaders of the Nation etc; let us shun murmuring. It leads to aggravation of existing problems rather than proffering solution. Let us rather be penitent, exhibit spirit of understanding, forgiveness, love, meekness and tolerance of all people as taught by Christ Matt 11:29.

Remember, Do all things without murmuring of disputings Phil 2:14. This is the will of God for Heaven bound Christians Heb. 12:14.

May God give us power over the demonic spirit of murmuring in Jesus Name (Amen)

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Dikko And The New Vision Accountability and Development in Sports

Published

7 days ago

December 16, 2024

The Gleamer

Felly Mammah N.

Since the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Alhaji Shehu Dikko assumed office on the 30th of October, 2024, he has systematically and deliberately been putting in place structures that would result to proper development of sports in Nigeria. Shortly after he was first appointed by President Bola Tinubu as a leading strength of sports, the Director General (DG), Hon. Bukola Olapade was appointed to compliment his efforts.

Many sports analysts believe that the duo of Dikko and Olapade who have been very visible in sports administration will be one of the best combination to take the sports sector to the next level. The DG no doubt, is the head of administration in the Commission, but it should be noted that the financial enablement to manage the affairs of staff and the political might that shops for the finance needed in the running of the sector rest on the Chairman who has the task of liaising with the President directly.

It is also, worthy to note that there is a huge difference between the administration of in the Civil Service as it is controlled by a Permanent Secretary and Directors while the administration of a Commission involves Board Members and experts whose voices and actions are also, game-changing; more so as Commissioners are likely going to take charge of the different zones to proffer solutions for a way forward. The defunct Ministry of Youths and Sports Development which later in 2023 metamorphosed into the Ministry of Sports Development on the assumption of President Bola Tinubu, produced a minister who was not versed in sports administration and as a result, faced mass criticism especially from men of the media.

These men of the pen profession are the torchlight of global sporting activity; they equally keep the history of both sports participation globally as well as the records of athletes’ performances. Their torchlight on past Minister’s and particularly the recent past, have revealed that most of the people who presided over sports administration do not really have any knowledge of the sector before their appointment.

The exit of the immediate past Minister, Sen. John Owan Enoh, refreshingly paved the way for change and this has brought in sports personnels that are expected to place sporting activities in the digital world. Suffice it to also, say that the new management of Sports Commission in parts of her changes is expected to sanitize athletes’ attitude and character for better reflection of children who have seen and communicated with their peers in the Western world.

However, the clarion call for President Tinubu to remove politics in sports may have changed the leadership of sports going by what many sports fans saw in the last outing of both Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris 2024, where a country like Nigeria did not measure up to her potentials.

Despite the poor performance of atheletes during the World Olympics Games, the past immediate past Minister deserves to be commended that during his tenure, the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Games was reawakened as the participation of our Super Eagles brought back hope and jubilation to sports fans including the President and higher authorities. Yes whopping sum of N12 Billion was released two weeks to the Olympics Games and at a time the country was not financially stable. Despite the presidential financial support, the medals presented to the country were crisis and ignorant of both the atheletes, Nigeria Olympic Committee and the Atheletic Federaton to do the needful.

Therefore, it is heart-warming that the President harkened to the appeal of his fellow sports lovers to handpick a known figure in the sports arena to share his wealth of experience that gave him both a name in Sports and positions as the former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Chairman League Management Company (LMC), FIFA match Commissioner of significance, 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and presently, CAF Committee Member, in addition to his new portfolio as Chairman NSC.

My reference point here is that Alh. Dikko has been given the authority to effect positive change in sports sector, co-ordinate over 40 Sports Federations in the sector, welcome ideas of both sports stakeholders, individuals and veterans of sports that will enable him x-ray the reasons for poor performances in the sector and to chat a way forward for success story. There can never be a new testament without an old testament, thus the reason Alh. Dikko’s doors have remained opened to receive courtesy calls that included the visits by past administrators and foreigners who want to facilitate with whom the cap fits.

Still, in the mood of celebration to formally welcome Alh. Dikko to office was the peculiar power of sports which gathered momentum and the crowd for happy moments as seen in the recent novelty match organized by his friends, associates and sports veterans at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja recently. That gathering clearly announced not just a man who has made a name for himself at a height in global political decision making in sports circle, but a man who has also, given voice to our country’s leagues and international activities.

Sports is a significant sector that comprises emotion, tension, happiness, sadness even death and hope irrespective of the fact that it has the potential to feed many mouths. The sector cannot be compared to other Ministries with delayed bureaucracies and frustration of abilities. While in the civil service the head will rather submerge a growing talent for fear of power thrown, a coach who discovers a talent takes the credit for showcasing a star athelete discovered. Sports has been proven to generate revenue as well as attract public partnership which are all aimed at enhancing podium performance by the athletes.

Shehu Dikko’s business vision and wide participation in football contributed in making him the right candidate to place the sector in its expected level, increase the GDP of the country’s economy and equally be accountable with administrative roadmap for success.

The novelty match organised for him by his sports fans and League managers had the likes of Samson Siasia, Victor Ikpeba, Mutiu Adepoju, Dominic Iorfa, Ahmed Musa in attendance to share their joy with him as they displayed their talent with their foot.
Others that graced the occasion were Super Sports General Manager, Felix Nwogu, former and present Chairmen of House Committee on Sports, NFF President, NOC members and persons from across the globe. That singular act indicated a clear fact that Dikko can actually gather momentum with persons that can support his ideology to deliver as charged by the presidency.

However, the Chairman’s meekness to open his doors to all does not mean weakness neither does it mean that he has not commenced work officially. His work is more of brain tasking because ideas actually rule the world. I will boldly say that he has resumed work with like minds that will not only be on the same page with him but will as well be on success Guinness Book with him.

Felly Mammah N.
Press Officer (NSC).

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